Chairperson, ibuyile i-Afrika. [Africa has returned.] I would like to salute the heroes and heroines of the African liberation who met on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organisation of African Unity, the OAU. They had a vision of a united Africa and of developing an African economic community. They prophesied the African Diaspora that is happening today.
I will be speaking about the role of cultural integration and Africanism, linked to the development of an African economy. Cultural integration simply means the way of life of the members of a society, how they dress, their marriage customs, their food, and their religious ceremonies. Cultural integration is also a form of cultural interaction in which immigrants retain their culture, showing tolerance of cultural values of other nations and assimilating these. It is a relationship between the different cultures when they come together.
Globalisation has led to the intense and massive movement of people across borders, as they travel with their cultures and become integrated into host communities. This promotes tolerance and respect for others. If that is mastered, we can win the battle over Afrophobia, xenophobia and racism, and we will be on the right track to develop the economy of the African continent, strengthen the spirit of Africanism, the African Renaissance and the Nepad regional integration agenda. This also regards the Maphungubwe heritage route that connects the SADC countries.
But if you have people like Brett Murray, who are uncultured, displaying works of art at the Goodman Gallery that offend African people, particularly blacks, then this will never be achieved. Our Constitution must not be twisted so that people can infringe the rights of fellow citizens. Such disrespect is a sign of foolishness. Why didn't he paint the apartheid leaders and presidents who murdered African people? Why didn't he hang paintings of the Bothas in indoor galleries? Why didn't he paint the Verwoerds and the Vorsters, who killed our people?
President Zuma is a President, a father, a husband and a citizen of South Africa. He fought for freedom alongside African leaders that we are honouring this month. The ANC taught us not to hate perpetrators, but to forgive them. Such actions have the potential to throw this country back again into racial hatred and anarchy.
Regarding developing an African economy, Africans were skilled and civilised before those who came here with boats and ships claimed that they bought civilisation to Africa. The African nation had its own talents. This is proved by the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Bushmen and the Khoi paintings, and by the crafts, beadwork and artefacts.
You needed science to build the pyramids - it was African science. You needed science to make beads, and you do braids with mathematics. That is African mathematics. We were healed by African traditional doctors, not medical doctors from universities, as they claim. Now they proclaim that the black culture is inferior. Africans are masters in arts and painting, and in carving wood and stone.
We made different clothing for our own different cultural groups without anyone coming along with civilised clothing. We wove baskets, and whatever we do we use it as a message for health and to support the gifted. They say that our herbs are wrong, but they are currently using them in modern medicine. Our music has been our heritage and when we were in slavery it united us. Let us promote it by purchasing it and supporting our African talent - few of the younger generation can play the concertina, which was part of the music played.
Let us promote our own unique talents and have our own unique civilisation for Africans. The African heritage and the indigenous knowledge systems must be promoted. Now, we can't even go to our own places where the Khoisan lived, because it is now claimed that they belong to people from Europe. Let us fight to get them back for Africa. Let us promote and speak our own African languages and encourage books to be written. Let us have African publishing companies as the current ones don't want to publish in African languages, even though they are in Africa.
In order for us to uplift the economy, we need to embrace Africanism and start by wearing our clothes. I am wearing European clothing, and that's wrong. We must wear what is made in Africa. We must be cross-cultural and be identified by our brands.
Kufanele sinxibe imibhaco, sinxibe ixibelani, sinxibe izacholo. [We must wear isiXhosa traditional skirts, Shangaan traditional skirts and traditional bangles.]
When we have our weddings, we must - culturally - make them more than the important white dress. If there is a bigger demand, there will be more supply and job creation opportunities.
In India, even after independence, Indian women continued to wear saris as they are made of their own national cloth. The cloth is money. Let us drink umqombothi [traditional beer] and do braiding, dreadlocks and plaiting like me. Let us go back to the basics, and stop wearing imported weaves that we don't even know which country they come from. It is made from somebody's hair somewhere. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] Our houses must be decorated with African paintings and crafts. Let us identify ourselves before we lose our identity.
Africa is not about colour, but about what is in your heart. To develop our economy, trade amongst African countries must be strengthened, crass materialism must be eliminated and our own unique talents must be promoted. We tend to protect the tangible heritage and leave aside our intangible heritage, which is very important to the development of our economy.
Regarding the concept of co-operatives in communities, we must go back to farming. There was no pollution when Africans farmed. Let the indigenous knowledge systems be passed on from generation to generation. There is a lot of wealth, skills and knowledge which must be culturally integrated. Let us embrace the transfer of skills. There are some foreign nationals that come here with rich and scarce artistic skills from all African regions. If cultural integration can be handled well across the African continent, people can learn from one another. The transfer of skills will lead to improvement in terms of arts and culture products. This will lead to economic development and job creation. Let us embrace what is in the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance.
As we celebrate Africa Day, we call on all Africans to stand up, defend and preserve their cultural heritage. Africans must not be exploited. Let us sing, dance and honour our heroes. I call on young Africans, black and white. As I said, being African is not about colour. Let us move away from the past. These old people are still trapped in the past. Let us take this generation of Africa forward.
Now, I would like to honour our heroes of Africa: Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Thomas Sankara, Winnie Mandela, Samora Machel, Kenneth Kaunda, Jomo Kenyatta and many more who stood in this arena. [Interjections.] I will not be told whom to mention; he was not there in 1963. We honour every African that played a role.
Siyabonga, asihlanganeni e-Midrand kusasa sibe bahle. Singama-Afrika ngeke sijike. Bab'uMphahlele sizoyinqoba le ndaba uma nje sihlangene. Ngiyabonga. Amandla! [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Thank you. Let us meet well dressed in Midrand. We are Africans and we will remain that way. Mr Mphahlele, we will only overcome this if we are united. Thank you. Amandla! [Applause.]]
Debate concluded.