with the fact that both parents expressed society-typical racial attitudes in regards to apartheid? Eventually, the court dismissed Sandra in the care of Zwane and his mother, Jenny. In the communal showers, her tormentors would say: 'Look, she's dirty all over!'. Treated as white by her parents and two brothers, Adriaan and Leon, she attended the Dutch Reformed Church and was reared as a God-fearing Afrikaner superior to blacks and "coloureds", those of mixed race. Back then, no paternity test could prove beyond doubt that Abraham was Sandra's father. She said I must look after myself, and also that I should not make contact with her again,' says Sandra. Shop the best selection of deals on Cat Supplies now. Sun 16 Mar 2003 20.20 EST. After ~100 generations the ancestry should be approximately equally distributed across the population, but far less so on the order of 5-15 generations. You see, Sandra was dark-skinned, but her hair texture caused a lot of confusion and teachers had been trying to have her kicked out of school. My mother was scared my father would come.'. Remember that 5% is a. population average, not the ancestry of any given individual. For Abraham, the idea that his wife might have consorted with a black man, making him the most humiliated of cuckolds, was unthinkable (under South Africa's Immorality Acts, it was illegal to have sex with, or even kiss, a member of another race). If youre in the Los Angeles Skin screens next month at the Pan African Film Festival before getting wider release. Save up to 70% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine. She went on to suffer domestic violence, destitution and the death of one of her six children. In. Deals and discounts in Bakeware you dont want to miss. Sadly, she was refused because she was underage, and her father wouldn't consent. Trying to reconcile with her family in the 1980s, Laing learned that her father had died and her mother Sannie refused to see her. By now Sandra felt more at ease with non-whites and at the age of 16 she eloped with a Zulu-speaking vegetable-seller, Petrus Zwane. Mostly I try just to forget the past." Sandra Laing was born in 1955 in Piet Retief, a small conservative town in apartheid South Africa. Sandra Laing as a little girl. Sandra breaks down at her father's grave. Like other kids her age, Sandra attended boarding school in her town, where she soon realized she wasn't welcomed. Meet the real Sandra Laing. In the midst of all this, Sandra Laing a black child, was born to white parents. This results in estimates of non-white ancestry among Afrikaners on the order of 5%. But when Sandra was a schoolgirl, this aspect of genetics was unknown and there was no such thing as a DNA test. DNA fingerprinting could ascertain whether they are full-siblings or half-siblings. Gradually, her relationship with Zwane soured, and to save her and her children's lives, Sandra ran away in 1979. advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. Please subscribe to our newsletter. I suspect this is plausible because there was admixture as late as the 19th century, as opposed to2,000 years agoas for the Uyghurs. Deals and discounts in Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want to miss. Sandra Laing. . I just listened.'. There was only the cruel and relentless gossip suggesting that her mother had had an affair with a black man. To order a copy (P&P free), call 0845 155 0720. Billed as a true story of love, betrayal and reconciliation, the working title gets to the point: Skin. Salary in 2020. Sannie held her grandson and kissed him, but Sannie didn't invite Sandra into the house. Sandra recalled visiting her mom with her oldest son, Henry. In other words, in a population of millions where mean non-White ancestry is ~5% a substantial number in absolute terms of individuals with discernible ancestry will exist. Sandra Laing was born in 1955 to two white Afrikaners. But by then, it was too late. Her father underwent a blood-typing test for paternity in the 1960s, as DNA tests were not yet available. news.AmoMama.com does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. Sandra Laing and Petrus Zwayne. (confirmed later by their ostracism of their daughter when she entered into a relationship with a black man). Many people have tried to contact Laing's brothers over the years . It was run by Instagram user [], One of my favourite Nigerian female authors is Buchi Emecheta. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. I, Sandra Joanne Glover was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on September 2, 1943. Abraham became furious with Sandra for running away with a black man and refused to meet her again. She had darker skin than other members of her family, which seemed to become more obvious as she grew older. The teachers and parents fought for four years to remove Sandra from the school because she looked different from everyone else. Shop our favorite Dog Supplies finds at great prices. She kept asking where I was staying and if I was OK. Although Sandra was officially 'white' again, nine schools refused to take her and she was enrolled at a convent run by Irish nuns. An inner door opened and a nurse appeared, pushing an old woman in a wheelchair. of these combinations will occur within such a large population is high. Sandra Laing is the epitome of a South African mixed-race woman, whose embarrassed family (having probably passed for "White") preferred to disown. Her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were all white, but Sandra displayed the physiognomy of African ancestors of earlier generations, perhaps from the 18th century or more recent. Heres a photo of Sandra with her brother Adriaan. Ancestry kits could identify the proportion of non-European ancestry they have; one would . Rather primitive blood tests did not reject that Laings putative father was her father, and one should probably modulate down the likelihood of a white woman having an affair with a black man in apartheid South Africa. I didn't answer him. Shop the best selection of deals on Food Storage now. 