By Amanda Hawker
Thirty seven years
ago, on 12 September 1977, South African activist, Stephen Bantu Biko, died in
police custody. He was 31 years old.
As the founder and driving force behind the Black Consciousness
Movement, the history of Steve Biko’s life and death is well known to most
South Africans – to much of the world, in fact. With the top leaders of the ANC
either in prison or in exile, Biko became a symbol of South Africa’s struggle
for liberation. His death made him a martyr. Books have been written about him.
The movie, Cry Freedom, was based on
his life. Peter Gabriel, ex-frontman of the British pop group, Genesis, penned
a haunting tribute to him.
But how does his legacy hold up 37
years after his death? How does the legend measure up?
They endure. His writings,
collected and released under the title I
Write What I Like, are still read and quoted to this day and are a
wonderful insight into his philosophies. His teachings, over and above the
concept that “black is beautiful” are also of unity, compassion and humanity
(in Southern Africa we call it Ubuntu.)
These are concepts that are even more important nowadays in this modern age
where intolerance, oppression, racism, hatred, war and genocide are still the order of the day.
Biko believed that only black
people could change their situation. It’s safe to say that it’s an idea that
could relate to any oppressed part of society, in any part of our continent or
the world. Only we can save ourselves.
The legacy endures because it’s
still relevant. The legend endures because it’s still powerful.