Brackenfell

One of the highlights with every cohort cycle we run at Isiphambano Centre for Biblical Justice is our final session where we invite the participants to engage in an exercise of what theologian Walter Brueggemann has called prophetic imagination.

Prophetic Imagination is the call to move beyond the world as it seems to the world as it might be. God’s vision for the world as it might be.¹ The task of prophetic imagination is two-fold. Firstly to critique and expose the dominant powers thus creating among the “hearers” a profound dissatisfaction with the prevailing status quo or the “way things are”. Secondly, it is to energise, or stir to hope and action, the imagination of a different reality and vision for the world shaped by the vision and values of the Kingdom of God. ²

Over the last few weeks, Isiphambano has been publishing a number of these contributions. Read this Afrikaans poem “Brackenfell” by Andre Vermeulen reflecting on the racial tensions which errupted in 2020 in the suburb of Brackenfell when a private matric dance was organised to which no black pupils were allegedly invited.

Brackenfell

Brackenfell wat wil jy my vertel?
Vertel van die stryd
Oor ‘n aand
Wat min anders was as laas Saterdag aand

Want elke aand sit ons bymekaar,
Met min mense wat staar,
Want ons almal lyk en klink soos mekaar.

Nou wil ons baklei and stry op straat
Oor ‘n aand
Waar ons self niemand was nie

Wat van praat?
Oor die dinge wat lei tot kwaad?
Dalk het jy vir my raad…

Kom ons sit saam en ons be-aam,
jy ken my nie,
ek ken jou nie.

Tog leef ons saam in dieselfde land,
Maar net aan die anderkant
Kinders in dieselfde skole,
maar daar is tog kontrole.

My kultuur kom uit gebed,
‘n God wat behou,
handhaaf en bou.

Vertel my oor joune,
oor die God wat jou bevry,
by wie jy vryheid kry.

Ons mag dalk net leer,
dat al die dinge wat ons so steur,
ons eintlik net keer,
om mekaar te begin waardeer.

So wat van praat, saam sit en bid?
Wat van saam vra en kla,
oor hoe ons al die swaar dinge dra?

So kan ons bedaar en op hou staar?
En begin luister oor wat Brackenfell ons wil vertel.

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Photo Credit: Trinity Kubassek from Pexels

1. Mark van Steenwyk: What is Prophetic Imagination
2. Brueggemann, Walter. 2001. The Prophetic Imagination (2nd Edition). Minneapolis: Fortress Press. p11