Hello and welcome to this RE lesson.

I'm Ms. (indistinct), and I'm going to be your teacher for this lesson.

I'm so delighted that you've joined me.

Today's lesson is called "Reconciliation: The story of South Africa." It's part of the unit "Forgiveness: Is reconciliation possible?" Are you ready to learn lots of new things? Are you ready to think really hard? Remember, if there's something you don't understand or you want more time, you can press pause and press play when you're ready to carry on.

Are you ready to get started? I am.

Let's go.

The outcome of today's lesson is that you can explore the story of reconciliation in South Africa, understanding how the country moved to unity through forgiveness and peace.

Here are the key words that you will hear throughout this lesson and you will see them in bold.

The first word is apartheid.

This was a system in South Africa where the government made unfair rules to separate people based on their skin colour.

The word peace, which means being kind, working together, and living without fighting or fear.

And freedom, being able to make choices, speak your mind and live without unfair rules.

There are two parts to today's lesson.

In the first part, we're going to try to answer the question, "what was it like to live during apartheid?" And in the second part of the lesson, we're going to try and answer, "How did Nelson Mandela's life reflect Jesus's teachings?" Aisha explains theology and religious education.

She says, "Theology is about looking at stories and texts and learning about when, why, and for who they were written.

We can better understand people's worldviews by examining how they've been interpreted both in the past and today." In this lesson, we'll be examining the story of how people responded to apartheid in South Africa to help us better understand Christian worldviews.

And here is a map of Africa.

You can see South Africa is right at the very bottom.

From 1948 to 1994, the South African government made unfair laws that separated people based on their skin colour.

This system was called apartheid.

It gave white people more rights and treated black South Africans unfairly.

The word apartheid comes from the language Afrikaans.

Here we've got the word apartheid split into apart and heid.

The apart bit means separate or apart.

And the second part of the word means hood.

Afrikaans is a language spoken in South Africa that developed from Dutch and was mainly spoken by white South Africans during apartheid.

This is a story of apartheid told through the eyes of the Dlamini family, a black South African family.

Here they are.

You've got the father, Joseph; the little sister, Ayanda; the mother, Nomsa; the big sister, Thandi; and the big brother, Sipho.

We are going to hear their experience of apartheid.

So today's story is told through their eyes.

Apartheid made life very difficult for black and Indian South African families.

They were treated unfairly and faced many challenges.

Despite this many stayed strong and hopeful for a better future.

Here's the father, Joseph, and he says, "The police came and told us we had to leave our home 'cause it was now a white area.

We were forced to move to a small township far away where the houses were tiny and the roads were dusty and broken.

I worked in the city, but I wasn't allowed to live there.

Every day, I travelled for hours just to earn a small wage, much less than the white men working beside me.

But what could I do? This was the law." And big sister, Thandi says, "I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up.

But our schools were not like the ones white children had.

Their schools had books, clean classrooms, and proper desks.

Ours had broken chalkboards, overcrowded rooms, and not enough teachers.

One day I learned that the government spent much more money on a white child's education than on mine.

It felt like they didn't want us to succeed.

I believed that one day things would change." Are these statements true or false? A black and white people were forced to live in different places.

B, black people used the same schools, buses, or hospitals as white people.

C, black people were paid much less than white people for the same jobs.

And the answers are: A is true, black and white people were forced to live in different places; B is false, black people were not allowed to use the same schools, buses, or hospitals as white people; and C is true, black people were paid much less than white people for the same jobs.

Well done if you got those correct.

Here's Sipho, the big brother, talking.

"In 1976, students in Soweto marched in protest.

We were tired of learning in Afrikaans." Do you remember that the Afrikaans was the language spoken by white South Africans.

"A language most of us didn't even speak at home.

We wanted a proper education like white children had.

We walked together holding signs, chanting for change.

Then the police arrived.

They shouted and fired their guns.

Some of my friends fell to the ground.

We were just children and they treated us like criminals." And the mother, Nomsa, says, "Every day I worried about my children.

My son wanted to fight back to join the freedom groups in secret.

I feared he would be arrested or worse.

My husband worked long hours but could never earn enough.

My daughter had dreams that seemed impossible under apartheid.

My heart ached, but I told them one day things will be different.

One day we will be free." Is this statement true or false? Black South Africans did not try to challenge apartheid.

It's false.

Why do you think it's false? In 1976, students marched for equal education.

Some black South Africans joined freedom groups to fight the government.

Now we've come to our task at the end of the first section of this lesson.

I'd like you to complete the table by explaining what it was like to live during apartheid for black and white South Africans, and use the case study of the family to help you.

I want you to think about what it was like to live under apartheid for black and white South Africans and think specifically about schools, jobs, and freedom.

And you may have included some of these things.

Under schools, you may have written, "Black South Africans had overcrowded classrooms and not enough teachers.

White children had good classrooms and enough teachers." Under jobs, you might have written, "Black South Africans earned less money and had to travel long distances compared to white people." And under freedom, you may have written, "Black people did not have freedom to live where they wanted or have the jobs they wanted.

The police treated them harshly." You may have included these things.

You may have included different things.

You may have included more things.

Well done for really thinking hard about what it was like to live under apartheid for black and white South Africans.

Now let's move on to the second part of the lesson.

How did Nelson Mandela's life reflect Jesus's teachings? Here's Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela was a very important leader who helped make South Africa a fairer place for everyone.

