Lesedi Cultural Village, Cultural village in Cradle of Humankind, South Africa.
Lesedi Cultural Village is an open-air museum near Johannesburg, in Gauteng, within the Cradle of Humankind. It reproduces traditional dwellings of several Southern African peoples and hosts dance demonstrations and other cultural activities. A painted gateway at the entrance reads "LESEDI" above "HAMBA KAHLE" and "GO WELL".
Lesedi Cultural Village opened in 1996 and was described that year in a New York Times article by Donald G. McNeil Jr. titled "My Hut Is Your Hut: South Africa's New Tourism." It closed for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in 2022.
The name Lesedi means "light" in Sotho. The village presents the traditions of several Southern African peoples, including Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele, through dance performances and demonstrations of daily life. The painted gateway carries the farewells "Hamba Kahle" and "Go Well".
The location sits about 45 minutes from Johannesburg and operates with guided tours as the main way to see the homesteads. Overnight stays and dining options are available on-site for those wanting to spend more time here.
The gateway in the photograph carries the inscriptions "LESEDI", "HAMBA KAHLE" and "GO WELL" — isiZulu for "go well", the farewell used when guests leave. The name Lesedi means "light" in Sesotho. The village reopened in 2022 after closing for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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