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UNDERSTANDING (SOUTH) AFRICAN INTER-PERSONAL POWER RELATIONS DYNAMICS, Part 2
EQUAL BEDFELLOWS?
©Simon Chilembo, 2013
Whether or not my body will be draped in the finest Armani Suit material, crematorium flames will consume my flesh just like that of another person dying in an inferno somewhere. Lying dead six feet underground, decomposition breaks down, and the worms consume of, our flesh all in the same manner.
A Tsunami will take you if you are in its way, regardless of who you are. In the event of a global nuclear war, we all gonna go. Tastes and preferences considered, pieces of compelling music move us all one way or another.
In a perfect world, the long arm of the law grabs us all when we commit criminal offences. In His/ Her non-bastardized form, whether He/ She really exist or not, God is there for us all. We are all equal, like bedfellows, in the face of forces and powers beyond the realm of our direct control and/ influence, these be natural phenomena, or man-made systems of checks and controls of human behaviour.
Given that from the outset the earth is a given as a unique, closed eco-system with all its attributes of abundance and relative scarcity of resources, we are at birth all equal no matter where and when on earth we are born. This is as far as it goes. Period. Beyond this, life-long differentiation characterizes human existence, and determines how human beings will interact with one another, thereby establishing often very specific social relations, as the world goes round and around.
What lies at the core of this differentiation is how, primarily, people as individuals and, secondarily, as collectives of all sorts and kinds, organize their thoughts and behaviours in relation to how they choose to deal with nature and its given attributes, as well as challenges.
Some may give in to the might of nature and God; letting these dictate how they’ll live and lead their own lives. Losers. Others will strive to understand the workings of nature with the intention and purpose of finding out how to harness some of the forces of nature towards improving both the quality and potential of life and living.
The latter will often be pioneers, resourceful visionaries; they will be leaders of others, influencing thoughts and behaviour through various social engineering tools and mechanisms. It may be good, it may be bad; that’s how we roll. Good-bye equality!
©Vika Karateklubb, 2013
When, a total stranger from far, far away across the world, like Professor Stephen Chan, comes into my life and allows me to grow up under his guidance and tutelage as my Karate teacher, he does so from a position of age advantage, more and higher knowledge and understanding of the ways of the world.
He comes with greater skills, as well as greater and wider appreciation of the Martial Arts, their principles, and history. Through his intellectual and academic might, he has inspired me to want to read, write, and think more about my life and how I fit in the wider game of living as a decent member of society wherever I am at any one time … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Welkom
South Africa
Tel.: +4792525032
August 24, 2013
SON OF THE SOIL – A song
ALL I HAVE
When it’s all
Said and done
You are everything I have
The greatest I own
Only you
Understand my passion
Over you
I’ll dig you
I’ll turn you
Upside down
Rake you
Toss and turn you
Every which way but loose
As I make you beautiful
As I help you
Bring out
The best in you
Our first harvest
We’ll feed to the needy
No money in the bank today
Yet I touch you
A crisp 1000 kroner note
Warms my hand
I turn you
Inside up
I smell the belly of Norges Bank
I clutch you
In my hands
I feel like
A Black Oil Baron in Oslo
Røkke looks at me
Smiles and says
“Je e ikke forbanna”*
Stordalen beams
Beckons me
To
The Thief
And yells
“Ekte penger, gutt!”**
I love you
Soil of my land
My strength
My power
My pride
For you are
I am
All my land
Is
All I have
END
©Simon Chilembo. August 16, 2013
Dedication: Nelson Mandela
*”I am not pissed off”
**”Real money, dude!”
SIMON CHILEMBO
Welkom
South Africa
August 16, 2013
Tel.: +27717454115
RICH? POOR? POOR! – THE (SOUTH) AFRICAN CONDITION
UNDERSTANDING (SOUTH) AFRICAN INTER-PERSONAL POWER RELATIONS DYNAMICS, Part 1
©Simon Chilembo, 2013
In India I met a 16 year-old boy. Full of life. Looking very fit and healthy. Strong. Centre of attraction. My kinda youngster. After out-dancing him at a wedding party of a mutual friend, he kept asking, “WHO is this old guy? WHERE is he from? WHAT does he do?” I was 42 years old then.
