Zululand

Ghost Mountain, where we are staying, was so named by the Zulu as a result of a mistake. In times past the area was inhabited by the Shangaan people and they used to bury their kings on the mountain. Even after they were driven out by the Zulu they would return at night to the mountain top and bury their dead kings with funeral celebrations that included fires and much loud ululation. When the Zulu saw this happening at night they did not know what was happening and assumed that the fire and noise was the activity of ghosts.

Today we drove in land rovers into the hills and visited the house of a Zulu Man named Justice. He explained Zulu culture to us and we learned that life is heavily focussed on family responsibilities. Women do the housework and men take jobs and that’s it! If a man wants to marry a girl has to give her father 11 cows if he is an ordinary man, but up to 30 cows if he is a chief! How about a community financial system based on the cow standard!

As before, we passed through lovely rolling hills with fields of sugar cane and many houses, some quite modern and clearly expensive. The best ones belong to men who work for the government and therefore receive relatively high wages. A common feature of the houses is a roundhouse in the grounds that is a Spirit Room where they believe the spirits of their ancestors reside. Family meetings are held in these rooms so that the ancestors can watch over them.

After dinner this evening we were treated to a performance of Zulu dancing. Unfortunately the light level did not permit us to get any good photos. But we have phone video we can show you.

Photos:
1. Brazier at hotel.
2. Village store.
3. Cheap booze? Note the electrified fence.
4. School.
5. View of Pongola Lake.
6. View of a typical house showing the Spirit House.
7. Village woman bringing water home from the well.
8. Containers lined up at village well. The water is hand pumped from a bore.
9. A typical  separate room for the boys at this house. 
10. replanting after sugar cane harvest.
11. Sugar cane train.











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