Question

What did Nelson Mandela remember on the day of the Inaugural ceremony?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the chapter ‘Nelson Mandela- Long Walk to Freedom’. It is a narration by Nelson Mandela of his memories and his experiences. The inaugural ceremony refers to the historic day when Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first president after more than 3 centuries of white rule.

Complete answer:
Nelson Mandela had spent 30 years in jail for being an apartheid activist. So, when defence and police force people saluted him on the day of the ceremony, he remembered that these same men would have arrested him sometime back if it wasn’t for the result of democratic elections.

He also remembered the bitter Anglo-Boer war and the formation of systems of racial discrimination by white men against the men of the same land. He remembered the unpayable sacrifices, sufferings and courage of many people/patriots which pushed Mandela to lead this fight against discrimination.

He remembered his hunger to be free and how the meaning of freedom changed for him at different stages of life. He remembered his determination to achieve unobstructed freedom in a lawful life for everyone because he believed “The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.”All these memories were reflected in the democratic pledges taken by Mandela in the inaugural ceremony.

Thus, on the day of the inaugural ceremony Nelson Mandela remembered instances of his and other people’s struggle against apartheid, some relevant memories of his childhood and a brief account of his journey to becoming the president of South Africa.

Note: Nelson Mandela had spent most part of his life-fighting apartheid and in prison before he became the President. In South Africa’s first democratic elections his party won more than 252 out of the 400 seats. The inaugural ceremony at the amphitheatre in Pretoria saw international participation for the first time. International dignitaries and politicians from more than 140 countries attended the ceremony which took place in the Union Buildings at the amphitheatre in Pretoria on 10th May 1994.