What it means to be coloured in SA in 2024 and should we still be using the term?
Coloured communities are often dismissed as having no clear heritage or culture and as ‘not being black enough or white enough.’
Clarence Ford speaks to Lynsey Ebony Chutel, co-author of the book 'Coloured: How classification became culture', which delves into the history of coloured people as descendants of indigenous Africans and a people whose identity was shaped by colonisation, slavery, and the racial political hierarchy it created.
South African singer Tyla recently found herself at the center of a culture war after taking to TikTok wearing a beaded necklace with the words, "I am a coloured South African".
The young performer was lambasted by American fans who seemed not to be aware that the term is used differently here in Mzansi than in the US where it has historically been deemed a slur.
Despite the furore, most South Africans seemed to understand that Tyla was simply using the social media platform to show off her pride at her mixed heritage.
It's scientifically proving that coloured South Africans are the most genetically mixed people in the world, with genetic heritage from the Bantu, Khoisan, South East Asian, European and Middle Eastern and now a new book aims to explore what it means to be coloured in South Africa.
'Coloured: How classification became culture' has been described as a 'labour of love' by its authors Lynsey Ebony Chutel and Tessa Dooms.
It came about following the murder of 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies, from Eldorado Park, who was killed by police.
The authors say they were provoked to respond to the pain of coloured communities in South Africa and the bewilderment of other people who did not understand why coloured people in democratic South Africa still feel marginalised.
"We are a tapestry, as Stephen Langtry calls us. We are a culmination of so many different stories and so many comings together and some of those comings together are painful."
Lynsey Ebony Chutel, Co-author - 'Coloured: How Classification became culture'
"There are also stories of love and of people crossing the colour line, people reinventing themselves."
Lynsey Ebony Chutel, Co-author - 'Coloured: How Classification became culture'
Chutel admits that she and her co-author Tessa Dooms were conflicted over whether they even ought to use the term 'coloured':
"And we said, yes we do use the term because in the absence of an alternative, in the absence of the undoing and the unmaking and the understanding of those stories, we use this term because it symbolises so many different things."
Lynsey Ebony Chutel, Co-author - 'Coloured: How Classification became culture'
"Whether you call yourself so-called coloured, or bruin, or kleurling, what's important is the power and the agency to be able to call yourself what you want to call yourself."
Lynsey Ebony Chutel, Co-author - 'Coloured: How Classification became culture'