Respect is important to every ethnic group regardless of how it is shown. As a girl from the Venda group, one of the ways I was taught to show respect was a ritual performed when greeting or serving elders and guests. This ritual requires you, as the young lady in the house, to lay on the ground with one hand cupped and the other in the cupped one. This ritual and form of greeting is unique to the Venda people. However, this ritual is not one sided. The other party/parties may acknowledge you by putting some money in your hand or next you, just to also show respect for your greeting. This is mostly for special events like weddings and family get-togethers. On a non-special day, the lady is acknowledged with only a verbal greeting.

Practicing this ritual for so many years has conditioned me to greet and show respect to others first rather than receiving it first.