Conversations on the Ground: A Chance Meeting

By Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina

The two old women were standing in front of a stall, chatting. The older one -- craggy, coffee-brown face, creases around the slightly slanting eyes, grey curls escaping the brown woollen cap, bright red cardigan covering her ample body -- blended perfectly with the rich and warm ambience of this exhibition called ‘Beautiful Things’.

Organised by South Africa's Department of Arts and Culture in association with two other government agencies, the handicrafts display is holding its place amidst the numerous other activities competing with each other in the Ubuntu Village. The artefacts represent all the nine provinces of the summit's host country. And they have been brought here by the craftsmen themselves.

Sensing my eyes on her, the old woman turns, offers a toothless wide grin, suddenly hums a merry tune and shows me a beaded colourful doll. “This is not the best I make,” she says, “but it's beautiful too.”

That's how the conversation begins.

Gladys Tori is 77 and came all the way from the east coast city of Port Elizabeth hoping to find a place for her crafts in this exhibition. Tori and her friend and partner Alicia belong to the Xhosa community. Tori makes dolls and traditional dresses while Alicia does beadwork. “It's good business,” says Tori, “when the tourists are there. On an average I can make 300 rands in profit every month.”

Both were looking forward to joining the exhibition, but learnt that they arrived too late and the crafts had been selected long ago. Coming to Johannesburg for them had meant a 12-hour bus journey. Not being able to sell their wares, they were planning the return journey, but not before seeing some of what was going on.

What does Tori know about the summit I ask.

“The people from all nations are coming to share their problems,” say Tori, “and find out how they can improve things. It's a coming together of people for sharing thoughts.”

What are the problems, she thinks. Tori looks serious: “I'm not an educated person, but I can see we the poor have health problems, scarcity of food and lack of houses.”

Reflecting for a moment, she adds: “People complain so much about the past -- when during our freedom struggle, our struggle to break free of apartheid, so many people were driven away from their homes. They now want to go back to their homes.”

Focusing on the present, Tori observes: “'People are moving to cities for scavenging. There is no work in the villages so they hope their fate will improve in the city. It only gets worse. Because even there, there is no work.”

I ask her what she feels people like herself needs the most: “I would like people to have work. Because if you have work you have money and if you have money you can solve your problems. We want to educate our children but even if we spend money for that afterwards there is no job for the child.”

With that Gladys Tori ends the conversation, tries once more to cajole the organisers into taking her stuff and finally leaves the grounds.