--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't…" description: "\"I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't imagine suffering. I know it.\" — John Kani" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/john-kani-7300_apartheid_i-spent-51-years-under-apartheid-i-don-t_265677.jpg" --- # I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't imagine… ![“I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't imagine suffering. I know it.” quote by John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/john-kani-7300_apartheid_i-spent-51-years-under-apartheid-i-don-t_265677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/john-kani-7300_apartheid_i-spent-51-years-under-apartheid-i-don-t_265677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/john-kani-7300_apartheid_i-spent-51-years-under-apartheid-i-don-t_265677.jpg) > “I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't imagine suffering. I know it.” [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes that lived experience of apartheid is more profound than imagined suffering. **In simple terms:** Experience outweighs imagination. Key Takeaway Recognize lived realities. Themes history racism human rights Mood reflective somber Type testimonial historical When to use this quote - education - activism - policy making - community dialogue Key Concepts apartheid memory empathy Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape understanding of oppression? - What responsibilities arise from bearing witness? A Different Perspective Personal testimony may not capture systemic impacts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apartheid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartheid/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [People don't know that there were very successful black businessmen in the years of apartheid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-motsepe/people-don-t-know-that-there-were-very-successful-black-businessmen/) [Patrice Motsepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-motsepe/) > [“The hardest thing we are asked to do in this world is to remain aware of suffering, suffering about which we can do nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/the-hardest-thing-we-are-asked-to-do-in-this-world-is-to-remain-aware-2/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [It's somehow more comforting to imagine that one's suffering is unique, and to measure against what one doesn't know, rather than against what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/it-s-somehow-more-comforting-to-imagine-that-one-s-suffering-is/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) > [“Imagine if suffering were real. Imagine if those old people were afraid of death. What if the midget or the girl with one arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gilbert/imagine-if-suffering-were-real-imagine-if-those-old-people-were/) [Jack Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gilbert/) > [I inherited the company from my father after he died very unexpectedly from a heart attack in 1966. He was just 51 years old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/i-inherited-the-company-from-my-father-after-he-died-very/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [Even if you have done no wrong, no mistake in the last 50 years, remember the mistake you did 51 years ago and repent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/even-if-you-have-done-no-wrong-no-mistake-in-the-last-50-years/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [And then she finally said yes. And we have been married, I want you to know, for 51 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/and-then-she-finally-said-yes-and-we-have-been-married-i-want-you-to/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [ By far the hardest decision I've had to manage \[was about my health\]. Because I had 51 years of doing it wrong. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/by-far-the-hardest-decision-i-ve-had-to-manage-was-about-my-health/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [51 years ago, when Hillary Clinton was working on the Goldwater campaign, Bernie Sanders was getting locked up for my rights. 50 years later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/51-years-ago-when-hillary-clinton-was-working-on-the-goldwater/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Apartheid is a lie, people can work together, people can create together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/apartheid-is-a-lie-people-can-work-together-people-can-create-together/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In South Africa in 1987, apartheid was still going strong. Some of the most brutal race laws had been relaxed, but they hadn't yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-south-africa-in-1987-apartheid-was-still-going-strong-some-of-the/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [You found during apartheid a strange occurrence from the white folks themselves. There were those who did make a choice to speak out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/you-found-during-apartheid-a-strange-occurrence-from-the-white-folks/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Protest theater has a place again. It's not against whites or apartheid. It is against injustice and anything that fails our people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/protest-theater-has-a-place-again-it-s-not-against-whites-or/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Before 1994, many South Africans used theater as a voice of protest against the government. But with the end of apartheid, like the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/before-1994-many-south-africans-used-theater-as-a-voice-of-protest/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > ['Sizwe' is the beginning of protest theatre; 'Nothing But The Truth' is post-apartheid South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/sizwe-is-the-beginning-of-protest-theatre-nothing-but-the-truth-is/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## More by John Kani > [All over the world, there is someone sitting in a cell because he or she is not allowed freedom of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/all-over-the-world-there-is-someone-sitting-in-a-cell-because-he-or/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'm Dad at home, not John Kani.