On the evening of January 21st, 2012 the SASA group members went to Lesedi Cultural Village. Lesedi was not unlike any other opportunity we have had here in South Africa in that we were all exposed to a completely new situation and enjoyed the challenge of immersing ourselves in a new culture.
We began the evening by taking in the rich and colorful surroundings of Lesedi Cultural Village. The signs, walls, and buildings of Lesedi were brightly and colorfully painted. Tribal members as well as women selling their ornate handicrafts welcomed us as we entered Lesedi. Lesedi means ‘I see the Light’. The extending meaning of this is that the culture of South Africa is the light of South Africa and whoever walks in Lesedi can also see the light. We ourselves completely immersed ourselves in this experience by first having our very own African naming ceremony. Each member of the class chose his or own unique South African name based on their meanings and origin. Many of us acquired our names from different South Africans we have met along our journey. We were ceremoniously dubbed our names with authentic face paint and a small ceremony. After having our own name, we went on to watch a short video on the four tribes were soon to be introduced to: the Zulu people, the Basotho people, the Xhosa people, and the Pedi people. As soon as the video ended, a tour guide whom showed us each village greeted us. At each of the four villages we learned how to say hello, goodbye, and thank you in each of the respective tribal languages; we learned the different architectural structures of the homes; we learned various gender cultural practices; and we learned the importance of the different tribe’s clothing. What helped to make each village visit more real was that each tribe had members representing their respective tribe.
Next, we headed to the Traditional Dance Show. I know I speak on behalf of the majority of my classmates, that this evening was one of our fondest memories yet. It was a true celebration of the four tribes’ traditional dances. America’s television show, “Dancing with the Stars,” has no competition with the performers we saw. It was so cool to see how the Basotho, Zulu, Pedi, and Xhosa tribes incorporated something different and unique to their culture. The Basotho tribe is known for being from the mountains and wearing conical hats. The Zulu are skillful warriors who have beaten the British Army. The Pedi people are known for wearing kilts after they had been deceived from the Scottish Highlanders in one battle. Finally, the Xhosas are from the Eastern Cape and known for their painted faces and for being the native tribe of Mr. Nelson Mandela.
We topped the evening with a scrumptious, traditional African meal. We were able to have crocodile, ostrich, lamb, chicken, and many traditional African side dishes. There was not a seat without a smile in the house. It was thoroughly an enjoyable evening and a wonderful learning experience. In many of our learning experiences thus far, we have learned the brutalities of the Apartheid regime to those of tribal descents. This was the first time we could actually experience a few of these tribal cultures firsthand. It was a happy and celebratory evening, which was refreshing and nice to see. We have learned about how resilient and forgiving the South African culture is and it was really special to learn about the true roots of the South African people.
Some of our classmates struggled with the idea that we were white people watching traditional tribal members perform. However, after group discussions the majority of the group saw the evening as an opportunity to honor the true and traditional culture of South Africa. Since there are fewer South Africans living their daily lives in a tribal village, the majority of my classmates and myself saw the evening as an opportunity to honor and respect the tribes of South Africa.
-Stephanie Pinch