This is the gate to the Zulu village - see the 'warrior' standing guard on the tower? They always kept their gates locked and you had to ask permission to enter the village. The guard would alert the others that someone was coming. The Zulu's are the most aggressive tribe - killed many others, including British and Boer forces. They fought a battle against the British with just their spears and won!
Elder and Sister Humbert - great missionary's - they serve in Church Communications. They write articles for the Liahona and promote Public Relations for the Church in the whole area.
Zulu have low doors to their houses - a couple of reasons. You have to bend over to enter - bowing as a sign of respect to those in the house... and you enter with your head and if you are an enemy -you get your head cut off! This is the outfit of a single girl - and yes, they carry loads on their heads!
When you are married you wear this beaded hat - all the time! You could take it off every 3 weeks to wash your hair! The longer skirt and wide beaded band were also for married women. The Zulu kept their cattle in a compound in the middle of the village. They felt like other tribes would steal them and they could fight them off in their village.
On the path to the Xhosa Village - two of our guides - they were so cold! Their costumes were skimpy and they all had sandals on their feet!
This is the Xhosa Village. Their houses had larger doors, and the fourway stone item in the front of the picture was their outdoor stove! If the wind was blowing one way, you could move your cooking to another place! These were a more peaceful people and they left their cattle outside the village thinking that someone one could steal the cows, but not hurt them in the village! They have cone shaped straw hats and live in the mountains. Thatched roof mud huts for most - a chief hut was larger.
This couple were a lot of fun - they were from Africa and could speak several of the languages of the tribes.
This is the Basotho Village - they had a similar four place stonework for cooking. They had larger huts and different roofs. They had a rule that you could never use a weapon, even a hand, against a woman. Elder and Sister Humbert are in the picture at the left.
The Village council fire - only men could discuss the problems of the village - no women. Well, the women brought food and beer!! They smoked weed - that was something we didn't know. The other family you see here was from Connecticut, USA. Their lunch table had a sign with IDK Tours, so they were here learning about Africa. Mom, Dad and two college aged sons.
This was the Pedi Tribe - they had been defeated by the Scottish at some time in the past - and they adopted the plaid kilt thinking it would give them power. Actually their king told his warriors not to fight with the women at the front - just the men behind them. They thought since the Scotts were in kilts that they were women! The last village I didn't get a picture of - the Ndebele. The made mud huts and were peaceful also. It was very interesting and educational.
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