Passionate Threads

Community is often built around a passionate shared interest in something a little weird. I recently started playing with a Rubik's cube. It turns out there is a whole community of  people out there obsessed with the thing. For outsiders, you are strange. It takes a bit of effort to learn why the object is so appealing.

When I was a little chap, activities were sometimes quite gendered. Our class was given the choice between knitting and woodwork. Pink left, blue right. I chose knitting and was (it was 1990's South Africa) mocked for being gay. I never understood why choosing the activity that meant I would be spending my time with girls rather than boys made me gay.

For a few years, from the age of 24, I was very into Poker. I used to host open home games, and play in various community tournaments. Again, the friendships I made were with people I probably wouldn't have come across if I had just stuck to my knitting.

Poker at Trev's

I once heard a comedian talking about Rugby, 'The problem is,' he said, 'half the teams are us!'. It's true. Once you cover England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The remaining main teams are the colonies (South Africa, Australia, New Zealand) and the colonisers. France colonised England in 1066, and the first King to have English as his mother tongue was English rather than French was Henry IV (1399). The Hundred Year War between France and England made it convenient for the upper classes to create separate National Identities.

Much of my travelling around the world has been to English speaking countries. That is because it was mostly attached to work-related events. In addition, when people venture away from home... language is clearly one of those passionate shared interests. Many of the scatterlings of Africa have headed to English speaking places.

As part of those travels, I like to walk around places. 'Urban Hiking'. It is a great way to get to see and understand places, that satisfies the frugal chipmunk in me. It is quite embarrassing when you end up in a far-flung place that feels more 'like home', than many places at home.

This is because a legacy of Apartheid is that culturally, I was part of the 'imperial tentacles'. Rugby and Cricket are something I am very passionate about. They are also things that Aussies and Kiwis are passionate about. This gives me an immediate Rubik's Poker Knitting conversation advantage. I have a something to connect to people on the other side of the world with.

When I go back to South Africa, and attempt similar walks, it is a challenge. Like America, South Africa spreads wide and far and much of the travelling is done by wheels. This means that roads connect various bubbles and it is very possible not to have to step out of your bubble. The car is very much a tool of separateness. 

A friend of mine stayed for a while in an area of Cape Town called Langa. His name was John. One other white person had ever stayed there. His name was also John. Many of the children who saw me while I was visiting assumed my name was John... because that must be what white people are called. Yes actually. My middle name is John. It also happens to be my fiancée's surname. But no, when you get to know white people, they aren't all called John.

Despite all these bubbles, they are relatively easy to prick. If we find common passionate threads. Something to Geek out on together. If we are able to choose Knitting over Woodwork because we want to spend time with the 'other group'.

If whatever rules us chooses a new mother tongue.