History & Culture

Queen Nandi Zulu (1760 - 10th October 1827) was a Zulu woman famous in history as the mother of Shaka Zulu, a legendary king of the Zulu nation. Nandi went through so much as a mother trying to protect the life of herself and her son, Shaka. Knowing all that his mother had done for him, when Shaka finally became the king of Zulu, it was reported that he almost...

Gibson Makanda is the man some South Africans believe is Nelson Mandela's clone. He was born out of the conspiracy theory known as the Mandela Effect which surrounds the death of the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. When the name of Nelson Mandela is mentioned to the bigger part of the world, what comes to mind is a South African hero who sacrificed his freedom for more than...

Steve Biko (18 December 1946 - 12 September 1977) was a South African anti-apartheid activist in the 1960s and 1970s. He founded the Black Consciousness Movement and is remembered as one of the key players in ending apartheid in South Africa. Steve Biko's wife was Ntsiki Mashalaba and together, they had two children: Nkosinathi and Samora. When you talk about the people who took part in South Africa's struggle for...

Sarah Baartman also known as the 'Hottentot Venus’ was a famous Khoikhoi woman (born 1789 in Eastern Cape, died 1815, in Paris, France) who was famously exhibited as a freak show attraction in Europe during the 19th century. Born to Khoisan family near the Gambtos River, she was orphaned at a very young age after which she was then enslaved by a Dutch farmer near Cape Town. She had remarkable...

In South Africa, Makoti dresses for traditional weddings are known for their versatile and colorful styles. These traditional attires not only make every bride stand out on her special day but also add color to the event. Makoti dresses for traditional weddings vary depending on the ethnic group of the bride. In essence, the fabric, dress style, and accessories brides rock with their makoti dresses naturally reflect their cultural...

African traditional dresses are made from various fabrics and colors. They also come in different sizes for every body shape and height. We have compiled 30 plus-size African traditional dresses from various tribes across the continent for your reading pleasure. Interestingly, most of the dresses on our list reflect the typical modern African traditional wears, which are known to be unique, colorful, and symbolic in some regions. 1. Xhosa-Inspired Maxi Long...

Lobola is a fundamental custom practised under customary law marriage in many African countries, mostly Southern African countries. It is the payment of the bride price by the groom's family to the bride's family which traditionally is paid with a certain number of cows. Nowadays, families of the bride accept lobola payment in the form of cash or other gifts. With lobola being made very expensive by the family of...

Modern Ndebele traditional attire for men has to do with garments or outfits that are rooted in the past but are now worn by men with slight changes or a modern twist. These traditional dresses are a signifier of their identity and culture. Ndelebe men also use their traditional clothing to celebrate important events such as marriage and funerals and to also show unity and other things. These days, a...

Ndebele traditional foods are dishes that are unique to the Ndebele people. The Bantu-speaking ethnic group has several core foods commonly consumed in almost all households. Maize and corn are the typical staple foods in the region. Traditional Ndebele dishes are usually defined by fresh ingredients and recipes that have remained largely unchanged over decades. Their foods are generally nourishing, wholesome, and well-balanced, with all the requirements for a healthy...

Naming a child in Venda is a very special activity. Usually, parents and elderly members of the family are saddled with the responsibility of naming a child. Out of love for the child, the family would always choose a name that carries very strong meanings as it is a general African belief that a child's name plays a role in what the child would become. Other factors that may play...

Xhosa people are the Nguni ethnic group in Southern Africa. They are majorly found in South Africa. However, they can also be found in Zimbabwe and Bostwana. Xhosa used to be one united kingdom and was ruled by one king until the time of king Phalo, one of the most popular kings to rule the Xhosa kingdom. After king Phalo, the kingdom was divided into two. This post examines...

The Venda people of Southern Africa have existed since the 9th century. The name "Venda" is originally pronounced VhaVenda or Vhangona. They are the South African-Bantu people, who speak the TshiVenda language and they can be found between the Zimbabwean and South African borders. Among other things the tribe is known for, some Venda traditional food recipes have gone far and are eaten in various places around the world. Generally,...

