Soul of South Africa ..BY: By David Bowden.

(From New Straits Times (Malaysia))

DAVID BOWDEN journeyed to the Lesedi Cultural Village near Johannesburg for a taste of African bush life and came away uplifted and touched by the rich tribal culture and music.

LESEDI CULTURAL VILLAGE on the outskirts of Johannesburg is no ordinary place to stay. One of the tribal elders met me: "Welcome to the village of the Basotho people, please feel at home and if there is anything I can do to make your stay with us more pleasurable, don't hesitate to ask." The gentleman greeting me was sitting on the back of a pony, rugged up in a thick red woollen blanket over his shoulders and an intricately woven straw hat covering his thinning hair.

"I come from Lesotho where it is very cold, that's why I am wearing the blanket," was his response to my question on why he was being rugged up on what I thought was a very pleasant and sunny day.

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