Sisterhood of the Travelling Mgowo
A podcast between two friends where they navigate the intricacies of adulthood.
Episodes
Episode 30: Is Anyone Else Exhausted? | Overexposure, GBV, Dating, Boundaries & Logging Off
30 episodes later… and we’re tired guys 😭This week feels a little like a life update, a debrief and a “what is actually going on?” all rolled into one.We talk about feeling overexposed online and wanting to pull back from social media, having very little social battery left, and figuring out which spaces actually fill our cups instead of draining them.We also speak about the reality of GBV in Sout
Episode 29:Heritage Day, But Whose Heritage? | Culture, Heritage, Identity, and Tradition
Heritage Day had us thinking. When did it become Braai Day? Somewhere between the specials, campaigns and Heritage Day content, it feels like we’ve lost a bit of what the day is actually meant to represent.So we got into our own cultures and what they mean to us personally. Sinesipho speaks about being Xhosa, Mixo about growing up Tsonga, and somehow we end up everywhere from language and family t
Episode 28: GBV Is Everyone’s Problem | Silence, Accountability & Bystander Apathy
Trigger warning: This episode discusses gender-based violence, murder, abuse and the deaths of women. Please take care while listening.To everyone listening,We had this conversation because of what has been happening in South Africa.At some point, we have to ask ourselves what we’re doing with all of this.GBV can’t only be a conversation for when another woman is killed. It has to be something we
Episode 27: What Is The Internet Doing To Us?
There’s a lot to unpack this week. From South African music and the importance of creating spaces to really engage with local artists, to parenting, online misogyny and the way we’re raising the next generation.We chat about Mamakashaka and Friends’ “Track by Track” initiative, what gentle parenting actually looks like beyond the internet discourse, and why we need to be careful about how quickly
Episode 26: Are We Pro-Choice or PROjecting Onto Women & Mothers?
Let’s talk about what happens on South African social media when women announce pregnancies and the moral judgements they’re subject to when they do. We consider and challenge perceived societal expectations, conditioning and patriarchal biological timelines. In this episode, we dive deep into the recent online uproar sparked by two popular influencers announcing their pregnancies in their 30s. Ex
Episode 25: Learning How to Feel My Feelings
In this week’s episode, we’re getting honest about what it actually looks like to do the work on yourself.With one of the hosts approaching 32, the conversation gets into therapy, emotional regulation, ADHD, loneliness and the uncomfortable process of learning how to actually sit with your feelings instead of running from them or trying to analyse everything to death.They talk about what changed a
Episode 24: How Much Are You Carrying?
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about overextending ourselves and why so many of us have become the people who will just “handle it,” no matter how tired we are. This week, we’re joined by a friend of the pod, Kabelo Mabaso, for a conversation about where this habit comes from, how it shows up in our relationships and work, and what happens when constantly being the one who comes through sta
Episode 23: The Economy Is in the Group Chat
In this week's episode, we’re talking about money, friendship, and the awkward reality of trying to have a social life when everything is getting more expensive.The cost of living is making a lot of things feel out of reach, and we get into why there shouldn’t be any shame in saying, “I actually can’t afford that.” Socialising and community are important, so how do we make space for each other
Episode 22: What Are We Actually Doing?
We had a lot to get off our chests this episode.From the emotional toll of the recession and the guilt that comes with spending money, to friendships that feel one-sided and people who want to know everything about your life while telling you nothing about theirs.We also get into deadbeat parents, accountability, confrontation, forgiveness and why keeping the peace isn't always worth it. Somet
Episode 21: Women's Month | What Are We Standing For?
There are some conversations that come around every Women's Month, and then there are the ones we don't spend enough time sitting with.In this episode, we unpack what it means to be a woman in South Africa today, from the everyday weight of navigating patriarchy to the frustration of watching the same cycles of abuse, silence, and performative accountability play out time and time again. W
Episode 20: Who Is Women's Month Really For?
