the new petro power paradigm - Diplomat Magazine

DELIGHTS|destinations
Chris Kirchhoff/MediaClubSouthAfrica.com
Chris Kirchhoff/MediaClubSouthAfrica.com
Traditional performers at the Johannesburg cultural festival.
A balloon passes over Hoedspruit, a small town not far from Kruger National Park.
Wine & Culinary
Cape Town is well known for producing
great wines. What is less known are the
gastronomic adventures at the country’s
many wine estates. The highly unusual
wine pairings are not to be missed. Imagine
a Shiraz matched with a masala chai
dark chocolate. Or how about a Cabernet
Sauvignon with dark-rock salt chocolate?
Springbok, South Africa’s favourite game
meat, pairs well with a fruity Chardonnay.
Very few places in the world will offer a
Pinotage matched with a Prego steak roll
(a hot steak, sauced and served on a roll)
with chocolate shavings. Decadent is a
90
word you’ll use over and over again.
You know you are a special guest in a
South African township such as Gugulethu
when you are offered African beer.
The customary way to deal with this honour
is to take at least one sip or your audience
will be chaffed (teased). The most
common place to get this beer is a Shebeen
(a tavern). Our African beer, called
Umqombothi from the Xhosa language, is
made from maize (corn), sorghum malt
and yeast. It’s gritty, thick and creamy
with a somewhat sour aroma. Surprisingly
its alcohol content is less than three percent
— less than most beers. Umqombothi
is served at celebrations, weddings and
funerals.
Tripe, also called offal, is a traditional
treat favoured by most black South Africans.
Many white South Africans also
love it, especially those with a farming
background. Tripe consists of the parts of
an animal that are left over from cutting
up a carcass; they are also called “variety
meats.”
South African indigenous food restaurants
are in every township. Try some
liver, kidneys, brains or chicken feet stew.
The rich dynamic of 11 official languages,
and a land steeped in diverse cultures produces
a variety of food that is the spice of
life. For something mild, try the Mieliepap,
boerewors en sous (maize porridge, sausage
and sauce), a favourite with all South Africans.
Erudite South Africa
South Africans are erudite and love telling
and writing their stories. A proliferation of
book fairs and literary festivals enlivens
just about every corner of the country.
South African writers have distinguished
themselves as cutting-edge creators
of literary excellence. Boasting two
Nobel winners in literature and a linguistic
paradise of nearly a dozen languages,
the textures, experiences and themes of the
written or spoken word give the visitor a
glimpse into South Africa’s values.
Our literary talents address topics from
AIDS to inter-racial tension and go beyond
the simplistic black-is-good, white-is-evil
formula, to look at the struggle to maintain
African tradition against urbanization/modernization.
Identity and class
mobility are challenges now surfacing in
discourse on our social fabric.
Children's literature is my favourite
genre. African storytellers use African
proverbs and folktales to impart lessons
about anti-social behaviour — using a tortoise
story, for example, to teach children
the importance of self-esteem. The images,
values and messages have a universal
resonance that teaches us about humility,
honesty and how to use our power
carefully. Buy a book by Gcina Mhlope,
a noted South African storyteller, for an
experience that can be passed on for generations.
A Feast of Festivals
Every month offers a feast of festivals in
South Africa from the arts to the sciences.
SciFest Africa, the national festival of science,
engineering and technology, draws
more than 35,000 visitors each year. The
FALL 2011 | OCT-NOV-DEC