Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa

In this first chapter, Krog sets up her style for the rest of the book—fractured pieces of information, stories, poetry, and memories that come together to form a whole piece. She provides fragments of the political process that leads to the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), especially noting the disagreements between the black African National Congress (ANC) and Afrikaner National Party (NP). Afrikaners largely worry that the TRC will be a witch hunt targeting whites as a form of retaliation for apartheid, and both sides disagree as to whether focus belongs on victims or perpetrators. As Krog notes, “Every discussion opens up a new problem area” (9).

While focusing mostly on the arguments in the Assembly, Krog also briefly addresses issues the legislation runs into when sent to the Senate, where the Senators demand changes just for the sake of changes. Ultimately the “Truth Commission Bill was signed into law by President Nelson Mandela on July 19, 1995” (15).

Sprinkled between explanations of the formation of the legislation, Krog includes two other notable fragments. One is a visit to South Africa by Queen Elizabeth II. The other is Krog’s memory of her experiences at home with her family shortly before the formation of the TRC, in which she and her brothers discuss the difficulties her brothers have had with their farm since the ending of apartheid and election of Nelson Mandela.