Swati traditional attire is mostly made with the Emahiya print which has different colors but maintains the same design - the logo on the Kingdom of Eswatini's flag. The material is worn for special traditional occasions, weddings, and social events. To get a modern style, the Emahiya fabrics are usually combined with other materials such as lace, chiffon, organza, or plain net material. These combinations look fabulous and also...

Africa accounts for about 16% of the world's human population and is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. The continent is considered the 'cradle of humankind' and the region that birthed many inventions and discoveries. The African tribal tattoos, the continent's unique approach to life, and even natural bond with animals and nature are some of the things that make the region unique. Thousands of years after tattooing of the...

Choosing a perfect name for a baby is time-consuming most times. It takes most parents days and sometimes months to finally pick a name from the numerous names on their list. Family members, relations, and friends sometimes add to the burden by suggesting their preferred names for the baby. Whatever be the case, babies are precious, so they deserve beautiful names. Like in most cultures, Swati baby names do stick...

Xhosa is one of the most popular official languages spoken in South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is a Nguni language spoken by over 8 million South Africans as a first language and about another 11 million people as a second language. The language is mostly spoken by people in places like Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Gauteng provinces - all in South Africa. If you happen to find...

Apart from investing so much effort and time in finding a comfortable event space for your big day, your decor is another task you must not neglect at all if you really want to have a colorful occasion. A typical traditional wedding in any part of South Africa shows the tribe the bride comes from. If it is a Zulu, Xhosa, or even Tsonga traditional wedding, the decor of...

Venda traditional attires are made with Venda fabrics. These fabrics come in various colors and are perfect for blending with plain materials. As a result of modern fashion and civilization, most people now try to modernize their traditional attires. The Venda prints are great for making attires for men, ladies, couples, and even children. You can even make use of this fabric to sew a Venda-inspired suit. To help...

Ndebele people are called AmaNdebele, and they are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group in South Africa; however, they can also be found in Zimbabwe. These people are known to have a very rich cultural heritage, especially when in art. They are known for their unique patterns, colors, and shapes. In ancient times, they used animal hide for clothing, but as civilization brought about change, the Ndebele people now have their...

Venda people can be found in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Venda people of South Africa are Bantu people who live near the border between South Africa and its neighboring country, Zimbabwe. They speak the Tshi-Venda, and although they were initially traditional African religion worshipers, Christianity has become one of the major religions in that region. Today Venda people have a population of about 2.5 million people scattered around...

Pedi People of South Africa are known to have a very unique cultural heritage. This can be seen in their traditional rites, attires, food, and music. Their traditional attires are usually made of unique colors and patterns that make them stand out from other tribes like Xhosa or Zulu. One of the things that are very common about Sepedi traditional attires is the shouty colors like yellow, pink, and...

Ndebele People of South Africa are one of the four Bantu ethnic groups, and as a result of the dispute they had with Zulu people in ancient times, they moved away from them, and some of the Ndebele people fled to Zimbabwe. However, those who remained in South Africa are renowned today for their rich cultural art heritage. In ancient times, to uphold the fundamentals of their tradition, they...

The Venda or Bavenda people are found mainly in part of the Limpopo province, situated in the extreme northeastern part of South Africa. This area used to be known as the Republic of Venda between 1979 to 1994, and it borders Southern Zimbabwe. Another unique aspect of the Venda people is their language. The language is spoken by about 1.2 million native speakers and 1.7 million second-language speakers. The...

Choosing a name for a newborn may look like a simple thing to do, but when you consider that there are over a thousand names to choose from, you will realize that it is not as simple as it sounds. However, narrowing down the list of names that you can choose from makes the process easier. As parents who are from Pedi in South Africa, you should also be...

In the life of a Zulu girl child, one of the most remarkable and important birthdays of her life is her 21st birthday. If she is a 'virgin', she is celebrated, however, if she is not a virgin, she does not get one of the most important celebrations that usher young girls into womanhood. Umemulo ceremony is a Zulu cultural celebration that is done to show that a woman...