My lasting impressions of Durban are a hotchpotch, a jumble of paradoxes.
I can’t make sense of them. My brain keeps wanting to put Durban into a neat little box like “must visit” or “dangerous, don’t go out at night” but I can’t. Months after my visit my mind keeps coming back to three vivid memories that I experienced on the The Seven Markets of Durban tour offered through Urban Adventures.
Multi-Cultural Durban
Indian spices at Grey Street Area in Durban.
The tour starts at the Grey Street Area in which you could easily forget that you were in South Africa and believe had been teleported to a market in India. Our first stop is at a spice shop. The air is fragrant with a blend of curry saffron and lemon pepper. Unable to decide, I stock up on all three.
Juma Masjid Mosque, the largest mosque in the Southern hemisphere
I learn from our local guide Pascal that Durban is the most multi-cultural city in South Africa. In retrospect I’m not sure why this surprised me, it is a port city after all But while I was aware of the cultural diversity within South Africa, I had never given much thought to how immigration had played a role in shaping Durban. Indians came to Durban in two waves. First as servants during the British rule and then again in the late 1800s as traders. One look at the Juma Masjid Mosque, the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere shows that immigration has indeed helped shape Durban.
Traditional Healers(Songomas)
A traditional healer and me at Victoria Street Market.
I had learned a little about traditional healers (Songomas) on an earlier visit to rural South Africa. I had visited a Fertility Cave and almost witnessed the sacrifice of a chicken, who met his demise moments after I left. My visit left me a bit uneasy, but full of curiosity and unanswered questions. Songomas are a bit of an enigma to the western way of thinking. They offer divine intervention, physical and spiritual healing. A songoma can help get you pregnant, help you find your last cattle or protect warriors before battle. There is seemingly no end to the problems that a Songoma can tackle for you. No matter they are so highly revered in South Africa.
I had been too wary to approach one during my visit at the Fertility Cave, but unable to shake my curiosity which had been lingering for months, I grabbed my chance at the Victoria Street Market. I asked Pascal if he could arrange a visit to a songoma. He looked at me wearily, but started making inquiries. It’s not easy even for a loca, but within minutes we were led to Eswazini, an esteemed songoma that was heavily rumoured to be the best one at Victoria Street Market. Not only did I meet her, but she actually agreed to give me treatment. That in itself is a whole other story which I’ll save for another post, but safe to say that receiving treatment from a traditional healer in the bustling metropolis of Durban was one of the most surreal/paradoxical things I’ve ever done in my life. Note: A visit to a songoma isn’t usually included in the regular tour, but your guide will take you past their stalls. I highly recommend asking your guide for more information on songomas. It’s fascinating to learn about more about the mysterious songomas that don’t exist in western culture.
Golden Mile
Golden mile, a stretch of 4 mile beach in Durban.
Less spiritual but no less impactful was our stop at the Golden Mile. Named so for its golden beaches at the heart of Durban’s business district, the 4 mile long stretch of beach seems a contrast to the sky scrapers directly across from the promenade Pascal tells us the area was significantly cleaned up and redone for the FIFA World Cup held in 2010. What was once an eye sore is now a pleasant place to walk, run or bike. We observed the surfers waiting for the perfect moment and then with an agile well-timed jump cresting the wave and surfing towards the sky scrapers just meters from the shore. It was meditative and we enjoyed it so much that we came back another day on our own and watched them for over an hour. I can imagine working in one of the nearby skyscrapers stuck in a mundane meeting. Then minutes later lying on a surf board waiting for the perfect wave. It’s a paradox of sorts, but one that stuck with me. Aren’t there stress-filled days when we could all use the perfect wave?
After spending several more days in Durban and reflecting the last few months, I realize that my lasting impressions of Durban as a hotchpotch, a jumble make perfect sense.