Notes of Nelson Mandela

CLASS-X (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE)

NELSON MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

BOOK-FIRST FLIGHT
NOTES
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The students will be able to:-
• express the ideas of the chapter orally & in writing.
• learn about the impact of racial discrimination.
• appreciate those black heroes and patriots who waged a relentless
struggle against the apartheid or the racist regime of South Africa.
• analyze the role that Mandela played in South African politics during and
after Apartheid.
• develop critical approach towards any type of discrimination.

ACTIVITY
In Column A are some expressions you will find in the text. Make a guess and
match each expression with an appropriate meaning from Column B.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
(i) A rainbow gathering of A great ability (almost
different colours and nations unimaginable) to remain
unchanged by suffering (not
losing hope, goodness or
courage)
(ii) The seat of white supremacy A half-secret life, like a life lived
in the fading light between
sunset and darkness
(iii) Be overwhelmed with a A sign of human feeling
sense of history (goodness, kindness, pity,
justice, etc.)
(iv) Resilience that defies the A beautiful coming together of
imagination various peoples, like the colours
in a rainbow
(v) A glimmer of humanity The centre of racial superiority
(vi) A twilight existence Feel deeply emotional,
remembering and understanding
all the past events that have led
up to the moment
THEME AND MESSAGE

 People all over the world are equal and deserve respect.
 Love comes more naturally to human beings than hatred.
 Freedom from bondage is important for both the oppressed and the
oppressor because slavery robs both of them of their humanity.
 Courage, strong determination, wisdom and generosity can help one to
fight against the hardships of life.
INTRODUCTION
An extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela ‘LONG WALK TO
FREEDOM’
 The chapter includes:-
 the historic occasion of inauguration ceremony of the first
democratic government of South Africa.
 A brief description of the policy of apartheid (racial discrimination
of the black by the whites)
 A brief description of Mandela’s bitter experiences during the
struggle against apartheid.
 The role of the extraordinary men in the freedom struggle.
 The honour and respect paid to the newly formed democratic
government.
NELSON MANDELA
 Became South Africa’s first Black President after the end of ‘Apartheid’ in
1994.
 An anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader who fought for the
freedom of his country from the oppressive rule of the whites.
 Was imprisoned for twenty seven years but his strength and
determination kept him going till the end of the struggle.
 A humble and down- to- earth man who appreciated the sacrifices of
thousands of men in freedom struggle.
NOTES
INSTALLATION CEREMONY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST NON-RACIAL

GOVERNMENT
 When- 10th May, 1994 (Mandela considered the day as ‘that lovely
autumn day’. Just as the trees shed their old and worn out leaves in
autumn, similarly, South Africa shed its oppressive policies making
room for the new government)
 Where- amphi-theatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
 Who attended- International leaders from more than 140 countries
 Mr. de Klerk -swore in as second Deputy President
 Thabo Mbeki - as the first Deputy President
 Nelson Mandela - as the first Black President.
MANDELA’S PROMISE OF HOPE AND GLORY IN HIS SPEECH
 Pledged to obey and uphold the constitution of his Republic.

 Promised to provide great hope and glory to the new born freedom.
 Called the centuries old misrule of the whites an “extraordinary
human disaster”.
 Felt proud that the blacks who were considered as ‘outlaws’ (a
person who breaks the law) were hosting the nations of the world.
 Thanked all the dignitaries for participating in this common victory
for justice, peace, and human dignity.
 Promised never to allow his people experience any kind of
oppression of one by the other.
AN IMPRESSIVE SHOW OF LOYALITY TO DEMOCRACY
 South African jets and helicopters roared in perfect formation over

the Union buildings.
 The Generals of the South African defence force and police, who
arrested Mandela a few years ago, saluted him and expressed their
loyalty on this occasion.
TWO NATIONAL ANTHEMS WERE SUNG
‘Nkosi sikelel-Africa’ sung by whites,

