Visitors to Durban will see plenty of modern Africa, with the continent’s biggest port also providing some of its most popular beaches and best nightlife. However, most visitors will be keen to see and learn about the history and culture of the city and the country, something they can do very well at the Phansi museum.
Located at Roberts House – a restored Victorian national property – in the Glenwood area of the city near the central business district, this is a place where the traditional arts and crafts of the Kwazulu-Natal region can be discovered. There is a huge collection of artefacts, from wooden figurines to woven straw baskets.
There are over 4,000 artefacts in total and some are a bit quirky and unusual, including baskets made by woven telephone wire. Visitors can marvel at the artistry, the skill and the numerous patterns that have been created, as well as learning about the cultural significance of many of the items, which are used in rituals and ceremonies. At the same time, there are also some remarkable everyday items, including Zulu earplugs, Ndebele blankets, beadwork and beer pots. Perhaps the most popular items are the marionettes, with a room filled with 30 life-sized puppets in ceremonial dress from all over the continent.
The museum was established in 2000 and although it had small beginnings in a basement – the name Phansi means ‘below’ in IsiZulu – the collection of African artefacts is one of the biggest in the world. It is not just the items on display that will provide fascination and impart knowledge.
The human face of the museum is Phumzile Nkosi, the tour guide and museum hostess who is descended from Swazi royalty and therefore has a great understanding of some of the regal traditions of tribes and nations across the continent. The museum also hosts workshops and cultural functions, as well as publishing literature and printing calendars on the theme of Africa’s cultural heritage. It also has a partnership with the Amazwi Abesifazane (Voices of Women) memory cloth project, with these cloths being displayed on a rotating basis. In short, this is not a museum about the past, but living, vibrant cultures.
