Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu
SOUTH AFRICAN travel and lifestyle writer, Lulama “Lulu” Njapa, was among the over 5 000 attendees who graced the Chief Dakamela Achievers’ Award ceremony in Nkayi, Matabeleland North last Saturday. Lulu found herself particularly moved by Chief Mbusi Bekithemba Dakamela’s unassuming nature and his palpable dedication to the preservation of Ndebele culture, a sentiment that resonated deeply with her.
Lulu, known for her work across social media platforms and YouTube, shared with Saturday Chronicle that she was born in Umzimkhulu, a region to the south-east of Durban, 42 years ago.
“I was born in Durban and I lived there before going to Johannesburg where this journey of mine began. I’ve always loved writing from a tender age which was fuelled by my English teacher who would award us if we did well at school. She taught us how to write poetry pieces.
“What started the travel writing in particular was through a friend who was writing for American monthly lifestyle magazine, Essence and she was interviewing travel writers and she knew my obsession with travelling around Africa and encouraged me to go for it after she sent me pieces of how the travel writers went about their business and this was in 2028. Since then, I haven’t turned back,” she narrated.
Writing across lifestyle, tourism, and culture, her portfolio also encompasses the arts and fashion, earning her by-lines in prominent publications such as the Mail & Guardian, Sunday Times, City Press, and The Informer Independent Digest Malawi, where she has contributed features and regular columns.
Her travels have taken her to numerous African nations, including Namibia, Zambia, and Ghana on several occasions, the latter being a place where her deep appreciation for the continent first took root.
“My first trip outside South Africa was to Ghana (where she attended the Chale Wote Street Art Festival) after I quit my job at a telecoms company, and I felt a profound sense of anticipation. My fascination with Ghana was ignited in 2002 when I met the renowned poet, Atukwei Okai, in Durban. At 20 years old, his words stirred something within me, sparking a desire to explore the heart of Africa, a journey that has shaped my identity ever since,” she shared.
Zimbabwe holds a special affection for her, owing to the warm welcome she consistently receives from its people and the linguistic similarities between Shona and her native IsiXhosa. Lulu recounted her enjoyment of Imiklomelo KaDakamela, noting that it provided her with a novel experience — her first night spent under canvas, albeit one tinged with a confessed fear of spiders.
“KoDakamela was quite a different experience for me, firstly because it was my first time to be in Zimbabwe for a significant amount of time and I had to camp. What intrigued me the most is that the chief himself is one with the people. He doesn’t consider himself up there.
“When we slept, I didn’t notice that he was there with us but in the morning, I realised that he actually slept where everyone else did, a humble gesture if you ask me. The way he was interacting with everyone showed that he is well-grounded. He didn’t treat people like his subjects but rather, people he holds dear,” she said.
Lulu loves culture but wouldn’t call herself a cultural activist or ambassador because in as much as she loves it, “there are some parts that she doesn’t resonate with, especially those that don’t uplift women.”
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derick.khumalo