We spent an hour there, then hit the road to Eshowe. It was about a 50-minute drive north on the N2 (a good road, mostly toll), then about 20 minutes to Eshowe. We drove through farmland until about 10 minutes off the N2 when we began climbing into what look like foothills, but they're not foothills because there are no mountains. The hills were covered with a crop that we soon discovered was sugarcane.
We left Africa Lite behind us, as we now are in the heart of Zululand and a very local place. When we arrived in Eshowe, we wanted to find some bug spray and a few other things so we drove directly across the first roundabout because we spotted a Spar - a store that we know. Well, we ended up in the middle of a large market with lots of people! It was very, very local, and it was very challenging driving through the people and other vehicles. We did not find what we wanted in the Spar, and I didn't take any photographs because it felt a little too weird, considering we were the only white people and a white person photographing everybody? Nah. I think we're visiting a market on Sunday so I'll get some photos then.
Anywho, we found a mall and got the items we needed then headed to our next accommodation: the George Hotel. We're staying at The George tonight, then shifting to a Zulu village for Saturday night.
The George Hotel is built on the site of the British Residential Commissioner, Sir Charles Saunders's residency. The land was acquired in 1896 and the present hotel was built in 1906 adjacent to the 300-hectare Dlinza Forest. The hotel, during the mining boom of the 1920s, was operated as a Stock Exchange for four months. The hotel has been through the Bambata Rebellion, Union, Apartheid and now is part of the changing new South Africa.
There also is the Zululand Brewery, from where I'm writing this blog. The brewery was founded in 1997 by the Chennells family, and it is based in the old shed behind the hotel.
Eshowe is the heart of Zululand, which covers an area of about 30,000km on the east coast of South Africa stretching from the Tugela River in the south to the Pongol river in the north. After the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, Eshowe was established as the capital of Zululand, and the town's original water supply was on the main street where the brewery and hotel are located today.
Eshowe is a town of about 30,000 people set on a hill and situated around a 250-hectare indigenous coastal scarp forest. We visited the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk - but I'm getting ahead of myself.
We checked into the hotel and unloaded our two backpacks before meeting our guide for the day, Joe. Joe is probably about 28 years old and lives in a Zulu village nearby. On the agenda: a visit to the Zululand Historical Museum housed at Fort Nongqayi, the Vukani Museum, the Butterfly Dome and the forest.
But first, some more history of Eshowe: it is the oldest town in Zululand, King Cetshwayo was born and died here, and it was King Mpande who first invited the Norwegian missionary, Rev. Ommund Oftebro, to set up his mission station here in 1861 - which forever changed the face of Eshowe (sound familiar?). Eshowe has been home to four Zulu Kings: Shaka, Mpande, Cetshwayo and Dinuzulu.
Eshowe was the British Military headquarters after the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. During this war, a force of troops under Colonel Pearson was besieged by the Zulu forces for 10 weeks in the immediate area of the KwaMondi Mission Station around which they built the earthworks of Fort Eshowe, still to be seen today. Shortly thereafter, Eshowe was officially selected by the British as the post-war capital of Zululand.
The first building we visited was the Mission Museum Chapel, on the site of the historical museum. It featured the Norwegian history. This miniature chapel, seating a congregation of 50, is a modern representation of the original chapels, built by the area's first Norwegian missionaries, who arrived in Zululand in the mid 19th century. Rev. Hans Schreuder, who had already completed missionary stints in China, arrived in the Eshowe area in 1854 and applied to the Zulu monarch King Mpande for permission to build a mission in the Ntumeni area 25 km west of Eshowe. In 1861, Rev. Ommund Oftebro received permission to build a second mission in what is now the King Dinizulu area of Eshowe. The Norwegian connection to the area continues to this day in the activities of the international charity Zulu Fadder.
The cross-cultural history of the area is told at the historical museum. We had a guide that was not particularly good but he did answer some of our questions. We didn't get to spend the time we normally would spend, reading the information panels. We did learn that Nongqayi is a Zulu word, and the fort was established in 1883 as the base for the most unusual peace-keeping Zulu force, called Nongqayi. We learned a little bit about John Dunn, South Africa's only official white Zulu INkosi and husband to 48 Zulu wives. It demands more research, which I'll do later. In the meantime, you can read about the white Zulu chief "whose activities spanned three crucial decades in the history of Zululand:" http://mtunzini.co.za/dunn.htm
But the most impressive thing on the site was the Vukani Museum, which houses the world's largest and most valuable collection of traditional Zulu arts in the world. And they were amazing, especially the baskets, many of which were the pieces by the doyenne of weavers, Rubin Ndwandwe. There were beautiful "khamba" pots, the clay pots made for the communal drinking of Zulu "umqombothi" traditional beer. Some of the pieces were made by the internationally famous Nester Nala.
We had a female guide in the museum, a former teacher, and she was just delightful. She asked several times for us to take her with us to Zanzibar then back home; she said she would garden for us. For some reason, when Beth said she was a Theatre prof she got the idea that Beth was a doctor. Did she think Beth meant a surgery theatre? We never did figure that out. It was awkward.
She described for us the details of the baskets as well as cultural protocol in the way in which the clay pots were used. She also shared many other things about Zulu life with us.
