Niki Moore
Pretoria - During working hours they wear high heels, lipstick and linen suits, but during their leisure time they don hiking boots, wetsuits, safety harnesses.
They don’t care if their hair gets wet, their mascara is smudged or their acrylic nails take a beating.
During the week they rule the boardroom; on weekends they tame the wilderness. From zip-lining, skydiving, rock climbing, white-water rafting and abseiling to bungee jumping – for these women, it’s a case of “have the gear, take the plunge”.
These are the new breed of Powerpuff Girls – black executive women of all ages who choose to leave the city whenever they can; single moms who take their kids on adventures, or women in relationships who join up with friends or colleagues and leave their partners to mind things at home.
“Women, especially black women, are feeling more empowered,” said Sharon Munyaka, a psychologist specialising in workplace issues and president of the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychologists in South Africa.
“Women have a world of possibility through their access to education, to the economy, and the fact that adventure excursions have become more accessible for different types of women in different stages of life.
“We no longer feel we need to ask permission. There is no longer any stigma attached to doing things on your own. We now have more earning power, we occupy senior positions and we hold positions of authority. This has given us choices and independence. If we want to do something, we go ahead and do it.”
This new type of executive is also interested in a wider horizon. No longer content with just shopping, socialising and home-making, they want to push boundaries and feel the thrill of personal achievement. And if they can do it with a group of like-minded women friends and acquaintances, so much the better.
Thobeka Dlamini, a businesswoman based in the Eastern Cape, has a background in conservation because of a previous career in the Eastern Cape Department of Environmental Affairs. Adventure runs through her veins, and part of her life’s mission is to show other women there are no limits.
“There are very few females who work in conservation,” she said, “but I am trying to change that. Whenever I can, I go into nature, I go on trips. And I take other women with me.
“I love adventure sports and activities; I’m an adrenaline junkie. Other women see me and say, ‘How do you do that?’ They’re fascinated by my lifestyle and want to try it. I’ve found more and more women want to experience nature, experience adventure.”
Johannesburg journalist Cebo Bhengu is another adrenalin junkie.
“I love new spaces, new experiences, new conversations,” she said, conceding that being a journalist makes her naturally curious and adventurous.
“I love exploring, being in beautiful settings and swimming under waterfalls. I love the beach, the ocean. I do a lot of hiking at our local nature reserves and often take my son. I want to instil in him the same curiosity and love of nature I have, to expose him to as much as possible in life.”
Munyaka feels many women are looking for meaning in life beyond gender roles and societal expectations.
“Perhaps people feel that their lives are a little humdrum, a little empty,” she said. “They want to find out if there is more to life. Women are not waiting for their men, they are talking to each other more easily; they post their adventures on social media and they encourage each other to try new things. They go on these adventures with their friends. And it’s a great way to bond with your kids.”
The women recommend that anyone who wishes to experience adventure activities start with something relatively entry-level, such as zip-lining.
“Don’t buy expensive gear or go for something like crocodile diving on your first try,” said Munyaka. “Start with hiking or zip-lining. It’s safe, you are in good hands.”
Zip-lining, as an entry-level adventure activity, has seen a significant upswing in interest from female-only groups. Mark Brown of Canopy Tours, a company with seven zip-lining locations across South Africa, confirms it.
“There has been an exponential increase in adventurous women groups coming to our branches to put on a harness and go zip-lining,” he said. “We love seeing their enthusiasm and joy. It really is the closest thing to flying like a bird.
“We’ve had quite a few women who have tried zip-lining to overcome their fear of heights, and we have a number of returning customers.”
Munyaka said: “The best thing about doing something in a group is that you are de-mystifying these activities. There are women who don’t want to get their hair wet; they might not have been taught to swim. Maybe they can’t ride a bike, or they are afraid of heights.
“Going on an organised adventure as a group is a fantastic way to get over your fears. It’s so liberating. It gives you a feeling of absolute freedom. In work we are expected to look a certain way, behave a certain way, and this is a way to be completely free.
“I love to bring other people in, they see another black person doing this, and they realise they can do this too. I might take people hiking. And when they see the backpack, they say ‘I can’t do this’, and then they find out they can. Adventure is life-affirming.
“This is true whether you are combating the elements or admiring natural beauty. This is the kind of feeling you cannot find anywhere else.”
Bhengu loves the feeling of a wildly racing pulse and says her best experience was bungee jumping off the Orlando Towers. Skydiving is on her bucket list.
Her advice to other women?
“You just have to do it. You only live once. You have to immerse yourself in new spaces and get new experiences; you need to get the flavours of life, the colours of life. If you are new to this, start small, start slowly. Maybe try something local. There are many options. Adventure tourism is safe, you will be in good hands.”
For these three women, adventure brings liberation, affirmation, independence and adrenalin – all good things they are keen to share as it has brought them so much fulfilment and a sense of worth. And they are breaking gender expectations, with glee.
“I went bungee jumping on my honeymoon,” said Munyaka. “And my in-laws have still not got over that!”
Pretoria News