|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 13, 2012 17:31:40 GMT
Good heavens tod. I have to be careful in the office....
There's some big girls there.......... ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 6:27:15 GMT
Absolutely fantastic change of direction in your report, tod! After beginning with pure Victoriana, now we are with the Zulu maidens after visiting the more modest but fascinating commercial district. I was wondering if that area was completely black or mixed (but perhaps just ethnic native African and Indian, as the people in front of the Noorani building would seem to indicate?) -- and also what sort of transition zone is there between good areas and not-so-good areas. For example, in Paris the transitions are generally not obvious at all, but in some places the moment you cross the city limits into the suburbs, the transition is radical. The périphérique makes this all the more dramatic in some places, because it creates a barrier that hides one side from the other. Of course, in the United States, the expression about "the wrong side of the tracks" indicates that railroads often serve this purpose.
Back to the Zulu girls. I imagine that Mrs. Abstinence is a relatively recent addition to this sort of event, with religious connections. I know nothing about Zulu culture and whether it is monogamous, but obviously in many undeveloped cultures, it has always been important to make as many babies as possible since the lifespan was short in the past. I imagine that the modern health care available in South Africa makes this less of a priority now and that a certain amount of abstinence is to be promoted if birth control is not readily available or not fully understood.
Were there other spectators when you took the photos or did you manage to find an invisible vantage point so as not to disturb the event?
|
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 14, 2012 7:52:44 GMT
Mick - Certainly are! I do hope you are feeling better  Kerouac, I am going to attempt taking some photos when the streets are heaving with people and traders. The proplem is as soon as they see a camera they could get to my car and vent in a most tangible way!  The other way to shoot excellent photos would be on foot asking permission, BUT I run the risk of loosing my camera by 'demand' -  If I could walk with a person from the press and their big cameras it may make a difference. I am looking into it. Like sort of get together in a 'tourist' group. Oh, you asked if the area was all African or Indian. The shops are all Indian ( sometime Chinese) run businesses. The customers are the Africans and of course the Indians too. At one time you would see the odd white face among the crowded sidewalks and maybe during the day you would catch a glimpse of a mother and daughter shopping for bridal fabric in the Casbah. These days it is very rare as eveyone is afraid of having their purses snatched - "on demand" and with a knife or gun, so you can't argue. And if you are attacked no-one and I stress no-one, would come to your aid. Back to the Zulu maidens. Mrs.Abstinence is the founder of the group. We first started taking photos from the perimeter fencing and then with a bit of prodding I got my husband to enter the park and walk to the group. Here he was met halfway by this lady. Politely he explained our mission and she had no objection at all. Her aim is promote virginity until marriage. Well of course this leads to the demise of aids to a certain extent - Zulu men are unbelievably promiscuous and have several wives and dozens of girlfriends. I think she is trying to cut down on the girlfriend thing... I don't know if she was just saying this as part of the objective or whether the true reason is the dancing before the King before he picks one out and marries for the 20, 30 or 40th time! Sorry the little video was so short. Bixa, you are a star with the help and guidance given me on how to put it up here. I will get better ;D If you look hard at one of the photos you will see a male African walking across the grass dressed in blue. He walked past my car and I asked him what the zulu dancers were about. He said they were there every Sunday to practice. So we will go back and get more information. As to the vantage point with the photos. In the first few you may notice a childrens 'jungle gym' made in wood. My husband clamboured up this to get a better view. Next visit I will also be up there! We were the only people watching. Not another tourist is sight ;D |
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Feb 15, 2012 3:52:13 GMT
There's some big girls there.......... ;D True, but a few of them are quite fit and striking. Tod, your fly-on-the-wall shots of the Zulu girls are terrific. I really commend you and your husband for taking the effort to capture them. My husband and I probably would have been too embarrassed to try. I'm really enjoying all your photos, especially all the lovely brick buildings. Thanks for this fascinating and informative thread. |
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 15, 2012 17:46:16 GMT
Oh, Tod -- this just gets better & better! Your latest post had it all -- established ethnic/national groups, more recent immigrants, and the original people of the region. The icing on the cake was capturing such a lovely, lively bit of the indigenous culture. You even had a heart for valentine's day! Speaking of which, I was surprised about the Nigerian church. What's the story, please, on Nigerians in S.Africa? (and apologies if that's something everyone knows). The girls are so sweet, pretty, and happy. I loved the singing. i guess in their pre-modern culture there was no need for an abstinence organization, as the family and the culture itself would have pretty much have insured virginity until marriage. (& I'm assuming in this context "abstinence" means chastity, rather than abstaining from drugs & alcohol.) I got a chuckle from the clothing sold in piles with the alert watchers, as I went to something like that a couple of weeks ago. They're definitely for the keenly motivated.  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2012 18:00:00 GMT
"Insured virginity until marriage"? That would be an expensive policy in most places!
|
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Feb 15, 2012 19:32:57 GMT
I think the current emphasis on virginity in S Africa has more to do with the AIDS epidemic than anything else.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 16, 2012 9:25:36 GMT
"Insured virginity until marriage"? That would be an expensive policy in most places! Don't ask me to place it..... |
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 16, 2012 11:39:38 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 16, 2012 15:45:15 GMT
There's some big girls there.......... ;D True, but a few of them are quite fit and striking. Tod, your fly-on-the-wall shots of the Zulu girls are terrific. I really commend you and your husband for taking the effort to capture them. My husband and I probably would have been too embarrassed to try. I'm really enjoying all your photos, especially all the lovely brick buildings. Thanks for this fascinating and informative thread. Ah, I was being somewhat smutty nycgirl in referring to their, ahem, bosoms rather than their overall shape. I do apologise..... |
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2016 5:25:46 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 2, 2016 13:20:06 GMT
Tod, I'm so glad you added to this wonderful thread. It's something I'd never seen before since your initial post was before I joined anyport.
