The Many Faces of South Africa

It’s not often a stranger leans over to show you a topless picture of themself and relatives on their cell phone.

Meet Bongi. 27, recently married, career woman, grew up in Zulu culture, big hair, and even bigger laugh. We’ve been sitting next to each other on the 10 hour bus ride from Pietermaritzburg to Bloemfontein and chatted for quite a bit now to while away the endless hours of dry countryside. Quite the dramatic, she soon begins to spill out her marriage problems to me—all of them. Stuck in my seat I can do nothing but listen as she tells me all about the exorbitant amounts she spent on gifts for her relatives, the goat they had slaughtered for the ceremony, the unhappiness she feels at being trapped in a lovely marriage, and the conflict between her feminist ideas of freedom and independence clashing with the traditional values of her culture.



“Look!” she says, pointing out the different faces in the picture and naming each one. The women’s skirts are a riot of color even in the mini screen shot while I can just make out the dead rabbit one woman is holding by its feet at the end of the row.

Having no experience with marriage, Zulu or otherwise, I smile and nod as she spills out secrets I feel I shouldn’t be hearing. “What do I do? I’m trapped,” she laments and looks at me like I should have a magic answer to solve it all. Looking at the professionally dressed woman next to me, it’s so incredible to me that behind it all are traditional roots that combat the modern ideas that city culture has taught her. Caught between expectations of past and present, there are no easy answers to be had. Eventually a movie comes on the Greyhound TV screens and she kindly shares a set of headphones with me. Leaning in close to make the cord reach, I smile to think what a strange pair we make at the back of the bus laughing together at Ice Age 3 as the miles roll past.

…

Happy Cultural Heritage Day!

Bongi is just one example of the many, many faces of modern South Africa. From Zulu to Afrikaans, Tswana to Indian, there’s no end to the cultural heritages mixed here. Today is the official day to celebrate it all and so there are plenty of opportunities to wear their traditional clothes. Even I’m going to, apparently.

After a good crying session this afternoon (nothing emotional, just onions) my host mom announced I would be going to a cultural night and she would be dressing me up in traditional African wear. I’m excited! She just came in, looks like it’s go time ☺