July 6, 2007
By Lucille Davie
The Credo Mutwa Cultural Village in Jabavu is a step further to completion, with the beautiful restoration of the Zulu and Sotho homesteads.
Restorer Musa Ntanzi describes in meticulous detail his work in restoring the homesteads within the village. Ntanzi was assistant to author and traditional healer Mutwa in the 1970s and 1980s, when the village was created.
The village consists of symbolic clay sculptures and structures on a site of several hectares in Central Western Jabavu. Now 86 years old, Mutwa lives in frail health in Kuruman, Northern Cape.
The buildings depict a variety of African styles while the large, painted sculptures are of human and animal figures depicting African culture and folklore. Many of the figures have a mythical quality.
Several people have commented on the uncanny likeness between Mutwa and Ntanzi, implying a master-disciple relationship. Ntanzi clearly has a deep understanding and love of Zulu culture and customs.
The making of huts
The Zulu homestead consists of four round, thatched huts, for the king, the queen, the grandmother, and the son.
Inside the grandmother's hut sit five women preparing strands of straw for plaiting, for use on the roofs of the huts. The straw is first soaked in water, explains Ntanzi, then placed on a log and pounded with a smaller log, to make it pliable and flexible. From there several strands are interwoven, making a tight plait to be used to tie down the thatched roof. It takes four hours to make a three-metre long rope.
Wattle branches are used to make the frame for the huts. They are left in the sun for three months before they are dry enough to be used, and then are burnt and bent into shape. Traditionally the whole village would get together to make a new hut, a task that would take up to a month to do, says Ntanzi.
Each hut has a central indented circle inside, where a fire would traditionally have been made. Around the sides are raised sections, to be used for storage of kitchen utensils like calabashes.
The roofs consist of three layers of thatching. The thatching of the grandmother's hut reaches down to the ground, whereas the other huts have one-metre high mud walls, with a low, arched doorway. The mud for the walls is made from ground-up anthill sand, mixed with water. The pinks and yellows used to paint the walls are obtained from grinding stones. The doorways are closed with grass mats.
The inside of the hut is filled with smoke from the fire, but, says Ntanzi, if you sit down in the hut, the smoke doesn't bother the eyes so much. He explains that some woods are burned especially to clear the eyes, so that when you cry from the smoke, the eyes are cleansed and refreshed.
Ntanzi, born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, elaborates on the role of the grandmother. She is the cook, the nurse, the entertainer, and the keeper of the village's "secrets". Examples of secrets are what plants were suitable for treating certain illnesses; or which tree could be used as a lightning conductor.
The kraal
Ntanzi regrets that the homestead is not in a circular shape, with the kraal in the centre. The stone-walled kraal has multiple uses, says Ntanzi. It can be used as a graveyard; a court where elders will sit in judgement of a wrongdoer; a place to welcome visitors; a place where dancing takes place; a place to convene with the ancestors; and of course, a place to keep the cattle safe at night, and gather their dung to use for floor-making.
"A village without a kraal is not a village," says Ntanzi, "it's like having a house without a garden."
Ntanzi is keen to get two cows for the homestead, to give it "the smell of a village". They would also supply dung for the floors.
The Zulu homestead also has two granaries – smaller versions of a hut, but on stilts, to prevent small animals like moles getting at the grain. This kraal also has a griffin, a symbol of strength and bravery, says Ntanzi. A stone-walled kraal for a blacksmith has also been re-instated.
Sotho village
The Sotho village, also consisting of four huts with two-metre high mud walls and single-layer thatch roofs, is surrounded by a neat stick fence.
The main hut is the king's hut, guarded at its entrance by a mud-sculpted leopard and a cow, the former the symbol of the king, the latter a symbol of wealth.
The walls of the Sotho huts were largely intact, says Ntanzi, and only minor replastering and decorating touch-ups were necessary.
By the beginning of 2006 the first phase of the restoration was complete. This consists of the large Zulu figures of Nkulu Nkulu, God the father and the chief of creation, and Nokhubuwana, God the mother, and the figure of Umvelingangi, sun god of Africa. They make a striking entrance to the village.
Future restoration
Still to be restored is the Arab village, with its stonewall enclosure and courtyard, and the three prophesy figures and accompanying graveyard. The three figures are grotesque alien forms, that apparently appeared before Mutwa one day when walking in a forest. Ntanzi says they predicted an incurable disease would hit the local village. Aloes were planted at the site by Ntanzi and Mutwa because they are believed to have curative properties.
The fearsome dinosaur figures, also awaiting restoration
A small grouping of prehistoric animals also needs restoration. Two thirds of the village has now been restored. Phase 2 of the restoration cost R900 000. The work was carried out under the guidance of conservation architect Jonathan Stone.
Ntanzi would like to bring Mutwa to the village, to thank him for "bringing the light". Mutwa is still much in demand for his healing powers.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
