Playing the Enemy by John Carlin
This is the first stanza of the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley (Poetry Foundation, 2022). Individual lines were used by Winston Churchill in a speech during WWII (International Churchill Society, 2021) and it was on the cover of The Economist with a large picture of Nelson Mandela upon his death in December 2013 (The Economist, 2013). Henley’s poem also gave name to the 2009 movie Invictus starring Matt Damon, which is based on the book Playing the Enemy by John Carlin.
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever goods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
Playing the Enemy and South African Rugby
In his book, Carlin describes how Nelson Mandela used Rugby as a political tool to start the process of uniting his nation and shaping the South African future of the post-apartheid era. The story starts at the time of Mandela’s release from a 27-year imprisonment in 1990 and with the 1995 Rugby World Cup – where Mandela had already been the president for about a year (The South African Government, 2022a).
Rugby has a big tradition in South Africa and has historically mostly been played by Afrikaners (predominantly white descendants of Dutch, German, and French settlers from the 17th century) (Richard, 2020). The game and South Africa’s national team – the Springboks – were not accepted by non-Afrikaners (to put it in mild terms). To many, the Springboks were a symbol of apartheid: they represented the enemy, they were the enemy.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning’s of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
One Team, One Country
Playing the enemy is based upon personal experiences and observations by Carlin and on interviews with key protagonists of the apartheid era: nationalists, communists, ANC officials (African National Congress – the party of Mandela), former South African presidents, the rugby players and of course Mandela himself.
It’s breathtaking how Mandela was able to control and tame all the above-mentioned parties – even the nationalists who were on the blink of starting another civil war during Mandela’s presidency. One team, one country was the slogan of the Springboks for the ‘95 World Cup . Mandela lived that slogan. The book astonishingly portrays how Mandela was able to get every major political group of the country on his side. A burdensome and challenging task given the country’s history.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid
I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul
The movie is amazing, and the book is even more amazing. I still don’t understand how a person is able to forgive and befriend the very people who imprisoned him for almost three decades. The courage and discipline it takes, to swallow that pill is astonishing.
This blog post could have been way longer. I had further facts and stories about apartheid, about the South African national anthem – which includes five different languages (The South African Government, 2022b) and gives me goosebumps every time I hear it – and about the song traditional song Shosholoza which was brilliantly used in Invictus.
But the post would simply get too long. And it would not even be close to being fair to the book by Carlin. It is the best historic novel I have read so far! You will have to read (or watch) for yourselves. I am sure you will be as fascinated as I am.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Go Springboks!
Enjoy!
Resources
International Churchill Society. (2021). Famous Quotes and Stories. Retrieved from International Churchill Society: https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/quotes/famous-quotations-and-stories/
Movieclips. (2011). Invictus #9 Movie CLIP – This is Our Destiny (2009) HD. Retrieved from YouTube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE-ok-meF3E
Ndlovu Youth Choir. (2021). Ndlovu Youth Choir – Shosholoza Feat. Kaunda Ntunja. (N. Y. Choir, Producer) Retrieved from YouTube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jYdtRTlvgQ
Poetry Foundation. (2022). Invictus. Retrieved from Poetry Foundation: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictus
Richard, K. (2020). Afrikaners – Afrikaners are Dutch, German, and French Europeans Who Settled in South Africa. Retrieved from ThoughtCo.: https://www.thoughtco.com/afrikaners-in-south-africa-1435512
The Economist. (2013). Invictus. Retrieved from The Economist: https://www.economist.com/weeklyedition/2013-12-14
The South African Government. (2022a). Life and Times of Mandela. Retrieved from South African Government: https://www.gov.za/mandela100/biography#political
The South African Government. (2022b). South Africa’s National Anthem History. Retrieved from outh Africa’s showcase of our collective heritage.: https://southafrica.co.za/south-africa-national-anthem-history.html
