Our odyssey has taken us from North America, to South America, Australia and Asia and now we have reached our fifth continent, Africa. Approaching each of these magnificent continents through their welcoming harbors, in the dawn’s early light, is an experience we shall never forget. Of the 24 so far, each harbor approach is unique and very beautiful in its own way and each has seemed to reach out with a natural welcome. How sad for those that must arrive through an airport, as they surely miss the excitement of watching a distant continent slowly come into full view as the ship carefully maneuvers over the waters into its berth. Durban, the largest port city in South Africa, is located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, homeland of the Zulus, South Africa’s largest black nation. In the Valley of 1000 Hills (photo), we visited a reconstructed traditional Zulu village with beehive huts, learned about aspects of their culture and enjoyed their brightly costumed and exceedingly vigorous dances on the crest of a mountain overlooking the valley (photos). For Zulus, wealth is measured in cattle and one of the most deeply held customs is payment (lobolo) by the groom of some 10-20 cows to his future bride’s family. Times are changing though, even for Zulus. It is now allowable in today’s urban communities, where pastures are non-existent, to pay the lobolo in cash. Durban’s population is a spicy mix with over a million of her residents being Indian, the descendents of the 150,000 indentured plantation workers imported from India in the late 19th century. Durban therefore comprises the largest Indian community outside of Asia (photo). Gandhi lived here as a young lawyer for some 20 years and here is where he developed his philosophy of non-violent civil disobedience. About 70% of this Indian population is Hindu. Christianity is the major religion of the whites and blacks and there is also a significant Muslim population.

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