Ever notice how sometimes there are certain themes in your life? This month it was the theme 'everything is related to the South Asian diaspora via Africa route.' Chick Pea's mother fed me fried mogo w/ tamarind sauce, Yo' Mom told me stories of her life in Africa as a child, and a friend of mine just got back from a summer social work stint working in the desi townships of Durban, South Africa. I'm very interested in the creation of political ethnic identities in the South Asian diaspora and was intrigued by hearing these stories, and seeing the different diaspora perspectives.

Appropriately, I saw an early screening of the movie "Catch a Fire" last Thursday, and haven't been able to stop talking about the movie since. Starring Tim Robbins (as the German Afrikaner oppressor), and Derek Luke (as the freedom fighter Patrick Chamusso), the movie is beautifully crafted, telling the story of a South Africa man who gets caught up in love, betrayal and the fight for freedom.

Catch a Fire is based on actual events that occurred in the 1980s. While Nelson Mandela was locked up for treason in the Robben Island prison, the banned and exiled ANC was engaging in sabotage against the Apartheid government. Patrick Chamusso, on the other hand, had found a job at the Secunda Oil Refinery, the largest coal-to-oil plant in the world. He preferred his simple family life to the underground movements. His wrongful arrest and subsequent interrogation and torture by the South African Special Branch forever altered his outlook and led him to Mozambique where he joined the ANC and received his military training. He volunteered to single-handedly carry out the operation to blow up the Secunda Oil Refinery and as per specific instructions, only property was damaged by the explosion.

Robyn Slovo, who is one of the film's producers, and Shawn Slovo, who wrote the screenplay, are actually daughters of Joe Slovo and Ruth First, pioneer white activists who stood up against the Apartheid government. Joe and Ruth joined the ANC, while in exile. [link]

Maybe I'm just a sucker for movies with men who play roles as fighters against injustice, like The Motorcycle Diaries. Or maybe it's because in reality, Luke is paying for his on-screen daughter's real-life education because she is the daughter of an HIV positive African woman. I'm not sure, but both reasons make my heart melt for this story, both on and off screen.

Ok, so there isn't technically a desi character in the whole movie. But there is a large South Asian population in South Africa -- rumor says Durban has the second largest Indian population outside of India. Gandhi did start Satyagraha when he was in South Africa. And apartheid did affect Indian immigrants.

The racial segregation in South Africa, known as the Apartheid, lasted from 1948 to 1993. Under the law enforced system, people were divided into four groups: white, black, Indian, and colored. Each group was assigned a territory and given rights, such as the ability to vote, primarily within those designated territories.[...] Public services such as education and health care were also subject to separation, with services for white people having generally superior quality. The Apartheid was condemned internationally as unjust and racist. [link]

Discriminated against by Apartheid legislation like the Group Areas Act, Indians were forcibly moved into Indian townships, and had their movements restricted. They were not allowed to reside in the Orange Free State, and needed special permission to enter that province. [...] Indians played an important role in the anti-apartheid struggle, and a few rose to positions of power after the 1994 elections in South Africa. [link]

I don't usually watch nor promote movies, but Catch a Fire was really compelling. It definitely will get a few nominations come awards season. The movie is released in theatres across the nation this Friday, October 27th and I HIGHLY recommend it. After all this Africa talk, I would also love to hear stories from other mutineers about their experiences with 'South Asian diaspora via Africa' tales...

Songs I Listened to While Writing This Post: Sikhman and the Rasta by Transglobal Underground, Unbwogable by Gidi Gidi Maji Maji, Wise Up by Mutabaruka, and the album Catch a Fire by Bob Marley.