Symbols

Symbols and Their Meanings

1. Passbook and Baptismal Certificate

• Represent apartheid and its impact on personal identity.

2. Bus and Blazer

• Symbolise sibling rivalry between Sipho and Themba.

3. Urn

• Represents Themba's return to South Africa after his death.
• Highlights the conflict between traditional and modern culture, as Sipho expected a body for burial but received ashes instead.

4. Dress (Designed by Nandipha Madikiza)

• Symbolises the connection between South Africa and the rest of the world.
• Mandisa's excitement about the dress reflects her modern, global perspective on culture and fashion.

5. First African Public Library (New Brighton)

• A symbol of black empowerment and the importance of education.
• This represents Sipho's new beginning, where he takes control of his life instead of seeing himself as a victim.