Overview

Shelley Wood Gauld My story spans over five decades--from 1953, the year of my birth, to 2006. It begins at a stone house on a hill at Campania--a Zulu trading-post in KwaZulu-Natal--and culminates in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, in the United States. As a South African teacher and artist, my aim has been to educate and paint pictures with words; to seize a myriad of time's treasures before they fragment and fade into the silent abyss of the unrecorded past; to capture something of the distinctive histories and characteristics of fellow South Africans; to convey what it means to live as an immigrant in a foreign country; and to share something of my soul's spiritual journey. This memoir is far more than a nostalgic flutter down Memory Lane... The original title of this work was Much Bigger than Grownups: Chronicles of a Native South African and it was intended primarily as a family history. Although the overall perspective in Colour on My Wings, remains the same, it is intended for a more general readership and thus features fewer familial details. Why the title Colour on My Wings: Chronicles of a Native South African? I was once taught that if a butterfly does not struggle to emerge from its cocoon--if you 'help it out' by cutting open its cocoon--it will have no colour on its wings... In the same way, is it not true to say that the colours on our 'wings' become increasingly vivid as we struggle through times of hardship and transition? On my eventual return to South Africa, after residing in the United States for over seventeen years, I became acutely aware of the richness of the colours and the brilliance of the patterns on the 'wings' of fellow-South Africans. Even on a national level, I could see that life's trials had produce a distinctive strength, wisdom and grace in our people. This cultural beauty I have come to attribute largely to the national struggle to emerge from the restrictive cocoons of the past, before being able to take flight... The current generation of South Africa's youth, with no direct experience of the acute tensions of the Apartheid era, are refreshingly positive and, thankfully, increasingly aware only of the colour on their own, and each other's, wings. Each chapter paints a picture of a place in which I have resided or worked for an extended period of time and all ten relate specifically to the stipulated time-frames--because major changes have radically altered the social, economic and political landscape of South Africa in recent decades. In the interests of continuity, general information that is 'bigger' than my personal story has been placed in grey bhansela (bonus) boxes and, at the end of the book, a section entitled Chapter Notes takes the place of footnotes. These chapter notes are followed by an acknowledgement of my sources of information and the invaluable assistance I received from specific individuals. Afrikaans, Zulu, French, Hebrew, Arabic and Indian terms, italicized within the chapters, are then explained in a glossary; as are 'South Africanisms' and less familiar British-English expressions. Also included in this title are fifty original illustrations, as well as meaningful quotes by several key characters in my story.

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Reviews

A beautiful and significant memoir. I was entranced by this book. I began reading it to relive my own experiences of growing up on the Natal South Coast in the 1960s. The author's descriptions took me right back: the beaches, the climate, the vegetation, the culture, and even the coastal train are all described with affectionate precision. Her reference to amathungulu berries as `martin-gulus' gave me a `shock of recognition' at a distance of forty years. Her accuracy and honesty make this a valuable first-hand witness to what it was like to grow up there, then. As a direct contemporary of the author, I recognised the authenticity of her accounts of other life experiences that are similar to mine, such as the process of coming to Christian faith as a young adult or the controlled pain of emigrating with a young family. Again, I found that her recollections rang true, capturing with simplicity some of the complexity of these experiences. Canon Dr. David Holgate: Manchester Cathedral, UK Colour on My Wings traces a South African woman's life path, but it is far more than this. Shelley Wood Gauld combines her personal history with that of a turbulent country, facts about the environment she so loves, and profound insights into different spiritual paths that she and others have trod. The book bears witness to someone who has striven to put more meaning into her life and more color on her wings ; and, thereby, more color into ours. Maps, artworks and vibrant authentic prose guide us through this memorable life in process. Dr. Lindy Stiebel: Professor of English Studies, University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa This account shines with wisdom, creativity and insight. Readers are taken on an international adventure into the rich cultures, religious diversity, lush geography and political turmoil of South Africa during the latter half of the twentieth century; and then on to the USA. It is a fascinating sojourn that enlightens and educates as it entertains. Exotic places and endearing people come vividly to life through the eyes and heart of this Renaissance woman. Rev. Dr. Melanie Rosa. United Methodist Church, Colorado USA

Author Information

Shelley Wood Gauld, the daughter of a Zulu trading store owner in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was born in 1953 and is an educator and artist by profession. For over forty years, by means of teaching, art, writing and music- -as well as motherhood and international travel -- she has added much meaning to her life and 'colour to her wings'. Her distinctive story is vividly conveyed in this illustrated memoir. Cynthia (Cindy) Miller, the professional editor, is an accomplished Colorado poet and the winner of a National US Poetry Award. Grant Noel Wood is an accomplished South African watercolour artist.

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