A PERSON MY COLOUR
We were joined by author Martina Dahlmanns in the studio, born in Germany in the 1960s to war-traumatized parents. She grew up surrounded by silences and unacknowledged prejudice. She came to South Africa on a holiday after the first election, missed her flight back and never left.
She came to talk about her new book: A PERSON MY COLOUR.
In the beginning, the book was destined to only a limited audience: her three adopted person of colour children. So, it is truly a personal journey within the struggles and the joys that a mixed family can encounter, it is as if you read in someone's else diary.
The book tell us the story of a mixed family within a South African society still divided by racism. It starts with a white mother who grew up on a side of ignorance where children learn from their parents that whites are superior than blacks and that they should be repulsive toward people with colour.
There comes a time whereby, you educate yourself first about subjects like racism, adoption, gender equality, you acknowledge that you have been mislead since childhood and you evolve to become open-minded toward differences, you change your social circle. You accept constructive criticisms with nuances, contexts in a way that you understand that no one is right or wrong, we can all find a common ground. Then, you educate others, especially parents. They should include racial awareness into their parenting education from the young age, children must know that we are not the same and appreciate the value differences among us.
For more information contact:
Publisher: Modjaji Books
Blog: Martina Dahlmanns
By: Panphil Tshisumpa
She came to talk about her new book: A PERSON MY COLOUR.
In the beginning, the book was destined to only a limited audience: her three adopted person of colour children. So, it is truly a personal journey within the struggles and the joys that a mixed family can encounter, it is as if you read in someone's else diary.
The book tell us the story of a mixed family within a South African society still divided by racism. It starts with a white mother who grew up on a side of ignorance where children learn from their parents that whites are superior than blacks and that they should be repulsive toward people with colour.
There comes a time whereby, you educate yourself first about subjects like racism, adoption, gender equality, you acknowledge that you have been mislead since childhood and you evolve to become open-minded toward differences, you change your social circle. You accept constructive criticisms with nuances, contexts in a way that you understand that no one is right or wrong, we can all find a common ground. Then, you educate others, especially parents. They should include racial awareness into their parenting education from the young age, children must know that we are not the same and appreciate the value differences among us.
For more information contact:
Publisher: Modjaji Books
Blog: Martina Dahlmanns
By: Panphil Tshisumpa
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