Week of February 23: Nzinga, Pholela, Khoisan, Phansi, & Izibizo

Panoramic View from Mountain Ridge in Nzinga

            Last Saturday, I traveled to Nzinga, a rural town on the edge of Maloti – Drakensburg Park. During my 4 day stay in Nzinga, I lived with Mama Zuma. Mama Zuma is the second wife (of six) of Baba Zuma. Baba Zuma is a sangoma (traditional healer) and a farmer. Baba has over 50 cows and many chickens, goats, and sheep. He also started his own branch of Zionism and considers himself to be a prophet. Mama Zuma’s 23-year-old daughter, Phili, was visiting from Johannesburg with her 6-month-old daughter, Kanyezi. Phili and I bonded quickly (I miss her so much already) and Kanyezi is the cutest, sweetest, and happiest baby I have ever met. 

Nzinga House

Myself, Mama Zuma, & My friend, Charlotte     

Baba Zuma's Church

Baba Zuma and 3 of his 6 wives

"Auntie Isabel"

Silly Kanyezi

Sisters

   

Sleepy Kanyezi 

          While in Nzinga, I met with matric (senior) high school students to hear about their after high school plans and career aspirations. I also met with a traditional healer (sangoma) and Community Care Givers. It was an amazing experience getting to meet with the sangoma in her traditional healing space and ask her questions. The week prior to the Nzinga excursion, I learned in a lecture by Professor Nceba Gqaleni that herbs prescribed by sangomas are scientifically shown to be as effective or more effective in treating specific chronic health conditions, such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes. I was particularly fascinated by her opinions of Western medicine. The sangoma that we met with stated that she and her children utilize clinic services and that she refers patients with symptoms of HIV to the clinic. My time spent with her sangoma showed me modern and traditional belief systems can be complementary. 

Baba Zuma's Sangoma Space

            The two community care givers that I met with were amazing and I am in awe of how much they have done to improve the health of the community. They spoke about how they have been working to increase education on positive health behaviors to prevent HIV, TB, diabetes, and heart disease.

            On Wednesday, I visited the AbaJolozi Beaders - elderly Zulu women who craft beautiful jewelry and traditional accessories from beads. The amount of detail and effort placed into each beaded piece is astounding and I’m so glad I got to purchase some items from them! At the end of our visit, the women performed a traditional Zulu dance for us – it’s incredible how these gogos (grandmas; commonly used to refer to older Zulu women) can kick so high! 

Beautiful Beads

            Later that day, we visited Pholela Community Health Center. Pholela is a leading provider in community – oriented primary health care (PHC). 

“PHC is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and 

socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to 

individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination.” – Declaration of Alma Alta 

“At its heart, primary health care is about caring for people, rather than simply treating specific diseases or conditions.” – WHO

I am very passionate about PHC because it seeks to address the root causes of negative health outcomes at their core. I am very excited to be interning at Pholela for the month of April under the guide of Dr. Gumede. 

More info about PHC: https://www.who.int/primary-health/en/

            On Thursday, I went hiking in Maloti – Drakensburg Park. The hike up the steep, rocky mountain was strenuous but it was worth the effort because of the beautiful Khoisan rock paintings and waterfall at the top. The Khoisan are an indigenous group that arrived in Southern Africa as early as 260,000 years ago. About 1,500 years ago, Bantu-speaking darker-skinned indigenous groups arrived in South Africa from West Africa. Many black South Africans have both Khoisan and Bantu ancestry due to intermarriage between the two groups. 

Going Up

Khoisan rock painting of travelers 

Khoisan rock painting depicting battle against Bantus

          

View from the Top

Waterfall

            Thursday evening, myself and 7 other students returned to Durban while the remaining 8 students began their homestays in Nzinga. 

On Friday, my group visited the Phansi museum. The museum has a beautiful collection of traditional arts, crafts, and artifacts from South Africa and neighboring countries. The craftsmanship and symbolism attached to each art piece is beautiful and I’m so happy I visited.

Phansi Museum

On Sunday, I returned to Nzinga to attend a traditional Zulu izibizo. An izibizo occurs after the groom pays the bride’s family lobola. Lobola is the cultural practice of gifting cows (11 minimum) in exchange for the bride’s hand in marriage. During the izibizo, the groom gives gifts to the bride’s family. The occasion is celebrated by dancing. I am extremely grateful that the bride and groom’s families allowed me to attend this important occasion.

Traditional Attire 

The bride and I 

Reunited with Kanyezi 

Thanks for reading!