The African Dream

The main aim of the OAU was to increase the solidarity of the African states, support each country's sovereignty and independence and coordinate efforts to raise the standard of living of the African peoples and oppose colonialism in Africa. There were also specific aims at economic development and using the natural resources. Freedom from colonial oppression and solidarity between the peoples of Africa along with economic development and sovereignty and independence was the African Dream

https://youtu.be/9K10pX5_gz8?t=248

Hlombe Ndzube Head of the SRC

“What being an African means to me”

Africa has a story, and it has been told by a great many people. The media, books, and pictures have portrayed what Chimamanda calls the single story of Africa and it is indeed up to Africans not to merely change that story, but add to it and show that there is more. The single story which is that Africa is poor, uneducated, primitive is false. This single story has affected both how the rest of the world and Africans view Africa. Therefore defining Africa for ourselves is very important. First of all, we have to be careful not to paint a myth ourselves, otherwise that would be futile and defeat the purpose of telling the world and younger generations who Africa is. She is a continent and an amalgamation of nations. She is the land of Giants: Chinua Achebe, Mantatisi, Nelson Mandela, Nkwame Nkrumah, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Wangari Waathai and many more. Africa is a land of riches, gold, diamonds, and knowledge. Africa is the land the sun chose to shine on.

Answering the question of what it means to be African for me is a difficult one, for, if I am being honest, I do not know. What I know about Africa is what has been fed to me and what I make up in my mind changes constantly. What I know is that Africa has evolved. What I know is that being African has nothing to do with the colour of your skin, or the language you speak, or the tribe you belong in, or the mistakes of your ancestors. Being African is more than that and it is up to us Africans to restore her dignity. So to answer that question, I decided to write a poem instead.

Africa

Africa is the bone on my back and the pulse of my heart it’s the rhythm of a harmony where night and day part faraway seas have an alluring lustre, but they shine with Africa’s gold all those cocoa beans and human bodies, in Africa we’ve seen many things sold Africa has many tongues but understanding ears for Africans speak with the dance in their eyes

Africa is my home we’ve fought for it with blood, sweat and tears it’s where we create underneath the shadow of the sun and tell stories about the kingdom of animals big and small from the ubiquitous smiles that say, we can conquer anything to the ready hands, steady hands, that continue to build after they have destroyed

Africa is my home in Africa the stars shine brighter and the birds sing louder I have tried to tame her wildness but words must run freely.

"A personal account on what it means to be an African - by Agnes Makore"

To be an African means to belong to the cultural unity of black Africa. It is to be able to present that unique cultural face that Africa presents to the world. It is the ability to exhibit that Africanity irrespective of colour or race. You don't have to be black to be African. Being African is not about skin colour but about your culture, your homeland, your place of birth. The world has become a global village, a melting pot of cultures. Whether you were born in Africa or not, whether you live in Africa or not, whether you speak an African language or not. If you call Africa ‘home’ and identify as an African, you are an AFRICAN.

It is to possess and practice the norms, values, ethos and behaviours that portray Africanness without dilution. It is the ability to be born anywhere, learn or live anywhere around the globe without changing one’s Africanness. It is the maintenance of one’s dignity, heritage and background, hence avoiding an identity crisis denouncing or shunning one’s culture.

It is the ability to understand that each culture, including Africanity, holds a key to enlightenment and is an asset for growth and pride rather than a stigma for progress and self-actualization. This also means confronting the challenges that are confronting the African continent head on, such as poverty, hunger, malnutrition, dictatorship, corruption, terrorism, piracy, xenophobia, disease and human trafficking as well as devising ways to mitigate them.

It is the prioritization of the problems of the African continent and not allowing those challenges to consume one’s hope, capabilities, energy, and soul. It is the upholding and appreciation of the African cultural beauty; the pestle and the mortar, African extended families, the cradle, the bow, and arrow, hunting and gathering. It is the possession of the spirit of Africa, the unchain struggles of oppression, slavery, colonialism and the quest for decolonization, self-determination, and independence. It is to be proud of one’s heritage, natural wonders, physical features, fauna, and flora that beautify the African continent.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AFRICAN NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.

Nkosi Sikheleli

iAfrica Ishe Komborerai Africa

God bless Africa

AGNES MAKORE

History Teacher

"A personal account on what it means to be an African - by Pippa Visser"

I was born on the Zambian Copperbelt just after independence and spent my childhood in a town called Chililabombwe: translated this means “Place of the Croaking Frog”. My formative memories are of the land – the flame lilies, the crocodiles on the golf course, the mango trees, the avocados, the scorpions, ants and snakes and the electric storms. When we moved to Oranjemund, in present-day Namibia, I responded to the sand swept rose quartz stones, the gemsbok who would come into the town, the flamingos on the pink salt pans.

