In 1976, thousands of black school children took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot down by security forces. In the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand were injured. To honour the memory of those killed and the courage of all those who marched, the Day of the African Child has been celebrated on 16 June every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union). To know more about this day, read this.
My memories of this day in Sierra Leone as a student are so great, and I really miss those days. On this day, we would all wear Africanas (word for African outfit in krio) to school rather than our school uniforms. In addition, we bring in several African meals to share with our classmates and teachers. Several cultural performances are done also during the school day, and it's pretty much a big African cultural party. During the commemoration of this day, the national television channel at that time, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS), always played Sarafina! at night.
The movie, Sarafina!, chronicles the life of students involved in the Soweto Riots, in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools. The character Sarafina (Leleti Kumalo) feels shame at her mother's (Miriam Makeba) acceptance of her role as domestic servant in a white household in apartheid South Africa, and inspires her peers to rise up in protest, especially after her inspirational teacher, Mary Masombuka (Whoopi Goldberg) is imprisoned. This is a great movie, and I highly recommend Africans and people of the world to watch it because it has a great message and also really good music.
As an African child and a Sierra Leonean woman, I am very grateful for this day because it reminds me of the struggles that my fellow African children have endured. Commemorations like this embody the strength, drive, and beauty of children, and shows that when great and powerful minds come together, regardless of age, they can achieve great things and make positive changes. When I think about this day and its meaning, it makes me more proud of my heritage and its our past, but also hope for Africa's future.
Scenes from the movie, Sarafina!
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