Learners and educators from Majiya Secondary School, located between Gingindlovu and Eshowe in northern KwaZulu-Natal, visited the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) – National Research Foundation (NRF) – Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (CEIKS) at UKZN.
The visit, attended by 60 tourism learners from Grades 10 to 12 and five educators from the school, highlighted ways in which Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and Ubuntu values and principles could be incorporated into the tourism industry.
In his welcome address, Director of CEIKS Professor Hassan Kaya expressed his desire for tourism to encompass indigenous knowledge systems. He encouraged learners to understand the history of the country and the continent including that of the local communities they originate from, and to incorporate cultural elements and Ubuntu values into tourism development.
‘As young people from Grades 10 to 12 preparing for careers in the tourism industry, we hope that their interaction with us today on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Ubuntu principles will enrich and enhance their opportunities in the tourism sector,’ said Kaya.
He shared the history of the Centre as a partnership between five South African Higher Education Institutions: UKZN (as the hub), North West University (NWU), University of South Africa (Unisa), University of Limpopo (UL), and the University of Venda (UNIVEN).
Established in 2014, the Centre aims to preserve, promote and protect IKS through research, human capital development, knowledge brokerage, and service delivery, including community engagement.
Kaya reflected on the history of UKZN prior to its merger, and on the racial and ethnic segregation of universities under apartheid. He highlighted UKZN’s mission to be the Premier University of African Scholarship and stressed the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge systems and Ubuntu principles in fulfilling that vision.
Kaya defined indigenous knowledge systems as ‘the bodies of knowledge, innovations, technologies, practices, and belief systems, developed and maintained by local communities over generations, in areas like culture, agriculture, medicine, natural resource management, and spirituality.’
He explained that IKS is culturally specific, context-dependent, non-formal, often orally transmitted, and holistic in nature.
Dr Mayashree Chinsamy, Research Manager at CEIKS, defined Ubuntu ‘as the interconnectedness of humanity, that promotes values such as compassion, empathy, kindness, equality and humanity.’
She led an interactive session that highlighted the significance of IKS and Ubuntu in tourism development. She also shared a wide range of career opportunities available in the tourism industry, both nationally and internationally.
Mr Mxolisi Ngidi, educator at Majiya Secondary School said they visited the Centre to learn more about its offerings and explore its links with tourism. He said, ‘We wanted to merge the theory with the practical, as the curriculum currently being taught coincides with what the Centre has to offer.
‘We hope the learners gained a lot from the information provided, as well as the experience,’ Ngidi added.
Grade 12 learners, Mr Siyabonga Ngubo and Ms Sindiswa Myeza, both agreed that it was a privilege to be part of the visit.
Ngubo said, ‘Indigenous knowledge is an important custom that is passed down from generation to generation, and I hope that learners take what they have learnt today to help them in the future.’
Myeza remarked that she particularly enjoyed the history of South Africa and the career opportunities shared.
