I had the pleasure of watching the opening ceremonies of the World Cup in South Africa. What I witnessed with hundreds of millions of soccer/football fans throughout the world was truly inspirational. It was a beautiful way to start the day. It was a beautiful way to start the games. It was a beautiful way to get to know more about South Africa and its people.
As I watched with awe and joy the unfolding of the different acts that comprised these wonderful opening ceremonies, I was overcome with joy and host of emotions. As the ceremonies progressed, my mind was drawn to just a few months ago when Canadians and our brothers and sisters throughout the World celebrated the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics. I could not help but recognize the many similarities between the two events and the two nations.
The themes of honouring and embracing our indigenous peoples, the celebration of our human diversity, the need for unity and the hope for a better, more peaceful, and just future for all were ones that illuminated both events. As South Africa celebrated this very important and special event, the beauty of its people was displayed in wonderful colour for all to see. South Africans of every shade and description, all brightly adorned, joyously danced, sang, and honked along with their guests from around the World. The sight of Desmond Tutu joyously dancing to the music and loving every minute of the event made me smile from ear to ear.
Today and on other days where I have watched special programs in the lead up to the games, I have been reminded of something else that we share with South Africa that is the importance of shedding our colonial past and the importance of truth and reconciliation in forging a new and inclusive national sense of identity. Canadians should be inspired by how South Africa’s truth and reconciliation process has been liberating for all. I only hope that Canadians of all backgrounds and origins will participate and embrace our own truth and reconciliation process and national events, the first of which is being launched this week in Winnipeg.
One of the songs and themes of the opening celebrations in South Africa was the welcoming of brothers and sisters from around the world back home to Africa. For those of us that couldn’t make the trip here in Manitoba and Canada, let us return home to Africa via the magic of television and the internet. Let’s make this one of the most watched events in Canada, just as we did a few short months ago when the Winter Olympics were held here in Canada and we were collectively obsessed and mesmerized by those games.
And let us in the midst of all the watching, cheering, celebrating, and crying (when our favourite team wins or loses), remember to reach out to our brothers and sisters here in Canada, of all origins, and take a moment to smile and share with them our hope for freedom for all children and a more peaceful and just world for all.
“When I get older, they’ll call me freedom
Just like a Waving Flag.”
By Tony Tavares, Winnipeg
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