In a recent episode of Mpoomy Ledwaba’s YouTube podcast, Bianca Naidoo delved into deeply personal topics, discussing her mixed heritage and the profound impact of her late husband, Rikhado “Riky Rick” Makhado’s death.
Bianca recounted her struggles with racial identity while growing up mixed: “I did struggle a little bit… You get a form that you have to fill in, are you black, are you Indian, are you coloured, and I would always get confused, what do I tick. People say you’re mixed, so you’re coloured, and I didn’t necessarily think of myself in that way… I also had some racial encounters growing up.”
When asked if she ever felt not Indian enough or not black enough, she admitted to moments of insecurity: “Yes, there were times when I felt like my hair could be straighter and my skin could be lighter, especially when comparing myself to my friends. With being Black, I never had the opportunity to learn the language it was always around me, but I could never speak it,” she said.
She highlighted the influence of her strong parents and attending private schools: “Overall, having very strong parents and attending private schools from an early age helped because I was exposed to different people, which made me more comfortable.”
On the podcast Bianca reflected on her recent lifestyle changes, revealing that she was in survival mode, and started therapy for the first time, last year. And lot had happened she didn’t deal with certain things, but Riky’s passing definitely made her realise that she had been in survival mode for the longest time and not paying attention to what was necessarily important.
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