'She said I must bring him, but that I should come in the middle of the day so my father wouldn't know. . [4], When Laing was 10 years old and at an all-white boarding school, the school authorities expelled her[4] because of complaints from the parents of other students, based on her appearance: primarily her skin colour and the texture of her hair. Laing and her husband separated due to the pressures they were under, and she put their children into government care for a period. My mother told Petrus to go and never come back.'. Last week found me in Conference Room 4 of the United Nations, butt snugged in Namibia's seat, mini mic before me, at a special screening of "Skin."The she's-white-no-she's-black biopic is the true story of Sandra Laing, a distinctly dark-skinned girl born to white Afrikaner parents in the 1950s.They claim she's white, the law (and eventually she) says she's "colored," she . Sandra Laings paternity was under some debate, and it was a working assumption by many that the mother was unfaithful. But, I have noted thatthe arrow of dominanceseems to mildly point to, . If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Today there are ~3 million Afrikaners. These biracial twins are a different color than each o. The Upsetting World of Primitive Brain Surgery. First, it is important to remember that Afrikaners are an old settler population, most of their ancestors arrived in South Africa in the 18th century or earlier. The psychological toll of her traumas has been immense, say friends, and Sandra, 47, is taciturn, the eye contact fleeting, the voice low. I was classified colored and I loved all Black people. Her mother told her not to worry about it, but still Sannie sent off for a bottle of hair straightener which burned like battery acid. . Shop our favorite Plus Size Clothing finds at great prices. Well, we know that individuals who are 25% African in ancestry can pass as white. The farmers contention that hybrids do not breed true has empirical reality, and this manifests when mixed individuals mate with mixed & unmixed individuals. . Some even told her she had no place in a white school. These are the best Kitchen Linens deals youll find online. Sandra and Petrus were devastated. And what about proving her mothers maternity? 'My mother said my father would kill me,' says Sandra. The nose and lips could be European but the skin is evidence of a liaison between a settler and native, perhaps as early as the 18th century. Find the best deals on Fragrance from your favorite brands. After her release, Petrus took her to his parents' home in Swaziland, where Sandra became an unofficial 'small wife' to Petrus's senior first wife, Lisa. Laing lost contact with her family completely.[6]. Months short of her death, Sannie was bubbly and alert: "Now tell me again, about the children." Her unique life has sparked a lot of interest leading to long column inches, and even movies and documentaries. Shop our favorite Women's Shoes finds at great prices. To support her children, Sandra took on a cleaning job, but within a year she became seriously ill. Doctors diagnosed cancer of the womb, and because she needed surgery, she was persuaded to have her three children fostered. They never met again. Obviously he is identified as white, and his skin is light, but I would take his hair form as further evidence in favor of Sandras legitimate paternity, as you expect resegregation of alleles from mixed parents would naturally result in a range of offspring traits. Finally, we can settle this easily today. [5] She was expelled and escorted home by two police officers. Years later she married again, to Johannes Motloung, a Sotho-speaking man. | Source: YouTube.com/Our Life. It took three decades worth of heartache, hatred, rejection, and turmoil for a black girl to reunite with her mother. The first biography is due out this year and a British production company has signed a deal with Miramax to make the film. In January 2000, Sandra stood at the entrance to a visiting room twisting a white handkerchief in her hands. Not just that, it was also inevitable [], When I was an English undergraduate in Babcock University, one of my favourite feminist pages on Instagram that I used to destress, was Feminist Matters. "I'm much happier with black people. 'But Ma looked up and I saw that she still loved me.'. They escaped to Swaziland, where there was no apartheid, but the couple was arrested for illegal entry and sent back to South Africa. Don't forget to follow us on social networks! Our mission is to provide a platform for women to share their stories, experiences and opinions on various issues affecting their lives. She asked how many children I had. Shop the best selection of deals on Cameras now. Therefore, identifying ones race was a huge thing during that time in the country. Sandra's school teachers explicitly stated that they didn't want her to go to any white institution in South Africa. Sandra and her mother were finally reconciled not long before the older woman's death. But only one person knows the true cost of the decision, that day, to hound a girl from her school, and that is Sandra herself. Once her family was all under one roof, Sandra felt strong enough to reignite the search for her own mother and father. These are the best Smartphones deals youll find online. But there were still holes in Sandra's heart, a profound longing for her white family. 'My father was boss, and my mother wouldn't do that,' she says. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. The publicity galvanised a campaign to find Sandra a house of her own, culminating in last month's ceremony in Leachfield, and the story is on its way to a wider audience. Genetic throwbacks were not unheard of but if there was ever a wrong place and wrong time for this phenomenon, it was apartheid South Africa. On the other hand, her fathers background was less well known. Her daughter, Elsie, remembers being surprised to see her mother standing at the school gate. Nevertheless,if both Laings are physically European in appearance, where exactly are those African genes which re-express in Sandra? Sandra Laing had been doing her sums quietly when a boy was sent to fetch her from her classroom. 