It was lunch time but Joe insisted that we visit the Butterfly Dome because it was a good time to do so (I guess maybe the butterflies were more active?). Our guide in the dome was a very cool, hip guy who was probably around 20. We think he surprised himself in becoming a "butterfly breeder" and loving it. We asked about how he got interested in butterflies, and he responded: "I wasn't." But he was encouraged to participated in a training, and now he is an enthusiastic butterfly lover and educator. The dome is part of an educational center that provides hands-on experiences of nature for children of all ages. Created almost single-handedly by South American expert Dr. Amerigo Bonkewitz, the extensive area contains tunnels, sandpits and a variety of other areas where children can get their hands dirty and their minds inspired.
As for us, we saw some really beautiful butterflies, many of which I could not capture in a photo because they never landed! Our guide explained how they capture butterflies outside and place them in the dome but they also find eggs and place them on leaves of a tree until they become pupa, then on to a full-fledged butterfly from the chrysalis.
Anywho, Eshowe is one of Africa's most prolific areas for butterflies and moths. We saw the Emperor Swallowtail, the largest butterfly in South Africa. The dome is a butterfly haven and offers everything the butterflies need. Of course, we could have spent a lot more time than we were allowed. Regardless, it was a really nice stop.
Then we ate at the restaurant on the museum grounds and had a nice visit with Joe, whose village we are visiting tomorrow. We're going to meet his mom and nephew. Joe is all about the elders, and he prides himself on always speaking to the elders so to hear their stories and keep those stories. His grandfather, who died in 2004, was 108 years old, and Joe told us there was a party for old people, and there was a man from nearby who was 115 years old. We're hoping his love of elders gives us an opportunity to visit with them in the village tomorrow.
After lunch, we went to the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk and got our steps in for the day. The boardwalk is a 150-metre walkway built above the Dlinza Forest floor - we were in the canopy, which allowed us to view flora and fauna at treetop level. We climbed a 20-metre tower, which offered dramatic views of both the forest canopy and surrounding countryside.
Unfortunately, the trained birding guide who was supposed to take us through the forest and show us its delights left work early because it was Friday so we had only Joe, who wasn't really prepared nor interested in telling us anything about the forest. We slowed him a couple of times to stop and look but we really didn't get to spend the kind of time we like to spend in such a wonderful place.
What did we miss? Well, the forest is on The Zululand Birding Route and is home to all sorts of rare birds and little creatures. Over 90 species of birds inhabit the forest as well as 85 different types of butterflies. You can spot blue duikers, bushpigs, chameleons, beetles, bushbuck and more but we only spotted something that resembled a small antelope that jumped and disappeared.
The Dlinza Forest is one of the Great Five Natural Forests in Kwa Zulu Natal, and these five forests are the most important forests in Southern Africa from the aspect of unique biodiversity.
We got back to the hotel around 4:30 p.m. but had to wait a while to get into our room, as it would not unlock so the staff had to figure it out, which they did, and we took a nap.
As I type, we're in the brewery that has "VH1 classic flashback Fridays" playing on the television - so we're seeing a young David Bowie, a young Michael Jackson, and the Bee Gees (for god's sakes)!
We wandered over to the restaurant - I think we might be the only people staying at the hotel. We both ordered prawns, and it took quite a while to get them. We definitely are not experiencing Africa Lite, in oh so many ways.
We're visiting Joe's village tomorrow and staying there tomorrow night with his family so it probably won't be until Sunday night that I can post, and I'm sure I'll have stories to share!
The is inside The George Hotel where we stayed the first night in Eshowe.
There was a wonderful series of photos in the hotel featuring Zulu folks in traditional regalia.
This is Fort Nongqayi.
This is the guide who gave us a tour through the mission, the fort and the historical museum.
This is the wonderfully delightful young man who provided us information about the Butterfly Dome. The board is where they pin chrysalis before they emerge as full-grown butterflies.
A caterpillar he showed us. Forgot what he said but we suspect this is an African Monarch caterpillar.
One the butterflies I actually good photograph (because it was dead). Ha!
This is a live African Monarch.
This is a tiny butterfly that stayed still long enough for me to photograph.
These are butterfly pupa. They need one particular tree so the folks at the dome provide them a tree and cover it in cloth to protect them.
This is one of the beautiful traditional baskets we viewed in the Vukani Museum.
This is a wall hanging made from telephone wires. They very beautiful and creative.
This is the woman who provided a tour and information about the many beautiful Zulu arts featured in the Vukani Museum.
This is looking straight down on a tree from the aerial boardwalk in the Dlinza Forest.
A creature that looks much like a centipede when you look closely but resembles a worm from above, eh? We found this guy on the path in the forest.
Look closely - this is a GIANT, what we would call, grasshopper carrying her baby on her back. They were jumping around so it was difficult to get something in the image that would provide you a better sense of their size. Once you see its head in the upper right, I think you can better see them.
This is looking straight up at a really tall tree. The trees in the forest were canopy trees so there was very little undergrowth. That is why it was so nice to walk through the canopy.
It's spring here and this is the leaf of a tree that has partially opened, and it's waiting to fully open.
This is Joe, our guide for the next three days.
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