Cry of Freedom... and Others....

Over past few weeks, I've been recalling some historical that I've watched

• Gandhi
• Cry of Freedom A story about Steve Biko and Donald Woods.

Both directed by Richard Attenborough.  I don't know why I've been thinking about them, just have.  I recall the first time I saw Gandhi in the theatre with my mom, there was an intermission because of the length of the film.  I don't know if they would even consider such a thing now, granted I don't recall many 3 hour movies either, each of the LoTR movies are om the ball park, but they didn't have an intermission.   Even more strange is why I was thinking about Cry of Freedom it is mostly about Donald Woods, a newspaper editor that had to flee South Africa durring apartheid.  It is in passing about Bantu Stephen Biko, a black activist that died in custody while in a South African prison.  At somepoint I want to read the Donald Woods book Biko -- Cry of Freedom.


I do recall watching the Soweto riots on the nightly news.  I also can recall the release of Nelson Mandela from a South African prison.  Finally I recall the end of apartheid, or at least the end of the officially supported position of apartheid.  Such a foreign concept to me.  Growing up there was an amazing family that lived across the street from me, the Morrisons.  He was a black teacher from Jamaica, she was a white nurse I don't recall her actual ethnicity, and most importanty their 2 kids Anthony and Marie both of negro complexion.  We played with them all the time, rode bikes, built sand castles, climbed in their trees and an amazing tree fort.  She was my age and he was a couple of years older.  Anthony introduced me to cricket and some Jamaican cartoon strips.  They eventually moved to Red Deer and I lost touch with them after a couple of years.  For me a mixed race couple was a normal thing, and I wished the rest of the world could see the Morrisons as the happy role models they were. 


More Later....
G.