My roots are here*
Kiru Naidoo
My roots are here
Deep in African soil
It’s a story I tell
Tell to myself
Tell to my children
Tell to theirs
It’s a question I am asked
Asked sometimes, asked often
A question I don’t mind
That I can answer with my chest
filled with pride
My roots are here
Deep in African soil
Does a leopard have to confirm its
spots?
I don’t know any leopards to ask
But ask me and I will tell you
I am an African
My roots are here
Deep in African soil
A question I don’t mind
That I can answer with my chest
filled with pride
Don’t TELL me I am an Indian!
Your’s is no right to give an
answer
Or a tag or a label or to assume or
to taunt
I am because of Phyllis Naidoo, of
Archie Gumede, of Albertina Sisulu, of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
I am because of Helen Joseph, of Dorothy
Nyembe, of Billy Nair, of Marimuthu Pregalathan Naicker
I am because of Joe Slovo, of Albert
Christopher, of Walter Sisulu, of Nomzamo Winnifred Mandela
I am because of Dulcie September,
of OR Tambo, of Monty Naicker, of Ahmed Mohammed Kathrada
I am of many more and their
uncompromising non-racialism
Lest you think there was only one GPS
to South African freedom
I am also because of Steve Biko, of
Sonny Venkatrathnam, of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe
My roots are here
Deep in African soil
I am of many more and their
uncompromising non-racialism
We proudly claim twenty years of
freedom
We are because of them
My roots are here
Deep in African soil
Mayibuye, iAfrika!
*Inspired
by Omeshnie Naidoo’s words, “my roots are here”.
