It is not only the environment that is becoming unhealthy and less resilient as a result of industrialisation, but also communities. However, the knowledge of how to live meaningfully and sustainably in our environment and with each other is still held by the elders, and the women makhadzis. Indigenous knowledge offers a vast wisdom and has much to teach about how we live according to one another and to Nature for the wellbeing of the whole.
The relationships of individuals to their family, clan, community, society and to Nature have regulated indigenous communities for many centuries and women have always played a central role. Traditions surrounding seed, food and seasonal cycles are all rooted in an appreciation of the sacredness of life and Nature. This sacredness is reflected in the cycles and celebrations of community life which is then reflected in the environment.
The core work of Dzomo la Mupo is to restore community cohesion and practices, and to revive the role of the makhadzi in order to be able to deal with problems, threats and challenges from the modern industrial world. Richness in life can be found through the protection of this diversity and wealth of knowledge.
