Over one of the first weekends we were here, we visited an apartheid museum in Durban, and then a traditional Zulu homestead. To my surprise, at least, the homestead was run by two middle-aged white guys who had been fascinated with Zulu culture since high school , and had quit 9-5 office jobs in order to open up a small farm where they could teach others about this most famous of African tribes. As per usual, the Zulus who hosted us were incredibly warm and welcoming, and eager to teach us anything and everything. After a delicious lunch and tea, followed by a short drums-and-dance performance, we embarked on our guided tour. We got to pet some cattle, help weave grass mats, and even spread a dung floor (eek!). I also got charged by a rather territorial goat, but that's for a different post.
A traditional Zulu thatched hut
He was posing for us.
The coolest thing, for me, was learning about the ingenious way the Zulus get their electricity--with methane gas from cattle dung. Basically, every morning they collect the dung from the cattle corral and pipe it through to a pit situated in a special hut built only for the purpose of accumulating methane gas. Then they filter the methane gas through underground pipes to stoves in the rest of the homes, and voila! Free, eco-friendly energy. Our guide told us this would be a great way to get electricity in rural areas in the region, as then the women wouldn't have to walk 1.5 hours each way to the gas station in order to cook dinner. So if anyone is interested in rural development in sub-Saharan Africa, there's an idea to get you started. Also, if someone could tell the gross CO2 producing factory farms in the United States about this, I would be very appreciative.
He was an INSANE dancer.
Just bein' domestic...learning how to weave a grass mat from a loom.
This weekend, though, I embarked on the third safari of my life, and possibly the last of our trip! More details/pictures to come later!
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