An arrival in Africa
May 24, 2024
On May 24, 1893, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi arrived in South Africa. It was the third continent the 23-year-old barrister had set foot on. During his first two weeks, he was greeted with violent racism, reluctant compassion, and loving welcome. These experiences could have sent the young man down a path of racial hatred or religious extremism. Instead, they forged a principled but imperfect leader who would inspire millions across the globe with his messages of truth and nonviolence. As Nelson Mandela said of Gandhi’s two decades there, “You gave us a lawyer, we gave you a Mahatma [Great Soul].”
The port for the British colony of Natal was in Durban. For the previous fifty years, indentured laborers had been recruited from India to work on the sugar plantations there. By 1893, the Indian population was nearly equal to that of the Europeans in Natal. Native Africans, who were self-sufficient and not inclined to seek employment, made up 85% of the colony. The racial hierarchy established by law, eventually known as apartheid, would last for another century.
Dada Abdulla, his employer, met Gandhi at the dock. Although he was one of the richest traders in the region, Gandhi quickly “observed that the Indians were not held in much respect” in South Africa. Gandhi shadowed the Muslim man for several days, bedecked in an expensive European-style frock coat, striped pants, and turban, trying to make sense of the foreign land.
At the moment, Dada Abdulla wasn’t sure what to make of the young man. Gandhi thought his employer viewed him as a “white elephant,” but soon he would impress him with his ethics and drive. Abdulla’s connections and resources would be a valuable asset during his time there, and as the two men got to know each other better, they would have long conversations about Islam, as part of Gandhi’s personal quest to learn about other religions.
Have you ever been aware of making an imperfect first impression?