Story of Fading Colours

I founded the purple tribe in South Africa. For years I was part of the rainbow nation, shining especially in purple but accepting all the colours of the rainbow.

I saw the promised land bringing people in brown, pink and others of colour together, weaving themselves into the rainbow colours of our nation; working in unison; carrying each colour and each other with pride.

Between thank you, dankie, siyabonga, plessier, eish and ubuntu I felt safe and comfortable to express myself with such ease knowing my hand movements and facial expressions were just a fun addition to the tolerance of 11 separate languages, all allowed in this nation. 

And today, the colours of the rainbow are under tremendous threat. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and my very close, purple, are being suppressed; not allowing to form, to build, to share, to support, to grow, to love. 180 degrees of rainbow are now controlled by a narrow spectrum dictating a new reality; explaining in words how theft, corruption and crime are good for the rainbow, whilst every rainbow member understands it is simply not the case. But with the colours being faded the voice also becomes faint.

I am part of the purple colour of the rainbow nation of South Africa. Always been. I do it by being part of the Purple Tribe. My challenge is that my purple is restricted; limited of shining; forced to adopt a different language where my hands and facial expressions are limited; taking the fun away.

My ears hear that everything is OK but my heart tells me it is not. My heart beats loud but my voice is faint, hoping for an opportunity to be comfortable to shine again.