South Africa is a warm country. However it is the middle of winter here. Snow has fallen on the mountains across our country plunging temperatures to freezing at night. The obligatory trek out to Ceres to see the snow might have to be put on hold with fervent Soccer Cup fever having taken over here. But there is snow closer to the city. Table Mountain rarely sees snow but we had snow fall there yesterday. Eish!
Today is Youth Day and a public holiday. Youth Day is when we commemorate the lives lost in the liberation struggle. Bafana Bafana take on Uruguay in Pretoria this evening.
The local papers are filled with the usual sports analysts bleating on endlessly about the nuances of the games. They are also on about the costs of the World Cup to a developing nation and the FIFA role in all of this. It makes me sad that the west will insist on viewing Africa as less than deserving of this Soccer Cup. Why can’t they be as happy as we are about this?
All I care about is supporting teams in the following order – Bafana Bafana, the African teams and the underdogs in any game. Supporting the underdog is only setting myself up to be disappointed but the North Korea vs. Brazil game lifted my spirits.
Photo courtesy of P Gillespie
One friend has described this Soccer World Cup as a drug. I have no idea how soccer fans do this day in and out, year in and out. Watching soccer is super stressful. I am so excited for the Bafana Bafana game tomorrow. May need a sedative if they win.
Local guesthouses are complaining that they have not seen their expected number of guests. Back packers establishments and hostels are full to the brim. Our B and B is also full for now. The visitors seem to be young and looking for bargains.
In Main Road, Sea Point is “Little Brazil”. Some local organisers have taken over our civic centre and made it a mecca for Brazilian fans. Lucky us, we got their coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira. He clearly knows his Soccer Cup oats.
In the picture is the fountain in Adderley Street. No chance anyone could miss that we are hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup here in South Africa.
The marketing folk have used local phrases and customs which may leave visitors a bit confused. Here is a quick guide to some of what is going on.
Eish means wow or disbelief.
Ayoba means cool or great.
Gees means spirit. The g’s in Afrikaans are gutteral.
Mzansi means South Africans or people of the south.
Toyi-toyi is a dance often done during protests.
The Diski dance comprises a selection of moves based on local street soccer.
Gumboot dancers slap their rubber boots and stamp their feet for sound effects. Gumboot dancing is said to originate from Morris dancing and it developed amongst miners in South Africa.
I remember the praise singers as a child when my father used to be a judge at Zulu dancing competitions. The praise singer would shout how great his team was before a match to impress the judges.
If you are in Natal, grab a Bunny Chow which is curry in a hollowed out half-loaf of bread. Who needs a plate here? Gatsby’s are a really large French loaf with fillings found in the Cape. A boerie roll is our version of a hot dog. Slappies are hot chips. South Africa is rich in words and customs from all sectors of the population. Enjoy.
Photo courtesy P Gillespie
Confession time! I have never particularly loved soccer and have no idea what the rules of the game actually are. Had the 2010 Soccer World Cup not come to South Africa, that would never have changed.
Three months back Bafana Bafana weren’t even ranked in the top 100 football teams in the world and they lost to the Namibian amateur team. Our only claim to being in the Soccer World Cup is that we are the host nation.
Well that has all changed. I am suddenly loving soccer along with a host of new soccer fans. And Bafana Bafana drew 1-1 against Mexico yesterday. Mexico are ranked 17th in the world!
What I am really trying to say is all of a sudden we have gone soccer mad here in South Africa. I am discussing the game with people, who like me, couldn’t have cared less before. We have willed our boys right up the soccer rankings. The coach might also have had a hand in it. And yes, our boys have made us proud.
Viva! Vuvuzelas! Whatever! We are so feeling the love right now.
Photo courtesy of P Gillespie
We are so feeling the love here in South Africa. I will admit that up until the Soccer Cup came to South Africa, quite frankly I had no real interest in soccer. And a few months back our team was not in great shape either. I feared my heart would be broken. No more.
Our boys have pulled themselves together so smartly and you would have to be in a deep coma not to be feeling all the Soccer Cup energy here. In the picture is a local resident. And that is just a house. It’s soccer mania here.
We are all having a bit of a chuckle at the rather over the top security the international teams are insisting on. I have relatives who have been stranded in a game reserve while the Americans are being safely escorted about. Bullet proof vehicles and a plethora of machine gun toting guards are keeping us locals at bay. The British press have had a field day printing all sorts of garbage. Apparently their team might just get bitten by snakes in their rooms. I do hope the Soccer Cup finally dispels these stupid ideas that Africa is a big, bad and dangerous place.
One day to go! It’s here! Tomorrow is kick off and the matches all begin. Most of us in Green Point aren’t going anywhere. We can’t. So many roads are closed that we couldn’t get anywhere even if we tried. We will be glued to the telly watching the openings, the parties, the interviews, the games. the musings of sportscasters, the whole nine yards.
We’re all fired up with personal vuvuzelas and lots of hope after Bafana Bafana’s win this weekend. A local newspaper has cartoons of hell freezing over and pigs flying. Yes we are that hopeful here. Nelson Mandela paid our boys a visit and gave them a pep talk. It worked when he did that to our rugby players in the South African Rugby World Cup. They won the World Cup. Go Bafana Bafana. Make us proud. Let the games begin!
Picture courtesy of SA Tourism
