Sisanda Ngqola 

31632025

The Mpondo or Pondo tribe is a Bantu speaking ethnic group that resides in the Eastern Cape Province.

As the young individual that I am today I was raised in a Mpondo house hold where our rich cultural heritage steeped in deep rooted beliefs and teachings that have been past down from Generations to generations. 

ANCESTRAL WORSHIP

Firstly as a Mpondo person I was taught the importance of ancestral worship. We believe that the spirits of our ancestors play a crucial role in our lives and we must respect and honor them as our elders who guide, curses and protect us and pray for their blessings, forgiveness and gifts they have given us in life. Our ways of showing gratitude, respect and apologies we do rituals, ceremonies where we slaughter a cattle, brew traditional beer, wear our traditional attire and call upon our clan names. They have installed the importance of reasoning for everything that happens in me that "everything happens for a reason. This belief has also led to our other belief traditional healers Amagqirha. We believe that these healers do have direct connections with the spiritual world and we are appreciative for their abilities to heal physical and mental illnesses. AmaMpondo have also taught me that illnesses are caused by spiritual imbalances and that traditional healers have the abilities to restore harmony and balance to affected individuals. 

CONNECTION WITH NATURE.

Mpondo people have a deep connection with nature. They believe that every living and non-living thing on earth has a spirit and should be respected. This includes animals, plans, rocks and even elements. This connection to nature reflects to our way of life. We have a deeper understanding of the land and its resources e.g we have knowledge of traditional herbs,  medicine and we know how to farm and plant. We use natural remedies for healing and believe that nature provides with everything we need. From a young age I was taught if I have a headache there is a tree leaf that I must burn to heal my headache. We used cows for planting and I was taught to respect everyone and everything in life.

Today people are being bombarded with technology and materialism, everything comes in a fast speed. I may enjoy this life as a young person that I am but I was taught respect my elder, respect my ancestors,  cherish my roots and live in harmony with nature.

My Ethnic group beliefs and teachings of ancestral worship and connection with nature may seem foreign to others, but they have valuable lessons for all of us. One might learn from my culture and I might as well learn valuable things from other people's cultures.