DELIGHTS|DESTINATIONS horse-riding and fishing. The Middleveld region has an area inhabited by <strong>the</strong> Ndebele people, notable for <strong>the</strong>ir traditional costumes and <strong>the</strong> precise geometric patterns that decorate <strong>the</strong>ir homes. Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Cape Apart from being <strong>the</strong> Diamond Capital, <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Cape is famous for Kimberley, its stunning scenery, pristine air and history-changing diamond mine. Digging commenced at Kimberley mine site in 1871 and continued until August 14, 1914. The mine has yielded 2,722 kilograms of diamonds, extracted from 22.5 million tons of excavated earth. Today, what remains is a massive crater, 214 meters deep, with a surface area of 17 hectares and a perimeter of 1.6 kilometres. It is surrounded by original buildings from <strong>the</strong> heyday of <strong>the</strong> mine, relocated from earlier sites to form an unforgettable open-air visitor experience. Recently upgraded, <strong>the</strong> Big Hole offers three experiences. In <strong>the</strong> Underground Mine Experience, visitors enter a re-creation of a historic mine shaft to experience <strong>the</strong> perilous 19th- Century mining conditions. A fascinating 15-minute film introduces visitors to <strong>the</strong> story of diamonds at Kimberley. The Real The Hole-in-<strong>the</strong>-Wall at Coffee Bay is an intriguing landmark formed by millennia of constant erosion. Diamond Display, which is housed in a vault, features <strong>the</strong> famous “616,” <strong>the</strong> largest uncut diamond in <strong>the</strong> world, and <strong>the</strong> “Eureka,” <strong>the</strong> first diamond discovered in South Africa. A Zulu love letter from South Africa Just as different kinds of flowers and colours symbolize and express different emotions, beads in South Africa, particularly among <strong>the</strong> Zulu-speaking people, hold a sophisticated code about <strong>the</strong> giver’s Rodger Bosch/MediaClubSouthAfrica.com feeling toward <strong>the</strong> recipient. The Zulu Love Letter — incwadi yothando ucu or ubhala abuyise — means “one writes in order that <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r should reply.” Its symbolic message is associated with certain types of beaded necklaces. Love among <strong>the</strong> Zulu people was a very private matter. A traditional woman would never say “Yes, I love you” because love must always be kept secret. Love messages are transmitted in a discreet manner, through beads. Traditional Zulu women may write a letter made from beads to pass <strong>the</strong> message. For example, by using white beads, a woman might say “Whenever I see you, my heart goes white as <strong>the</strong> milk of cattle when <strong>the</strong>y are milked in <strong>the</strong> morning,” or “My heart goes white as <strong>the</strong> goat’s milk.” My Zulu Love Letter to you is written with ruby beads. It says: Travel to South Africa is more than visiting places of interest; it is a profound, life-changing experience that is deep and enduring. South Africa: Where you leave ordinary behind. Mohau Pheko is South Africa’s high commissioner to Canada. Reach her at (613) 744-0330 or rsafrica@southafrica-canada.ca. 92 FALL 2011 | OCT-NOV-DEC
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