Not many of us can claim to have met two heads of state and been a guest at the Oscars, let alone someone who at one point, during his journey as a healer, thought he might be losing his mind. But that’s the incredible tale of Dr Elliot Ndlovu! Working as both an inyanga and a sangoma out of Fordoun’s Spa in the Drakensberg, Dr Ndlovu splits his time between there and his home in Tendele, in the Kamberg Valley, where he operates his business, Kwa-Malulekoes Indigenous Herb Garden and Cultural Centre. He has an indigenous garden with more than 100 different species of medicinal plants! In addition to consulting with clients on a one-on-one basis, using the guidance of ancestors, Dr Ndlovu also runs village tours and operates events where people get to taste local foods.
Dr Ndlovu has been the subject of an eTV documentary, and in 2011 Penguin published the book, A Sangoma’s Story: The Calling of Elliot Ndlovu, which describes the two worlds Ndlovu finds himself in and his philosophy on living the best life possible!
Sangoma’s Story: The Calling of Elliot Ndlovu is available for sale at Exclusive Books, and online via www.takealot.com and www.readerswarehouse.co.za
Image courtesy of www.toescapeto.com