Nic Fine, Editor
SETTING THE SCENE LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN At the heart of our understanding of the context in which we work is a belief that South Africa is a multiply wounded nation, carrying the emotional weight of the scarring of individuals, families, cultures and communities by violent forms of colonization and apartheid. Over generations the physical and psychological brutality of colonization and the racial hatred of the apartheid state were institutionalized in all the structures of South African society. This has created a scarring – an alienation, a reduced self-esteem, a ripping apart of families and communities, leaving human bonds fragile and dislocated. As a nation we have spent little time, resources and effort on understanding how the past is impacting on the present levels of violence in our personal relationships with each other. The weight of the past is experienced in the breakdown of relationships, resulting in social epidemics such as drug addiction, domestic violence and xenophobia. We are often in denial about the ongoing impact this past trauma has on our daily lives. In our focus on creating the new South Africa, we have developed amnesia regarding the horrific impact of colonialism, exploitation and racism on our everyday social interactions, personal relationships, cohesiveness and culture.
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