My own queries led me to know that the boy was the youngest member of a large family. Despite his very strong presence and all, he was semi-literate. How come? He doesn’t go to school. How so? He doesn’t want to; he prefers to spend his days in the gym, and he trains a lot of Karate too. Maybe you should talk to him, Simon. Sure!
“I have never seen the point of wasting my time going to school because I’ll never suffer even if I don’t become a Doctor. My family is extremely wealthy, you see. As things are already, I own more than half of the vast family estate. But I’m not entitled to use it now, until a certain age. When you come back my uncle will build you a Karate school, and I’ll tell you more things. …”
I never went back … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
June 28, 2013
I AM ALIVE AGAIN: THANK YOU, MY PEOPLE!
CLOSING SHOP TODAY
Much to my chagrin, on the one hand and elation on the other, an exciting 15 and 5 years Oslo journey of my Chilembo Nordic Chi massasje (CNCm®) , COOL Coaching® and my ENERVITAL Health & Wellness Centre, respectively, has come to an end. My time to practice what I preach has arrived: self-discovery, self-knowledge, self-renewal, and self-reinvention.
©Simon Chilembo, 2013
New beginnings, journeys, destinations, visions, and energies are ever such a thrill. I am alive again! Not that I’ve been dead though. I’ve been living to stay alive for some time; now I’m again starting to live to live and create, as well as sustain new levels of personal development and business success for myself, and others wishing to come aboard and ride with me.
©Simon Chilembo, 2013
Over the years I have used at least 20 000 hours working with some of the finest human beings anywhere. Many have come and gone, and our paths have never crossed again. Many have come and gone, and our paths do cross each other once in while. One or two have come and gone; if their paths led, or will lead them to hell I wouldn’t be surprised.
And others came and stayed, followed me everywhere, developing strong business/ friendship relationships in time; opening mutually our inner worlds to each other, learning more of each other about the art of living and staying alive. When time to die finally comes, we take it with dignity. But it can wait. No hurry … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
SIMON CHILEMBO
OSLO
NORWAY
TEL.: +4792525032
June 25, 2013
SONG FOR MADIBA
SUNSET
When you are gone
I’ll still be here
I’ll continue
Where you left
Standing fast
In your footprints
Indelible
Madiba light
Will show me the way
Never been lost
Never shall ever be lost
Nighttime comes
So the Sun too can have a rest
Who is afraid of the dark of the night?
Not me
Madiba light is omnipotent
Time is nigh?
Go, Tata!
Sleep ye well!
Madiba Dance is in good hands
Please, allow me to tread your footsteps
Only then
Can I throw The Spear farther ahead
That’s your legacy
Immortal
END
©Simon Chilembo. June 8, 2013
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
June 08, 2013
Tel.: +4792525032
RAPE, AFRICANS, NIGGERS IN THE DARK.
GIRLS DRESSING TO BLAME, AFRICANS?
The Norwegian text picture above was posted on a friend’s Facebook timeline a few days ago. It reads:
- When Africans say that it’s the girls to blame for rape because they dress up too lightly/ revealingly, is it okay then to drive over a nigger because it is dark outside?
I commented, “Why should a nigger be punished for Africans’ opinions on things? By the way, what is a nigger, really?”
Her daughter responded, “Whether it’s an African or Asian has nothing to say, Simon… it’s the point which is important to grasp… not what nationality is being referred to!” … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
April 24, 2013
IJOOO…, SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE GAY!!!?
WHAT NOW?
I am inclined to believe that my mother was never prepared for what was to come out of her initial conjugations with my father. Compared to the overly protective manner of many mothers over their sons, I understood very early in my life that I have a very special relationship with my mother. I’ve seen her watch me fall into the deep end more than once before, without her doing anything about it. Just watching, waiting to see how I’ll deal with it.
I have never at any one point felt any sense of neglect, though. There’s something about the look in my mother’s eyes, which has always given me Samson-like strength when it seems the darkness of the deep end is about to swallow me down completely. She is my first best friend, my number one confidant.
