From Africa to Me

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Study an autobiography.
Learn how to write your own autobiography.

DISCUSSION

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, statesman and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election

LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

By Nelson Mandela

My mother presided over three rondavels at Qunu which, as I remember, were always filled with the babies and children of my relations. In fact, I hardly recall any occasion as a child when I was alone.

In African culture, the sons and daughters of one’s aunts or uncles are considered brothers and

sisters, not cousins. We do not make the same distinctions among relations practiced by Europeans. We have no half-brothers or half-sisters. My mother’s sister is my mother; my uncle’s son is my brother.

Of my mother’s three huts, one was used for cooking, one for sleeping and one for storage. In the hut in which we slept, there was no furniture. We slept on mats and sat on the ground. I did not discover pillows until I went away to school. The stove on which my mother cooked was a three-legged

iron pot that rested on a grate over a hole in the ground. Everything we ate we grew and made ourselves. My mother planted and harvested her own mealies. After harvesting the mealies, the women ground the kernels between two stones. A portion of this was made into bread and pap, while the rest was dried and stored in pots. Unlike mealies, which were sometimes in short supply, milk from our cows and goats was always plentiful.

From an early age, I spent most of my free time in the veld playing and fighting with the other boys of the village. A boy who remained at home tied to his mother’s apron strings was regarded as a sissy. At night, I shared my food and blanket with these same boys. I was no more than five when I became a herd boy, looking after sheep and calves in the fields. I discovered the almost mystical attachment that the Xhosa have for cattle, not only as a source of food and wealth, but as a blessing from God and a source of happiness.

It was in the fields that I learned how to knock birds out of the sky with a slingshot, to gather wild honey and fruits and edible roots, to drink warm, sweet milk straight from the udder of a cow, to swim in the clear, cold streams, and to catch fish with twine and sharpened bits of wire.

I learned to stick-fight—essential knowledge to any rural African boy —and became adept at its various techniques, parrying blows, feinting in one direction, striking in another, breaking away from an opponent with quick footwork. From these days I date my love of the veld, of open spaces, the simple beauties of nature, the clean lines of the horizon.

WORDS TO KNOW

sissy (n.): a person regarded as effeminate or coward

parrying (v.): shielding; avoiding; blocking

What is an autobiography?

Autobiographies and biographies are narrative essays. When written effectively, an autobiographical or a personal narrative gives the reader an insight about your personality and highlights aspects of your life that would otherwise remain hidden. A biographical narrative gives the reader key facts or events about someone else’s life.

An autobiography is a non-fiction story of a person’s life, written by the subject themselves from their own point of view. Autobiographies are a subgenre of the broader category of biographies, but a standard biography is written by someone other than its subject—most commonly a historian—whereas an autobiography is written by the subject.

6 Things to include in my autobiography?

1. A unique and compelling title: Steer clear of generic phrases like “my autobiography” or “the story of me, my family, and famous people I know.”

Be creative!

2. A description of your personal origin story: This can include your hometown, your family history, some key family members and loved ones, and touchstone moments in your education.

Where were you born? Where does your name come from and what does it mean? Were the first, only or last child? What were the circumstances like in your parents' lives when you were born?

3. Significant experiences: Add accounts of each personal experience that shaped your worldview and your approach to life in the present day.

What is your first memory?

4. Detailed recollections of episodes from your life: Often these are the turning points that your autobiography will be known for—the moments that would inspire someone to pick up your book in the first place. Be sure to give them extra care and attention.

Do you remember your first day of school? What is the first birthday you remember? What is the first birthday gift you remember? Do you remember a special holiday or trip you had with your family?

5. A personal story of failure: Follow it up with a good story of how you responded to that failure.

Have you ever failed a test at school? What was that like? Have you ever had an accident? Did you ever disappoint your family?

6. Your dreams for the future.

What do you want to become? Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years?

How to write my autobiography?

1. Start by Brainstorming.

The writing process begins by compiling any and all life experiences that you suspect might be compelling to a reader. As you sort through your own memories, be sure to cover all eras of your life; from childhood to high school.

2. Craft an Outline.

Begin to organize a narrative around the most compelling episodes from your brainstorm.

3. Do Your Research.

Once you have a first draft of your outline, engage in some research to help you recall contextual information from the period you are writing about. Interview friends and family members to help you remember all the details from the moments you choose to recall in your autobiography. No one can remember the full history of their entire life, particularly their childhood

4. Write Your First Draft.

If you’ve come up with the key biographical moments around which you can anchor your life story, then you are ready to attempt a first draft.

5. Take a Break.

When your first draft is complete, take a break. You’ll want to read your work with the freshest possible perspective; taking a break from the process can aid this endeavor.

6. Proofread.

Yes, you should look for grammar mistakes, but more importantly, you should identify weak moments in the narrative and come up with constructive improvements.

7. Refine Your Writing.

Hopefully you will end up producing a final draft that is leaps and bounds beyond what you produced in a first draft—but that still holds true to the most important elements of your life and your personal truth.