Tshatshingo Pothole: A Sacred Vha-Venda Place with Cultural Barriers to Tourism Development in South Africa.

• Main Authors: Beneah D.O. Odhiambo, Mukondeleli Manuga
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AfricaJournals 2017-08-01
• Series: African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
• Subjects: Sacred Site; Tshatshingo Pothole; Heritage; Cultural Barriers; Tourism Development
• Online Access: https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_38_vol_6__4__2017.pdf

The Vha-Venda peoples of South Africa have sacred places like many other traditional cultures. Sacred sites are places for communicating with spirits, observing nature and performing rituals that harbor deep cultural meanings to society. This paper is about Tshatshingo Pothole which occurs in a geologically deep gorge along the Tshirovha River. It is a gigantic whirlpool approximately 15m in diameters. There are three other giant sinkholes in the same location. The Pothole is of significant heritage to the Vha-Venda people in general and particularly to the Makani clan. By rights traditionally bestowed on the Makani clan, they have become the sole custodians of the Tshatshingo Pothole. The Makani chief, as the ‘owner’ of the site, is the ultimate decision maker regarding any aspects related to the use or proposed developments around the Pothole. The articles methodology included a desktop research, interviews of the key informants, the informal exchange of views by stakeholders and the capturing of the Tshatshingo Pothole landscape through digital images as well as several sites visits. The article established that Tshatshingo Pothole is a sacred place with definite potential as a tourism destination. However, fully blown tourism development is unlikely to take place because of the prevailing deep cultural conservatism of the Vha-Venda people. Nevertheless, it was exposed that a possible development trajectory at Tshatshingo Pothole may take place with the approval of and needed permission of the Makani chief. However, such developments should be culturally acceptable and sited at a suitable distance from the Pothole.