The origins of the South Africa Shebeen Queen

Résumé du document

What is a shebeen and what is the origin of this term? This is the first question we will try to answer in detail. "The exact origins of the word shebeen are unknown, but it most likely came into popular use in Ireland from the Irish-Gaelic language before spreading to the English-speaking regions of Ireland." Thus, we will have to cross the oceans in order to find the origin of the South African term "shebeen." Etymologically, the word "shebeen" comes from the Irish Gaelic "séibín" which has different meanings. This word is defined as a "measure of grain" or a "grain tax." It can also mean "bad ale." It is in fact a diminutive of "séibe," that means "mug" or "bottle." There is another definition for "shebeen" or "séibín": "Chiefly in Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Zimbabwe, a shebeen (Irish: "sibín") is an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages are sold without a license." This definition is the one of interest here because it shows that in Europe such places also existed and still exist today. Nevertheless, the origin of South African shebeens remains a mystery because people also say that "In South Africa, the word is believed to have derived from the Zulu word "shibhile," meaning "cheap.""

Extraits

[...] b act as if you've licences to drink!' She sells everything, brandy, gin, beer and skokiaan, hops, hoenene, Barberton, pineapple, and even more violent concoctions. It is in these that ‘doping' takes place. (TWCT, 160) We can notice that a process of enumeration accelerates the rhythm of the sentence by a long list of alcoholic drinks. These beverages are typical of illegal shebeens'. The effect that is obtained by this enumeration is that the reader gets a series of unknown names of alcoholic drinks and imagines the quantity and variety of alcohol present in this shebeen. [...]

[...] Instead, he gave the contents of the little calabash a stir, tipped several spoonfuls over Egan's steak, licked the spoon, raised his eyebrow appreciatively, and went on talking.” (TEV, 90) Ironically, the “Afritude Sauce” that should be used in a context of gathering and sharing is used to show that domination and exclusion is still present. After having ordered his food, Egan has a look around the room and discovers that they are the only mixed group of the shebeen: As they sat in the middle of the room, the focus of attention, he, Egan, and the five black men, an equal among equals, he became conscious of their special status. They represented something important. They were the only racially mixed party in the place. [...]

[...] The origins of the South Africa Shebeen Queen The XXIst Century shebeen and its ancestor In this part entitled “Once Upon a Time, There was a Shebeen and its Queen,” I will focus on the evolution of a very controversial place called a shebeen. More specifically, I will discuss the difference between former shebeens, that used to have a mysterious atmosphere, and the modern ones that have become tourist attractions. Furthermore, I will show how the same woman can represent black South African women's will to free their country and at the same time be the accomplice of a system that weakens the people's strength through alcohol. [...]

[...] A number of stories are told about the origins of the shebeen. One of them is an old tale that says that in 19th century a very famous Irish woman was a shebeen queen. Her name was Molly Maguire, and Irish people believe that she helped the expansion of the secret Irish terrorist organization called Molly Maguires” because she allowed them to meet at her place to conspire against government: “Molly Maguire was the owner of the “shebeen” (illicit tavern) where the society met to plan its activities.”[13] Molly Maguire is defined as a “mythical woman who symbolized their struggle against injustice, whether sectarian, nationalist or economic.”[14] It is hard to know if she really existed, some people say so, others think that the Molly Maguires were men “disguised as women when they went out at night”[15]and that no shebeen queen called Molly Maguire ever existed. [...]

[...] Shebeens have become part of South Africa's numerous attractions. In order to examine this phenomenon, we will study passages of “Afritude Sauce,” one of the four texts that make up The Exploded View,[8] where Ivan Vladislavić turns a shebeen into a cliché where a white South African is taken, as if he were a tourist. One evening before going out for dinner with his black South African colleagues, Egan calls his wife, Janine. When she asks him about where they're planning to have dinner, he guesses that he will probably be taken to a shebeen, as usual: where are you going for dinner?' wouldn't let on. [...]