‘Die stem’ by the blacks.
 Symbolised the coming together/equality of two groups that had

remained separated on the basis of their race till then.
HISTORY
 A few years after the Anglo – Boer war (in the first decade of the 20th
century), the white people introduced ‘Apartheid’ in South Africa.
 The society was the harshest and the most inhumane.
 But now, in the last decade of 20th century, a new system based on equal
rights for all replaced the old one (apartheid).
That day had come about through the unimaginable

sacrifices of thousands of my people, people whose
suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid. I felt
that day, as I have on so many other days, that I was simply
the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before
me. That long and noble line ended and now began again
with me.
POLICY OF APARTHEID AND ITS RESULTS

 Created deep and lasting wounds in the people.
 The decades of exploitation produced real patriots and men of
extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity like:-
 Oliver Tambos
 Walter Sisulus
 Chief Luthulis
 the Yusuf Dadoos
 the Bram Fischers
 the Robert Sobukwes
 Mandela shared that his people were his greater wealth than the minerals
and gems found in his country.
 He had learnt the real meaning of ‘courage’ from such patriots that
courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
 He also shared that love comes more naturally to the human heart than
hatred.
 In his days of long imprisonment as a freedom fighter, he saw a ‘glimmer’
of humanity in one of the guards even at the most critical time which
made him believe that man’s goodness is a flame that can never be
extinguished.
TWIN OBLIGATIONS (RESPONSIBILITIES)
 According to Mandela, every man has twin obligations-

 towards his wife and children
 towards his community and country.
 Unfortunately, in his country, if any black like him, tried to fulfil these
obligations, he was punished and isolated.
 Fulfilling duties towards one’s country and community was considered a
crime and such person was forced to live away from his family.
 The same thing happened with Mandela as well.
MANDELA’S UNDERSTANDING OF FREEDOM CHANGED WITH AGE AND

EXPERIENCE
As a child
 he did not understand the meaning of freedom because he lived a
free life under his parent’s care.
Free to run in the fields near my mother’s

hut, free to swim in the clear stream that
ran through my village, free to roast
mealies under the stars and ride the broad
backs of slow-moving bulls. As long as I
obeyed my father and abided by the
customs of my tribe, I was not troubled by
the laws of man or God.
 As a boy
 He wanted transitory freedoms like being able to stay out at night,
read what he pleased and go where he chose to go.
 As a young man
 desired for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving his
potential, of earning, of marrying and having a family.
 As a grown-up
 he realized that ‘they’ were not free as a race. At this time, he
joined the African National Congress’.
But then I slowly saw that not only

was I not free, but my brothers and
sisters were not free. I saw that it was
not just my freedom that was
curtailed, but the freedom of
everyone who looked like I did.
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

 Joining the African National Congress made him struggle for freedom for
his countrymen.
 His desire for freedom changed him from a timid man into a bold one,
from a law abiding attorney into a criminal; a family loving husband into a
man without home.
 For him, freedom is indivisible. The chains on all his people were chains
on him.
THE OPPRESSOR AND THE OPPRESSED
 According to Mandela, both are prisoners; the oppressor is a prisoner

because he is bound by hatred and the oppressed is a prisoner because
his freedom is taken away.
 Sum up by saying, “The oppressed and the oppressor both are robbed of
their humanity.”

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CLASS-X (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE)

NELSON MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

THEME AND MESSAGE

INSTALLATION CEREMONY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST NON-RACIAL

MANDELA’S PROMISE OF HOPE AND GLORY IN HIS SPEECH

 Pledged to obey and uphold the constitution of his Republic.

AN IMPRESSIVE SHOW OF LOYALITY TO DEMOCRACY

 South African jets and helicopters roared in perfect formation over

‘Nkosi sikelel-Africa’ sung by whites,

 Symbolised the coming together/equality of two groups that had

That day had come about through the unimaginable

POLICY OF APARTHEID AND ITS RESULTS

TWIN OBLIGATIONS (RESPONSIBILITIES)

 According to Mandela, every man has twin obligations-

MANDELA’S UNDERSTANDING OF FREEDOM CHANGED WITH AGE AND

Free to run in the fields near my mother’s

But then I slowly saw that not only

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

THE OPPRESSOR AND THE OPPRESSED

 According to Mandela, both are prisoners; the oppressor is a prisoner

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