Lake Fundudzi: A Sacred Lake in South Africa that is not open for Tourism Development.

• Main Authors: Godfrey Anyumba, Mkateko Nkuna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AfricaJournals 2017-08-01
• Series: African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
• Subjects: Sacred; Tourism Issues; Vah-Venda Culture; Chief and Clan Powers; Closed to the public
• Online Access: https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_46_vol_6__4__2017.pdf

Lake Fundudzi is a very important sacred place for the Vha-Venda people, who are also referred to the `Vhatatsindi’, or People of the Pool. Vha-Venda mythology believe that Lake Fundudzi, South Africa’s only natural lake was created when a passing leper was refused food and shelter by villagers. The leper cursed the village that subsequently vanished below the waters of the newly formed lake. Vha-Venda have a number of folklore derived from the lake. These include; an albino python god, ancestral spirits that inhabit the lake, a guardian White crocodile, bio-indicators of seasonal weather changes and detectable moods of the ancestors. This article sought to document the precise reasons as to why Lake Fundudzi and its environment have not been developed as a cultural tourist destination. The methodology of this study was a desk top research as well as interviews of key informants, community members and tourism industry stakeholders. The findings were that indeed Lake Fundudzi has a broad range of cultural mythology and landscape that would attract heritage / cultural tourists as well as the general tourist. However, the potential tourism destination is set in a culture that is conservative with firm beliefs in animism. These work against any notion of tourism development of Lake Fundudzi. Factors such as the sacredness of the lake, the powers bestowed to the Chief who `owns’ the lake and perform rituals on behalf of the Vha-Venda people to appease their ancestors, all combine to make even suggestions of any development unacceptable. The other findings were that although the South African Government has a sophisticated range of policies and infrastructure, the value of these to our study area are questionable. However, the article did establish that some tourism related industry would be acceptable if located some distance from Lake Fundudzi.