Doreen Mampani

What is the Colour of Souls? Doreen Mampani

What is the Color of Souls is poetry about love between a Black and White person. Though there are many Coloreds in the world some people still find it difficult to accept marriages between different race groups. My grand-mother was a White woman and my grand-father was a Black Mozambican Changaan. They were never married for various reason one of them being that my grand-father was married and also it was during Apartheid which forbidden marriages of Black and White. Growing up in that environment I learned the joys, tears, criticism of interracial relationships and marriages. Besides all the criticisms that goes on people from different races still fall in love and marry. In some families there is no support. In South Africa we also face challenges of tribalism where in some families they don't approve that their children marry from another tribe. I met a Zulu lady who said "my parents will never allow my brother to marry a Venda woman or another tribe.". The challenge even goes further where some Africans from South Africa do not approve marriages between Africans from South Africa and a man or woman from African countries. The good part is that some of these couples persevere until they get their breakthrough. It is said the colour of love is red, the same colour of blood. I guess when you love someone you are prepared to pay whatever price is demanded. Some of the poems: My Beloved White King, My Beautiful African Queen, My Handsome African King, My Elegant White Queen., etc.