Africa Shaman Retreat

Hi there,  this is Sarah Wager and Muvo Ngcobo from Africa Shaman Experience.  We are looking to raise $54,000 dollars to bring our vision of a self sustaining, off-grid, naturally built African Shamanic Healing Center to life, and we need your help.

Our healing Center that we are looking for funding for is in Hlatikulu, in a beautiful unspoiled and sacred valley high up in the heart of the Drakensburg Mountain. The area is steeped in Zulu culture, and in Zulu traditions, ancestors play an active role in the spiritual lives of the people. As Sangomas that is what we do, work with the ancestors, to bring about healing. The ancestors are considered to be living with us, as much as those in body are living with us.

A bit about us

 I, Sarah Wager was born in South Africa, although grew up in the UK, and it was not until I returned to South Africa as an adult that I trained to become a Sangoma through, Mkhulu Baba Radebe, in Kwazulu Natal over ten years ago.  Unlike other healing and shamanic traditions in order to become a Sangoma, you have to have a calling. Literally the Ancestors chose you.

- Sarah Wager

It was only when I met Mkhulu Baba Radebe who told me that he could help to heal if I accepted the calling. I decided to do this and Radebe, who is 90 years old, trained me, teaching me the old ways of African traditions which I then passed on to Muvo Ngcobo.  Muvo received the calling as a young child growing up in Zulu Culture in Natal, his family helped him receive healing, and delayed the calling until he was old enough. The ancestors bid their time, and in his twenties again they came to him and this time, he answered their call and committed to the training.

- Mkhulu Baba Radebe

What we do

Now, ten years on from my (Makhosi Sarah) graduation, both myself and Muvo are fully practicing Sangoma’s and founders of Africa Shaman Experience. www.africashamanexperience.com. Africa Shaman experience consists of a family of practicing Sangoma’s who have come together to be able to provide an opportunity for people to experience the healing traditions of the Sangoma in South Africa. This can range from one to one sessions, group retreats to even full immersion through training to become a Sangoma. Over the years we have worked with numerous individuals from all walks of life, treating and healing a wide variety of illness, working with the ancestors and sacred plants to bring about a transformation on many different levels, helping them step forward in a profound and positive way. We have witnessed the potent effect of the healing time and time again, and particularly enjoy the dynamic changes that can occur through group work.  We have also have taken many trainee’s in under our wing over the years, many of which are now practicing Sangomas. During their training as in the tradition they have lived and studied with us during this period. 

We also work to promote and expand better understanding of the Sangoma tradition, and work closely with many local Sangomas on important issues, such as recently protecting a sacred site – Howick Waterfall from development. Our hope is to open the way for the Sangoma tradition to be experienced by those who feel the calling to the African continent and provide a nurturing space for the growth of those who come here. It is our dream to share and be inspired to see how deeply we are all connected no matter what culture or country we come from – truly we are a family of human beings on this beautiful planet we all live on.

The Healing Centre

 - view of the site, from across the valley

The time has come to have a purpose-built centre for us to work and live. Where people can experience personal healing, where trainees can stay during their training, and also provide us with a dedicated space where group work can be utilised. In November 2013, we took the first step to realising the dream and purchased a 1.5 hectare site of tribal land in a secluded and stunning valley high up in the Drakensburg’s Mountains.  Work on the retreat in Hlatikulu has already began, and a large 12 metre Makhosini (ancestor's sacred space) has already been completed, along with a sweat lodge, and construction of the first rondavels for accommodation is under way.  Please see the Site plans below, that show the overall vision and layout of the retreat.

Currently we are working from our home in Howick and commute to the site as it is progressing. We have 4 students staying who are in the midst of their training. The Thwasa can last anything up to 2 years, and the need for students to have a place where they can live and study in harmony to deepen their connection is of great importance. Thus one of the primary roles of the healing Centre is to provide a nurturing facility where future generations of Sangoma’s can come and learn and train. At the healing center students will have access to the Makhosini, for ceremonies and rituals, a sweat lodge for steams and access to muhti and medicine required for cleansing and healing, some of which will be cultivated sustainably in the medicine gardens. For them the centre will act as a sort of University Hospital, where they will receive practical training, and be able to acquire the vast array of knowledge required to become a Sangoma, from learning about herbs and medicine, performing healing ceremonies and rituals, through the mentorship, teaching and guidance of myself and Muvo.

As shamanic healing, grows in popularity around the world, more and more individuals of different cultures are being drawn to African Shamanic traditions. The Healing Centre will provide a safe and supportive environment, grounded in the integrity of the ancient Sangoma lineage which we work with,  in a stunning setting for people of all backgrounds to come and experience the healing traditions of Africa. We intend to hold a space for groups to visit from South Africa and all around the world, and are working hard to finish accommodation to be able to host two groups from Europe that are scheduled to visit in the next 6 months.

The money that we are looking to raise will be spent exclusively on developing the site. Our intention is to use readily available and environmentally friendly materials where possible. All the buildings, from the accommodation huts, group kitchen to our house will all be made using adobe mud bricks. While wood for the roof will be harvested sustainably from the nearby wattle forest. The thatch for the roofing is sourced from the surrounding valleys and we have been and will continue to use local labour, whilst aiming to keep our carbon foot print as low as possible. Electricity for the site will be generated through solar and hydro, and we will be installing compost toilets. For water we intend to sink a well and also collect and conserve rainwater. The potential to grow a lot of our own food is also very exciting, and we intend to put in vegetable and fruit gardens, along with keeping goats and chickens. In addition, a medicine garden will provide us with herbs and muthi required for healing and ceremony.

The funds will firstly go to building accommodation and facilities for students and group work that been the primary focus. We will also need a space to live and teach and should we achieve all our funding goals then it will provide us with capital to build the main house. This campaign is really needed and really worthwhile, nowhere in Africa is there a dedicated healing retreat that focuses on traditional healing, where teachings can be passed on. Please support our campaign and we hope are unique perks will get you excited and interested! Your contribution will help us build a dedicated healing centre, where members of the local community and people from around the world can receive first class treatment and help to preserve and protect the wisdom and teachings of African traditional healing for generations to come. You will be supporting a sustainable and environmentally friendly low impact development that will encourage visitors and guests to live in a more harmonious way in relationship with our beautiful natural world. The project build will be managed and overseen by Muvo Ngcobo, who has experience in natural building techniques, with a team of dedicated volunteers and utilizing local labour. Our aim is to have the work completed by the end of 2014, by which point we hope the center will be a valuable resource for people interested in healing throughout Africa and the world over.

Thank you, to all of you who are putting energy into contributing to the construction and support of the retreat. It is deeply appreciated and creates a lasting impact that we hope will spread outwards, encouraging the principle of UBUNTU – humanness or human integrity, throughout the world.