For me, being African is an irreversible link to the land, the light and the open blue sky. But it is also the energy I get from the rich diversity of life, the direct engagement of the people in the daily context, the creative exchange, the distinctive sense of humour and the way we grapple with insurmountable odds and somehow continue to strive. Africa is the place where I can breathe and where I want to be. Africa is my home.

All days of commemoration or celebration are rooted in the past and Africa Day is no different. 25 May 1963 is the day on which the charter of the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) was signed, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This historic event birthed African Freedom Day.

Kwame Kkrumah, the first President of an independent Ghana in 1957, and a key advocate of Pan-Africanism and the formation of the OAU, stated: “I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me.”

The origins of Africa Day are deeply embedded in the ideas of Pan Africanism - the commitment to ensuring the freedom of all African peoples on the continent, and in the African diaspora, from slavery, colonialism and economic oppression.

Today these ideals include solidarity, unity and economic interdependence, which find expression in the African Union.

The African Union (AU) replaced the Organization of African Unity in July 2002. The formation of the AU was a coordinated effort by African leaders, and business people, to realize the dream of achieving economic, political and social integration. Moreover, it has provided a vital opportunity to strengthen cultural ties and promote development on the continent.

The next two weeks will follow this pattern:

• Monday, 1 June - Consolidation Day, on which the returning Grade 12s will have an orientation explaining the processes in place on the campus.
• Tuesday, 2 June - Day 1
• Wednesday, 3 June - Day 2
• Thursday, 4 June - Day 3
• Friday, 5 June - Day 4
• Monday, 8 June - Day 5
• Tuesday, 9 June - Day 1
• Wednesday, 10 June - Consolidation Day
• Thursday, 11 June - Day 2
• Friday, 12 June - Day 3

What Will Next Week Look Like?

Next week will look and feel very similar for pupils whether they are learning at school or from home. The day will still begin with a digital Connect session, allowing pupils the chance to connect with the spiritual and reflective components of life at Springfield and to let their Connectors know if they are ill or unable to attend a lesson for any reason in particular. The distance learning model will remain in place for now, so pupils will continue to access their lessons via a device. This also applies to the Grade 12s who will be on campus, separated into five different rooms with an allocated desk for each pupil. Grade 12s will require a device and a pair of headphones to follow their lessons at school. Should pupils not be able to bring a device to school, one will be provided for her. This means that the work planning grids will continue to indicate the baseline learning programme in each subject. The current week’s work plans are available here: Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12.

Elevate Education Webinars

Elevate Education recently held their first parents’ webinar, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from schools. The webinar was focused on the psychology of motivation. More than 1500 parents from over 100 schools across South Africa attended. As a number of parents weren’t able to attend the webinar because of the Minister of Education’s announcement and Ramadan, Elevate has made the webinar available on YouTube for a limited time.

Here’s to a safe return for our Matrics next week! May it be a time in which we focus on learning to manage life on campus in a manner that is both compliant and graceful in a time when we all feel a little uncertain and unsettled by life in a time of Covid.

DAVID FICK

Head of Academics

Amagwinya

A firm favourite in many homes around Africa, Amagwinya, also known as vetkoek. They are beautifully crispy on the outside with a soft and fluffy inside. Very easy and affordable to make, and with many possibilities for fillings. Traditionally filled with polony, curried mince or spicy Chakalala (another tasty favourite in our homes) or some apricot jam if you don't have time to prepare a delicious filling.

THE COMPELLING LINK BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND THE BODY'S DEFENSE SYSTEM

Last week I attended a very interesting Webinar on the impact of Covid 19 on sport and the compelling link between exercise and how it enhances the immune system.

One's immune system needs to be strong to withstand the many contagious illnesses to which individuals are exposed daily.

In a nutshell and in the Covid 19 context, research indicates that:

* physical exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity for less than 60 minutes is now viewed as an important enhancer for immune defense and metabolic health.

*moderate exercise training can lead to less Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI)

*regular exercise training has an overall anti-inflammatory influence

*emergent data supports that habitual exercise is capable of improving the regulation of the immune system

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT US AT SPRINGFIELD?

If we can achieve moderate exercise (training between 60-75% of maximum heart rate) under 60 minutes at least four times a week, we can benefit our immune system

We need to be organised so that we maximise adequate recovery by using sleep, good nutrition and hydration (water!!)

IF WE PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE?

Its easy!!

Find your favourite online physical exercise, such as JEFF, which gives you 30 minutes a day of good physical activity with the necessary heart rate challenges or go for a walk or a run 5 times a week. Stretch!

Stretch! And stretch some more!

Drink at least 2 litres of water a day

Eat foods that are nutritionally good for you - grains, fruit and vegetables must be included in your diet.

If you are a chocoholic, move to dark chocolate (more than 70%) and limit your intake

Believe in yourself and in your ability to keep active and create the environment where you form a habit.

Stay involved, stay healthy!

COLLEEN REED

Head of Sport