I had a really good conversation with my co-worker zanele re: race issues in swaziland. I was trying to formulate why I was so angry with the way I see life here. Despite trying to observe everything without employing a western lens, I just can’t come to grips with race relations here. We talked for quite some time and as I was speaking I began to realize that you can’t discuss race as a separate entity; it is too interconnected with too many other issues to be observed alone. I realized that I’m more upset with capitalism and the disparity between classes than with race relations. Can either be examined alone – no- are both bouncing off of each other – absolutely.

I have yet to see a poor white person here (although I’m sure there are whites living in poverty in South Africa). Going into rural areas all I see is the poverty that exists there. Children wearing old and tattered clothes, food aid programs, shacks and mud huts falling apart, men and women selling anything possible at their stalls. 69% of the population lives below the poverty line. I never really understood poverty until I came here. Yes, there is poverty in Canada but not like here. It’s every where you go. It’s in my face so much I sometimes don’t even see it. And it is black Swazis who live in it. Hence my anger or frustration towards white Swazis.

White families employ black maids (so do black families though). I’ve never seen a white person working a low skilled, low paying job. I’ve never seen one taking public transport (unless it’s another Canadian volunteer…I’m serious). They own or manage businesses. Employ locals at low rates. Own a lot of the farms. This colliding of white/black rich/poor is so hard for me to understand.

I hate the way this blog entry sounds. I just can’t seem to get out what I want to say. Perhaps I haven’t spent enough really thinking about it.