Every August, we're reminded to celebrate women. But somewhere along the way, it's easy for the real meaning of Women's Month to get lost behind campaigns, discounts, and social media posts.In this episode, we're asking what Women's Month should actually look like in South Africa today. We reflect on the legacy of the 1956 Women's March, unpack the issues that continue to a
Episode 19: Boundaries in the Digital Age
Have you ever felt like you really knew someone from the internet?This week, we're joined by Yolanda and Yaya as we unpack parasocial relationships and what it's like to have thousands of people feel connected to you after watching your life unfold on national television.From their time on Big Brother to navigating life as public figures, we talk about fan culture, setting boundaries onlin
Episode 18: Aging With Intention
Birthdays have a way of making you take stock.One minute you're making birthday wish lists, and the next you're wondering if you're where you thought you'd be by now. In this episode, we talk about everything birthdays bring up - from the pressure to celebrate, social media expectations, and the cost of getting everyone together, to the excitement of getting older and becoming more comfortable in
Episode 17: The Cost of Saying Goodbye
Death is never an easy topic to talk about, but it's one of the most important conversations we can have.In this episode, we unpack the emotional and financial realities of funerals in South Africa, the burden that often falls on families when there isn't a plan in place, and why having honest conversations about death can be one of the greatest acts of care for the people we leave behind.
Episode 16: Pivot or Persevere?
In this episode, we unpack the realities of navigating a career pivot and the impact it can have on your mental health. From the uncertainty of starting over to the financial pressures that often come with choosing a different path, we explore what it means to prioritise yourself while managing the practical realities of adulthood.We also discuss the challenges of freelancing, dealing with debt an
Episode 15: We Need To Talk About South Africa
In this episode, we dive into some of the difficult conversations happening in South Africa right now - from xenophobia and Afrophobia to identity, belonging, and the realities many young people are facing.We reflect on the pressure of navigating adulthood, the importance of giving ourselves grace, and what it means to take care of ourselves while trying to survive in a challenging environment.We
Episode 14: The Distance, The Growth, The Sisterhood
In this episode, we're joined by Sinesipho's younger sister Nicky for a conversation about what sisterhood has looked like throughout the different stages of our lives.We chat about the realities of being the oldest versus the youngest sibling, how birth order can shape the roles we take on in our families, and the ways those roles have influenced who we are today. From childhood misunderstandings
Episode 13: I’m Not Okay, and That’s Okay | A Mid-Year Reality Check
In this mid-year check-in, we’re getting honest about what it feels like to be in the "thick of failure". From navigating the weight of an ADHD diagnosis to rejecting the pressure of burnout culture, we discuss what happens when high agency meets low motivation. Whether you're "busy resting" or struggling to model agency when you’ve lost interest, this episode is a reminder
Episode 12: Skincare 101 | Understanding Adult Acne
In this episode, skincare influencer and Nelo Skin founder Luna Nqiwa joins the show to demystify adult acne and foundational skincare. Breaking down the common triggers (from hormones and hygiene to diet and environmental pollution) the discussion reframes acne as a chronic condition to be managed rather than a war to be won. Luna provides an essential roadmap for building an effective routine, e
Episode 11: Winter Bae: Cold In the Streets, Suspicious in the Sheets
In this episode of we are joined by our guest, Mbuso, for a candid conversation about navigating the "streets" of Johannesburg during the winter. The discussion moves from reflections on city identity and the creative scene to a deep dive into modern dating dynamics and emotional survival.
Episode 10: The "Going Under" Checklist: Identifying Your Mental Red Flags
As the weather shifts and the days get shorter, many of us start to feel a familiar heaviness. In this episode, we’re having a real conversation about navigating "the funk", from identifying the early warning signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to managing the overwhelming weight of overstimulation.
Episode 9: Seasons come to pass V2
In this week’s episode, we revisit a conversation we had seven years ago and reflect on just how much life has changed since then. From our mid-twenties to our early thirties, we talk about the personal and professional shifts that shaped us — motherhood, navigating deep loss, and learning to move away from loud, half-formed opinions toward a life that feels more grounded, intentional, and private
Episode 8: Waiting for a Miracle & Confronting Passivity in Our Lives
In this episode of Sisterhood of the Traveling Mgowo, we delve into the concept of the "passive woman" and the impact of passivity on personal development and community. We explore how societal structures, specifically patriarchal conditioning, often encourage women to remain passive to be considered "good" or desirable
Episode 7: It Takes A Village But Are You A Villager?
This week, we expand on the idea of community and how we show up in the spaces that hold us. If the price of community is inconvenience, how much are we paying before we ask our community to pay it forward?Listen and join the conversation in the comments below. Follow for more @smgowo on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Episode 6: Whose Identity Is It Anyway?
