Starving on a Full Stomach: Hunger and the Triumph of Cultural Racism in Modern South Africa (Reconsiderations in South African History)

337 Pages·2001·1.77 MB·English

by  Diana Wylie

Starving on a Full Stomach
reconsiderations in
southern african history
Richard Elphick and Jeffrey Butler, editors
Starving on a
Full Stomach
Hunger and the Triumph
of Cultural Racism in
Modern South Africa
Diana Wylie
University Press of Virginia
Charlottesville and London
The University Press of Virginia
© 2001by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First published in 2001
∞ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wylie, Diana [date]
Starving on a full stomach : hunger and the triumph of cultural racism in modern
South Africa / Diana Wylie.
p. cm. — (Reconsiderations in southern African history)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8139-2047-7— ISBN 0-8139-2068-X(pbk.)
1. Malnutrition—South Africa—History—20th century. 2. Famines—South Africa—
History—20th century. 3. Nutrition policy—South Africa—History—20th century.
4.South Africa—Race relations—History—20th century. 5. Racism—South Africa—
History—20th century. I. Title. II. Series.
RA645.N87 W95 2001
363.8'0968—dc21 00-012981
Disclaimer: Some images in the printed version of this book are not available for
inclusion in the eBook.
1920 1999 1948 1985
In memory of RER( – ) and THM ( – )
and
In celebration of Xenia and Duncan

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xi
Introduction: Hunger and Ideologies of Exclusion 1
Part One
Cultural Racism’s Fertile Ground
one
European Cultural Pride: An Evaluation 21
two
Before the Land Was Lost: African Food Culture in the
Nineteenth Century 39
Part Two
The Benevolent Father: An Embattled Rationale for White Supremacy
three
The Politics of Famine: State Paternalism in Rural
South Africa, 1910–1948 59
four
Scientific Paternalism: Hunger and the Measurement of
Urban Poverty, 1910–1948 91
viii Contents
Part Three
People without Science: A Modern Rationale for White Supremacy
five
The Threat of “Race Deterioration”: Nutritional Research in
Industrial Context 127
six
Missionaries of Science: The Growth of the Malnutrition
Syndrome, 1920–1960 163
Part Four
The Triumph of Scientism and Cultural Essentialism
seven
Denial and Coercion: The State Response to the Malnutrition Syndrome,
1940s to 1960s 203
Epilogue: The Heritage of Disrespect 237
Notes 245
Bibliography 281
Index 299
Illustrations
Map
1. South Africa xvi
Figures
1. Pinelands Cooperative Butchery, 1953 22
2. Zulu women, circa 1930 40
3. M. Ballinger opening Cape Town crèche, circa 1949 60
4. Shop in Langa, 1941 92
5. Nutrine advertisement, 1938 111
6. Gold miners at dinner, 1955 128
7. Ovaltine advertisement, 1938 151
8. Hospital nurses and diviner, 1930s 164
9. Holy Cross Hospital inpatient admissions for malnutrition, 1957, 1958,
and1960 183
10. Exhortation to eat vegetables, 1946 204
11. Things Fall Apart,Thami Mnyele, 1977 238
ix