The annual Bikita Seed and Food Fair takes place in the Masasire community’s Kumboedza garden on 22 August 2025. This vibrant celebration starts at 9h00 and is expected to end by 17h00. These annual events celebrate the richness of diverse farm-saved seed and the invaluable traditional knowledge that underpins and…
Thandi Mkhonto’s story My name is Thandi Mkhonto. I am a farmer and I live in Julius Mkhonto, Elukwatini, Mpumalanga, South Africa. I am passionate about farming and I try to make a positive difference in my community. Before EarthLore came to Elukwatini, we used to have so many challenges.…
Who could have imagined that a seed smaller than mustard would contribute to the revival of important rituals and ceremonies that have been dormant for a total of over 200 years! When Finger millet, or Rukweza in Shona, was revived with other millets as a staple crop in Bikita, Zimbabwe,…
EarthLore Foundation is extending the application deadline for the Finance Custodian role to 15 May 2025. This position is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and offers a meaningful opportunity to support regenerative, community-rooted work that honours indigenous knowledge and ecological justice. If you are committed to financial integrity, have experience…
EarthLore Foundation invites applications for the position of Finance Custodian to join our vibrant and purpose-driven team working to revive indigenous knowledge systems, strengthen community ecological governance, and enhance seed and food sovereignty in South Africa and Zimbabwe. We work at the intersection of ecology, culture, and justice—reviving indigenous seed…
In most cultures and traditions it is customary to give thanks before eating. The Uluma is an annual ceremony that gives thanks and asks for the blessings of the ancestors and opens the way for the whole community to harvest the crops in their fields for eating. For the first…
Suko Seed Blessing ritual revived in Mazwimba, Venda, after 40 years “Seeds hold great cultural significance by representing new beginnings and the promise of generous harvests. The purpose of this sacred seed blessing ceremony is to invoke, inform and request the ancestral spirits to bless the seed, to process the…
The following article is about events in March last year. We decided to publish it as the communities will be performing the Ihhula ritual on 18 February at Steenbok. In the heart of Elukwatini, a community, strongly connected to the Swati culture and proud of its heritage, is keeping…
It is my pleasure to introduce myself as Patrick Thwala. I live at Nhlazatshe no 6 and am a young farmer in Elukwatini, Mpumalanga, where EarthLore works. Throughout my childhood, I was passionate about bees. As a child, I spent countless hours observing their behaviour and learning about their critical…
