Nelson Mandela Long walk to freedom. Here are the Best Nelson Mandela Summary with Important Questions Answers for Class 10th
Summary
This lesson is an extract from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, “Long walk to freedom”.
In this lesson, Nelson Mandela is giving a speech on the occasion of the inauguration of South Africa’s demarcation.
Nelson Mandela says on 10th may morning weather is clear. It is the day of South Africa’s inauguration as a free country. On that day Nelson Mandela was surrounded by the world’s most respected leaders who came from different countries to attend the inauguration ceremonies.
The ceremonies took place in a sandstone amphitheater formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Different countries were gathered in this amphitheater for the installation of South Africa’s first democration, non-racial government. He was with his daughter Zenani.
Mr. De Klerk took oath as second deputy President. Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president and then Nelson Mandela pledged as First black President of South Africa.
Nelson Mandela said in his speech that After a Long Period of enslaving South Africa’s people created a society in which the whole world would feel proud.
He thanks all the international guests for coming on the occasion of common victory for justice, for a place for human dignity.
He said that his country will never again experience the oppression of one another.
After his speech ceremony begins. The Military forces demonstrate their power as well as their loyalty towards the new government.
The highest generals of the South African defense force saluted Nelson Mandela and Pledged their loyalty.
Two national anthems were played, one of the whites singing and one of the blacks singing, the old anthem of the republic.
On this occasion, Mandela remembered the old days. He recalls, in the first decade of the 20th century after Anglo Boer was white-skinned people of South Africa erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land. This structure formed the harshest and most inhumane society in the world.
In the last decade of the Twentieth century, that system had been overturned forever and replaced by the system of equality.
Nelson Mandela said that the freedom of South Africa came from the sacrifices of thousands of African Patriots and he was simply the sum of all of them.
He felt pained that those African patriots were not alive to see what these sacrifices has wrought.
The policy of apartheid created profound hurt but it produced unintendedly olive Tambos, the Walter Sisulu, the chief Luthuli’s, the Yusuf dadoor, the Bram Fischer, the Robert Sobukives. Me of extraordinary courage, wisdom, and generosity.
Mandela said his country is rich in minerals but its greatest wealth is its people, fines and truer than the purest diamonds from these comrades Mandela learned the meaning of courage. He said courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
He said people can be taught love as they learn to hate.
He said the man has two obligations – obligation to his family and obligation to his country.
In Africa, it is impossible for a man to fulfill both of those obligations.
He said he was not born with a hunger to be free he was born free but when he grew up he found that this boyhood freedom was an illusion.
Slowly he realized that not only he but also his brothers and sisters were not free then he joined the African national congress.
He said that the Oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man is not truly free if he is taking away someone else’s freedom.
The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
Questions and Answer
Question 1 – Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer – The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheater formed by the Union building in Pretoria.
The Red Fort of Delhi in India is made of Sandstone. Agra fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Parliament, Presidential House are some other buildings in India that are made of Sandstone.
Read Also: Nelson Mandela Long walk to freedom MCQ questions for Class 10
Question 2 – Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer – May is the month of summer. So we can say 10 May is an autumn day in South Africa.
Question 3 – At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster” What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Answer – At the beginning of his speech Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster” he means the slavery and oppression of the black by the white rule that continued for 300 years.
In the end, he speaks of “glorious human achievement” which means the black liberation of the black from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender, and other discrimination.
Question 4 – What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer – Mandela thanked all of the distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of South Africa in their victory for justice, peace, and human dignity.
Question 5 – What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer – South Africa will never again experience the oppression of one another. This beautiful land will always be free from poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender, and other discrimination. These ideas he set out for the future of South Africa.
Question 6 – What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed and why?
Answer – The military generals salute Mr. Mandela and pledge their loyalty to democracy and the newly elected government. When South Africa was ruled by white they arrested Mr. Mandela But now they saluted him because South Africa now become free and Nelson Mandela has become the President.
Question 7 – Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer – Two national anthems were sung because it showed two versions of the white and of the black. Both want to pay respect to thus own national anthems.
Question 8 – What twin obligations does Mandela mention?
Answer – Mr. Mandela mentions twin obligations – One is towards the family, another is towards the country or society.
Question 9 – What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer – To Mandela courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
Question 10 – Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer – He thinks love is natural.
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