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Black Jews in Venda, Limpopo
The Lemba - Jews of Africa
Lemba John Haji and guide Daniel Khosa.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
There are also Lemba people living in north-eastern Zimbabwe.
The far-northern reaches of Limpopo province hold mysteries and legends like the Rain Queen, the Sacred Lake - and the Lemba People, the Jews of Africa.
The Lemba emblem is the Star of David, with an elephant at its centre. The elephant signifies the clan's membership to the Venda nation, and it's their symbol of might, peace and intellect.
Should you meet senior Lemba, John Hadji, out at East Lynne Farm near Elim, he will tell you the first person to call his group ‘black Jews' was the old Boer Republic's president, Paul Kruger.
'My Uncle Abel cooked for him,' John will confirm.
The Lemba in Limpopo are believed to be part of the 10 Tribes of Israel, who were separated from the others about 2 700 years ago.
'Our forefathers left Israel during a time when Jews were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar, in 650BC. They came down through Yemen, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique, before finding this place,' says John.
Some of the Jewish traditions still maintained by the Lemba include male circumcision, eating kosher meat and burying their dead with the heads pointing towards Judea.
Each year, the Lemba in Limpopo gather a week before the regular Jewish New Year at a farm called Sweetwaters, called together by the Lemba Cultural Association in a bid to maintain their culture and recall their roots.
In recent times, skeptics have questioned the Lemba's links to Judaism, and their ancestry remains controversial. Genealogical scientists in the United Kingdom compared DNA samples of the Lemba to that of Arabic Jews, Azhkenazi Jews and Sephardic Jews. They found that the Lemba males had Y chromosomes that aligned, in parts, to other Jewish groups. It is believed that an initial group of seven Jewish men married African women, and started this interesting lineage.
The Lemba in Limpopo still follow a form of Judaism, which includes a sacred prayer containing a mix of Hebrew and Arabic words.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Guide: Daniel Khosa
Tel: +27 (0) 72 235 4543
Email: khosad@yahoo.com
Accommodation: Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge
Tel: +27 (0) 12 556 3406
Email: clare@shiluvari.com
How to get here
Head for Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge outside Elim near the Limpopo town of Makhado - the guide takes you out from there.
Around the area
Ask the same guide to take you on a tour of the Ribolla Art Route in the area - the work is world-class.
Get around
A self-drive with a guide is best.
Where to stay
Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge outside Elim.
Best buys
Pottery and wooden sculptures from the Ribolla Art Route.