A Masterpiece in the Making

“The beauty of jazz is in its improvisation. Although the musician has a set plan, when he goes up on stage he improvises, creating a masterpiece in the moment.”

With a definite intention to achieve her dream Roxanne Henderson is much like the soulful style of music she so adores. With writing as her instrument and a plan to obtain her degree in journalism she will take the world as her stage and will create with life, what will surely be a powerful masterpiece.This is a conclusion I easily draw as Roxanne sits opposite me in a flowing floral dress which shows off her petite but strong shoulders. Her background of dance is easily seen in how well she holds herself, her open shoulders suggesting the commading way in which she has taken on the adventure that university is offering her. With an eloquent sophistication and refreshing air of confidence she is able to answer my questions easily and openly, at one point even interrupting me because she had not finished saying what she needed to say – a testimony to the strength in her beliefs and a desire to share her knowledge. Her great presence quickly overshadows her tiny physique as she draws me into a narrative of her dreams and ideas.

Roxanne is eighteen years old and has only been in Grahamstown, Rhodes University for thre crazy and exciting weeks - facts that are not reflected in her wealth of knowledge or comfort in being. Leaving her family in Cape Town Roxanne has stepped out of her comfort zone in hope of change. Believing that South Africa is “alive with possibilities” she wants to return to her place of birth seeing the country not through the eyes of a ‘Cape Tonian’ but rather through those of a South African. Roxanne has a very positive outlook on South Africa and believes that this is largely thanks to her parents. As coloureds in South Africa during the Apartheid era, they were both victims of the cruel system. Her mother’s family was forcefully removed from their home in District Six while her father was beaten by policemen for simply being coloured. Even after they were given ample reason to hold a grudge both have embraced the new South Africa and have encouraged their daughter to do the same. Her mom is now the only coloured member of staff in a school in Cape Town and her father was the only coloured man in his class for masters in psychology.

Completely defined by her own personality Roxanne believes that she is a person before she is a race and sees the struggle not as “white vs. black” but rather as “privileged vs. non-privileged.” Roxanne cannot not say how it feels to be coloured. Her response is simply, “I can’t answer that question because I’ve never been white. I’m just me.” And that is truly who she is – independent minded and self-respecting. Comments towards her race do not offend her personally but rather make her feel sad for that person and concerned for the state of the country.

Yet even this cannot pull her down, the situation only makes her want to push harder for change.She laughs when sharing what she hopes to achieve with a degree in journalism saying, “don’t we all just want to change the world?” She then gives serious thought to the discussion but does not change her mind. She simply elaborates on her response. As a realistic idealist she hopes to change the world by first changing herself – hence her journey to Rhodes. She is looking at Rhodes as an opportunity to meet new people and broaden her view on life. Worried about her observation that “people don’t see the world as it is but rather as they are,” she ultimately wants to change people’s lives and be changed by others through her writing as well as through life. She feels that we as humans all have a purpose and a duty and wants to change the perception that only certain skills are great enough to be put to use, “I want to be living testimony that talent is not about glamour.”

Summing up her short term goal she quotes Michael Jackson, “I’m searching for the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways.” This leads us into a lighter topic of conversation that centres on music. It becomes clear, as she taps her hands on the table to a rhythm in her mind that her vibrancy and passionate way of being does not only surface when she is talking about changing the world but is something that lies deep within her. Energy radiates from her as she talks expressively about her love for jazz and her attraction to musicians. She is amused when asked what she thinks of the song by Police entitled ‘Roxanne” and laughs saying that, “It’s a beautiful song. My only problem with guys singing it to me is that it’s a bit unoriginal!”

Self-respecting and optimistic Roxanne Henderson has taken on the challenge that Rhodes has presented to her and with it hopes to challenge life. She is a masterpiece in the making...