“I’m very excited that my village is getting electricity at the end of the month,” proclaimed Eric, our Zulu guide as he proudly showed us around his Zulu village in the Drakensberg in the shadow of Catherdral Peak. I was shocked to learn that only a couple of houses had electricity. When I asked what he was most looking forward to about electricity he didn’t hesitate to answer “A refrigerator, so that I can eat more meat. Now I only eat meat a couple of times a month when I go into town, but I have to eat it quickly before it spoils.”
Eric our Zulu Guide and resident of the Zulu community we visited.
The next day I met his brother Wiseman and posed the same question to him. Despite living in the same house as his brother Eric, his answer was completely different, “A T.V. so that I watch more football (that’s soccer to N. Americans).” This brief encounter got me asking myself a question I had never thought about before, What would I look forward to most about having electricity? and What else could I learn from the Zulu way of life?
Wiseman, our Zulu hiking guide and Eric's brother. They live together with their parents in the same house.
If you lived in a Zulu village you would probably spend most of your free time playing football if you were a boy. Girls are allowed to play, but usually choose not to do so.
The Zulu village we visited with the dramatic Drakensberg mountains in the background.
If you lived in a Zulu village you wouldn’t be able to get married until you could pay your bride-to-be’s family with 11 cows. I’m not making this up. Wiseman has two children with his girlfriend from another village 90km away but is unable to live with her until they marry. They cannot marry until he provides her family with 11 cows. When asked if it was negotiable he thought for a moment, chewing his lip, “Yes, I could marry her if I had 8 cows, and would then have another year to get the remaining 3 cows, but I don’t have 8 cows. Cows are expensive.” A line of credit so to speak. “Would you like to marry your girlfriend?” I inquired. “Yes of course. Now I have to cook for myself and wash my own clothes. When I come home from work I am tired and don’t feel like doing this.” I waited for the punchline. There wasn’t any. Wiseman explained to me that in Zulu culture married men and women have clear roles – the man works and provides a living for his family, while the woman takes care of the household. He was shocked by my surprise and asked if my husband helped around the house. “Yes, I replied, he does all the laundry, I do all the cooking and we share the cleaning.” He looked at me in disbelief, shaking his head as he muttered something under his breath. Clearly he thought my husband had not gotten a good bargain when he married me.
Eric and Wiseman's house where they lived with their parents.
Despite the distinctive roles, men do play an active role in the parenting. After my previous conversation with Wiseman, I might not have believed this had I not seen it with my own eyes. But Eric’s youngest of four children ran up to him in too big running shoes for a hug, clutched to him as Eric showed us around his village, and cryed miserably when it was time for Eric to leave. Absolutely heartwarming!
Our Zulu guide Eric's youngest of four children, who was clearly attached to his dad and beyond adorable. Check out his too big shoes.
If you lived in a Zulu village you may not know what an “earthquake” was. Eric explained that since you would likely not have experienced one, and not having a T.V. or a computer may not have ever seen one. Eric said this was where his village was split. Some residents were interested and sought out international news and events, others had no interest. But without electricity seeking out information was not as easy as it is for most of us. Despite the information divide, most Zulu speak more languages than most North Americans do. Eric and Wiseman both spoke four languages, their native Zulu, Afrikaans, English and another local language, putting me to shame in the language department.
The only store in the Zulu Village we visited. The nearest grocery store is 45km away. Residents usually take a collective taxi to get there.
If you lived in a Zulu village you wouldn’t (gasp and unthinkable to me) like baboons, since a troop of baboons can destroy a garden in a matter of seconds and they can be very destructive should they get in your house.
If you lived in a Zulu village you might never want to leave. Both Eric and Wiseman were proud to be Zulu and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. They loved their close-knit community and they seemed happy.
A week later back at home, I’m still pondering the electricity question. It’s not easy to answer something that I’ve taken completely for granted my entire life. I’m grateful for my adventures in a Zulu village that made me ask the question in the first place – and for my husband’s help around the house!
We stayed in the nearby lovely and spacious Didma Chalets which are only a short drive from the Zulu Village. Inquire there or see the official South Africa Tourism Site (in German) or the South African Tourism Site (in English) for more info on how to arrange a tour of a Zulu village in the Drakensberg.
