Mandela Memorial #1

Looking back on today's memorial service at FNB stadium, I have to admit that I am somewhat disappointed. I know that it had to have a formal (political) side to it, but my opinion is that the organisers tried too hard to speak to an international audience from a government imagination, instead of giving ordinary South-Africans the opportunity to celebrate Madiba's life and unite in our shared grief. I hoped for more songs, liturgical prayers, testimonies from real South-Africans. I missed the presence of children and voices of young people. The audience participation was very limited. The screens were constantly off, which made it very difficult to feel connected to what happened on stage. A lot of the dignatries came into the stadium without being announced properly. Even the family members arrived unceremoniously at there seats. In the end, Cyril Ramaphosa had to reprimand the crowd and encourage us to be patient and listen quietly to all the remaining speeches. From the perspective of the crowd, I can say that after Obama's speech, we had enough with strangers talking, we needed to dance and sing like Madiba.

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