South Africa, given the name of “Rainbow Nation,” is known for its diverse culture and a rich collection of ethnic backgrounds in the world. The country has 11 official languages, making it one of the countries in the world with the most official languages.

CGTN reporter is interacting with a local villager. /CGTN Photo

On the sixth day of CGTN’s BRICS journey, CGTN's reporting team headed to the Lesedi Cultural Village, which is about a one-hour drive from Johannesburg, to experience the fascinating tribal culture in South Africa.

The team visited five traditional tribes in the village, ranging from Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Ndebele and Basotho, each representing its unique customs, traditions, language, dress and so on. 

Lesedi Cultural Village. /CGTN Photo

Among them, Zulu is the largest ethnic group in South Africa, with an estimated 10-12 million residents living in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Xhosa is the second most popular tribe after the Zulu, whose name means fierce and angry. Nelson Mandela is a descendant of the Xhosa tribe.

Local villagers remained to live the way their ancestors lived – tending cattle, building and decorating their distinctive huts, molding clay pots, weaving baskets, crushing maize, brewing beer, taking part in ritual dancing and going hunting. 

Lesedi Cultural Village. /CGTN Photo‍

Tourists are given extraordinary opportunities to engage in all sorts of cultural activities, from interacting with the local villagers, to enjoying the traditional African singing and dancing as well as a hearty African feast, where people can test their taste bud by trying crocodile, kudu or warthog, giving them an authentic experience of the country’s cultural heritage.

(Story by Cheng Meihao; filming by Helen Dang; video editing by Zhao Yuxiang)

Previous Episodes:

BRICS Vlog Ep1: CGTN starts South Africa journey

BRICS Vlog Ep2: Remembering Nelson Mandela in Pretoria

BRICS Vlog Ep3: Visiting Chinese automakers in Port Elizabeth‍