The fact that South African has 11 official languages and 8 other recognized languages are one of the main reasons why South African is considered to have a very vibrant and incredibly diverse culture.

The different cultures in South Africa started way back when the original aboriginal people, the KhoiKoi and San. The KhoiKhoi and the San were then joined by the Bantu people who were originally from Northern Africa. Being colonized by the Europeans from the South brought about new cultures, arts, skills and farming methods into South African culture.

The KhoiKhoi and San culture

These indigenous people were quite the artists and are hugely responsible for beautiful rock art that is found around the country. The San people also referred to as the “Bushmen” were also quite the hunters and trackers and today the tracking skills of the San people are hugely incorporated into the fight against poachers. The Bantu people who migrated weren’t all one culture, the other cultures that made up the Bantu people were the Zulu, Ndebele, Xhosa, Shangaan and several others. All these cultures make up the colorful and interesting way of living of the South African people.

Zulu Culture

The Zulu culture is famous for King Shaka and his shield bearing warriors. It is also famous for their excellent skills in making beautiful beehive grass huts, basketry and also their intricate beadwork skills. An interesting fact about the Zulu culture is that they have strong beliefs in ancestral spirits and supreme beings who they believe don’t usually get involved in human matters. They believe in diviners who help by communicating with the spirits and identifying these problems and ultimately resolving them.

Xhosa Culture

This culture is known for their very complex dress code that expresses the social standing of a person: their marriage status, their seniority within the culture or community, etc. For example, if a hat is very elaborate it indicates the seniority of an individual.

In this culture, there are many ancestral hero stories and initiation ceremonies which are actually still practiced today regardless of the fact that many young men continue to die or are mutilated through these initiation ceremonies. 

Ndebele culture

Women from the Ndebele culture are famous for their skills in incorporating very vibrant geometric designs into and outside their homes. These skills have been passed down from generation to generation with the addition of very fashionable beadwork.

Shangaan culture

The Shangaan people are known for practicing fishing which means that fish is a very intricate part of their diet. Along with fish they also incorporate venison and crocodile in their diet. One of the most interesting items in their diet are the infamous Mopani worms which are found in the Mopani forests of the Lowveld. They are either eaten dry or after being pan fried in butter. They are a very famous tourist attraction.