An authentic cultural experience for tourists
THE tourism sector provides a wealth of opportunities for job creation and the empowerment of local communities.
One Mtubatuba-based entrepreneur, Snenhlanhla Mlungwana has grasped this opportunity through the creation of Nyenye Heritage in Khula Village near St Lucia - and she's looking to expand.
Nyenye Heritage, in operation since 2015, offers bike tours and sells locally made beaded crafts, clothing and curios at its marketplace, with a coffee shop on site.
‘We call it the marketplace because it's where the ladies can sell their goods, which are mostly on consignment,’ Mlungwana said.
There are nine local crafters who work as a collective, creating innovative designs.
Mlungwana's relationship with the local craftswomen was weaved by Durbanbased NGO Africa Ignite, working with the Department of Arts and Culture.
This working relationship was, unfortunately, impacted by the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, as international tourists could not visit the marketplace.
‘But things are picking up,’ commented an upbeat Mlungwana, adding, ‘Next month, we are welcoming tourists from Germany and getting a lot more bookings from international travellers, as well as queries about our offerings. So there is light at the end of the tunnel.’
Nyenye Heritage bike tours give tourists the chance to experience the village first-hand.
‘They travel to a cultural village where they get to watch ingoma [a traditional dance], then they get to meet the people who make the beadwork, before going to a local school.
‘Finally, they go to the Sletha Paradise forest camping site, where they get to plant a tree as part of rehabilitating the local forest,’ Mlungwana said.
She hopes potential investors will see the value in this business, and aims to employ people on a permanent basis, as well as establishing an art gallery.
‘Tourism is not only for
international travellers, I wish locals understood that. I also wish young traditional healers such as myself could understand that when they cut down a tree to use for their medicines, they would do so in a way that would not completely destroy the tree. That is why we partnered with Sletha Paradise,’ she said.