Executive Director: Mphatheleni Makaulule – (Phangami- Mulisa)
Mobile phone & Whatsapp: +27 7949 35 200 E-mail: mupofood@gmail.com
Mphatheleni, 55 years old this year 2024, a mother to her two sons Thama and Ndima of the Dima Nemalale clan for 24 years she volunteered in communities, for elders, youths and children mobilisation on indigenous knowledge to be acknowledged.She has pioneered and find a younger phangami youth to take on the vision drive. below follows Adivhaho , Dzomo la Mupo Executive Director.
Mphatheleni is the daughter of the late Makaulule Ratshili Aron, a traditional healer, traditional farmer, and traditional leader and hails from vhongwaniwapo (indigenous) clan of the VhaVenda nation, in northern South Africa. She breast from her mother Vho Maria Fhrisani , the daughter of the oldest lived Traditional leader Khosi Vho Kingi Matamela Davhana Nesengani.
Vho- Mphatheleni Makaulule(Mphathe)
Vho-Mphatheleni Makaulule (Mphathe) an environmental activist and defender of the sacred sites was born when her father was 74 years old. Her father was a traditional healer, farmer, and traditional leader. She is a founder of the Mupo Foundation (now registered as Dzomo la Mupo.
For more than 35 years Vho-Mphatheleni has been working with the Venda elders and youth, particularly women, for the transfer of indigenous knowledge to the younger generation. She calls elders her libraries of knowledge. She has currently obtained her master’s degree from the University of Venda in African studies paying attention to indigenous knowledge perspectives on holistic indigenous uses of the Luranga cucurbit pumpkin plant. In her research, the findings revealed the interrelated functions of Luranga on the nourishments as food, material products used for multiple purposes, and ecological, spiritual, and psychological identity associated with womanhood.
Since 1998, she graduated with her junior degree from Univen, B.Ed, and has been igniting enthusiasm to bring Mupo back as principles attached to Vhavenda cultural traditions. Mphatheleni works closely with the Makhadzi of the communities – (women or we-moon as she prefers to call ‘women’)
Mphatheleni(Mphathe) is working with communities on ecological mapping of the territories and ecological calendars for raising the voices of indigenous knowledge where communities’ voices became marginalized due to the planned projects that interfere with the ecosystems, indigenous forests, and the livelihoods rooted in African traditional cultural values.
Mphathe facilitates IKS dialogues for the interaction on issues of environmental injustices through the collaborations of local Vhembe district communities. Working with Prof. Netshandama she collaborates with the University of Venda community engagement. That collaboration reaches Mphathe to bring academic vigor to Dzomo la Mupo and the facilitation reaches Dzomo la Mupo to establish a further network with Vhahangwele Lithole to engage the Ekuruleni branch of Unisa community engagement. She again creates spaces of intergenerational learning for national international University students through academic research on their programs for collecting data.
She is an Earth Life Africa on unearthing community knowledge particularly marginalised communities through equipping them and their youths on current issues and concepts as a reach out to Just Transition alternative on the drive of Indigenous knowledge and ecological mapping.
Mphathe is a non-executive Director of Wild Law Institute. She represents the indigenous voice and the activists on representing communities’ voice on the mission of the Rights of Mother Earth. On Wild LAW INSTITUTE the voices on human coexistence with the wild pay more attention to rights.
Mphathe is one of the Panellists for Indigenous Knowledge /Intangible Cultural Heritage National Authentication: S.A Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Cell No : +27780073897
Email:
Dr. Kimberly Ross – Education Programme Coordinator
Dr. Kimberly Ross transitioned from Research Assistant to Educational Programme Coordinator in the summer of 2017. Kimberly has a range of experiences as a high school and post-secondary teacher. She recently completed a PhD program in African American and African Studies at Michigan State University and has traveled to South Africa several times since 2012. https://kimberlybernitaross.weebly.com/ In 2015-2016, she conducted 6 months of field and archival research to complete her dissertation titled, Traditional Terrain: Land, Gender, and Cultural Biodiversity Preservation in Venda, South Africa. Kimberly’s interdisciplinary, qualitative research utilizes African-centered theoretical frameworks and gender paradigms. Through her research she examines the colonial social formations that historically and presently disrupt the ancestral and ecological role of the paternal aunt, known as the makhadzi— and the gendered, socioeconomic, and environmental implications in a globalized, post-apartheid era. She will be supporting Dzomo La Mupo’s educational outreach by organizing opportunities for grade school children, teens, and university students to learn directly from African Indigenous Knowledge practitioners. Under Mphatheleni Makaulule’s guidance, Kimberly has learned to approach education holistically for “the management of life and the community.” She draws from Makaulule’s educational concepts, cultivated with the African Biodiversity Network, and her dialogues with indigenous communities and elders in Venda, the Northwest Amazon, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Botswana. These communities acknowledge a respect for one’s ancestors and an awareness of land in the territory (Shango).
Ruth Damm – Website Development
Dzomo la Mupo organisational structure
Current Dzomo la Mupo management committee:
Chairperson – Mr. Vhavenda Vho-Netshilungwi M.A
Deputy chairperson – Mrs. Mudau T.B
Secretary – Nevhudoli Dolphus
Deputy Secretary -Netshidzivhe Tshilidzi
Treasurer- Ms. Tshishoti Rudzani
Additional guardians – Vho-Makhadzi Vho-Nevhutanda Nyamukamadi (Mrs) and Vho-Makhadzi Vho-Netshidzivhe Joyce (Mrs). The chief of Tshidzivhe and the chief of Vhutanda are also in the committee as advisors.
Board Members
Vhavenda Vho-Ramudingane N.(Mr), Makhadzi Vho-Makoma D (Mrs), Makhadzi Vho-Nemarude M.J (Mrs), Chief/Khosi Vho-Netshidzivhe .N.N (Mr), Chief/Vhamusanda Vho-Nevhutanda N.P (Mr).
Dzomo la Mupo first Deputy Chairperson – Makhadzi Vho-Tshisikhawe is now an advisor to all sacred sites zwifho clans. She is the one who welcomes new members to DLM.
Johannes Ramunangi was the first Chairperson of Dzomo la Mupo from 2007 – 2012. We will always remember him and his legacy to DLM. Johannes passed away in 2016 and has joined the ancestors.
Head of collaborations: Univen Community Engagement
She acknowledge and shows gratitude to elders(indigenous knowledge holders) The 2018 Heritage Day Symposium promotes intergenerational learning | University of Venda (univen.ac.za)
- Indigenous Knowledge Systems as an Agent of Decolonisation and Transformation for Socio–Economic Development in Africa | University of Venda (univen.ac.za)
- http://univen.devman.co.za/Devman/resource/19141/668867/