Talk:Goffal
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[edit] Numbers
Any ideas of the number of people in this group? The Zimbabwe page lists 'Mixed Race' people as making up 0.5% of the population (but does not give a source for this data). I make that about 65,000, plus the diaspora. Does anyone have any reliable figures? Indisciplined 18:57, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
[edit] This entry is problematic
This entry seems to duplicate information that should otherwise go under the term "coloured Zimbabwean." The problem is that it takes a slang expression, "goffal," which is an ironic term of self-identification by coloured Zimbabweans (in the way that an urban black American youth might call themselves "niggers" or white American southerners might refer to themselves as "rednecks") and elevates it to the status of an actual identity marker! While the term has currency and should be noted as an entry, it should be discussed mainly as a slang expression.
In Cape Town, South Africa, a comparable term to goffal would be "Gam." The term comes from the Biblical story of Noah who cast out his son Ham. In the story, Ham then went on father the peoples of Africa. In racist history, the term Ham came to stand for darker-skinned people, and at certain times, slaves. Cape coloureds sometimes jokingly refer to themselves as Gam (Afrikaans for "Ham") if they desire to make a point about socially dubious behaviour that some of their members engage in. This usually means self-defeating behaviour, like drunkenness, buying Nike tennis shoes for one's baby (even if one is very poor), or other activities which make people shake their heads and laugh at the same time. Goffal has a similar feel in its intent. It is comic-ironic, but also mildly assertive.
The term goffal has been appropriated by younger coloured Zimbabweans as a self-aware display of pride, reversing the derogatory intent of the term (like blacks calling themselves "nigger" with a sense of affection and groupness). It is used by people who understand the derogatory legacy of the term, but nonetheless choose to fill the meaning of the term with positive associations. There is a recognition in its use that coloured Zimbabweans will forever be in a marginal position in the country (historically under white rule and presently under black rule). The term goffal sums up the "what can you do?" resignation of people who know that they face real limitations, but choose to act with agency and resolve nonetheless. Crucially, there is a humorous intent behind the use of the word. (Also, it's worth mentioning that the term is much older than the 1980s, dating back to the early part of the 20th C. Earlier contributions to this article highlight the etymylogical depth of the term, but later revisions have made it seem like a completely present-day phenomenon.)
Hence, this entry should not be focused on the coloured Zimbabwean group, whose history should be treated elsewhere, but about the use of this peculiar term in Zimbabwean discourse. It makes no sense to speak of "goffal communities" in Zimbabwe, just as it would not make sense to speak of "Gam" or "Coon" communities in Cape Town (even though these terms are used at times by coloureds to refer to themselves for ironic purposes). Moreover, the term is highly contentious and would rarely, if ever, be used in a formal setting.
Lastly, this entry seems to be the personal creation of Ljsoutter (who has failed to create a user page to introduce him/herself) and the goffal.com webmaster (the same person?). While it is great that a few people are enthusiastic about promoting knowledge of a relatively obscure topic, it does no one any service to make the contentious term "goffal" stand for the whole coloured Zimbabwean people. This encyclopedia entry would have more value focusing on the meanings and usage of the term "goffal," not coloured people in general. Henry M. Trotter 09:06, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
