Today’s Vegetarian Elite will be presented in Zulu and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Nepali, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai and Zulu.

I also responded and said
Yes hallo, hallo
Oh then I responded and said
Yes hallo, hallo

Last week, we were introduced to Tu Nokwe, the lovely and talented South African singer-songwriter, actress, and vegetarian. Tu was born into one of the country’s most famous musical families, often regarded as Africa’s Jackson 5.

This week, we’re back to discuss her Zulu heritage and her interesting encounters with renowned international leaders, including Supreme Master Ching Hai and South African President Nelson Mandela. During our interview, we noticed that Tu was wearing a unique Zulu headdress:

It looks beautiful.

It does look beautiful, I know, because inside, I feel beautiful. So you’re going to get that from me, you see what I mean?

Oh this place is very pleasant
You know, travelling is good
I arrived there in Johannesburg
Where the walls roar

Despite her worldwide travels and fame, Tu remains devoted to her Zulu roots. On all of her albums, music tracks contain English and her ancestral Zulu language. We asked her:

What does it mean to be Zulu?

Those are very proud people. Those are people who believe they have everything. So they live in a way, in this concept of Heaven, because Zulu means Heaven. So if we can do it in a spiritual way, this pride, it would even have more meaning.

Only love can set us free
Let it rain Brothers and sisters
We all have that pure love
It is like rain
It is like your daddy,
it is like your mommy
Let us open our hearts,
we’ll see the light
Let’s open our eyes

How does music relate to your culture as a woman of the Zulu heritage?

I grew up knowing we were not allowed to open up that much those days, not now. Women were in a way suppressed because they couldn’t maybe raise their opinions, but [it’s] through music that we’re doing it. And you sing, you express yourself, you release. So communication is key. To make things happen, we need to talk about things.

So even if it was they were suppressed those days, they still communicated. And even with communities when people have something to sort out or there is something that has been done that is not right that doesn’t go with the culture they will sing about it. I think music does that for us. It makes communication flow.

Could you share some Zulu wisdom with our viewers? Some wisdom from the Zulu culture?

Okay, sure. You know that I’m going to have to explain this. “Injobo enhle ithungelwa ebandla.” What that means: “injobo” is something very secretive. People before, even now they do it, even in government they organize those imbizos. They go and meet around the tree and talk about the matters of their community.

And if there is something to be corrected, if there’s something that they must come together and work towards, they will just come to imbizo. If there is a wife that’s troubled by something, they’ll come to imbizo; if there’s a man that’s troubled, or a child, they’ll come to imbizo. You will take everything out, even the most secretive things.

They say the most difficult problem that you have take it to imbizo, ebandla, where others are, don’t keep things to yourself. That’s why we get diseases. That’s why we get heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, because we keep things too much to ourselves.

There’s no way that your problem cannot be solved at ebandla.

Yeah, so it’s community wisdom.

Yes. Even if you have a project, you consult with other people. So there’s no way that you’re not going to get good results.

Okay, yeah, the consultation around the ancestral tree.

Yes, yes.

Will this thing come right
If I look back
Really how will it come right
When I slaughter for the ancestor?
They say this thing will come right
When I look towards the ancestor
Really how will it come right
If I destroy a soul

Last week, we learned that Tu had become a vegetarian early on when she was 15. To her, vegetarianism was not only a testament of her compassion for animals, it symbolized a mark of strong will. She learned through reading a book from Paramahansa Yogananda that with strong will and discipline, anything is possible.

Do you find it difficult being a woman of African descent and being vegetarian?

No, actually it’s not difficult. I have my garden now and there are vegetarian shops everywhere. It’s not difficult and it’s quick to cook because you don’t have to overcook it. Just steam or whatever and there’s tasty meals. Like tonight, they’re going to have the tastiest vegetarian meals.

So what recommendation would you give to people in Africa to become vegetarian?

Oh Lord, we can save a whole lot of money. We can feed more people if we can go vegetarian because we’re wasting a lot of our resources with trying to create this meat off it. We can do more. We can get rid of poverty. We can use the soil for what it is for. There’s a lot. You can discover a whole lot that is here on Earth that God has given us.

