I visited a village in the Transkei, called Bulunulga. The experience is a little unlike everyone else. Travellers are made to know that they are living space that does not belong to them, they are guests and are expected to behave as such. People from the village pass through the lodge as they please, interacting with whoever is there.
One afternoon I took a djembe out and started trying to drum. I have a musical ear and I could tell how terrible it sounded. Some of the village children, who were playing nearby with a football, decided to come over and see what's up. The tallest among them was at most 1.2m the shortest, not yet a meter. They walked into the lodge and brought out two other huge djembes, half dragging them because of the size. They started to play the most unexpected hypnotic beats. Improvising between the rythms as they went along. Unbelievable talent.
I gave my drum to someone else who was waiting to play and got the camera. This is one of the shortest guys, in the zone.
