Archetypal hero or living saint? The veneration of Nelson Mandela

Argetipe held of lewende heilige? Die verering van Nelson Mandela

Paul Maylam

Paul Maylam is Professor of History at Rhodes University The most recent of his five books is The Cult of Rhodes: Remembering an Imperialist in Africa (2005)

ABSTRACT

This article attempts to explain, along two lines of inquiry, why Nelson Mandela has come to be so revered and venerated in recent decades. According to the first approach, Mandela can be viewed as an archetypal hero. About sixty years ago, Joseph Campbell outlined the typical course of journeys undertaken by mythical heroes such as Odysseus and Aeneas. This course followed a regular pattern of separation, initiation and return: separation from society, followed by a dangerous journey or perilous ordeal, culminating in a triumphant return to society. Mandela's life has in many respects followed this pattern: the Rivonia Trial removed him from the public view; he endured the severe ordeal of imprisonment; and he returned to society as a saviour-like figure. While the trajectory of Mandela's life fits into Campbell's model, and may explain in part the reverence and veneration, this approach can also diminish Mandela into a semi-mythical figure. The second line of inquiry is given greater weight, attaching special significance to Mandela's human qualities - his humility, integrity, generosity of spirit, and wisdom. He renounced grandiosity, ostentation, and personality cults, and strove to adopt an exemplary lifestyle. These qualities, it is argued, have been the main source of his popular appeal.

Keywords: Archetypal heroes; imprisonment; Joseph Campbell; leadership qualities; Mandela's presidency; messianism; Nelson Mandela; political styles

OPSOMMING

Hierdie artikel poog om deur middel van twee invalshoeke te verduidelik waarom dit in die onlangse dekades gebeur het dat Nelson Mandela tot so 'n mate eerbiedig en vereer word. Volgens die eerste benadering, kan Mandela beskou word as 'n argetipe held. Ongeveer sestig jaar gelede, het Joseph Campbell die tipiese verloop van die reise wat deur mitiese helde soos Odusseus en Aeneas onderneem is, omskryf. So 'n reis het 'n vaste patroon van skeiding, inisiasie en terugkeer gevolg: skeiding van die samelewing; gevolg deur 'n gevaarlike reis of vuurproef; wat kulmineer in 'n seëvierende terugkeer na die samelewing. Mandela se lewe het in baie opsigte hierdie patroon gevolg: die Rivonia-verhoor het hom uit die openbare oog verwyder; hy het die ontbering van gevangenskap verduur; en hy het na die samelewing teruggekeer as 'n tipe messiaanse figuur. Hoewel die trajek van Mandela se lewe met Campbell se model ooreenstem, en dus die eerbied en verering wat Mandela geniet mag verklaar, kan hierdie aanslag hom ook tot 'n semi-mitiese figuur reduseer. Die tweede invalshoek dra meer gewig. Dit fokus veral op Mandela se menslike hoedanighede - sy nederigheid, integriteit, groothartigheid, en wysheid. Hy het sy grootsheid, vertoon en persoonlikheidskultusse afgelê en daarna gestreef om 'n navolgenswaardige lewensstyl te handhaaf. Daar word aangevoer dat die vernaamste redes vir sy populariteit in hierdie eienskappe te vinde is.

Sleutelwoorde: Argetipe helde; gevangenskap; Joseph Campbell; leierskap eienskappe; Mandela se presidentskap; messianisme; Nelson Mandela; politieke style

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