OBANJENI FARM DEDICATION CEREMONY
On 24th June, Siyazisiza marked a significant milestone on the land that holds our Zululand Agri-Support Centre in Obanjeni, KZN. The acquisition of this land in early 2022 and the subsequent move from Empangeni brought new responsibilities and challenges. However, amidst the chaos of settling in, we unintentionally overlooked acknowledging this transformative transition.
As we began to catch our breath this year, our staff voiced their concerns, reminding us of the importance of recognising our arrival and the impact it had on the land. Engaging in meaningful discussions, we drew inspiration from our diverse beliefs and Zulu traditions, crafting a simple yet profound ceremony that united us all.
The ceremony embraced the presence of the former inhabitants, Peter Willmore’s family and their closest staff. When Peter passed away in 2011, some of his ashes were sprinkled near his favourite tree. We chose to enact our dedication ceremony by this tree. Opening with a heartfelt welcome, song, and prayer, Rosie, representing the Willmore family, then blessed a handful of soil and passed it to Justin, Siyazisiza’s Co-CEO, for his dedication. We then observed a moment of personal reflection and prayer before concluding with a closing prayer, uplifting song, and a shared meal.
Just before her departure, Rosie concluded the ceremony by placing a bouquet of flowers at the base of Peter’s tree. With profound respect, she requested Peter’s spirit to accompany her home through the flowers, speaking only to him during her journey and describing their surroundings and the family’s new home.
The staff embraced the ceremony’s significance, and we are excited to honour the dedication we have made to this land as we forge ahead in our mission.
The dedication to the land made by Siyazisiza’s Justin Bend:
“First and foremost, I would like to thank our staff for their calling of this gathering and causing us to reflect upon what it actually means to take on ownership of land. I think that western economic principles and colonialism have really screwed up our understanding of land ownership. The acquisition of land has been reduced to a financial transaction: an item that sits on your balance sheet as a fixed asset – a financial investment against which further capital can be raised – an item to be used and, in many cases, abused. But the acquisition of land is so much more than this – it comes with a very important responsibility.
Land is a place that creates and nurtures life – it has been here way before humans walked on this planet and will continue to be here long after we are gone. The history of humankind is rooted and stored within it – it has bared witness to our tragedies, our celebrations, our cultures, our wars, our love and so much more. So the acquisition of land is much greater than the acquisition of the visible buildings, boundaries and existing vegetation – it is also the acquisition of the invisible. And as such, we acquire the responsibility of custodianship – the role of stewards.
As the stewards of this land, we acknowledge the identity of the ecosystem and seek consent for its use and interaction. We honour and acknowledge traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous wisdom. As the community of Siyazisiza, we will restore diversity and vitality to the land. We will undo the abuse that decades of industrialised monoculture have done to the land by tapping into and revitalising indigenous ecological wisdom.
As a community, we will create a place of learning and compassion. A place that celebrates diversity. A place that respects people’s dignity and indigenous wisdom. A place that welcomes all who wish to support our vision.
As a community, we extend our gratitude to Mr. Peter, to Susan, to Rosie and their families for affording us this immense responsibility. We recognise and respect their stewardship of their land which they inherited from those before them.
As the new stewards of this land, we will endeavour to continue build upon all that come before us for the benefit of future generations. We ask that this place is blessed, and that all our work is blessed. Thank you.”
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Ngo mhlaka 24 kuNhlangulana iSiyazisiza iqophe umlando obalulekile emhlabeni ophethe iZululand Agri-Support Centre eso-Obanjeni, KwaZulu Natal. Ukutholwa kwalo mhlaba ekuqaleni kuka-2022 kanye nokusuka eMpangeni kwaletha izibopho nezinselelo ezintsha. Nokho, phakathi kweziphithiphithi zokuzinza, asikunakanga ngokungenhloso ukuvuma lolu shintsho.
Njengoba siqala ukukhokha umoya kulo nyaka, abasebenzi bethu bazwakalise ukukhathazeka kwabo, besikhumbuza ngokubaluleka kokubona ukufika kwethu kanye nomthelela okube nawo emhlabeni. Ukuzibandakanya ezingxoxweni ezizwakalayo, sathola ugqozi ezinkolweni zethu ezihlukahlukene kanye namasiko AmaZulu, sakha umcimbi olula kodwa ojulile owasihlanganisa sonke.
