June 20, 2006
As the Zulu proverb says, “Mountains do not meet
again, but people do.” With these words, professor
Bob Swap closed the privileged meeting with chief Muthuhathonwi.
Both leaders are wearing hats.
Not surprisingly, Bob is covering his bald head with a
cap of the South African rugby team, while the chief, oddly
enough, wears a zebra-striped cowboy hat (as a sign of
modernity, I guess).
Chief Muthuhathonwi has seen his land being ripped off,
and many communities relocated, but he had the chance to
live among the same soaking wet mountains of Venda region.
He has seen change affect his chieftaincy, but yet has
kept the flame of the past alive among his people.
Each community under his chieftaincy now has a democratically
elected counselor. Earlier that day, we had met counselor
D. Khaku, from Tshibvumo village, at the family house of
our fellow student, South African Elias Ramarumo.
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Photo
by Pok Cha Samarrai
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| An elephant in Kruger National
Park |
Elias has been invited to join our group of Americans along
with five other southern African students: Gao and Lebo
(from Botswana), Bhavika and Nthabiseng (from Johannesburg,
South Africa), and Carlos (from Maputo, Mozambique). All
of them have been playing an incredibly important role
in the trip: not only have they showed us that cross-cultural
friendships can be great, but they have also welcomed and
instructed us about this very special piece of earth.
After both visitors and hosts had extensively spoken about
how honored we all were to meet each other, we jumped into
our red-and-white Kombis [combined-use vans] to head up
to the mountains through narrow, curvy roads to visit chief
Muthuhathonwi. Not even Elias nor his older brothers had
seen him before.
After being caressed by banana leaves on one side of the
van and being followed by waving children on the other,
there we were, at the highest point of Azimauli village,
sitting around the man with the zebra-striped hat. Thanks
to the counselor, who was our translator, we had a long
conversation with him. We kneeled several times in sign
of respect and gave him tributes, and he gave us his blessing,
hoping to create stronger bonds with us and to cooperate
for the sustainable development of his chieftaincy. After
this panoramic, touching opening ceremony, many unforgettable
encounters followed that day in the village.
As our journey proceeded between lectures, more visits
around Venda region and discussions around the fire,
we traveled through Kruger National Park up to Mozambique.
On this new land, laughter and reflections took another
flavor, and gave us perspective on our South African
experience.
With Carlos’ help and a little phrasebook in my hands,
I even learned a little bit of Portuguese! This turned
out to be particularly useful when meeting Carlos’ Mozambican
friends and when trying to get good deals for local
crafts.
Only a few days are left now until the end of this amazing
adventure. I am actually starting to feel the need for
a more quiet and familiar place to put the pieces of this
puzzle together. Southern Africa faces many challenges
related to racism and segregation, land management and
external pressures to enter the international economy.
Concrete and already successful volunteering opportunities
have been established between U.Va., local communities
and major universities. However, I feel now the duty to
ask myself how I can personally contribute to the environmental
and social sustainability of southern Africa.
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