Vangethongo: The One Who Hears the Ancestors

Claire Shields is now called Vangethongo, The One Who Hears the Ancestors. Vangethongo says her ancestors called her in her dreams to bridge the gap between black and white culture in South Africa and train with the amaMpondo tribe to become an Igqhira, a traditional African healer. According to the customs of the ancestral cult, she must perform various ceremonies before she can graduate. Vangethongo lives in Cape Town with her husband and two children and travels frequently to Pondoland for ceremonies and further training. She wears traditional dress at all times. Images by Alexia Beckerling

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