Umkhosi uhlanganise ukuba khona kwezakhamuzi zangaphambili, umndeni kaPeter Willmore kanye nabasebenzi babo abaseduze. Lapho uPeter eshona ngo-2011, omunye umlotha wakhe wafafazwa eduze kwesihlahla sakhe asithandayo. Sikhethe ukewenza umcimbi wethu wokunikezela ngalesi sihlahla. Evula ngenhliziyo yokwamukela, iculo, kanye nomkhuleko, uRosie, omele umndeni wakwaWillmore, wabe esebusisa inhlabathi encane wayidlulisela kuJustin, uCo CEO weSiyazisiza, ngokunikezela kwakhe. Sabe sesibheka isikhashana sokuzindla komuntu siqu nomthandazo ngaphambi kokuba siphethe ngomthandazo wokuvala, ingoma eyakhayo, nokudla ndawonye.
Ngaphambi kokuhamba kwakhe, uRosie waphetha umcimbi ngokubeka izimbali phansi kwesihlahla sika-Peter. Ngenhlonipho enkulu, wacela umoya kaPeter ukuba umphelezele ekhaya kanye nezimbali, ukhulume naye kuphela ohambweni lwakhe futhi uchaze indawo nekhaya elisha lomndeni.
Abasebenzi babungaze ukubaluleka komcimbi, futhi siyakuthokozela ukuhlonipha ukuzinikela esikwenzile kulo mhlaba njengoba siqhubekela phambili nomsebenzi wethu.
Ukuzinikela emhlabeni okwenziwe ngu Justin Bend wase Siyazisiza
“Okokuqala nokubalulekile, ngithanda ukubonga abasebenzi bethu ngokubiza lomhlangano, ukubangela ukuthi sicabangisise ukuthi kusho ukuthini ubunikazi bomhlaba. Ngicabanga ukuthi imigomo yezomnotho yakudala kanye nekoloniyalizim kuphazamise kakhulu ukuqonda kwethu ngobunikazi bomhlaba. Ukuthathwa komhlaba kwehliswe kwaba wumsebenzi wezezimali – lena into ehlala ebhalansini yakho njengempahla engashintshi – ukutshalwa kwezimali okungase kuqoqwe enye imali – into engasetshenziswa futhi ezimweni eziningi, isetshenziswe ngendlela ezimbi.
Kodwa ukutholwa komhlaba kungaphezu kunalokho – kuza nomthwalo obaluleke kakhulu. Umhlaba indawo edala nekhulisa impilo – kade wabakhona umhlaba kusukela emandulo futhi usazoqhubeka ube khona ngemva kwesikhathi eside singasekho.
Umlando wesintu unezimpande futhi ugciniwe – ufakaze obala osizini lwethu, imigubho yethu, amsikho ethu, ezimpini zethu, othandweni lwethu kanye nokunye okuningi. Ngakho ukuthathwa komhlaba kukhulu kakhulu kunokuthengwa kwezakhiwo ezibonakalayo, imingcele nezitshalo ezikhona – kuphinde kube wukutholwa kokungabonakali. Futhi kanjalo, sizuza umthwalo wokugcinwa – indima yabaphathi.
Njengaba phathi balomhlaba, siyavuma ubunikazi be-ecosystem futhi sifuna imvume yokusetshenziswa nokusebenzelana kwayo. Siyahlonipha futhi sibonga ulwazi lwendabuko lwemvelo nobuhlakani bomdabu. Njengomphakathi weSiyazisiza, sizobuyisa ubunye kanye namandla kulomhlaba. Sizoqeda ukuhlukumeza osekwenzeke iskhathi eside kakhulu okulima okukodwa emhlabeni ngokusebenzisa nokuvuselela ubuhlakani bomdabu bemvelo. Njengomphakathi, sokwenza indawo yokufundela kanye nesihawu. Indawo ebungaza ukuhlukahluka. Indawo ehlonipha izithunzi zabantu kanye nobuhlakani bomdabu. Indawo ezoyamkela bonke abafisa ukusekela umbono wethu.
Njengomphakathi, sidlulisa ukubonga kwethu ku Mr. Peter, Susan, Rosie kanye nemindeni yabo ngokusisiza kulomthwalo omkhulu. Siyabubona futhi siyabuhlonipha ubuphathi babo bomhlaba wabo abawuzuza kulabo ababengaphambi kwabo.
Njengabaphathi abasha balomhlaba, sizozama ukuqhubeka nokwakhela phezu kwakho konke okuza phambi kwethu ukuze kuzuze izizukulwane ezizayo. Sicela ukuthi le ndawo ibusiswe, futhi wonke umsebenzi wethu ubusiswe. Ngiyabonga.”