Navigating adulthood means outgrowing things, people and spaces that no longer fit who we are becoming. This conversation delves into the responsibility we all individually have to cultivate our own sense of belonging as adults - it is up to us to find the spaces where we feel most like ourselves. Follow us @smgowo on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Episode 5: Checking Your Envy Before You Scroll | Navigating Jealousy
What happens when our social media feeds make us more jealous instead of more inspired? In a digital world geared to show us constant imagery about the how the other side lives, it is difficult not to get consumed by feelings of lack and inadequacy - the gateway to envy. This week, we discuss and maybe even intellectualise emotion to get more comfortable with it in an effort to recognise it and mo
Episode 4: Be For Real. Then What?
This week we ask: we’re always screaming “be real”… but what does that even mean?We unpack our relationship with authenticity, what it means when people in our lives are not being real and how quickly we can resist it when it’s uncomfortable or costs us something.
Episode 3: The Death of the Squad: Friendship in our 30s
We regret to announce the passing of “the squad.” 🕊️ Cause of death: growth, difference, whyling and outgrowing the need to be the same. On this episode, we talk all about going from squad centered friendships to more individual friendships. So tell us, have you experienced this?
Episode 2: Are we as generous as we think we are?
Why do some people withhold when they have enough to give?In this episode, we get into something we’ve all experienced but struggled to name —rationing. The quiet, calculated way people hold back resources, opportunities, information, or support based on what they think you have or don’t have. The generosity that comes with conditions attached. The help that never quite arrives.We unpack where thi
Episode 1: Ngumbuyo ke lo: We're back — and it feels like coming home
In our very first episode of this new chapter, we sit down to do what we do best: talk. Honestly, openly, and without a filter. We get into where life has taken us since you last heard from us, what's changed, what hasn't, and why — after everything — we knew we had to come back to this microphone.Ngumbuyo ke Lo. We're back.
Episode 13: Is This Goodbye?
So... we need to have a little chat.
Episode 12: We're Reflecting Again Part 1
One thing about us, we will reflect! It's good to be back and on this episode we catch you up on all things SMgowo as well as some reflections on social media and how we have been using it. We are also introducing a new segment where we read out some listener questions and comments and hopefully try and address them! Stay tuned for part 2.
Don't forget to rate our podcast on your favourit
Episode 11: The Value of Identifying Red Flags
The episode title peaks for itself. We try to reflect on what good identifying red flags does for us... It's a whole lot tougher than we think.
Don't forget to follow us on the socials @SMgowo and rate us on your favourite podcast streaming platform.
Episode 10: Crawling Backwards
Happy New Year! In this episode we reflect on the year that was, speak good things on the year to come and rant a little.
Don't forget to follow us on IG, Tiktok and Twitter @Smgowo as well as rate our podcast on your preferred podcast streaming platforms!
Episode 9: Am I the loser???
Today we talk about stepping outside of ourselves and our actions and behaviours to see how we could be doing something wrong.
Over the last few years we've received a few requests for merch - we finally feel brave enough to explore this. Please let us know what you'd be interested in. We really appreciate your support. We also announced the winner of our competition.
Episode 8: The Toll Of Vulnerability + Something New
Firstly, check out that new new! On this episode, we talk about the toll it takes to be vulnerable and how frankly tiring it can be to open yourself up so much. We also catch you up on the new look as well as the competition for those who guessed all the snippets correctly and snagged an extra point for guessing what the change would be. We're also thinking of putting up some merch. Let us know wh
Episode 7: Who Owns Your Success?
With Sniper navigating motherhood and Mixo navigating school, we can get lost in trying grasp ownership over our success. Check us out as we talk about success and redefining what it looks like now.
This episode is brought to you by Momentum for their #SheOwnsHerSuccess campaign. Please follow Momentum @MomentumZA across all social media platforms.
Don't forget to follow us
Episode 6: Ngine Anxiety
One thing about Monday, it will creep up on you while you’re minding your business on Sunday. On this episode we talk about ‘Sunday blues’ and that anxiousness you feel ahead of work.
