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$ ~Omno W..kly TImes~ Wednesday~ May 18,1084 ) "Ecdllse" John and Maggie BizzeU by Helen MacDonald Driving up John and Maggie Bizzell's Starkville-area driveway I note tentative clumps of daffodil and tulip rise from the hilly siope - bopeful of warmer, sunnier days. In their cozy home, we ignore the heavy winds and main as we talk about eclipses ... the universal kinds, and the kind tbey bave only dreamed of most of tbeir lives. Yes, we agd... who could net marvel at the magie of the universe as the moon dared te block our precious sun for what was but a blink in time last Tuesday afternoon? Yet, such a darkness was.cast up on Soutb Africa for more than 300 years wben, during the earliest days of colonization, various forms of oppression of ber Black people began. Tben, wben the Nationalist prycame into power in 1948, Apartheid became officially codified inte the language. and the law of the land. Apartheid cornes from the Afrikaans heid (a derivation of Dutcb), meaning 'the condition of, joined witb the word apart. Thus, 'the condition of separation'. 1 visited John and Maggie to, talk to them about South Africa's historical election and their reaction towards tbe freeing of the people tbey left, behind in 1965 wben tbey fied from the oppression of Apartheid. Arriving in Canada witb only $7.00 in their pockets, they were among the lucky ones. Most important, they had their lives and their freedorn. John and Maggie are White.. from among the small, privîleged White mînerity of South Africa. Tbey were also among an even smaller White minority among their cornrades in the African National Congress (ANC). Both John and Maggie credit their upbringings witb opening their eyes to tbe inequities of our world. Altbougb John was already a member of the ANC, the Sbarpville Massacre of Marcb, 1961, in whicb mostly wornen and cbildren were killed, became a catalyst frorn whicb he began bis underground work as a member of the then-outlawed ANC. Maggie was drawn into the work of the ANC by John and others. and finally, tbey wed, spending their boneymoen in trade union activity i Swaziland. John opened a private practice in architecture whicb gave bim the freedom to do bis work with the ANC. doing "ordinary tbings, sucb as trying te arrange meetings for ANC members". These ordinary things, were, bowever, quite illegal. His cornrades began te fall like domines. Arrested, often tortured, some outright disappeared. Newspapers almost neyer reported the arrests or disappearances of Black South Africans. By 1964, Maggie and John felt that their arrest was getting dloser. Their home and John's office had been searched rnany tinies. "Wby did tbey continue their work?", 1 asked. "You couldn't live in Soutb Africa as a person with any conscience and not do anything", replied Maggie. Finally, John was picked Up, beld under axnbiguous law wbicb permitted up to 90 days detention for the so-called protection of the detainee, wbo could be held as a possible material witness in a trial that migbt corne te pass. John was detained for 12 days during wbicb time hie was te undergo long interrogations and solitary confinement: ". . . notbing cornpared to0 what Black South Africans experienced." Nobody at the private girls school at which Maggie taught ceuld believe that John would be involved with the outlawed ANC. .Maggie was alone in the battle te find out where John was, and te freehiru. Following bis release, tbe Bizzells continued their work of belping people get out of Soutb Africa. Within a year, bowever, it was learned .tbat Jobn was once again on a list for arrest, and Maggie would probably follow. They didn't-even bave eneugh tîrne te utilize their own under ground network te fiee the country, and following a complex precess te acquire passports, John and Maggie ë.rved in Canada i September, 1966 with only $7.00 in their pockets, a few items of clothing, and John's admission te graduate sch~ool at the University of Toronto. They livej their first winter in a basement apartment, neither of them owned'wmnter coats. John's position at ù of T fell through, and Maggiê, travelled to ber basement building job via subway. TbeY had brought their underground experience in South African te ad underground life ini Canada. But, thefre was mucb to be- done for theh' homeland. John and Maggie worked with other South African refÊPgeerS to establish ANC cbapte'fs in Canada. Their goals: to win the moral battie