What do you call the thing you picked and where does it go?
Imbuia Coffee table
Why did you pick this furniture piece?
I grew up with this piece of furniture and it has always resonated with me.
Explain what this furniture piece means to you or your family/friends?
This special coffee table is made from a special wood called ‘imbuia’ wood. It is more or less 51 years old and was passed down from my grandpa’s mother to him and his family when he moved into the bo-kaap house that had been in my family for generations. It is especially special to me as it serves as a reminder of my awesome childhood memories when my cousins and I used to take out the ‘nessies’ (the mini tables stored within the coffee table) and use them to play and eat on. My grandpa was very fond of using the nessies to eat on and storing his juice underneath and because I wanted to be just like him; I would do the same. My Aunt usually just adorns the table with a fruit bowl and some coasters but on Eid the doily is changed and it is adorned with sweet treats and home made biscuits. In a way, it serves as a piece of memorabilia of my late grandfather and the good memories associated with the table.
Tell me a story around this furniture piece? A memory, a thought or something that happened recently.
My most fond memory of this table was of my grandpa sitting on the one-seater couch and taking out the nessie to put his food on. My grandpa didn’t really like eating with a fork so he used a spoon for everything he ate. He would always store is his juice/cooldrink at the bottom of the nessie and my grandma would always shout at him saying he was going to spill it; but yet he just carried on doing it everyday.
How does this piece of furniture make you feel?
I feel happy and warm; as there are only good memories for me associated with the table; especially those of my late grandfather. The table helps me reminisce on the good old days and makes me feel happy to know that I got to spend quality time with him. I feel grateful for having a grandfather like him.
Do you think this piece of furniture represents us as Coloureds? Why?
Definitely yes! In every coloured household that I know of there’s an old coffee table or a coffee table of some sort. Coloured people love their tea/coffee and biscuits; so believe you me that whenever you visit a coloured house there’s tea/coffee and biscuits on the table. This tradition if you would like to call it that; is something that has carried on for generations and it shows how kind and generous we coloureds are. There’s a stigma around coloureds and our behaviour; but this tradition shows that we are still humane and we care about others and that no matter who you are and what background you come from; that coloured Aunty will still serve you those tea and biscuits.
How would you describe your interpretation of Colouredness?
I look at colouredness as a culture. We have our own unique traditions that have been carried out through generations and we carry them on not because we have to or because we see them as a task we have to fulfill but simply because it is part of who we are. That to me; is honestly so amazing and it shows that no matter what we go through; coloureds will always have each other’s backs. It shows that no matter how diverse we are as individuals; in times of need we become one unit. The is makes me proud to be a coloured.
What other things strongly represent Colouredness?
Our sense of unity; as mentioned before and our willingness to help our fellow coloureds in times of need. We tend to always me the “middle man” in society and we probably always will be; but no matter the circumstances coloureds stick together.
What does it mean to be Coloured in South Africa now?
Compared to the Apartheid era; coloureds have definitely been more free and by free I mean they have been granted the same opportunities as other races. Equality is something that South Africa strives for and I feel like we still are striving for that. I believe coloureds will always be the “middleman” in society and it will never really change; however our sense of unity is something that remains with us and honestly; it is something that can never be taken away from us. We are a culture and a unique one at that; there is no one out there like us. We speak our “own language”; we have our own customs and traditions that have been carried out for generations and that make us who we are. I mean what coloured have you heard of that has never eaten a gatsby or said “Awe” at some point when greeting? All these little things have made us stand out from the crowd and more importantly it has allowed us to make a change in our country; from being the little guy who gets pushed aside to being the CEO of a business or the Head surgeon of a hospital. Being a coloured is something to be proud of and especially in today’s time where we as South Africans have managed to move out of the era of apartheid and into a democracy; which of course still needs lots of improvement but we are definitely moving forward.
What is your relationship with your Colouredness?
I can definitely say I am proud to be a coloured. It has given me perspective into the way we need to see the world. We aren’t all that different; we are all human and we are made up of the same parts. If there’s anything that the world needs to learn form coloureds; it would be our sense of unity. We need to learn to not see colour; instead we need to see bones and blood which is what we are all made of, the same thing. We need to start showing more compassion and support of one another and only then can we really move forward; not only as individuals but as a unit.
