Masiphumelele is a township on the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town, South Africa. People started moving into the area in the 1990′s and initially it was known as Site 5. The township was renamed Masiphumelele by its residents, which is a Xhosa word meaning “We will succeed.” A bicycle township tour through the community is a great way to experience traditional Xhosa customs and I recently took two US based teachers to Masi to do just this.

Masiphumelele is a township on the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town, South Africa. People started moving into the area in the 1990′s and initially it was known as Site 5. The township was renamed Masiphumelele by its residents, which is a Xhosa word meaning “We will succeed.” A bicycle township tour through the community is a great way to experience traditional Xhosa customs and I recently took two US based teachers to Masi to do just this.

Masiphumelele is a township on the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town, South Africa. People started moving into the area in the 1990′s and initially it was known as Site 5. The township was renamed Masiphumelele by its residents, which is a Xhosa word meaning “We will succeed.” A bicycle township tour through the community is a great way to experience traditional Xhosa customs and I recently took two US based teachers to Masi to do just this.

Arriving at the township, we were greeted by the ever-energetic Zwai, a cultural guide from the local township. Zwai`s local knowledge of the community is phenomenal, and he cleverly mixes it with wit and humour. Cycling through the township, it was encouraging to see how much the community welcomes tourism.
Dave and Stephanie  teach at public schools in Chicago and both said they could relate to the conditions of the Masiphumelele community. They especially enjoyed drawing with the kids from the Peacock Creche and the singing and dancing from the Sangoma (traditional healer). Traditional healers still have a powerful role to play in urban communities and most local residents still seek advice from them on illness and in spiritual matters. Sangomas use age old remedies, knowledge of which has been passed down through generations. Many of the indigenous plants in the Cape get harvested for medicine. For instance milkwood tree bark gets used as a type of aspirin for headaches.  The harmonious singing of the ladies at the traditional healer, encouraged me to grab the spare set of drums and join them with singing and dancing!
A township tour in Masiphumelele is unique in that the township is safe, smaller compared to other townships,(such as Khayelitsha and Soweto) and it has an energetic vibe about it. Kwaito township tunes blare out the shops and chickens cluk out of the way as we cycle past.  It was great to spend time with Dave and Stephanie Stieber on the AWOL Bicycle Township Tour and to share the wonderful diversity of our country!

Arriving at the township, we were greeted by the ever-energetic Zwai, a cultural guide from the local township. Zwai`s local knowledge of the community is phenomenal, and he cleverly mixes it with wit and humour. Cycling through the township, it was encouraging to see how much the community welcomes tourism.
Dave and Stephanie  teach at public schools in Chicago and both said they could relate to the conditions of the Masiphumelele community. They especially enjoyed drawing with the kids from the Peacock Creche and the singing and dancing from the Sangoma (traditional healer). Traditional healers still have a powerful role to play in urban communities and most local residents still seek advice from them on illness and in spiritual matters. Sangomas use age old remedies, knowledge of which has been passed down through generations. Many of the indigenous plants in the Cape get harvested for medicine. For instance milkwood tree bark gets used as a type of aspirin for headaches.  The harmonious singing of the ladies at the traditional healer, encouraged me to grab the spare set of drums and join them with singing and dancing!
A township tour in Masiphumelele is unique in that the township is safe, smaller compared to other townships,(such as Khayelitsha and Soweto) and it has an energetic vibe about it. Kwaito township tunes blare out the shops and chickens cluk out of the way as we cycle past.  It was great to spend time with Dave and Stephanie Stieber on the AWOL Bicycle Township Tour and to share the wonderful diversity of our country!

Arriving at the township, we were greeted by the ever-energetic Zwai, a cultural guide from the local township. Zwai`s local knowledge of the community is phenomenal, and he cleverly mixes it with wit and humour. Cycling through the township, it was encouraging to see how much the community welcomes tourism.
Dave and Stephanie  teach at public schools in Chicago and both said they could relate to the conditions of the Masiphumelele community. They especially enjoyed drawing with the kids from the Peacock Creche and the singing and dancing from the Sangoma (traditional healer). Traditional healers still have a powerful role to play in urban communities and most local residents still seek advice from them on illness and in spiritual matters. Sangomas use age old remedies, knowledge of which has been passed down through generations. Many of the indigenous plants in the Cape get harvested for medicine. For instance milkwood tree bark gets used as a type of aspirin for headaches.  The harmonious singing of the ladies at the traditional healer, encouraged me to grab the spare set of drums and join them with singing and dancing!
A township tour in Masiphumelele is unique in that the township is safe, smaller compared to other townships,(such as Khayelitsha and Soweto) and it has an energetic vibe about it. Kwaito township tunes blare out the shops and chickens cluk out of the way as we cycle past.  It was great to spend time with Dave and Stephanie Stieber on the AWOL Bicycle Township Tour and to share the wonderful diversity of our country!