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This paper examines indigenous perspectives of democracy from inter-views with principals from 12 secondary, intermediate, and primary schools in South Africa's oldest township in the Western Cape province. Because school administrators serve as mediators between state policies and enacted school curriculum, principals' views about democracy and education's role in developing democratic citizens warrant attention. Poverty, unemployment, health, and housing remain primary social con-cerns affecting educational quality in South Africa. In such circum-stances, school leadership especially influences school climate and stu-dents' attitudes toward learning. The findings of this study - the first of its kind to explore constructions of democracy held by principals work-ing in a historically disadvantaged township outside Cape Town - pro-vide insights as to how local culture and globalizing forces influence the culturally relevant democratic education advocated by these school lead-ers in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]