The Tortoise Shell
Discretion and confidentiality
The Tortoise Shell has special significance for the Khoi and San people of Southern Africa, representing leadership and discretion within our indigenous knowledge systems. Often gifted to new leaders, the tortoise shell embodies core values like confidentiality and respect for internal matters. The shell serves as a reminder for leaders to exercise discretion in all affairs, upholding the community’s trust and maintaining the integrity of their leadership role.
We believe that God gave us not only the Red Disa as a symbol of respect for the Creator, people and nature, but the tortoise shell as a symbol of self-respect. Respect has to be earned but that will only happen if we ourselves uphold the ancient values of our ancestors, who had self-respect but not in an arrogant way. The tortoise also symbolizes inner strength. A hut-maiden always received a baby tortoise shell pendant filled with fragrant buchu powder for her face. But more importantly: that tortoise shell was a constant reminder that she must be cautious of human wolves. The safety in the shell makes it impossible for a wolf to devour it.
“Sarah Baartman, who was exhibited in the early 1800s as a freak in London and Paris, bluntly refused to appear completely naked – always wearing her tortoise shell pendant with dignity. That is why she’s an icon.”
Dr Willa Boezak
Text from Struggle of an Ancient Faith: the Khoi-San of South Africa
Cape Town: Bidvest Data, 2017