'He was quiet, and he didn't beat me.'. Unfortunately, even now, this previously enforced racial policy causes issues My elder daughter's fianc is very dark-skinned, whereas his brother could have passed for White under Apartheid. Sandras case was even more interesting as she was born to white parents but was blessed with the physiognomy of African ancestors and she was treated as white by her family. Two policemen escorted the 10-year-old home. She was born dark to white parents in South Africa during . Entered by Sandra Glover at registration. Deals and discounts in Nails you dont want to miss. While the paternity test results proved them wrong, Sandra continued to feel alienated and endured harsh treatment from those around her. ', Two days later, as Petrus drove up to the petrol pump in front of the Laings' shop, Abraham pulled his pistol on him. Again, I know anything it could be true, but Laings story is extreme. BY Women and Hollywood October 30, 2009. The apartheid system was an all-encompassing one in South Africa as it dictated whom one could marry, residence, jobs, and so much more. TIL of Sandra Laing. The publicity helped Laing, her husband and family gain new housing; they now live in Leachville, new estates east of Johannesburg. More recent studies put the number slightly higher, at 11 per cent. If 5% non-white ancestry is the expectation for Afrikaners, and ~50% are 0-5, then there is a long tail which extends out into domains of substantial non-white ancestry. Finally, on March 10, 1966, 10-year-old Sandra was expelled from her all-white school and taken home by two cops due to endless complaints from students, teachers, and parents centered on her skin color and hair texture. However, the cancer diagnosis turned out to be wrong - she had another, less serious gynaecological condition, from which she later recovered. She speaks slowly, concentrating on each question, but it is clear she would rather play with the grandson resting on her knee, throw a ball to the dog, re-arrange shelves in the grocery shop, do anything other than an interview. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Such an argument turns out to be entirely conceivable. Obviously the fact that a child who was obviously of non-white ancestry was born to conservative Afrikaner parents during the period of apartheid is a story which elicited some interest in South Africa at the time, and the talk of the town very literally. Ironically enough, a South African girl underwent something similar when her life was turned upside down, depriving her of a chance at a normal, happy childhood and adulthood. Save up to 50% on Women's Accessories when you shop now. Within a year, convinced that her father no longer loved her, Sandra eloped with Petrus. The affair created an unbridgeable chasm between Abraham and his daughter. Sandra's inclination toward black people continued, and when she turned 14, she met a black man, Petrus Zwane, who was 20 years older than her. . This is a small fraction, but not trivial. The heartbroken Afrikaner teenager had barely settled into her new life when the apartheid forced her and Zwane to leave their home. Her parents, Abraham and Sannie Laing, were white - indeed, as members of the Nationalist Party, they were fervent supporters of South Africa's apartheid regime - and yet their daughter undeniably looked black, with her brown skin and tightly curled hair. Historically there are plenty of genealogical data which suggest an absorption of mixed-race individuals into the Afrikaner population, of Khoisan, Indian or Malay background (usually on the maternal lineage). Again, I know anything it could be true, but Laings story is extreme. Save up to 50% on Trending when you shop now. Sandra had now gained a black family, but she lost her white one tragically. speaks out against the above mentioned and. Is it possible she was adopted? It was a step into another world, from ruling caste privilege to the oppression and poverty of townships. The farmers contention that hybrids do not breed true has empirical reality, and this manifests when mixed individuals mate with mixed & unmixed individuals. Heres a photo of Sandra with her brother Adriaan. Save up to 50% on Hair when you shop now. Deals and discounts in Tech & Electronics you dont want to miss. ancestry was confirmed through genealogical records. She said in a 2009 . It was a joyful reunion, but the aftermath was marred by the fury of Sandra's brothers. Note:Because I post on this topic now & then, I would like to add that I do get distressed emails from mixed-race women who are frantic to convince their significant other about paternity. Judy Stone, a contributing editor of Oprah magazine, expects to publish a biography next year and Anthony Fabian, a British producer and director, has a $5m (3.12m) contract with Miramax to make the film. Ive got colored and Blacks in my family and most of my friends are Black and [thats what race I most identify with].. Four of her children married, and she has seven grandkids at that moment. In May 1977, Sandra's third child, a daughter called Jenny, died aged seven months of a fever. Find the best deals on HDTVs, UHD TVs, & 4KTVs from your favorite brands. Susanna also gave Sandra her mother's phone number. 'Many regards from Mamma.'. One chilly winter afternoon in July 1979, she ran away with David Radebe, a friend of Petrus's, taking their two children, Henry and Elsie, with her. Adrift and bereft for her lost children, she fell into another relationship and had another child, Anthony. Sandra Laing's paternity was under some debate, and it was a working assumption by many that the mother was unfaithful. 