Most South Africans, regardless of their heritage, will be familiar with the word muthi, a term used to describe everything from the Panado syrup someone might give their toddler, to umlomomnandi, a root that when chewed on, blesses you with quick wit, a poetic voice and a silver tongue! The term derives from the Zulu word for tree, … Read more
Last week we wrote about the wonderful Earth-Water-Fire ceramic exhibition currently on show at the Phansi Museum, so we thought this week it would be appropriate to write a brief introduction on the different types of traditional Zulu clay pots. The ukhamba is probably the Zulu pot that people are most familiar with – while contemporary Zulu homes might have … Read more
The topic of love is a dominant theme in the social life of people the world over, and since time immemorial people have sent their beloveds little letters expressing their interest. Whether that letter takes the form of a hand-writtten sonnet, a typed essay, an sms, or even a beaded brooch, the intention remains the same. Zulu people … Read more
With the recent anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, South Africans are all too aware of the importance of preserving language, and how the loss of a language can lead to the loss of a culture. So when we hear about an African language on the verge of extinction it should make us stand up and … Read more
With Human Rights Day being commemorated last Saturday it seemed the right time to talk about Chief Albert Luthuli, one of the key actors in the anti-pass campaign that led to the March 1960 Sharpeville protest. While he wasn’t actually present on the day of the Sharpeville shootings (he was testifying in Pretoria), as President General of … Read more
There are many people who would like to forget the events of Monday 21st March 1960 when police killed 69 people who were protesting against South Africa’s discriminatory pass laws, but it’s vital that we don’t let the devastating memory of that day become just another public holiday. Sadly human rights atrocities are still committed in South Africa, … Read more