THE WHITE PLAQUE by Angela Matthews
(real name Velma Solomons)
At the age of 8 years Thalma was sent to Holland to live with her father and his new wife. The trip was a lonely one and her life in Holland was almost as lonely as the trip. She went from the house of her father to foster-homes or institutes for young people with problems.
Everywhere she went she remained lonely and unhappy and always afraid to be alone and never strong enough to be herself and to let het talents and creativity come to the surface and explode into the world.
The hiding of her talents and surpression of her creativity she learned from the Dutch (the White Western World) who had taught it to the Antillean people, who they oppressed and had brainwashed. This is what she calls The White Plague.
It is not only affecting Thalma (or Velma Solomons, the author`s real name) or her people (Arubans or Antilleans) but also the Dutch people themselves, who ARE afraid to be themselves.
She calls this plague a disease of the people, but we think it is part of the system. The capitalist system forces people to live a life full of fear and monotony, where creativity is suppressed and which is aimed at the getting of prestige and property (more and more private property)
Aug/sept. `78 Kontakto Antiano, Holland
The White Plague by Angela Matthews, Leopold Publisher
Price fl. 14.90
An engaged children`s book for an adult price, for little readers about 14 years. The story is about the difficult life of Thalma, full of social citicism, discrimination, heroine, fosterhouses and lost loves. A little rough maybe, but surely up-to-date.
Gooi- en Eenlander, Holland
20-7-78
