John Kani Quotes

John Kani
John Kani
South African Actor
Born: Nov 30, 1942
Man Me People South Africa Time You
When the situation politically became intolerable within South Africa, we used the arts as a weapon for change. John Kani
Change South Africa Situation Intolerable Weapon Became Within South Politically Arts Africa Used
My stories are about humanity, about the challenges of surviving and the constant fight against ignorance, inhumanity and complacency. John Kani
Ignorance Challenges Fight Humanity Complacency Constant About Surviving Stories Against Inhumanity
I started to get my doctorate, not to be called 'doctor.' Those are just little things you get to get recognition. John Kani
You Doctor Little Things Those Recognition Doctorate Get Just Little Things Started
We've got the right to vote, but what does it mean? People now want to have the right to a job, the right to education, the right to medical services. John Kani
Education Vote People Job Does Got Want Mean Mean People Now Medical Right Services
Shakespeare examines how democracy is built. John Kani
Democracy Shakespeare Built How
When I'm abroad it's almost like I'm in a transit lounge. I'm only comfortable when I know the date of departure. John Kani
Abroad Only Date Almost Like Know Comfortable Lounge Departure Transit
I was 51 when I voted for the first time in 1994, and I look at South Africa through those spectacles. John Kani
Time First South Africa Those Through Voted Look First Time South Africa Spectacles
I come from a long line of storytellers. John Kani
Long Long Line Come Line Storytellers
We have to depoliticise our youth. We have to teach our youth that the word 'government' means them, it's something to feel pride in, not something to attack. John Kani
Government Youth Pride Word Our Something Attack Feel Them Means Teach
In Australia, I almost became a counsellor. At the end of each performance there would be a queue of sobbing people backstage. They all wanted to explain why they left South Africa. John Kani
People South Africa Backstage Would Would-Be Almost Performance Became South Left End Queue Australia Africa Wanted Explain Each Why
Yes, we have the judiciary, the Constitution, we're fighting racism on a daily basis, but these are all state efforts and are not the efforts of the individual. The individual has to commit to change, the individual has to look at the past and take accountability of the past; for the wound to heal we have to dress it together. John Kani
Daily Change Constitution Together Racism Judiciary Past Accountability Fighting State Wound Dress Individual Take Look Heal Yes Efforts Commit Daily Basis Basis
In South Africa, we've been watching these movies all our lives - 'Batman,' 'Superman,' 'Captain America' - and every time the mask comes off it's a white man. John Kani
Time Man Superman Mask South Africa White Every Every Time Our Batman Our Lives All Our Lives Been South Off America Africa Movies Captain Captain America Lives Watching
What does Macbeth want? What does Shakespeare want? What does Othello want? What does James want? What does Arthur Miller want when he wrote? Those things you incorporate and create in the character, and then you step back and you create it. It always must begin with the point of truth within yourself. John Kani
Truth Character You Yourself Othello Back Macbeth Those Must Shakespeare Point He Step Wrote Within Does Always Begin Arthur Want James Then Create Miller Things Incorporate
I still remember the moment when my teacher, Mr. Budaza, walked into class and said, 'Today we are going to study 'Julius Caesar,' one of Shakespeare's most important plays.' John Kani
Today Teacher Class Remember Important Mr Shakespeare Caesar Study Most Said Still Julius Julius Caesar Walked Going Moment Plays
I understood the whole purpose of Truth and Reconciliation, and I supported it 100 per cent, but I couldn't deal with it myself. John Kani
Truth Myself Reconciliation Per Purpose Supported Deal Understood Cent Whole
When I was asked to write a concept for a telenovela, I didn't underestimate my non-experience in the field. John Kani
Field Write Underestimate Concept Asked
Our job as artists, we believe, is not to make changes in society. We don't have the ability to do that. We reflect life. We are the mirror of the society to look into. Our job is to raise questions, but we have no answers. John Kani
Life Job Mirror Reflect Believe Society Changes Our Ability Look Make Answers Questions Artists Raise
I write about the human condition, as a South African. I sometimes see South Africa with the spectacles of the past and there will then be a political content in my writing. John Kani
Writing Sometimes Political Will Past South Africa I Write See About Write Content Condition South South African Human Africa African Human Condition Then Spectacles
Shakespeare's words paint pictures in glorious colour in my language. They were written by a man whose use of words fits exactly into Xhosa. John Kani
Man Words Language Glorious Exactly Shakespeare Colour Written Pictures Were Fits Use Paint Whose
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 that would articulate their cause. John Kani
Dreams People Doctor Cause Black Lawyer Wish Become South Africa Those I Wish Would Got Doing Been South Articulate Africa Anything Barred
My grandfather told me our history through his stories about all the great Zulu battles. John Kani
Great Me History Our Battles About Through His Stories Grandfather
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