Bobanango

Bobanango is set in the same flowing green ocean of grass and shrubs. The ancient glacial valleys stand as tall monuments to the land. This truly is the great adventure that I have needed.

We'd spend 5 days there, taking in life in the Bush. Down a five Km drive, down a dirt road, you literally plow through a river with your vehicle. Tents, little monkeys, and a giant fire ring fill the camp. Behind, there's a half hidden by trees and vines, large, one-walled, cabana with a tin roof. Sitting in the hammock, I feel a world away from any wilderness I knew.

From here we took adventures every day out into cultural sites around the region. Most notably we visited the battle ground of Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift. The Battle of Isandhlwana is the worst defeat of a British or American army by a natives people in history. Stunning vistas marked with white cairns as monument to the dead, the battle ground lies silent now.

Our time at Babanango brought me back to Laura Bohannan's, Return to Laughter. We visited a traditional Zulu holmstead, helped with chores, played games, and learned to stick fight. But after a long hot time in the sun, we headed back in an air conditioned bus, to a camp serving us Afrikaans food and selling us "cool drinks" for 8 rand.

There's an inherent disparity here in South Africa that needs to be looked at. Under systems of Apartheid government non-whites living in South Africa were subjected to roles of poverty. Forced to give up traditional systems of cattle-wealth, and under forced structural adjustments from the World Bank, the room for upward mobility seems dismal.

Schools in the Bobanango town cost about 50 Rand per semester (roughly 8 American Dollars). They are under funded, run down, and jammed pack. I met the principle who spoke beautiful English. He was so happy for us to be here to open our eyes to these educational injustices.

I'm sad to have to left Bobanango, but now we're off to St Lucia on the Indian Ocean. It's South African beach and fishing vacation town. It will be interesting to see some more urban South African settings. More to come soon. Internet has been hard to come by though.

 

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