Stress of city life melts away in rural EC home

WHENEVER the constant buzz of city life overwhelmed me or school stressed me to no end, I’d always lie back and think of the time I went to my home in Mbulukhweza.

I recall it was warm. I could feel the grass tickle my feet as I planted them on the wet earth.

I am still mindful of the peace I experienced when I drank in the richly verdant view of my rustic home in the Eastern Cape. Being in Mbulukhweza was a breath of fresh air – literally.

The first thing I felt compelled to do on arrival was take in a deep breath of the refreshingly clean air.

There was no television in sight. No cell service. No trace of technology.

And what I’d learnt was that I didn’t actually need all of that. It was just me and nature bonding over soothing serenity.

I’d hear the wind ruffling leaves, the exuberant singing from the house next door and the echo of the river’s rapid run in the distance. As the clock chased five, as the rooster crowed and as the brush strokes of colour stained the dawning sky, I awoke.

It’s almost unexplainable the euphoria I experience when exposed to my roots. When I’m clothed in my traditional attire, I feel myself walk taller as a great sense of empowerment takes over me.

I feel like a queen. Contrary to being weighed down by the heavily beaded skirt and waistcoat, I feel lighter.

I bounce off my heels and the vibrant beads dance as I go by. When clothed with traditional wear I feel my richness overflowing. I was tradition. I was Africa. Never before had I seen such bounteous culture than that I had come across on my visits to Mbulukhweza. I’d witness Xhosa women ululate and rollick while grown men giggled with glee.

As the adolescents, we had the responsibility to walk long stretches to gather pails of water from the river and milk the cows in the field. After much convincing from my cousins, I squeezed the udders of a white and black-spotted mammal and her milk came gushing out.

It certainly was an experience that pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone but a fun one, amid the shared laughter. A real episode for a city girl!

Mbulukhweza was a refreshing experience that breathed many lessons. Going there made life feel a little more purposeful and this sense of home washed over me.

I could let go of all the city drama and find peace in the stars.

Qhamani Nkuhlu, Port Elizabeth