Journal Entry 22: Heritage Day 1

South Africa, which has 11 official languages, celebrates the many cultures within the country on Heritage Day. In my region live the Vendas, the smallest officially recognized language and cultural group within South Africa at about 1 million of South Africa’s 45 million people. Here, traditional Venda food is displayed at the Masia School.



















“Mutuku wa mavhele wa mase” is also known as “vuswa” or “pap” and is comparable to a thick porridge. Most black South African cultures eat pap twice a day for lunch and dinner, and poorer families will eat it for breakfast too. They usually eat it with vegetables or, if they’re wealthier, with meat. It’s kind of like the African version of rice or pasta; it’s what you do to it. Most African’s absolutely LOVE the stuff and can’t understand why us Peace Corps volunteers don’t stuff it in our ears and proclaim its graces. It’s also difficult for African’s to understand that most Americans don’t have a staple food.



















"Thungulifha" is Venda for "I don't believe we actually eat this crap". ...Okay! It's not. But it should be. Click on that picture and then try to argue with me.



















Mopane worms. I tried one. I don’t recommend them.