Today was a pretty relaxed day. Joe and I woke up and read our books on South Africa, did some yoga and decided to go to the Temple of Understanding which is the largest Hare-Krishna temple in the Southern Hemisphere. The temple is located in Chatsworth, Durban one of the former Indian neighborhoods during the Apartheid regime. We decided to visit the temple because later in the evening we were going to the Chatsworth Rotary Club to give a talk and meet some new people.
Anyway, we entered the temple and a female devotee sought us out and told us a bit about the temple. She explained to us how the building was built in 1985 by a German devotee. From the air it is in shaped like a lotus. The many portraits of Krishna’s life were digitally produced, she told us. The statues of Krishna and the mother effigy were dressed daily as a devotional practice to attain a closer relationship to God and God’s love.
When we left the temple we had some time before the meeting so we walked around Gandhi Park. About 30 minutes prior to the meeting we made our way to Chatsworth Hospice where the club meets. We first met the president – Mr. Parlin Paramaul and chatted with some of the other members when they arrived. I got to sit up front between the secretary and president. After the prayer, repeating the four way test, and the Rotary business was taken up it was my turn to speak.
I got a warm reception and we were invited back anytime. They seemed eager also to have Joe speak about his research so we’ll get to go back soon. At the close of the meeting we had a dinner of mutton bryiani (like a rice pilaf) and carrot, cabbage, and radish salad. I must say it was a nice surprise.
From President Parlin we learned the Chatsworth Club has several community projects. There is a uniform program to distribute school uniforms to needy children and a food distribution to needy families to name a few. We hope to get involved with one of their many programs soon.
February University students were protesting all over the KZN province beginning on February 25th, lasting until the entire week. Joe and I went to campus at around noon to hear some jazz not really thinking of the protests. We had just comeback from a very laid back weekend in Eshowe with my aunt. We were going to go to UKZN on Monday, February 28th to listen to some music students perform. We decided to pass through the Shepstone building. I think we were a bit early because I began hearing some singing. It was just a few students in the hall at first. Then about 300 yards away in the direction of the theater a large group of students came marching by and singing. I got out my camera to document the event as a good anthropologist should.
Anyhow, the first wave of students came by without incident and seemed joyful at their united effort. However, as some of them in the back were passing you see their efforts were not entirely peaceful as they knocked over very heavy cement trash bins onto the tile floor. A wave of trash was left in their wake.
About 10 seconds later another wave of students could be seen. I wondered out loud to Joe whether we should follow or wait for the next wave. We decided to wait off to the side. It was exciting hearing the singing and watching the students march. Unfortunately, the next wave were not so peaceful because right at the beginning a young man threw something a juice box at me. Then he yelled for me to turn off the camera that I was not permitted to take pictures.
To read more from the SA news click here <-- Before I could do or say anything he came up to me and tried to grab the camera. Joe told him to stop and pushed the guy away. Then the guy hit Joe. It was surreal! My camera was flung out of my hands, I was pushed to the ground, my glasses flew off my face and I lost a flip flop. At that point I had nothing material to worry about so I tried to get between them but Joe was swinging to defend himself. People were screaming all around (from what I got from the video). Then a bunch of other guys jumped in, luckily some were trying to help us! Anyway some guy picked up my stuff and handed it to me and we were shoved into an empty class room. We just looked at each other in shock. Joe's nose was bleeding but was not broken or anything. It didn't look very good though. When we gathered are barrings we exited to the same guys that I assume shoved us into the room. They inquired whether we were okay and if we wanted to go to the clinic. As we were standing around a large group of students began gathering around us. I was not really scared or nervous at that point although maybe I should have been. I really just wanted Joe to clean himself up and make sure he was okay. The young man had the foresight to lead us away from the protesters. He apologized profusely and explained to us how sometimes the people get very emotional during these times and when they see someone from another race taking pictures they get angry because they think those people are trying to make them look bad. Well, if I must say his actions made him look bad and I got it on video! Joe washed up. While he was in the bathroom a young lady came up to us to apologize for the incident. I think they felt really bad when they found out we were from overseas. Another student came up to us and asked us to report the incident to the police. Joe did not want to but we ended up talking to them outside after the guy led us out. Anyway, when we were talking to the police the guy who had lead us out and urged us to report ran up to us saying "it just happened again" around that same time there was almost another altercation between the protesters and another guy (dunno if he was a student or not). The police asked if we wanted to press charges but we were like "who would we press charges against?" because we really didn't see his face. He was tall, skinny, black guy with a brown t-shirt which was now ripped or non-existent thanks to me. We gave them our contact info. and the captain - a tall, thin Indian man with shotgun shells round his waist, a bullet proof vest, and aviator type sunglasses on - stated he would file a report for their purposes. Anyway by the time the students were outside we watched a few of them stage a sit in and then decided to leave because I had an interview to conduct. It was hectic but luckily nothing worse happened. : ) Next time I see a protest or gathering of people and I want to document it I will stand far away so there is not a repeat incident.
Here is the video http://www.youtube.com/user/stahjose#p/a/u/0/vXNi7COtiog
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