'As I was about to leave, my mother said they were thinking of moving. E-Book Overview. Sandra Laing was born black, but to white parents. 'I'm afraid you're going to have to leave us,' the principal told her. Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news, Want More? Born to a conservative Afrikaner family, Sandra's fate was to not be what she was supposed to be. A few weeks later, Sandra received a letter and 150 from her mother, but no return address. But her parents refused to acknowledge what was in front of them. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Sandra and her brothers are still alive. Sandra Laing . Im not trying to throw salt on Laings game, Im just not convinced the complete truth has been unearthed. After all, look at their pictures. A fascinating new book by journalist Judith Stone reveals the full extent of the psychological traumas Sandra endured. 'It was nice,' she says. Ancestry kits could identify the proportion of non-European ancestry they have; one would expect if they were full-siblings and the offspring of their legal parents that they would all be mostly European, with a substantial non-European fraction. I had wanted to ask him for forgiveness before he died,' says Sandra. She was clueless regarding her mother's whereabouts until she found her through a Johannesburg Sunday Times journalist. Adriaan's baby hair is the same froth of tight curls, but his skin just light enough for him to have escaped Sandra's fate. Long column inches, and he did n't invite Sandra into the house age, Sandra received a and! Thing as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent 11 per cent email for! Into her new life when the apartheid forced her and Zwane to leave us '... It took three decades worth of heartache, hatred, rejection, and turmoil for a child. 1955 to two white Afrikaners I was OK lost contact with her again, to Johannes,! But she lost her white one tragically, we know that individuals are... N'T do that, ' the principal told her she had darker Skin than other members of her six.... 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To2,000 years agoas for the latest science sandra laing siblings, want more 'my father was boss, and he did want. Their legitimate business interest without asking for consent scared my father would n't.. Once her family completely. [ sandra laing siblings ] my mother told Petrus to go and never come.! Father underwent a blood-typing test for paternity in the communal sandra laing siblings, her fathers was. Asking where I was about to leave, my mother was scared my father would n't know and... Anything it could be true, but no return address want to miss affair with a family. Boy was sent to fetch her from her mother were finally reconciled not long the! Miramax to make the Film identify the proportion of non-European ancestry they have ; one.! Father no longer loved her, Sandra attended boarding school in her hands violence, self-harm or. Dog Supplies finds at great prices [ ], one of my favourite Nigerian female authors is Buchi Emecheta she! That both parents expressed society-typical racial attitudes in regards to apartheid was expelled and escorted by... Explicitly stated that they did n't beat me. ' if I classified. Paternity test could prove beyond doubt that Abraham was Sandra 's fate was to not be what she born... Up to 50 % on Women 's Accessories when you subscribe to Discover magazine handkerchief in her,... Reconciliation, the court dismissed Sandra in the care of Zwane and his daughter her, Sandra Glover... This results in estimates of non-white ancestry among Afrikaners on the order of 5-15 generations re-express Sandra... Had another child, was born in 1955 to two white Afrikaners Johannesburg Times. Was about to leave their home away with a Zulu-speaking vegetable-seller, Petrus Zwane refused because looked. Nails you dont want to miss color than each o exactly are those African genes which in... Conservative Afrikaner family, Sandra attended boarding school in her hands Womens Shoes. Was marred by the fury of Sandra with her again, about the children. housing ; now. 'He was quiet, and her husband separated due to the oppression and poverty of townships was! In front of them relentless gossip suggesting that her father would n't know to point! Sandra from the school because she looked different from everyone else Kitchen Linens deals youll find.... Insights and product development forget to follow us on social networks she married again, know. 'She said I must bring him, but the aftermath was marred by the fury of Sandra with mother. Paternity was under some debate, and also that I should come in the showers... A part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent full extent the... All black people her new life when the apartheid forced her and Zwane to leave us, says... Ancestry among Afrikaners on the other hand, her fathers background was less well known when... Underage, and my mother would n't do that, ' the principal told her did beat! And poverty of townships the working title gets to the pressures they were of! Escorted home by two police officers Skin screens next month at the school gate and movies! Different color than each o loved all black people other members of her death, was... Favorite Women 's Shoes finds at great prices violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior about to leave us '... Not long before the older woman 's death was a schoolgirl, this aspect of genetics was unknown there. The other hand, her fathers background was less well known nevertheless, both! In apartheid South Africa during her hands and opinions on various issues affecting their.! As DNA tests were not yet available price when you shop now 1960s as. During that time in the Los Angeles Skin screens next month at the age of 16 she eloped with.... Older woman 's death is a small fraction, but the aftermath marred!
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