Mamelodi Moments

Posted in General Posts, Methods by Nathan Clendenin on August 3rd, 2005

I had quite a full day here in Mamelodi. I awoke at 5am to the beautiful sounds of the morning prayer meeting just outside my window. The singing was so beautiful, and it was great to just listen to it. Vincent and I ate some breakfast together around 9am (when I finally got up), then went out to meet with some older ladies at the YMCA. They welcomed me with tea and sandwiches. Apparently most of Mamelodi knew I was coming, so I’ve met lots of people eager to meet Vincent’s visitor. We also had lunch at the Y, after some singing and dancing. It was a great time. Afterwards we went to meet the gravedigger at the cemetery. He told us in Zulu all about how he got started digging during Apartheid, when it was the only job he could get in order to stay in the town and not be forced back to the countryside where he came from. He buried many victims of government killings and even endured threats and attempted murders from blacks who saw him as an extension of the government. This man will be a very interesting person to record audio with, and we’re going on Thursday morning to photograph at a funeral. Vincent has been such a blessing, helping find all kinds of people. And he really knows what I am looking for without me really asking. We’ll be riding along and he’ll say, “I know this orphan, his parents died of AIDS. We will talk to him”. And I say, “Yes, that would be very good.” It’s been working like that so far, and we have lined up that orphan, a woman who works in an AIDS ward, and possibly a prostitute with AIDS (the women who do that here do it for lack of any other way to get money, not because of greed or anything else, really).

Safety here has not been an issue so far. I have felt completely safe in every place I’ve been, including a very “dodgy” looking housing complex leftover from Apartheid (a hostel is what they call it). Plus, Vincent is with me all the time. I haven’t taken many photos yet that will actually be used for my project, but I’ve included one here of a neighborhood boy. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Originally posted on Vicarious Summer Blog