Shembe Walk to God

At the beginning of every year, thousands of members of the Nazareth Baptist Church, or the “Shembe Church” as they are more commonly called, embark on a 70km pilgrimage to a Holy Mountain in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal. They leave from Inanda, just north of Durban, and walk barefoot in their traditional white attire; braving KZN’s scorching heat or unpredictable rain. They walk on searing hot tarmac or on the prickly dirt roads of the hinterland, singing the praises of their founder Isaiah Shembe or of God stopping sometimes for a break or overnight just in fields along the road. They travel for three days until they finally reach Nlangakazi, their holy mountain, where it is said God spoke to their founder almost a hundred years ago. The program looks at the faith of Shembe people through the context of the pilgrimage - examining their core beliefs and practices while showcasing their courage, perseverance and strength of character that is evident in the Shembe Walk to God.