Page 34 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 2

ISSUE TWO | SEPT/OCT

The Reflections of an

Afrikan

By: Samuel Phillips

ne of the within the tribe. Consequently, Xi a life and a treasure after death.
most beautiful confers with elders and agrees Nothing can.
and hilarious to make a pilgrimage to the edge
movies I have of the world and dispose of the The false sense of competition
ever watched, supposedly cursed thing.” (copied Afrika is known for original wisdom
is the movie from wikipedia) and knowledge passed down from
Ocalled “The ancient dwellers of this continent.
gods must be crazy”. I watched There are lots of lessons from True knowledge passed down
that movie a long time ago and this movie but I want to point out from men who had beautiful walks
the lessons from it never left me. something from the way of life of of faith with God. The knowledge
I particularly love the simplicity, this tribe depicted in the movie. of nature and the healing powers
innocence and the realness of I speak of “Nakedness” and the of plants, clean air with richness
man in unity with nature. See a beauty of simplicity that comes that gladdens the soul, the life
short summary below. with it. giving energy found in natural
“The Gods Must Be Crazy is a water, uncontaminated by the mad
1980 South African comedy film Naked and not ashamed exploitation of oil and gas, which
written and directed by Jamie Uys. as history will prove, has become
Financed only from local sources, To be naked and not ashamed a curse instead of a blessing. For
it is the most commercially doesn’t just mean openness, we know that the many global wars
successful release in the history of simplicity, realness; it means which have killed more people
South Africa’s film industry. much more. It means a state of than can be accounted for, were
Set in Botswana, it follows the nothingness. Yes. Nothingness. created by the greedy heart of man
story of Xi, a San of the Kalahari When a man becomes naked for oil. Afrika’s true knowledge and
Desert (played by Namibian San and when he comes to a state wisdom have - over time - been
farmer N!xau ?Toma) whose tribe of nothingness in himself and he exchanged for the false knowledge
has no knowledge of the world is not ashamed of it, then he has whose sources are nothing but the
beyond, Andrew Steyn (Marius conquered self, fear, and death mind that wants to exploit, rule
Weyers), a biologist who analyzes while still alive. The Lord Jesus over others and then claim that
manure samples for his PhD said “...for the ruler of this world is there is no God. Any knowledge
dissertation, and Kate Thompson coming, and he has nothing in Me.” that takes a man away from the
(Sandra Prinsloo), a newly hired Meaning He, Jesus, had nothing reality of who God is, is nothing
village school teacher. that belongs to Satan. The reason but a curse.
our world is so messed up the way I am particularly drawn to a scene
Plot it is right now is because men have in the movie where Xi was given
Xi and his San tribe of Ju’/Hoansi made it their life’s mandate to have money by the new white village
bushmen are living happily in the too many of the things that belong teacher. Obviously, Xi didn’t know
Kalahari Desert. One day, a glass to Satan. Man has forgotten how to what money was. He clearly
Coca-Cola bottle is carelessly live simply. Surprisingly, simplicity hesitated at first, refraining from
thrown out of an airplane and of living goes side by side with collecting the money and then
falls to Earth unbroken. Initially, being naked and not ashamed went ahead to throw it away. I
Xi’s people assume this strange and therefore a life of peace. Man figured his simple mind could not
artifact is a “present” from the loves complexity and the pride understand why he should be
gods just as they believe plants it brings when such complexity crazy about some only God knows
and animals are and find many is supposedly unravelled. But what paper called money. Money
uses for it. Unlike other bounties, nothing can take away the joy and the pursuit of it didn’t make
however, there is only one glass and peace that comes from living sense to him.
bottle , which causes conflict simple and knowing that there is Afrika has been made to believe
34 HEALING - RESTORING - REBIRTHING - AFRICA