Waiting outside the cell block |
Buses pick us up on arrival at Robben Island |
In the cell area listening to our guide. The windows had no glass and prisoners slept on the cold concrete even in winter. Many never survived. |
This chart has all the info on a prisoner |
Letters to political prisoners were censored like this. |
What happened to the Namibians was raw genocide according to our guide. They were kept separated from |
After his release, Mandela met with other political prisoners by the stone quarry where they had worked tirelessly and left this stone mound as a memorial. |
One block were some prisoners were kept in solitary confinement. |
We made it!
The Robben Island tour is by far the most popular in Cape Town, partly because of the weather I guess but most likely because of the late great Nelson Mandela.
The ferry at Robben Island. |
The more I learn about Mandela, the more I conclude that he was an angel, not a human.
Mandela started this little garden here and was punished!
For how could an ordinary man abide 27 years of humiliation, torture, misery, physical abuse and say forgive?
This was Mandela’s cell during solitary confinement . If he didn’t fold back his blanket exactly as instructed, he was punished.
Prisoners could only get mail once per year and sections were taken out like the above! SMH |
Some Namibian prisoners got bunks |
Some people who spent less time than Mandela on Robben Island have never recovered and are on the streets totally crazy.
Up to 18 months ago they found and dug up unmarked graves on the island.
The youngest prisoner taken there was 11 years old. He was given a life sentence for throwing a stone at police. He died within 7 years from malnutrition and sickness.
This is one of the two churches on Robben island. Why is it where you find absolute wickedness, religion usually plays such a prominent role? |
The buildings and roads on the island were built by prisoners who were given primitive tools and even after their hands were blistered they couldn’t stop working. |
But as usual I am ahead of myself!
Our scheduled trip was postponed yesterday as the sea was too rough so we called on everyone to pray as we depart tomorrow. Clearly my friends’ prayers worked as today the sea was amazingly calm.
Give thanks.
The tour operator who took us was amazing. She is a descendant of the Asian slaves brought here, and has been Re-classified three times.
With our wonderful tour guide Faziela. |
She was first classified as Asian, then as colored, then as as Cape colored as she was born in Cape Town. We sure learned a lot about the Asian slave experience in the short time we spent with her.
Why I said she was amazing is because two weeks ago, she lost her son, had a major health emergency with her daughter, but she was so friendly and professional you couldn’t guess .
Why I am in such awe of her is because I don’t think I could even talk for about six weeks when I lost my son.
But here I go straying again.
Faziela picked us up and took us to the ferry.
1 comment:
You got to see all this history personally👌🏽. It's a miracle anyone left there alive after all that torture. I always wondered how they never just kill Mandela but I guess they got more pleasure from torturing.
Post a Comment