Historic robben island and nelson mandelas prison and. Robben island the dark years book excerpt from chapter 61 of mandelas autobiography long walk to freedom c. An interesting and fascinating book about south africa and apartheid in relation to sport specially football on the prison island, robben island. Robben island footballers to collins the bookseller.
In the first of two programs, robin basselin and steve myersco look at the way these prisoners started playing football. It was also a significant moment for football in south africa and in particular for the inmates of robben island. It was established by the department of arts and culture in 1997. Since the city was founded back in the 17th century, this.
Collins has bought world rights in the story of a group of political prisoners in apartheidera south africa who formed a football league in. Little, brown and company 1994 reprinted with permission of the publisher. Apartheid and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. This book provides great insight into the harsh treatment the prisoners of robben island were subjected too and how football gave them hope. Origins of south africas world cup found in its infamous. An inmates soccer league at robben island provided relief from monotony. Robben island museum rim is a public entity responsible for managing, maintaining, presenting, developing and marketing robben island as a national estate and world heritage site. Formed in 1966, the association ran a league until 1973, adhering strictly to the laws of the game, the fifa rulebook being one of the few books in the prison library. When he was allowed to tell it, sitotos tale of makana fa the association formed by the prisoners with its own rule book, qualified referees. There were days when if one group was angry, there would be no game. Entrance to robben island prison, robben island museum. Nelson mandela spent 27 years imprisoned on robben island, 18 of those in solitary confinement, and the former president of south africa, jacob zuma, was a player on one of the eight teams in the. Robben island tours and times things to do in cape town. This summer nelson mandela returned to robben island, where he was imprisoned for.
Since 1997 it has been a museum and a heritage site. But the makana football association was a way of uniting all of us. The teams were divided by peoples political groups. Makana football association was a sporting body formed by political prisoners on robben island, south africa who organised football leagues for fellow inmates. It is the extraordinary tale of how thousands of political prisoners on robben island formed the makana football association mfa and used soccer not only to. Football on robben island soccers role in the fight. In the prison library, isaacs found a book of rules issued by fifa. Table mountain is visible from the two remnant soccer fields at the former prison, a. The author does a remarkable job of describing the creation of the robben island makana football league. This summer nelson mandela returned to robben island, where he was imprisoned for 18 years, to mark his 89th birthday and watch a. Robben island sits about four and a half miles off cape town in the cold, treacherous waters of the atlantic. Former robben island inmate nelson mandela noted in the documentary fifa.
In a new weekly series looking at how football brings people together. The prisoner robben island the dark years the long. Arriving at robben island with cape town in the background. The inmates of robben island managed to convince the powers that be to allow them to play soccer one day a week, giving themselves a selfmade lifepreserver to keep their sanity and their spirits up. The tiny island located just off of the coast of cape town is home to a large amount of history and tells the story of nelson mandelas captivity and subsequent freedom which became iconic for the democracy of south africa. In a situation that sought to undermine us, it gave us hope. Robben island is at the core of south africas rich history and culture. Former robben island inmates highlight role of football in. The busload of tourists on robben island grew quiet as yasien mohamed, our 63yearold guide, gestured to a bleak limestone quarry on the side of the road. Former robben island inmates highlight role of football in prison life.
Origins of south africas world cup found in its infamous prison. Every week from 1964 to 1967, a prisoner, a different one every time as punishments often followed such impunity, would make an. Football was a popular and highly competitive sport among prisoners, who formed their own league with a. Robben islands political prisoners used soccer as a way. Somehow we found a fifa book there and played according to fifa rules. It was a training and defence station in world war ii 19391945 and a hospital for people with leprosy, and the mentally and chronically ill 18461931. Visiting the island is a sobering experience, which begins at the modern nelson mandela gateway to robben island, an impressive embarkation center that doubles as a conference center.
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