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-m-dad-at-home-not-john-kani/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I always say my first break was a dead man's break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-always-say-my-first-break-was-a-dead-man-s-break/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I still remember the moment when my teacher, Mr. Budaza, walked into class and said, 'Today we are going to study 'Julius Caesar,' one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-still-remember-the-moment-when-my-teacher-mr-budaza-walked-into/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I have never been attracted to television work. Even to appear in series and soapies. I have always appeared in theatre and major movies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-have-never-been-attracted-to-television-work-even-to-appear-in/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Working with my friend Sir Antony Sher is truly one of the highlights of my career as an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/working-with-my-friend-sir-antony-sher-is-truly-one-of-the-highlights/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In Australia, I almost became a counsellor. At the end of each performance there would be a queue of sobbing people backstage. They all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-australia-i-almost-became-a-counsellor-at-the-end-of-each/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [What does Macbeth want? What does Shakespeare want? What does Othello want? What does James want? What does Arthur Miller want when he wrote?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/what-does-macbeth-want-what-does-shakespeare-want-what-does-othello/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In 'Lion King,' the music is brilliant. The CGI is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-lion-king-the-music-is-brilliant-the-cgi-is-amazing/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Every time there is a movie that tells a South African story, it is done by someone who must be taught the right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/every-time-there-is-a-movie-that-tells-a-south-african-story-it-is/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not even your father knows what is going to happen in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you-are-born-not-even-your/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'd read Shakespeare in school, translated into isiXhosa, and loved the stories, but I hadn't realised before I started reading the English text how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-d-read-shakespeare-in-school-translated-into-isixhosa-and-loved-the/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We are sort of not at the level of entertainment that the Western world is. Everything we see on the play in the screen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-are-sort-of-not-at-the-level-of-entertainment-that-the-western/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We haven't got those dreams: 'I wish to become doctor or a lawyer.' Black people in South Africa have been barred in doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-haven-t-got-those-dreams-i-wish-to-become-doctor-or-a-lawyer-black/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I had to look at white people as fellow South Africans and fellow partners in building a new South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-had-to-look-at-white-people-as-fellow-south-africans-and-fellow/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) [Explore all 92 John Kani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## More Apartheid quotes > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [If apartheid is removed, then the violence that is necessary to maintain it will be removed along with the pressures from apartheid which create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/if-apartheid-is-removed-then-the-violence-that-is-necessary-to/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [I try not to get too political. But coming from South Africa, where apartheid was a huge problem, and there was lots of inequality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-anderson/i-try-not-to-get-too-political-but-coming-from-south-africa-where/) [Kevin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-anderson/) > [I grew up under Thatcher; the era of apartheid; the era of the poll tax; the era of riots. I remember Neil Kinnock was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/i-grew-up-under-thatcher-the-era-of-apartheid-the-era-of-the-poll-tax/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [When I talk about the end of apartheid, I prefer not to claim the honor that I have ended it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-w-de-klerk/when-i-talk-about-the-end-of-apartheid-i-prefer-not-to-claim-the/) [F. W. de Klerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-w-de-klerk/) > [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [My time in prison only deepened my resolve against apartheid. Even while I was in prison, I fought against it, teaching my cellmates about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/my-time-in-prison-only-deepened-my-resolve-against-apartheid-even/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [But I think I'm on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That's more important than liberating a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/but-i-think-i-m-on-track-to-do-something-even-bigger-i-liberate-minds/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [The mistake the apartheid government made was they gave the black people nothing, so they had nothing to lose. But now a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/the-mistake-the-apartheid-government-made-was-they-gave-the-black/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [HEAVEN: The big apartheid in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-appleman/heaven-the-big-apartheid-in-the-sky/) [Philip Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-appleman/) > [I have no doubt that in the future, the laws that criminalize human love and commitment will look the way the apartheid laws do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-have-no-doubt-that-in-the-future-the-laws-that-criminalize-human/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going-2/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [The violence associated with the A.N.C. is minimal, infinitesimal next to the violence of the apartheid regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/the-violence-associated-with-the-a-n-c-is-minimal-infinitesimal-next/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [Imagine if your kids had to carry a ladder to climb an apartheid wall to get to school everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-suleiman/imagine-if-your-kids-had-to-carry-a-ladder-to-climb-an-apartheid-wall/) [Omar Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-suleiman/) > [The private schools and the independent schools like Oprah's are really doing well because they've got the best of everything but it certainly puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlayne-hunter-gault/the-private-schools-and-the-independent-schools-like-oprah-s-are/) [Charlayne Hunter-Gault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlayne-hunter-gault/) [Browse all 299 Apartheid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartheid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I spent 51 years under apartheid. 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