Bridgette Mkhize is a Ndebele woman who comes from rural Zimbabwe. This time of year she thinks about her heritage a lot.

With September being Heritage Month, the News checked in with the 32-year-old woman to find out what traditions she grew up with. She came to South Africa in 2009 to find work but said she still remembered her childhood and especially how different things were back home.

I would go to school during the week, and on weekends I would go to the farm to herd the cattle and milk the cows,” she explained. She also remembers having to fetch water from the river regularly as they did not have running water at home.

“If I went into the city twice a year, that would have been a lot,” she explained laughing.

Their staple food was pap and she explained if there was pap, there was food. They would eat pap with everything. “Pap and sugar, pap and meat, pap and veg, pap and water, the list goes on,” she laughed.

Her father was a traditional healer and every August they would make Umgombothi, which is beer made from sorghum and maize. They would drink it before going to the ancestors’ graves to thank and celebrate them. They would then also slaughter a cow or goat for the celebration.

She remembers her father wearing white and red cloths and carrying a spear whenever he was working, and during the celebration they all wore traditional clothing.

Unfortunately, since moving to South Africa she has lost touch with her roots, but Bridgette said she would love to raise her children in South Africa, but teach them about her culture and where she came from.

Bridgette has lost both her parents and said she especially missed them during August when they would practice their traditions and celebrate the ancestors.