Please don’t forget to rate us on your preferred streaming platforms and to follow us on the socials at @smgowo
Title loosely translated: I've got anxiety/I am anxious
Episode 5: New Kid On The Block Part 2
Part 2 is here and so is our new host! On this episode we catch you all up on the last few months and the changes we have been going through and how we have been dealing with them.
Please don't forget to rate us on your preferred streaming platforms and to follow us on the socials at @SMgowo
Episode 4: New Kid On The Block Part 1
Our new host is here! This episode we catch you all up on the last few months and the changes we have been going through. Zoom interrupted us so Part 2 will drop soon.
Please don't forget to rate us on your preferred streaming platforms and to follow us on the socials at @SMgowo
Episode 3: Ex Friends and Doing The Right Thing
Welcome back to another episode of SMgowo. This episode is a little different. What happens when you breakup with a friend and something tragic happens to them? Do you reach out? Do you let them be? Help Mixo figure out what to do. Dont forget to follow us on Twitter, IG and Tiktok @SMgowo
Episode 2: Hop Off That High Horse
On this episode we talk about The Tinder Swindler, (romantic) loneliness and the high horse industrial complex.
Don't forget to check us out on our socials @SMgowo
Episode 1: Back Again...
Welcome to season 2 of SMgowo! On this episode we reflect on the previous year and what we have learned.
Don't forget to check us out on Twitter and IG @SMgowo and please rate our podcast on your preferred podcast platforms.
Episode 40: So... The Weapons Prospered
We’re back! On this episode, we catch you up on what’s been going on with us and why we took a little hiatus.
Don't forget to follow us on IG and Twitter @Smgowo
Episode 39: Tough Times Want To Last
With the seasons changing, tough times want to last. On this episode, we talk about some ways we are trying to get through this season.
Our producer Menzi is crowdfunding for the creation of his graphic novel "Mount Olympus". If you listen to and love SMgowo, please read up on it more and donate here: https://jumpstarter.co.za/projects/mount-olympus-graphic-novel/
Episode 38: Choose Kind Men
On this episode we discuss the fallacy of choosing kind men.
Our producer Menzi is crowdfunding for the creation of his graphic novel Mount Olympus. If you listen and love SMgowo, please read up on it more and donate here https://jumpstarter.co.za/projects/mount-olympus-graphic-novel/
Episode 37: No Shame In Needing
This week we talk about letting go of the shame we feel when it comes to expressing or acknowledging our needs.
Our producer Menzi is crowdfunding for the creation of his graphic novel Mount Olympus. If you listen and love SMgowo, please read up on it more and donate here https://jumpstarter.co.za/projects/mount-olympus-graphic-novel/
Episode 36: Nothing Is Cute
Yeah things are bad. We talk about what's been happening over the past couple of weeks and touch on bullying, our experience with it and much more. #JusticeForLulu #JusticeForLufuno
Episode 35: March Ado About Nothing
What a month, chile!
Subscribe to our Youtube channel and check us out on our socials @SMgowo
Episode 34: International Women's Month
In this episode, we discuss International Women's Month, the spaces that have held us because of women, what we wish we knew as younger women, and how grateful we are for the women in our lives.
S/O to Levis Haus of Strauss Africa for letting us shoot in their space and for the drip.
Episode 33: "Leave Them Today"
On this episode, we discuss the end of relationships as we end off February and our series about love. We also announce the winners of our birthday Instax giveaway!
Don't forget to follow us on IG and Twitter @Smgowo as well as like, comment and subscribe to our Youtube channel.
Episode 32: Love, Consequences and More Mgowo
This week we speak about letting yourself down in love, dealing with the consequences, and picking yourself up again.
Episode 31: Love, Loneliness and Community
On this episode we talk and vent a bit about loneliness, love and community. We also have a great 2nd birthday giveaway in store. Check out our IG and Twitter to find out more about the competition.
Episode 30: What's going on, hey?
Happy new year (we know it's Feb). On this episode we are catching up with one another as well as what has been happening on social media.
Episode 29: Reflections
Merry Christmas! Here are our reflections for the year of 2020. Share some of yours with us and don’t forget to follow us on SMgowo on IG and Twitter.
Episode 28: You Wanna Be A Podcaster???
On this episode, we’ve got Mashudu Modau who talks to us about his journey through podcasting. We figured this might be helpful for anyone looking to start a podcast next year.
