History & Culture

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...

Pedi is an ethnic group in South Africa that makes up about 4,972,000 of the population of the country, and 14,000 of them can be found Botswana. They speak the Pedi or Sapedi dialect but it should be noted that their language has a certain similarity to the Northern Sotho language, however, they are not the same. Apart from being one of the major black ethnic groups in South...

Tswana ethnic group is the Bantu-speaking people of South Africa and Botswana. The Tswana region is known for its savory traditional foods that both natives and visitors enjoy each time they are served either as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Because these meals leave you wanting more, most people who only visited end up scouting for the recipes months after they have left the region, hence this article. It is...

Zulu is the largest ethnic group in South Africa, with an estimated population of about 10 million to 12 million people who live in Kwazulu-Natal. The Zulu nation, which is from the Nguni ethnic group, is not only found in South Africa; you can also find them in Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, and Eswatini. The people of Zulu are made up of over 150 clans. All of these different...

Sotho people of South Africa are of the Bantu ethnic group, and as of 2001, they numbered up to 3,544,304 according to Wikipedia. The Sotho people are known to have a rich cultural heritage and history. Their rich cultural heritage shows off in their traditional attires and dresses. Sotho women are known to wear long skirts made with bright fabrics, unique colors, and patterns. They also wear a blanket...

No doubt, cakes made of flour, sugar, eggs, and icing are not native to Africa as no ingredient in such cakes is reflective of a typical African culture. But Africans have found a way to add a touch of African cultural heritage to cakes by decorating them in ways that reflects their rich legacy. With this creativity and innovation with cakes, Africans and specifically, South Africans, now include beautifully...

Like in most African cultures, names are of great significance and importance in the  Basotho ethnic. The region has unique names for boys, girls, and even newly married women. There are also rare Sotho names that a handful of people bear for some reason. Christian families also have a long list of Sotho biblical names from where they can choose a name for their child. Generally, Sotho names are...

Saying Hello or Hi is one of the ways to show that someone is friendly and that the person recognizes the existence of the person he is greeting. In South Africa, saying Hello to someone, including a total stranger, is a sign of courtesy and an act that shows one is well-trained and mannered. There are 11 major languages in South Africa including, and people that own these languages have...

The Xhosa people of South Africa have some of the most delicious meals which are also affordable and very nutritive. One of the major ingredients in most Xhosa traditional foods is maize, and with this ingredient, Xhosa people are able to create a variety of tasty meals that taste different. Maize meal can be made into pap that can be served as breakfast or a crumbly meal that can...

Zulu people have diverse traditional foods which are mostly prepared communally, with several families eating from the same pot. Zulu traditional foods are mostly farmed crops, as well as wild edible leafy vegetables. Dishes like porridge, maize meals, beans, and so many others commonly feature in their food menu. Another delicacy that is a common part of Zulu cuisine is meat. Zulus are known for often roasting their meats...

Proverbs are used to teach wisdom and convey moral lessons. Zulu is one of the South African tribes known for using proverbs to illustrate ideas, deliver messages of inspiration, teach morals, send warnings to people, and reinforce arguments. Zulu proverbs play an important part in the South African culture and help gain an insight into the traditions and beliefs of the region. It is worthy to note that these Zulu...

In the 11th century, a massive migration of people took place across the continent. As a result, many people from southern Zaire moved to different directions and settled in most parts of southern Sahara. Among the tribes that took part in this major migration was Xhosa. The Xhosa tribe settled and became a part of the larger South Africa. The four major ethnic divisions among Black South Africans are the Nguni, Sotho,...

Even before having a child, most people usually keep names that have been carefully picked for the new one. Although picking a nice and unique name can look difficult at times, it is usually worth the effort. Thankfully Xhosa people do not have to worry about finding nice names because there is a long list of modern and unique Xhosa names to choose from. What an expectant parent (or...

Apartheid as a word is almost the synonym of South Africa. For it is almost if not impossible to name the word without talking about South Africa. The word emanated from "apart-hood" which literally means "the state of being apart", and from 1948 to the mid 90's, apartheid represented a system of racial segregation in South Africa which was enforced via the legislation of the National Party to extensively abridge...

It is a trite statement that Afrikaans music has been waxing stronger and stronger with each passing year. The demand for Afrikaans music as well as its global acceptance has become extensive and far-reaching, especially with the advent of social media. While at some point in its history Afrikaans was closely linked to apartheid and white supremacist ideas in South Africa, there is a gradual shift from this mindset...

Be you an architecture enthusiast or just a regular tourist, one of the best things to scope out while visiting South Africa is its numerous beautiful churches steeped in rich history. While many of them date back to the 19th and 20th centuries and are built in the timeless gothic and Norman styles, some of the more recently-constructed ones depart from those signature designs for a more contemporary look....