Found at: http://eshowe.com/article/articleprint/19/-1/20/

Mbongolwane Wetlands,Zulu Villages,Crafts

Top level

Zulu Tours

Author: Graham Chennells

Publishing date: 05.06.2004 02:00

Lutheran Church

Mbongolwane Wetlands and Crafts Tour. Drive out into Zulu country. Learn about contemporary Zulu life in Zululand.Tours depart from The George Hotel and Zululand Backpackers at 10.00 am and you return at 3.00 pm.Cost R450 pp.

Granny gathering Reeds

Drive out towards the lush Zululand highlands. Soon out of Eshowe we talk about sugar farming for a while and check out some agricultural activities taking place.Taste a cane stick and discuss the intricacies of growing sugar. Watch the cutting, loading and transportation of sugar during the season and what it means to the local economy.
Further along we stop at the first church built by Bishop Schreuder in 1853 and discuss early missionaries, conversion of the heathen and Zulu kings attitude to all this.What was the key in getting the first missionaries into Zululand?
Information on Zulu Villages.Witness the Ntuli communities commitment to preserving the wetlands. We then meet Miss Lavuno a well spoken sangoma who can discuss her calling with you and whatever else might cross your mind. Sangoma Ceremonies.Subsistence farmers all around us and some more organised agricultural projects under way. We walk the fields and meet the most wonderful people.We now go to the huge Mbongolwane Mission station and hospital right out in the Tugela Valley and check out some interesting projects.
Here are some sights you just wont see anywhere else. People living with their families and livestock. Zulu huts nestled in the mountains with plenty of goats and cattle miles from civilization. .

Eshowe Action Group Classroom

Zulu School.
Thembelesizwe Primary School. A self help Eshowe Rotary Club project providing classrooms for Zulus.In total over 2500 classrooms built. Here 24 classrooms have been built at an old Lutheran church site. 25 years ago there were 250 children learning under a tree next to a small church pictured above on this page.Its now quite a complex with a borehole for water and some computers in the classroom.They have come a long way. Our Zulu Projects.
Visit the school and get an insite into Zulu education.

Thembimfundo Special School

Another really fantastic project is the Thembimfunda Special School which is funded by a german group of interested persons spearheaded by Edeltraud Pareson.They have spent money on accommodation for children and staff, small classrooms and a kitchen.The children at this special school are mentally retarded, cripple and basically in a very bad way.There are five teachers/minders and about 30 children.These children are in a dreadfull situation before they get here and are cared for in a special way here.

In August 2004, R120,000 was raised to put up two special classrooms here. Yebo Initiativen R30,000 , Zululand Eco-Adventures R4000 with the assistance of Bertha Spieker and various Rotary clubs worldwide.On going improvements like a kitchen, staff quarters and now a washing machine!!

Craft Group

Our Projects.
Information on zulu villages.The Thubalethelihle Craft Group won a National Green Trust award with the comments.....It has made a fantastic impact over the past four years creating skills, having a direct benefit on the finances of the community and saving a crucial
wetland that was under serious threat before.These conference folders were produced by the Thubalethelihle craft group located at Mbongolwane near Eshowe. The Rotary Club provide the financing and marketing for these folders, which are made from Wetlands plants.The idea is to add value to the basic products of the wetlands.That's why this wetland is so valued by the people.

A large workshop, a school, a boarding house and provisional church were erected between 1926 and 1932. A proper twin towered church was erected between 1937 and 1939.Double storey house for priests was built in 1953/54.

Village Sugar Farms

This is a view over the Zulu countryside at Mbongolwane.Zulu sugar farmers are producing sugarcane very successfully as you can see in the background. In South Africa 48000 of the 50000 farmers are small black growers who are the backbone of the sugar industry. They farm small lots on a cooperative basis.Use common transport systems and run a good show.Come on our tour and hear all about it.

Vegetable Farmers

Erosion rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of erosion on upper reaches of wetland. Ongoing reclaimation project adjacent wetlands.Labour intensive program to save the soil.These are some of the market gardens benefitting from the reclaimation.Wonderful vegetables including cabbages,onions, potatoes,carrots and beetroot are being grown here in this subsistence economy.
A project to promote the sustainable commercial production of Medicinal plants is being undertaken.I will comment on this as time goes on.
It is part of the South African based LandCare Project, the aim of which is to promote the cultivation and sustainable use of natural products, using indigenous skills and resources. These new products have high marketability and the potential to increase levels of empowerment amongst rural women. Wetlands are one of the most globally threatened habitats. They provide many services to society including: water purification; flood damage reduction; grazing for livestock; habitat for wetland plants and animals

Mbongolwane Mission Station

Mbongolwane Mission
Situated on a mountaintop overlooking the Tugela with stunning views of Zululand and Kranskop. (Ntunjambili)
Missionaries Arrived in June 1914 building a hut overlooking the Tugela River.St Benedictines took over in February 1924.An invaluable service to the community was to have their maize crops ground at the mill there.
They now have an Aids orphanage, sewing school, crèche for children and provide many other services to the community.

A large workshop, a school, a boarding house and provisional church were erected between 1926 and 1932. A proper twin towered church was erected between 1937 and 1939.Double storey house for priests was built in 1953/54.

Village Sugar Farms

Vegetable Farmers

Tugela Valley Huts

Zululand Eco-Adventures.
Eshowe, Zululand.
Your Guides:
Graham Chennells. Walter Cele. Victor Mdluli. Daryn Watkins

1.Tours to other Zulu Villages. Walters Zulu Village
2.Tours to Traditional Zulu Ceremonies Traditional Zulu Ceremonies.
3.Tours to Sangomas Healings and Initiations. Sangomas Healing and Initiations
4. Walking Township Tours. King Dinizulu Township Tour
5. Three day Zululand Outback Tour. Zululand Outback Tour
6. Zululand Weekend Package. Zululand Weekend Package

| Back to normal page view | Send this article to a friend |