My mother has always openly declared her love and admiration for me. She adores me. I’ve heard her many times tell other fellow mothers how proud she is of me, “… this man who felled my breasts”, because of my generousity and kindness as a son, and big brother to my two younger siblings.
Thoughts of my mother make me very strong always in this regard. She listens to me, even if she may not agree with what I have to say. I owe much of my strong sense of independence and self-reliance to her. She taught me very early to be proud of myself. Much of my need and love to excel in the things I do, and thrive in, I got from her. “O motle, ngoana’ka! O a utlwa!/ You are beautiful, my child! You hear?” She tells me she used to sing these words to me when I was a baby. Not that she’s much of a singer, though … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
April 05, 2013
YOU GONNA FIGHT, YOU GONNA GET HIT!
WAR IS WAR
©Simon Chilembo, 09/ 12-2012
Without being judgemental, and whether or not the poor, weak, and vulnerable are so by choice or by circumstances beyond their own control, they are everywhere, like sand. Fronted by women and children, they are prolific like the stars of the universe. Every explosion collapses them into themselves, only to re-emerge with greater force by way of numbers, condition, and distribution. Poverty sucks; like a black hole.
They are by design, conscious or otherwise, ever on the frontline. Be it in times of natural catastrophes, epidemics, or wars. They are hurt before, hurt more, and die before anyone else. In hard times, only the strong, good and/ bad depending on the eye of the beholder, survive. However, the strong who are fools tend to fall in extreme disgrace in the end. That’s the way of the world.
A Tai Chi Grandmaster, emphasizing the crucial importance of minimizing as much as possible one’s own vulnerability in either or both defence and attack, once said to me, “You gonna fight, you gonna get hit!” I like reminding my Karate students that when armies go to war, they carry with them their own body bags too. Everyone dies in war; it’s only a question of time. That’s just the way it is. On either side of the warring parties, it’s invariably the innocent weak, women, and children who bear the brunt of war: Collateral damage … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
To the extent that wars are typically bilateral processes once set in motion, carried out in either specific zones, or spread over several geographic locations, the warring parties on either side are equally responsible for the sufferings and deaths of the innocent weak, poor, women, and children. This is regardless of the causes of, or reasons for, the wars. The moment choices and decisions are made such that military engagement becomes the last way out in efforts to solve major national, or regional conflicts, the innocent weak, poor, women, and children are already sentenced to inhuman suffering, and ultimately, genocide: Necropower … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
March 14, 2013
DO POOR BLACK MEN EVEN CRY?
Inspired by: Lynching Black Men
©Simon Chilembo, 09/ 12-2012
I had first picked it up in his voice on the phone. Calling him from Oslo at his work place in Pretoria about once a week in the latter part of the 1990s, I could hear him sounding ever more tired each time we spoke. He would of course express tremendous delight upon hearing my voice, proudly shouting to his colleagues, “My son is calling from overseas!”
When I last saw him Easter time 1996, he was as charming as ever. But he was beginning to look a little frail. And it seemed he had stopped caring too much about his hair, which he always groomed immaculately before, dying it pitch black constantly.
I was just beginning to find my way around in Norway at that time myself, and coming home to Welkom that Easter, I had bought presents for everyone. I even paid for renovation work on the family house, buying some nice furniture for my mother as well. Better times had arrived. Let’s celebrate.
Pappa would be fine, I thought. At age 63 then and still working in Pretoria, I felt it was, indeed, time for him to retire, come home, relax, and enjoy life. I would do every thing possible to ensure that my parents have a good life all their days. But my ever-resilient Pappa went back to work. His work was his life. Little did I know that it would be two years later the next time we meet again after the Easter holidays, 1996. He would be in an abattoir-like city council mortuary, lying supine in a coffin; eyes open wide, staring into oblivion. The autopsy cut sewed up ugly, unbefitting a once most elegant gentleman. In the end, we are just things, I thought … (Continued in the book: “MACHONA BLOGS – As I See It”. Order Simon Chilembo books on Amazon)
Simon Chilembo
Oslo
Norway
March 08, 2013
Simon Chilembo 