A mosotho woman in Modern Day South Africa By Ntsaoki Qhu

I have always asked myself the question of how the world has changed right in front of my mother’s eyes who is 55 this year and a mother of eight. The gradual shock of how society has moved from a point of being a community to nuclear families. I grew up wanting to be like my mother. I wanted to get circumcised, get married, bare children and do clay pots and beading, just as my great grand parents were. I am talking about the woman here.

However, in this modern world, like many others from my village, I live in the big city North of Johannesburg. I have recently come here in the past year, like many hoping for advancement in career and fulfillment. I must say that, it is not what I expected, but I am not too far from my dream in this City of Gold.

It has been very difficult for me to make friends and fully integrate into this modern society of multicultural community. I grew up with very strict parents who ensured that we knew and understood who we are and how our people lived. My father is a great story teller and has influenced a lot of my thinking. He shared stories of ghosts, which amused me, stories of family values and how he met my mother, which was through an arranged marriage to how he related to his fathers in the village. The picture he paints for me is diffrent from what we see today. In my head that is a picture of perfect harmony. He paints the world I would have so much wanted to live in, but can never.

I remain very true to my culture and probably stereotypical when it comes to the way we, the basothos have always lived and continue to relate in our world. I belong to the Batloakoa tribe. I am a descended of great woman who lead nations. I am talking about Mmanthatise. (Read more about different Basotho tribes) . I follow in the footsteps of my mothers even in this modern world.

You can also visit my site @ http://ntsoakiqhu.wordpress.com/