against Aplârtheid in a world arena; to effèct isolation of South Africa from diplomatic relations wtte ni d Nations and from international sporting events (thus restricting South African economic îiïpks); and finally, to develop so0fe strategies against the miitary gctivity of the South African govemnment. During the next nearly t hirty years, John and Maggie and many other unsun.g heroes, worked at these tasks, as well as picketted liquor store& which sold South African wiipes, wrote letters, educated trade unions, and participateil in peaceful demonstrations to raise global awareness oIf the surife to South Africa's victins of Apartheid. Support began to flow from other Africaîp countfles, a number of socialist eountrecs, as well as from Sweden, Holland, many church Orgaiizations worldwide, and Canada led the British Commonwdalth in cutting- economic tieg with South Africa. After twenty years of picketting the South Afrîcan Congress in Toronto, what did it feel li ke to çast a ballot in this histeric election? "Euphorif! ", declared John. "Lt feit ike it mîlst have felt for many Europeans the day after Liberation âfter WWII. Now, I could cail it ii'y home." "Lt was 11ard to stand in the voting line afid be cynical about it all. t was an historie moment ... Black South Africans were rubbing shôulders with White South Atricails. The line--up filled the corridor, doubling itself. When one White woman asked, "Why bave We got sucb a long wait?", the yoice of the Black South Afriçan replied, "I've waited ail my life". John thefl made bis 'X' with what he calil "absolute precision, savouring eveIry moment. t was lilce the biggçst ice crearn parfait 've ever had e..- 23 naines on the ballot which Nvas very vibrant and colourful. jËach candidate was identified by name of party, initials of party, party symbol in colour, a Photo of the party. leader. Andî what made it very warm for met was that the people from Elections Canada who facîlitated and observed the voting were very much the same people at a local election booth." Now what? 'Me dark shadow of Apartheid bas been lifted frm South Africa. "There are problems and difficlties1e be1ac.dI.admit Parking regulations around Memorial to be enforced Tbrough agreement With Memorial Hospital 1 the municipality bas met with Regional Police te have the police ticket cars parked on Municipal streets around Memorial Hospital. t bas been stated that Memorial staff have been parking on the street rather even our cold winters. Maggie would miss ber teaching job at Courtice South Public School, and John would miss the challenges of bis current architectural consultant practice. Botb of tbem would miss the friends and neigbbours tJiey have come te know. 1 Besides, Maggie bas plans te plant more tulips and daffodils. "ThMey are the promise of spring". They emerge bopeful, and, perbaps, not really 50 tentative, but strong. And, on another continent, Maggîe's 84-year-old mother, along with ber sister, opened their own scbool teacbing, Black children to speak Englisb 50 that wben schools open their doors te them, they would not be apart - separated by language. They wil be members of the new generation of South Africans. TURF-POWER FRONT TINE TILLER .5 hp. 12" Tines and Adjustable Tilling Width, Briggs & Stratton Engine $4999 DROP 60 lb. capacity ANNUAL FLOWERS Fiat of 12' $9 99 MIX AND MATCH FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES than i their parking lot at a cost of $2.00. Clarington also passed a resolution appointing two Memorial employees as By-lav., Enforcement Officers and Bums~ Security members to enforce regulations of parking in the bospital parking lot. Maggie. "But, we bave te. remember that this process bas been a victory for Black South Africans as well as liberation of White South Africans from the repression they bave too long carried witb tbem. South Africa needs âfl ber people. Looking out a window, John notes with a tone of solemnity that the winds of change are sweeping tbrougb all Africa, and expresses bis joy that tbe darkness of the oppression of Black South Africa bas eclipsed, and tbat the entire nation, Black and White, will work togetber to free itself from the centuries old patterns of colonization. Wben asked if they would return te their bomeland - te their families and friends - te carry the vision into the next stages, Maggie admits te a pull. But, they agree - they'd miss our seasons, ON SALE, TILL JUNE 4TH .ffl ...............................