In the country of my father’s skull …

Last updated on: March 29, 2005 at 8:58 pm by Peter T. Chattaway

In the country of my father’s skull … 2005-03-29T20:58:00-08:00 Peter T. Chattaway

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Caught a press screening of Country of My Skull (or, as it is known in North America, In My Country) this morning.

It’s good to see a film about the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission — especially one that acknowledges the positive religious tenor of the whole thing — but whatever social or political impact this film might have had is seriously watered down by the time it spends on a rather trite love affair between two journalists, one a South African played by Juliette Binoche and the other an American played by Samuel L. Jackson. The affair itself isn’t developed beyond the most perfunctory elements, and the point of it all seems to be that “truth and reconciliation” are necessary not just on the national level, but at home, too — which is a rather banal direction in which to take this film, no matter how true that message might be. Chalk this one up as another misfire in director John Boorman’s erratic career.

As it happens, I brought my father to this screening, as I often do with films of this sort. My father grew up in Zambia and attended university in South Africa back in the ’60s, but because of his participation in anti-apartheid activities, he was given orders to leave the country the day after his 22nd birthday — and he wasn’t able to return, even for a visit, until 30 years later. (It’s weird to think of it this way, but if it hadn’t been for apartheid, I wouldn’t exist — my father left the country, followed his own recently widowed father to Canada, met my mother, and I was born, less than three years after my father had been told to leave.)

Anyway, my father e-mailed me some of his thoughts on the film some time later, and he said I could re-post them here. (Warning: There is a minor spoiler, but it doesn’t involve the Commission or the two protagonists.) So, for whatever it’s worth…

This movie was taken from the book “Country Of My Skull”, which presumably doesn’t hurry over things as much. South African writers are usually worth reading, and it would be an interesting contrast with Alan Paton’s “Too Late The Phalarope”, the book that was instrumental in my Christian conversion. The central event of that story is an Afrikaner policeman in the Orange Free State having an affair with a black woman, and being ostracized by his own culture as a result. I can’t remember all the details, but the policeman and the woman did not see each other as equals at all; as I remember it, they didn’t even speak much; but it wasn’t a rape either, because she acquiesced, and I have the impression that he would not have continued had she said no. He simply acted on a basic human instinct that overcame all his cultural conditioning, while she perhaps acted on culture — some combination of the inferior status of women in black culture and the inferior status of blacks in “his” land. Anyway, almost 50 years apart and quite different from this story!

The character Duma (or Nduma), the sound technician, struck me immediately as a former “tsotsi” or street gang survivor. So the revelation at the end that he had been a traitor to his cause was not a surprise. He would have lost his dignity early on, at the hands of the state. The amazing thing is that so many didn’t.

I loved the Afrikaans dialog. Did you notice the respect the central woman character showed to the proprietor of the “Ritz”, calling her “auntie”? This is the second movie I’ve seen in a week about Afrikaners who turn against their own system — Mom and I saw “A Dry White Season” on TV last week (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097243/) with Donald Sutherland in the lead role and Marlon Brando in a cameo as a lawyer — and both movies depicted the Afrikaners much as I remember them. They are a puzzle that I would like to solve: capable of such devotion to God and duty, polite and respectful and observing all the formalities of civilized life, but capable of violence, and even hatred, when they feel threatened. Their past has something to do with this: they had to defend themselves against both the British and the Africans to retain their right to be “een volk” (a people, a “distinct society” as we might say in Canada). I know my parents and other English-speaking Southern Africans did not think highly of the Afrikaners, but I must say that I love the Afrikaner “volk” and feel very moved by their history and pray for their future. Their challenge is to hold on to all that is good in their culture while purging it of evil. It was a hopeful sign when the last remnant of the old National Party, that had created apartheid, recently merged into the ANC! I hope the majority in S.A. makes room in its heart for this “white tribe” which is capable of great good.

I remember reading in (I think it was) one of James Michener’s books that the Afrikaners lived by the Bible, but their God was the God of the Old Testament more than of the New Testament. There’s some truth in that, especially in their past willingness to go “over the top” when retaliating to threats, in an effort to forestall any future repetition. Fortunately a new generation of Afrikaners is more “verligte” (enlightened) and hopefully the NT message is gaining acceptance.

Incidentally, one thing I did like about the film myself was the way it presented the Commission as an expression of both “African justice” and Christian compassion — you might say one had baptized and embraced the other — and the way it contrasted these things with the more vengeful “Western justice” espoused by the Jackson character. There is a scene where the Jackson character has to confront the consequences of a “Western”, as opposed to “African”, form of justice, and it isn’t quite what he expected. The film could have made a significant point there, if only it hadn’t already undermined its own best efforts.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 29, 2005

Want to avoid a lawsuit? Don't research anything!

Next Post

March 29, 2005 Links to non-film articles

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Planet Articles BC Christian News BC Report Bible Movies Bible Review Blog Books & Culture Campus Times CBC Radio Christianity Today ChristianWeek Essays Faith Today Festival Cinemas Guide Film Journals Georgia Straight Interviews MB Herald National Catholic Register Salvationist Today's Christian Two Chairs Ubyssey Uncategorized Vancouver Courier Vancouver Sun

Select a Month August 2025 April 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 May 2024 February 2024 December 2023 May 2023 March 2023 November 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 January 2012 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 November 2003 October 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 March 2002 January 2002 December 2001 November 2001 September 2001 August 2001 July 2001 June 2001 April 2001 March 2001 February 2001 December 2000 November 2000 October 2000 September 2000 August 2000 July 2000 June 2000 May 2000 April 2000 March 2000 January 2000 October 1999 August 1999 May 1999 April 1999 February 1999 January 1999 December 1998 November 1998 October 1998 August 1998 July 1998 June 1998 April 1998 March 1998 January 1998 November 1997 September 1997 July 1997 June 1997 April 1997 March 1997 February 1997 January 1997 December 1996 October 1996 September 1996 June 1996 March 1996 February 1996 January 1996 April 1995 November 1994 September 1994 September 1991

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What fruit did Adam and Eve eat in the Garden of Eden?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Grape Lemon Forbidden fruit Banana