His worldview was formed by his belief that all people are equal.

And the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness.

Nelson had been brought up a Methodist Christian, and these values also influenced him.

Big brother, Sipho, says, "In 1990, we heard something unbelievable, Nelson Mandela was free.

He had been in prison for 27 years for fighting against apartheid.

But now he was free and he was talking about peace instead of revenge.

Some of my friends wanted to fight back to hurt those who had hurt us.

But Mandela said, 'We must work together.

We must forgive.

' It was hard to believe, but deep inside I knew he was right." And big sister, Thandi, says, "In 1994, for the first time in history, black south Africans were allowed to vote.

Our parents stood in long lines, smiling, excited, nervous, and when the results came, we cried.

Nelson Mandela was our president.

The man who had been in prison for so long now led our country.

Apartheid was finally over, but the pain that left behind was still there.

Now we had to rebuild together." Can you think of all the different emotions that people must have been thinking at that time? The excitement, the nervousness, the hope.

Here's a check for understanding.

How did apartheid end? Was it: A, black people were not allowed to vote or make important decisions; B, people protested and spoke out against the unfair laws; or C, leaders like Nelson Mandela worked hard for change? It's B and C.

Hope I didn't catch you out with that check for understanding.

Well done if you've got either of them correct and an extra well done if you got both of them right.

And we can see the change in life from little sister, Ayanda.

She says, "I go to a school where I sit next to children of all backgrounds.

I can learn, I can dream, and I can be whatever I want to be.

My parents still tell me stories of the past and I listen.

I listen because I know that I must never take my freedom for granted.

South Africa still has problems, but we are no longer divided by law.

Now it is up to us to make our country better together." Another check for understanding.

How did the end of apartheid change things? Was it: A, it kept black and white people apart; B, South Africa became a free and fair country for everyone; or C, the government made the laws and black people had no say? The answer was B, South Africa became a free and fair country for everyone.

Well done if you got that right.

As Christians, the Dlamini family have made connections between Mandela's actions and the teaching of Jesus.

And Thandi says, "Mandela fought for the poor, the oppressed, and the voiceless just as Jesus did.

Jesus said, 'He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners and to set the oppressed free.

'" And Nomsa says, "Mandela showed us what true forgiveness looks like.

He spent 27 years in prison.

Yet when he was freed, he chose peace instead of revenge.

Jesus says, 'Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.

'" Another check for understanding.

Which Bible verse connects with Mandela's belief in justice? Is it A, proclaim freedom for prisoners and let the oppress go free? Is it B, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Is it C, the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want? Well done if you spotted that it was A.

And Joseph says, "Mandela showed us that reconciliation is possible even after great pain.

He led South Africa to heal, not fight.

Jesus taught that you should love your enemies and always to forgive those who hurt you." And another check for understanding.

Is this true or false? Nelson Mandela believed that revenge was the best way to heal South Africa.

Is that true or false? Did you put that it was false? Can you come up for the reason for why it's false? Nelson Mandela believed that forgiveness and reconciliation, not revenge, were the best ways to heal South Africa after apartheid.

Another true or false.

Many Christians see Mandela as a role model because he stood up for justice, peace, and forgiveness.

Do you think that's true or false? It's true.

Can you think of an explanation for why it's true? Many Christians see Nelson Mandela as a role model because he fought against injustice peacefully, choosing forgiveness over revenge just as Jesus taught.

Well done if you got that right and you were able to justify your reason as well.

So here is the lovely South African flag.

Look how bright and colourful it is.

It was introduced in 1994 at the end of apartheid to symbolise a new beginning, unity and reconciliation for the country.

Can you see the green Y shape in the flag? This represents the journey from division to peace.

You can see it's got two pathways that are joining to one joined pathway.

It shows how South Africa moved from a divided past to a united future.

So it almost shows a little path through history.

You've got the division, the two paths on the left leading to one single joined unified path on the right.

Here's a check for understanding.

What does the Y shape in the South Africa flag represent? Does it A, represent the many different people, cultures, and languages? Does it B, represent the journey from division to peace; or C, the land and the natural beauty of South Africa? Did you put B? Well done if you did.

And here's our task for the end of this section of the lesson.

What connections can you make between these three things? Nelson Mandela; this verse from the Bible, "Blessed other peacemakers for they will be called children of God;" and the South African flag.

Can you use them to explain how Nelson Mandela's actions led to a new South Africa? And here are some of the things you might have said.

You might have said, "Nelson Mandela became president after the end of apartheid.

He fought for freedom.

He said there should be peace and forgiveness between black and white South Africans.

He connects to Jesus, who taught people should seek peace and forgiveness.

And the South African flag colours show unity and peace between peoples." Well done if you've got some of those ideas.

And here is the summary of today's lesson.

These are the things that I really want you to remember from this lesson.

I want you to know that apartheid was a system of racial separation in South Africa that unfairly gave more rights to white people while limiting freedoms for black South Africans.

People fought against apartheid peacefully and through protests with leaders like Nelson Mandela working for justice and equality.

Many Christians believe Nelson Mandela's life reflected Jesus's teachings about love, justice, and peace.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.

I'm really proud of how hard you've worked, how carefully you've listened to the story of the Dlamini family and how you've used those voices to help you really understand the story of South Africa.

Thank you for joining me.

I hope to see you again soon.

Bye.