Explain why African natives are moving to Johannesburg?
Ndotcheni community had started falling apart. As the grounds could not feed people anymore and the younger population started to migrate to Johannesburg and work in gold mines. There were too many cattle but very little grass to feed them as in those days cattle used to be sign of affluence. Old people used to do farming in the local farms and they did not have the strength or stamina to cultivate properly. Much of the soil had eroded and very rarely anything grew on tribal lands. Children of tribal people starved as there was no milk, vegetable or meat to nourish them.
Many natives especially the youth decided to leave their native places for city life as they had started to lose basic touch with them. Old women and men comprised of the population of the valley which was dry. Most of the young population had left for the city as it was considered as the only solution to overcome poverty and drought on the tribal area by working in gold mines in city.
Johannesburg represents white man and its world in which only the whites and their standards are valid. This made all the Africans who migrated there to work follow rules of the white people. They used to live where whites told them to reside, mines led to they worked in mines of white men and used the infrastructure of whites. They were in trouble in case they did not adhere to rules and regulation of white people. The opportunity to work in these gold mines led to resulting overcrowding of the city of Johannesburg. The Whites who needed labor got them aplenty and for cheap but the major drawback was the inability of whites to give their black labors who migrated from tribal areas proper services or housing facilities.
Johannesburg was a city built by the whites solely for the purpose of Gold mining. As black population used be poor they used to work in these gold mines at very low rates and this was further confounded by people who Khumalo traveled with on his train ride as moist of them left native lands to work in Johannesburg. Since they had no place to reside they ended up living in uncomfortable and poor conditions which were seen by Msimangu and Khumalo in the quest to search for Khumalo’s son Absalom. The living conditions of urban blacks were dreadful in these towns made by the white man. In some cases the living conditions are even inferior to rural living.
What happened to those who stayed where they were born? Were the prospects any better?
At Ndotsheni traditionalism was still firm as despite many issues African native were supportive of each other and used to respect the hierarchy and order. When Khumalo comes back home to Ndotsheni he get to know that the village is suffering from drought for last one month. This drought is symbolic of the conditions in which people live in Ndotsheni as they have very little money, most family starve for basic needs and drought has brought another peril to the society. Not just Ndotsheni but many other native villages are suffering from drought in South Africa as it is the story of the country.
Drought is leading to people’s suffering and no nourishment of people of Tdotsheni and other villages in the native Africa. Khumalo realizes that this drought can only be encountered with overall improvement rather than just quick fixes by the chief and effort of whole community by united efforts on all fronts of the society.
In addition to that when the Native Land Act was passed in 1913 it limited South Africans to own small amount of lands. Arthur Jarvis said in the novel ‘just one-tenth of the land was set aside for four-fifths of the country’s people’. This further led to impoverishment of the native Africans who decide to stay behind in their native lands.
What events in the novel illustrate the break-up of the tribal system?
The reason for break-up of tribal system in South Africa is recognized as Colonization. The author used the life scenario of fictional character Khumalo to better demonstrate the social position of blacks in the South African society. This change in the society is given the term ‘broken tribe’.
Broken Tribe describes the way traditional life in the native African regions broke from its shackles along with their hierarchical structures and customs, due to the white people who came to their lands ad forced their culture on to the people of South Africa. The main problem arises when the natives start migrating from their villages to towns in search for jobs and are enforced to become accustomed to the rules of white man. South Africa was already suffering from enforced inequality, racial segregation and prejudice.
With opening of Gold mines in cities many younger natives moved to city to get work in these mines and thus they departed their impoverished native lands which lead to tribes being destroyed. In cities crime rate was soaring and whites were being attacked by blacks which caused panic in cities. Black people thus found themselves drifting away from their tribal cultures and started to get engulfed in the lure of city life.
How was the Tribal system destroyed?
Tribal system or community has started falling apart in native lands. As the grounds could not feed people anymore and the younger population started to migrate to Johannesburg and work in gold mines. There were too many cattle but very little grass to feed them as in those days cattle used to be sign of affluence. Old people used to do farming in the local farms and they did not have the strength or stamina to cultivate properly. Much of the soil had eroded and very rarely anything grew on tribal lands. Children of tribal people starved as there was no milk, vegetable or meat to nourish them. These natives needed moral support and they looked to Khumalo as he was the priest.
Khumalo himself had many problems, as John his brother went to Johannesburg to better his life, his sister Gertrude had also left in search of her husband and his son Absalom went to search for both of them and never to return back home. Khumalo believes ‘the fear of a man who lives in a world not made for him, whose own world is slipping away, dying, being destroyed, beyond any recall’. Here the ‘broken tribe ’theme is introduced which is black community’s major problem. There is no solution to Poverty and hunger which could have been dealt by well organized tribal system.
What is done to replace Tribal System?
James Jarvis father of late Arthur Jarvis after reading his son’s words decides to change things and help the native region overcome drought which Khumalo prayed for but could not do himself. James Jarvis a ‘white man’ attempts to change things in a world where blacks are going through tribunals and trials through kind gesture. As per the author White men needs to compensate for their role in broken tribes.
Napolean Letsitsi an agricultural demonstrator, a young man is sent by James Jarvis to help teach farming techniques to Ndotsheni. Letsitsi gives agricultural advice to Khumao and identifies need to have dam. This dam will collect water from cattle will drink to stay rejuvenated and work for longer hours. Letsitsi realizes that a lot has been done to overcome what has been done to these lands in previous years.
Letsitsi mentions that once a dam is built and cows remain healthy, the natives would not require milk from the Whites. With the dam Ndotsheni and the black natives will have greater independence, but this is not the final aim as greater good of South Africa not just black population.
References
Paton A, “Why I'm fleeing South Africa”. London Sunday Times. ourcivilisation.com. Web. 1998
Winfrey, O. “Your Guide to Cry, the Beloved Country”. Oprah Book Club Collection. Oprah.com. Web. 2003
Crace, J. “Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton”. The Guardian Digested Classics. theguardian.com. Web. 2010
Paton, A. "Cry, the Beloved Country: A Story of Comfort in Desolation". dovegreyreaderscribbles. dovegreyreader.typepad.com. Web. 2011
“Cry, the beloved country” The Economists Sad South Africa. economist.com. Web. 2012
