Where we come from has an influence on what we decide to be

Growing up in Cradock, I observed a few cultural differences between the rituals and habits my friends had and that we exercised as our house. Not fully understanding, and as any smart kid would do, I inquired from my elders.

I was told that, though we speak isiXhosa, live like amaXhosa and generally look and act the same, we were not. We are in actual fact Mfengu, such a foreign concept and understanding to me. It took several years till my  teens to fully grasp the fundamental difference.

Mfengu people are closely related to the Zulu people, but now often considered to have assimilated to the Xhosa people whose language they now speak. Historically they achieved considerable renown for their military ability in the frontier wars.

The term Mfengu, is derived from the word ukumfenguza, which means to beg or ask for a place to settle or wonder about seeking service.

In the spirit of my ancestors, who went place to place trying to find value and a home, I believe that is what we as entrepreneurs are – modern day Mfengus, moving from one idea to the next to find that elusive special and innovative idea to give us all we desire in building a successful business, create value and a safety net (home).

Like most people in history and current history, being political asylum seekers empowers a people with a sense of a great drive to achieve and coexist with others. As Mfengus coexisted and created value as they went along – so we too as entrepreneurs need to learn to cooperate, coexist and create value.

The route to success is seldom paved, the hurdles we encounter daily and overcome should become our source of strength and motivation for the future.