Monday, October 28th through Saturday, November 2nd-PheZulu Safari Park-zulu village

Monday, we had family home evening at the McEwens, the new couple. We wanted to initiate them quickly...ha. They decided to play a Pictionary game, where we pulled a scripture or a hymn out of a jar and then drew on the wipe board to get people to guess the scripture hero or hymn title. This was very entertaining. We all did pretty well. I had the hardest one, "Hark all ye nations" but after enough hints from everyone they guessed it. The guys were really good at stick figures...very creative. We then discussed the McEwen's concerns about the project that President Zackrison assigned to them. He asked them to get the information out to the missionaries and the manual that talks about their emotional well-being during their mission. We gave suggestions and helped them understand a bit better what we thought the President had in mind.

Elder Kyle was not feeling well this past weekend, so he went in to see Dr John and he gave him some pills to check for angina. The pills made Dr. John think it was not angina, so he advised going to a cardiologist for a stress test to make sure nothing else was going on. Going to doctors here is so much easier. Things happen more quickly...results are back quicker and appointments are fast. Because of a pain in his chest, Elder Kyle was worried about his heart, but we are happy to say that after the tests, nothing real serious has cropped up. The doctor found a small problem and gave him some blood thinner pills and he is feeling much better. Mostly he is not as worried about it. Sometimes the worry can cause worse symptoms. We are continually blessed on this mission.

We don't have much time here in Durban, so we are trying to get caught up and ready for when our replacements arrive. I have been cleaning emails off the computer and trying to figure out how to go about getting all our photos onto a disk big enough to save them all and take them with us.

Elder Kyle is still working on the Ixopo project, some items discussed with the premier when Elder Bednar was here and Disabled Month and the possibility of giving away two of our wheelchairs on Ukhozi FM. I have been writing several helping hands stories for the newsroom, creating flyers for the open house in Phuthaditjhaba, and various other tasks.

On Saturday, the Holts asked us if we wanted to go to Thousand Hills with them and the McEwens. We had not been there, so we followed them out there. It was a beautiful clear day and the views were amazing.

Against the backdrop of the world famous Valley of 1000 Hills, is the location of the PheZulu (meaning high up) Village. Here at the PheZulu Safari Park, visitors are able to truly feel the rhythm of Africa, by getting an inside look into the Zulu culture and its fascinating lifestyle and rituals. 

PheZulu Safari Park is also home to a remarkable collection of reptiles, including the African Python and other indigenous snakes, as well as the Nile crocodiles. But stealing the show is Junior. And don’t let his name mislead you! Junior is a 4.5 meter crocodile who is believed to be over a hundred years old. With these credits to his name, Junior is the oldest and biggest crocodile in captivity.

There were lots of crocodiles, all being pretty sluggish and lazing in the son with a few taking a dip in the water with green algae like stuff all over the top of the water, making the crocodiles seem rather ghoulish in appearance, rising out of the green stuff with it covering their bodies. Perhaps it was provided by the park for cover...not sure.


There were all types of snakes. We were wishing our son-in-law was there to tell us about the different types. There was a HUGE python in a large area all by himself and seemed to be sleeping. There was a flat head snake that looked pretty odd and one where part of his body was flat too. He looked like he had been run over by a car, but that is just how he looks. There were rat snakes, corn snakes, rattlesnakes and more, plus these really interesting green adders that were amazing to see. Wrapped around the green plant, it was hard to tell the snake was there, which I guess is the idea of it being green.



There were also turtles, Iguanas and Lizards. The iguanas were a beautiful color and very large. There was a leopard lizard that hid under a log and another that was called the same, but didn't look anything like the other one.





We couldn't leave without saying good by to the giant boa. Unfortunately, he would not pose for us. Those snakes have a mind of their own.

We then headed back over to the village for the show that was about to start...where we would learn what a typical Zulu village was like years ago and maybe even today in some areas.





We started by being seated in one of the huts. You have to bend low to get in the opening to the hut, but once inside it seems quite spacious. They took us to the cooking hut first where all cooking is done for the family. They demonstrated how the primitive cooking utensils were used to create their main food supply cooked over an open fire in the center of the tent. There was no hole in the ceiling, because they wanted the smoke to further reinforce the ceiling and keep it sealed from rain. How they did not become overcome with smoke is a mystery, but they had a fire in each hut for warmth, so there was no escaping it. A lot of the Zulus are heavy, but I don't think it is as much because of overeating, but because of the Pap, which they use a lot and it has little nutrition, but is very starchy.

We went from there to the Chiefs hut where he holds all his meetings with tribal leaders, etc. He looked and acted a bit formidable. In the old days they smoked marijuana as they conducted their meetings. He is holding the pipe. It reminded me of the Native American peace pipe. They talked a lot about how they made their beer. It was made by each tribe.

The final hut was the main gathering hut. The women would sit on the right side of the door and the men on the left side of the hut, so they can protect the women and children if someone breaks into their hut by having their spears in their throwing arm ready to go. If a man was left handed, he had to learn how to throw with his right hand.

Elder Kyle comparing footwear

We then walked over to the place where they put on their traditional Zulu dances. Elder Kyle was comparing his cowboy boots to this one guy's feet. I'm not sure why, but the guy got a kick out of it.

The dance they put on had to do with this guy asking a woman to marry him. When a man is interested in a woman, he has to give her 14 cows, but he also has to get her to agree to marry him. It involves a lot of talking and posturing

In this instance, the woman was not accepting him and he had to keep telling her that he was giving her parents 14 cows. She would tell him that she did not believe him. Then she would tell him she would not marry him and did not love him, but he just kept at her until she agreed. It was pretty funny, if that is the way they really did it. At least she had a choice, but I wouldn't have picked the guy...Ha.

Then when she accepted, he had to go to the fortune teller to find out if she was a good one to marry. The fortune teller would tell him if she was going to be a good wife or not. In this instance, the fortune teller had an young girl as an apprentice.


Once the fortune teller told him that his fiancé would make a good wife, then they all celebrated by doing their traditional dance.

Then the wedding would take place with more dancing by the men and woman and music played on their drums. The bride wears a special red hat... Interesting.

The amazing location looking out at these beautiful hills was fun, but look at that fence. They would never get away with that in the US. There is a steep drop-off on the other side.

A man's home is his castle!

Everett and the fortune teller

Elder Kyle has a new girlfriend, the fortune teller!








This is one of the dancer-singers with her little one...back to the reality of being a mom. That is Sister Holt in the background and Elder McEwen on the left.











After we left the village, we went down the road a bit to a place with some shops and a restaurant and had some lunch. This was the view we enjoyed while eating our lunch. The food was good, the company was great and the view was spectacular! A great way to spend our P-Day!

Of course some shopping was done as well. Sister Holt is the master shopper. It was fun.

Sunday night was the airing on Ukhozi FM of Elder Bednar's interview. It did not start until 10:30 PM.

I was not feeling well at all, so I conked out about 9:30 and we forgot all about listening. Luckily, Elder Murdock captured about 12 minutes of the interview and what we heard sounded great. We are waiting for the station to give us a copy. They assured us that they would.