Marvelous!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2016 15:07:38 GMT
Abandoned small train stations are common everywhere in the world, not just South Africa. It looks like the electrified line running through there is still in service, is that right?
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 2, 2016 15:18:20 GMT
Abandoned train stations always seem so sad, so symbolic of missed opportunities and of waste.
Tod, I showed this thread to my friend who visited South Africa in December and she said she'd love to see more people in the pictures. That was a good thing in that it made me go through the whole extremely interesting thread again, but yes -- what does Pietermaritzburg look like on a regular busy day?
|
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2016 17:33:37 GMT
Yes, Kerouac - that line runs past the main station which I have featured.
Other disused stations in various locations in KwaZulu-Natal have been renovated and made into restaurants, or tea gardens etc., giving them another lease on life and also not letting them fall into a state of decay. That is criminal I think.
I am hoping that I can feature some of them here in Pietermaritzburg in the near future.
Bixa - That is a problem. People object to having photos taken and it is very hard to be "undercover" as it were.
I will try and perhaps take some telephoto lens shots so that I can blow them up.
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 2, 2016 18:02:18 GMT
That's one reason I like my dinky camera. Even if people notice it, they assume it's not pointed at them.
Really, I was talking about street scene with clumps people in them, on a busy shopping day, for instance, just to give more of a sense of daily life.
Your town and presentation of it is wonderful!
|
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Apr 3, 2016 5:58:10 GMT
I will certainly give it a go Bixa!
|
|
Roger Hanington
Guest
Offline
|
Post by Roger Hanington on May 23, 2018 6:47:10 GMT
Thank you for this fascinating account of the city in which I grew up and spent the early part of my life. Some beautiful reminiscences but also much sadness at the changes from what I remember from 1948 et seq. Sincerely, Roger Hanington
|
|
Roger Hanington
Guest
Offline
|
Post by Roger Hanington on May 23, 2018 6:55:29 GMT
I imagine that you know the work of Ruth Gordon. Currently I am re-reading The Place of the Elephant.
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on May 23, 2018 14:44:00 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on May 25, 2018 8:33:53 GMT
Tod this is a marvellous thread! I've just spent a happy hour poring over your images and reading the very informative narrative. Love it. Drooling over the topiary, your fabric business ...the architecture and fascinated by the history. The abandoned railway building would have been snapped up by someone and converted into an exclusive dwelling if it had been in the UK |
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 25, 2018 12:26:26 GMT
Thank you Bixa for acknowledging Roger on my behalf! Yes, been long time since I got back here and a lot of other threads too!
Cheery, I am hoping to continue and finalise this project at some stage. Got too many irons in the fire at the moment. Thank you for such kind words and comments.
|
|
Roger Hanington
Guest
Offline
|
Post by Roger Hanington on May 19, 2020 14:17:08 GMT
I have just been working through your site yet again. So many nostalgic reminisences. I remember so well the Pietermaritzburg in which I grew up -- the 1940s and 50s and I find it unspeakably sad to see how it has changed. Especially the view of Church Street along which I walked, rode my bike and later drove my TR2. I have always toyed with the idea of, one day, returning to live in PMB after many years soldiering elsewhere, but seeing how it is now perhaps I had better not. My best wishes to you and I hope that you are as happy and contended there as I was. Yours sincerely, Roger H
|
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 19, 2020 16:54:20 GMT
Hello Roger, Thank you for the update. Pmb seems to have gone down several more levels since my report. The Voortrekker graveyard has been badly vandalised. Fencing stolen and totally overgrown.
The filth gets worse. Were it not for our large garden and home on the hill opposite Briar Ghyll Farm, our wonderful Cordwalles school within 500m of our house, the dirt and muck would get to us .
Our business continues to thrive and that is another reason for staying just where we are. My yearly holidays in France and UK have helped a lot but unfortunately we haven't been away for two years.
Never mind, we still will get another opportunity one day.
|
|
Roger Hanington
Guest
Offline
|
Post by Roger Hanington on May 22, 2020 7:55:46 GMT
tod2 -- what were your parents and grandparent names ? Perhaps I knew them.
|
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 22, 2020 15:28:45 GMT
My Parents only lived in Pietermaritzburg from 1992, but my mother went to Russell High School in PMB as my Grandfather worked at the station. He was George Norval.
|
|
The other way to shoot excellent photos would be on foot asking permission, BUT I run the risk of loosing my camera by 'demand' - 
