One doesn’t have to travel far to have a new experience. Very often the most interesting things are right under our noses. With this in mind I made the crossing to Robben Island for the first time this weekend.

It was worth it.

As the sun slowly set on one of he first days of spring, we walked through unlocked doors that were once upon a time used to contain the non conformists to an imperfect society.

As we walked through the cells that once held the men who are now our political leaders a very good point was made. The strength of Apartheid did not come from the separation of people, it came from the psychological belief that one is better that the other. One of the greatest conclusions that were made between these walls and implemented by Nelson Mandela many years later, was that this mindset had to be fixed. To do this the collapse of Apartheid did not mean giving power to the black population, it meant clearing the slate and starting equal.

The solitude this island holds now stands testament to the failure of the old regime, the old way of thinking and doing. It is now up to us to raise the next generation free of such control, and follow suit to make sure that if the powers that once were arrested for fighting for the cause become a product of the old system, we too will be conscious and strong enough to take action.