Meet Ms. Mandy Mankazana the founder of the museum, the first African woman to introduce tours to Soweto in 1994 under the name Imbizo Tours. She’s a different thinker, born in Soweto, she always had a different mind from her peers, seeing the world within her own eyes. The museum is her reflection of life in appreciation to uThixo no Thixo guidance in building the museum with over 15 years of research on African indigenous knowledge and wisdom.
The Museum is the first of its kind and truly a hidden gem. The museum exposes African people’s wisdom, knowledge before colonization the connection between people, animals, soil, water, uThixo, nature, sacred-symbol writing and African Astrology. The museum was a pilot project with tourists since 2018 and has officially been completed on September 20th, 2020. It is now open to the public.
The museum is situated in the middle of the houses, in Rockville, just 200 meters from Regina Mundi, the famous Church where the June 16, 1976 student funeral service was conducted. It also served as a shelter for students during the June 16 uprising in 1976 where the Truth and Reconciliation meeting was conducted by the Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu.
The museum was a house and home to the Mankazana family and later became a student residence. Most materials used in creating the museum are up-cycled.
More than 75 people contributed to the creation of the museum. Locals were given space to leave their mark, big or small as the museum offers different spaces for the mind to explore.
Enjoy our delicious home-made teas and herbal cold-drinks coming direct from our beautiful garden surrounded by peace and tranquility.
