Becoming South African
Junkyard
Jerry and Christo, two of my best friends who also happen to be third culture kids. Jerry (left) was born and raised in Ithaca, New York before relocating back to South Africa at age 13. Christo (right) was born in South Africa and spent the majority of his school years living and attending school in Pakistan. The two have since met and work together as mechanics in South Africa.
Diepgezet Landscape
Diepgezet is a ghost town situated in the endless rolling hills that mark the border between Mpumalanga, South Africa and Swaziland. The town was abandoned in 2001 as a result of asbestos poisoning and misinformation around the side effects associated with working with the substance. Over time, the lonely town in the foothills of the mountains has been reclaimed by nature.
Lying in Wait
Shot in the Mbombela region of Mpumalanga, John is employed by a wildlife relocation company with a focus on conservation and sustainability. On this day the team was tasked with relocating kudu, zebra and springbok. This endeavour is no small task as the animals must be herded by helicopter into a hidden boma (enclosure) and chased into the back of a truck. Here John awaits his call to action.
World Photo Org’s Picture of the month February 2022:
https://www.worldphoto.org/blogs/10-03-22/pic-month-aidan-murgatroyd
Field of Aloe
A field of quartzite of the Black Reef formation, which along with the aloes sit nestled atop the highest point, 1486 m above sea level), of one of South Africa's oldest mining towns, Kaapsehoop. The name can be translated to 'hope of the cape' as the discovery of gold in 1882 in the small creek which runs parallel to this field inspired hope amongst mining prospectors.
More than Friends
Two of the closest friends I made on my journey through South Africa. Fellow photography student, Gift (left) and Sanele, (right), who is a fashion student. I met and interacted with them in KwaZulu-Natal through a creative agency. From there on, Gift joined me for nearly half of my trip, all the way back up the Wild Coast to Cape Town.
Isibaya
Sanele photographed at his home in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. The image was shot after I had known Sanele for roughly a week. He invited me to his home to allow me to document and immerse myself in the Zulu culture. In his yard was a small 'isibaya' or kraal where the family slaughters livestock and uses the skin to make leather and other household items.
Dancing Tree's
I came across this set of trees while making my way from Johannesburg into the more arid, surrounding landscape on my way back to Cape Town, on the last leg of my trip. This marks the transition from Savannah to semi-desert as one approaches the Karoo.
Gretchen
An elderly lady I befriended during my stop in the small town of Kaapsehoop. We began talking in the small thrift shop where she works, and she mentioned that her great great grandfather had served as president of South Africa in the 19th century. He was eventually removed after a year of service for returning land to slaves. Gretchen still has the deeds as proof.
Washing Line Fashion
Sanele has a love for different styles of clothing, ranging from the traditional to the western as well as a healthy mix of the two. While at his house on one of my visits, I found this scene of him along with the various garments on his family’s drying line to be an interesting visual metaphor for the interconnectivity of the world.
Sibahle
Sibahle is a local Xhosa actress who lives in the rural village of Lubanzi located on the Wild Coast, about 30km from Coffee Bay. Her family forms an integral part of the local community and has a close relationship with the backpackers’ lodge.. The lodge is a source of tourism, income and opportunity for the community. As our friendship developed, she told me about her dreams of making it as an actor.
As a third culture kid born and raised in various regions of the world and spending more time outside South Africa than in it, I've always desired to explore, understand and connect with what it means to be South African. As a child of mixed cultural background with one English and one Afrikaans parent, even in the midst of family gatherings, I felt a sense of otherness. I returned to South Africa in 2017 and wanted to travel, connect and interact with the people, places and spaces that make up the South African experience. Finally in 2021, at the first chance available, I undertook a countrywide road trip over five months. The goal? To ascertain what it means to be South African, especially in a nation which encompasses so many cultures, languages and identities. Who are we?