The Funkie Healer: Thando-Rose Dladla

Welcome to Episode 55 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Thando-Rose Dladla, a spiritual healer, transformational breathwork facilitator, entrepreneur, speaker and the woman behind The Funkie Healer.

Thando shares the experiences that led her from Johannesburg to KwaZulu Natal and ultimately towards answering her spiritual calling. She reflects on identity, culture, religion, ancestral wisdom and the complicated journey of understanding who she truly is.

Beyond her spiritual journey, Thando is actively involved in entrepreneurship, construction, skills development and community empowerment. Through her family’s road marking business, she helped develop training programmes that equip emerging entrepreneurs with practical business and road marking skills.

This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating authenticity, spiritual identity, personal agency and what happens when we stop changing ourselves to satisfy the expectations of others.    ⏱ Timestamped Overview

00:51 – Introduction to Thando-Rose Dladla and Moving to KZN. 04:13 – Reconnecting with her Zulu identity and family roots. 10:22 – Growing up in Johannesburg, moving frequently and becoming adaptable. 15:19 – Becoming aware of race and identity as the first Black girl at her boarding school. 20:12 – Division, belonging and the need for healing across South African communities. 28:17 – Language, curiosity and why more South Africans should learn isiZulu. 30:18 – Boarding school, studying law and discovering her creative identity. 38:06 – Meeting her second husband and recognising the importance of compatibility. 42:13 – Spiritual experiences, danger and the marriage that led her to answer her calling. 48:09 – Divine protection, surviving a dangerous journey and recognising her purpose. 50:07 – Challenging conventional thinking and searching for something deeper. 52:58 – Understanding spiritual initiation, ancestral guidance and different healing gifts. 56:14 – Decolonising spirituality and exploring the relationship between religion and African practices. 01:00:12 – What it means to be called as a healer and carry ancestral gifts. 01:13:03 – Entering radio and rediscovering the power of her voice. 01:20:22 – Land, migration, xenophobia and the responsibility of leadership. 01:34:04 – The meaning behind “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” 01:43:31 – Creating road-marking and entrepreneurship training programmes