Melusi:
I read one of your conversations. I could relate to the post, but was thrown off by the lack of black characters. Where are the fictional Siphos and Nthabisengs?
Trev:
I feel uber self-conscious about being accused of "blackface" and putting words in the mouths of people. Perhaps I could take on the challenge, addressing my own fears. You don't think I will be hung, drawn, and quartered if Zolani speaks up?
Melusi:
No. I don't think you would be black facing.
Trev:
I quite like the idea of dismantling identity. I love the work you are doing with Melusi's Everyday Zulu. Especially the catchphrase "There is um'zulu in all of us". I am currently working quite hard at snapping my monotongue. I only speak English fluently. Then Durban Boy Afrikaans and a long tail of other failed attempts. I would love to be able to have these conversations with characters from outside my bubble. It feels like I would be talking out my Donkey though. The voices in my head disagree with me, but presumably, see the world in the only way I have been able to. I can understand how someone could disagree with me, but only a me disagreeing with me if that makes sense. How can I speak for someone whose experiences are so different from mine?
Melusi:
Well, you are speaking for me now aren't you? We never actually had this conversation. Sure it started in reality. But you must have some idea of where it would go.
Trev:
The only way I can explain my hesitance is the shared experience in the post you read. It was about being a guy and the various reactions to the Toxic Masculinity ad that Gillette put out. In it, I did voice some female characters. Even that was hard. I have a sense of what many of my friends and family may have thought, but it feels difficult to venture into any areas where the character looks bad. If I call someone Stuart, I can make them look bad and not feel bad myself. All I have to say is, "It's not really Stuart". In the same way I can tell a good mate that he looks like he has eaten all the pies. But I can't tell an acquaintance that they are packing on the pounds.
Sipho:
Actually, it is not cool that I had to wait until Melusi asked you to give me a voice hey. Your think you are all high and mighty. You fear of looking bad looks bad. Perhaps if you actually made an effort to learn another language, and experience other cultures, then you wouldn't feel so bad? Maybe the point at which you were comfortable criticising others would have been earned, because you have clearly demonstrated that you have built the relationships necessary. That the criticism isn't from your perspective.
Nthabiseng:
I don't know. I don't feel comfortable with some white boy speaking for me. What do you know of what I would say? It wouldn't be convincing. Our worlds hardly overlap. There is too much pain. You have been holding the microphone way too long anyway. Sipho, do you really think they are going to make the effort to learn stuff they don't have to? English dominates the world anyway. There is no need. Nothing is going to change. We are all just being forced to jump on board.
Zolani:
Hold on. I am trying. My name is Zolani, but that was given to me in the same way as others were given "Christian names" when the schools started transitioning two decades ago. Except this time, it was me asking for an isiXhosa name. The Freds, Patricias, Jimmys and various other names given because we didn't bother learning peoples real names. The challenge is that the tools aren't there to learn in the way other languages are. The Memrise app has a community version of isiXhosa, but it is limited. With other languages, there are Audible books, Netflix series, and it is possible to go to places where you can immerse yourself. I just make lots of false starts. I want to learn. I just don't know how.
Nthabiseng:
If you really wanted to learn, you would find a way. The rest is noise. People have been promising to learn for years. What I also don't what is a bunch of poverty tourism. Some of you treat us like we are a Show. You come into where I live to have a drink and see how "the others" live. You buy a trinket and go home. You aren't genuinely learning. You are "helping". We don't need your handouts, observation, and general condescension. Save us the civilizing mission.
Trev:
I get that it sounds a bit whiny. It is just genuinely hard to have an action plan for improving things. Most of us are too busy just paying the mortgage, taxiing the kids, and responding to emails. I have found Facebook quite useful as an Open Houseparty of sorts. I still haven't got to engage with lots of people face to face, because I live in the UK. But I do have daily conversations now with people outside my bubble. I feel like my bubble is becoming more holey. The interesting thing is the people don't fit the stereotypes. You can't assume anybody's political, religious, or social views from their names. Even from accents. Gradually, we are getting to the point where people can choose who they want to be.
Sipho:
You are the one who goes on about daily practices. If it is something you really value, you will find a way to do it every day. It is just like getting fit. If you only do something once a week, you stay interested but not much more. If you do something twice a week, you can maintain the level you are at. You need to be doing it at least three times a week to improve. But if you really care, you'll do something every day. Even if it is just a little. Your bubble is a mirror of what you do every day. Stop talking about talking and talk.
[Melusi is kind of fictional, Nthabiseng, Sipho and Zolani are fictional]
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