Enjoy and don’t forget to follow us on our socials at @SMgowo
Episode 27 Part 4: Education
Meet Kingsley. If you’ve been in a former “Model C” school institution in SA, you will deeply relate to Kingsley in tonight’s final #SmallAxe anthology film on #BBCBrit. Before tonight’s episode, though, make sure you catch our review episode this afternoon 🎧
Otherwise we will catch you at 8pm on #BBCBrit channel 120 on DSTV!
Episode 27 Part 3: Alex Wheatle
On this episode, we discuss film 4: Alex Wheatle which so far is looking like our favourite episode!
Check out Small Axe on BBC Brit (DSTV channel 120) every Monday at 8pm. You can also check the episodes out on Catch Up.
Episode 27 Part 2: Red, White and Blue
Check this out if you want to hear 28 minutes of Mixo talking about her crush, John Boyega.
Check out Small Axe on BBC Brit (DSTV channel 120) every Monday at 8pm. You can also check the episodes out on Catch Up.
Episode 27 Part 1: Small Axe
This episode is brought to you by BBC Studios SA as we discuss the Small Axe anthology film series directed by Steve McQueen starring Letitia Wright and John Boyega to name a few! Check out Small Axe on BBC Brit (DSTV 12) every Monday at 21:00.
Episode 26: It’s Q4 For Us
On this episode we talk what’s kept us away for so long. We’re happy to be back!
Episode 25: "Tired" - All of the women in us (2020)
This episode we round up the roast of women's month and reflect on how we feel as women in South Africa.
Episode 24: Reflections on Womanhood
On this episode we reflect on just how lonely defining your womanhood for yourself can be
Episode 23: The Roast of Women’s Month
On this episode, we kick off women’s month with a roast of women’s month shenanigans
Episode 22: Winter Woes Finale
On this episode we wrap up July’s Winter Woes theme and reflect on what it has been like for us.
Episode 21: Healing?
On this episode, we talk about healing. Or at least we try to.
Episode 20: Winter Woes Part 2: Dealing
This week we ramble about being depressed and what we do when we have an episode
Episode 19: Winter Woes
On this episode we talk about how we realised we were depressed.
Don’t forget to check us out on our socials at @SMgowo
Episode 18: Rage
On today’s episode, we’re angry.
Episode 17: This Is A Very Strange Time
In this episode we are trying to process what the hell is going on right now.
Don’t forget to hit us up on twitter and IG @Smgowo
Episode 16: PreQuarantine Reflections: The Kids Are Not Alright
On today’s episode, we sat down and reflected on the year so far and yeah things are a bit shaky but we move.
Don’t forget to hit us up on Twitter and Instagram @Smgowo
Episode 15: The Unspoken Hierarchy of Love
On this episode, we talk about the hierarchies we place on love whether it is romantic, platonic or familial.
Don’t forget to hit us up on Twitter and Instagram @smgowo
Episode 14: The Holiday Season & Family
This week we reflected on the holiday season and our families. We also unpacked the excitement of the year to come.
Don’t forget to check us out on Twitter and Instagram @SMgowo
Episode 13: Questions and Reflections
On this episode, we reflect on our year and answer your questions! Don’t forget to check us out on our social media:
Twitter: @SMgowo
Instagram: @sisterhoodofthetravelingmgowo
Episode 12: Pacemaking
This week we talk about the importance of recognizing support in a world where we often feel alone. Don’t forget to chat to us on Twitter @SMgowo.
Episode 11: Seasons Come To Change
On this episode, we talk about changes in our lives, how we handle them, how those around us embrace them and much more.
Don’t forget to tweet us @SMgowo and check out our IG @sisterhoodofthetravelingmgowo
Episode 10: Resting: You’ve Gotta Face It
On this episode we talk about resting (not the bitch face) in a world where our time doesn’t quite belong to us.
Chat to us on Twitter @SMgowo
Episode 9: Gratitude: The Politics of Please and Thank You
In this episode, we talk about practicing gratitude while living in a capitalist society. Chat to us on our twitter @SMgowo
Episode 8: Surviving Women's Month
Episode 8: Surviving Women's Month by Sisterhood of the Traveling Mgowo
Episode 7: Do You Consider This A Date
Episode 7: Do You Consider This A Date by Sisterhood of the Traveling Mgowo
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