Black Youths’ Challenges in the “New” South Africa: Education, Language and Identity in Kopano Matlwa’s Coconut (2007)

摘要

Those who were born after the demise of apartheid in South Africa are generally referred to as the “born frees” because 1994 is regarded as a nodal point in the emancipation of the oppressed, especially black people. South Africa was finally a unitary state that observed fundamental human rights such as the right to basic education. Interestingly, when Coconut was published in 2007, the “born-frees” would have been thirteen years old and a lucky few black youths would have been in grade seven at the so-called “former white schools” ~( 1 ) . The lucky ones would have been ready to embark on their high school journeys which would determine a life trajectory to the promised land, while the majority black youths’ dreams would have been deferred or even destroyed. It is important to note that, as it was the case with the likes of Bloke Modisane, Peter Abrahams and Can Themba in apartheid South Africa, “whiteness” still plays a critical role in black youth’s aspirations and identity formation. For the lucky few, “whiteness” is still a tool to access white privilege, while for the less fortunate it is seen as a means to escape grinding poverty. However, as demonstrated in this paper, the black youths’ attempt to pass as white only succeeds in undermining and in some instances destroying their languages and identities. The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the root causes of the failure of social cohesion. In this regard the paper encourages honest dialogue around sensitive issues such as racism and discrimination in schools. This paper focuses on how institutionalised racism and discrimination affect black youth in the current dispensation. In this regard, the paper will analyse the experiences of the main characters, Ofilwe, Tshepo, Fikile and Silas Nyoni. Following Derrick Bell’s critical race theory, the paper interrogates the entrenched institutional racism and discrimination and the impact they have on the black youths’ internal constitution, identity and social inclusivity. Finally, it discusses the black youth’s rejection from the white world and their equal alienation from the black world. Clearly, while access to better education extended to all post 1994, the unintended consequences to black youth a far - reaching and devastating.