Worldwide meat production horrifically exploits natural resources and is the number one cause of climate change. Living in Africa, one of the areas most vulnerable to climate change, Tu Nokwe urges all to change these consumption habits that are wreaking devastation on our environment and livelihood.

It’s scary what can happen, and what is already happening. At some point, we’re going to run out of water, at some point. It’s scary, we’re going to start working and get paid by glass; you get a glass of water as your salary.

That’s how bad it can become if we don’t take care of what is given to us. So maybe it’s the language, the way that it’s being taught – something more has to happen. I know people are trying; I saw what Al Gore did. But we must just know within our homes, let’s do something, let’s get more educated, and learn about this.

When we return after this brief message, Ms. Tu Nokwe will share her heart-warming stories from interactions with Supreme Master Ching Hai and South African President Nelson Mandela. You are watching Vegetarian Elite on Supreme Master Television.

Que sera sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera
Que sera
Whatever will be, will be

Welcome back to Vegetarian Elite on Supreme Master Television and the conclusion of our feature on South African acclaimed singer-songwriter and actress Tu Nowke. As a member of one of Africa’s elite musical families, Tu is acquainted with prominent world figures, including South Africa’s legendary president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela.

I have had many, many opportunities to meet the president, Nelson Mandela. But the first time I met the former President Nelson Mandela was first in, I think it was in America. And then the second time I met him, it was when we were performing for him here at home, and he came out of our dressing room to greet all of us.

And then he asked me, he held my hand, the first shake, “How is your father?” I was like, “What? You know my dad!” He’s so current. And the third time… Oh, then he came to my daughter, and he said, “You are going to be the next president,” jokingly, but my daughter believes that now, that one day she will be one. So maybe she will be in a leadership position because she cares about what happens in the planet.

She cares about people. She’s full of compassion. She’s the one who ran to Master, when Master came to South Africa. My daughter, her name is Nirvana. I don’t know why I gave her that name, so she’s got a role to play as well.

You’ve met Supreme Master Ching Hai. (Yes.) What was your impression at that meeting?

Oh! That first meeting, my Lord! I happened to be an MC that day, which it was like a shock for me, but it happened. I ended up being there to welcome Master Ching Hai. When she came through, that was really my first meeting, like physical meeting. What a free human being! She’s just comfortably in her own space. I felt like, “Oh, my Lord! I can draw a lot from what I’m seeing.”

And the father of my child, he was one who introduced me to her, he’s passed now, he’s in another Heaven. He just fell down on his knees and he went like this. And Master went to him, she touched his head and she said, “You are also a Christ, my brother. You are also a Christ.” Sometimes some Christians don’t understand the Christ spirit, that Jesus, that we all have it. And when she said that, I was like. “Wow!” I was so relieved, because sometimes we look for something to worship.

And the message of Jesus Christ is so powerful and simple. It’s like what I saw in Supreme Master Ching Hai. So my first impression was simplicity. She made me feel comfortable with myself, that I’m actually okay.

Do you have any message you would like to send to Supreme Master Ching Hai?

Yes. I have a message that I would like to send to Master Ching Hai: My daughter would like to see you again. And I promised her that we will visit some day so she will see you. And another message: I was in my altar the other day, and I have your picture in my altar, and I was just minding my own business, praying for my family.

But all of sudden, I looked at your picture, and I cried for you. And I don’t know whether I was crying because I was missing you, but I just want you to know that somehow, I felt like we don’t pray for you enough. You are doing a lot for the world, and you sacrifice a lot to do the work that you are doing for God. And oh, I want to cry again, but I did on that day, I did pray for you. And but I was crying because I should have been praying for you anyway, you don’t have to do this alone. Thank you, thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai warmly replied to Ms. Tu Nokwe: Thanks for your benevolent heart and loving prayers. May Heaven’s love protect you and yours always. You deserve it more. With all my love to you and your beautiful, special daughter. I always remember you both.  CH

Thank you, Ms. Tu Nokwe for singing to life the beauty of the Zulu culture and the respect for all life. May your artistry continue to inspire harmony, hope, and happiness in all who enjoy your works.

Melodious viewers, thanks for being with us today on Vegetarian Elite. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Between Master and Disciples, coming up next. Blessed be your noble deeds and kind heart.