ROOTS, RITES
Heritage celebrations
Colourful displays of traditional Xhosa dishes and beaded outfits were just some of the highlights at the Umzimvubu municipality’s annual tourism and heritage festival on Friday.
The event was held in a big marquee in EmaXesibeni (formerly Mount Ayliff), where local crafters, dressmakers and aspiring chefs were given a chance to showcase their talents.
Cuisine on display included isigwampa (wild greens), umqa (pumpkin with mielie meal), iinkobe (boiled corn), isqatsotso (mielie meal with beans), samp and amarhewu.
Municipal staff joined festinos in wearing different tra- ditional attires, showing off the various cultures within the AmaXhosa nation, including AmaBhaca and AmaXesibe.
Providing endless entertainment were dance groups, each celebrating their heritage and identity through song.
Acting mayor Gcinikhaya Makanda said the event was meant to encourage entrepreneurship, while also promoting culture and heritage.
“We also had a guy doing pottery and showing each step in the process of making the items,” Makanda said.
“This, we hope will encourage people to find their own skills to free themselves from poverty. We hope [it is going] to encourage a sense of self-employment and not having people who want to be employed or rely on social grants.”
Young Nokuthula Mthumbeza said the highlight of the event was getting to ride a horse.
“The indigenous games were really fun but I really enjoyed the horse riding race,” Mthumbeza said.
“I did not race but it was still fun to watch and I got a chance to ride as well.
“We learnt how horses were the main form of transport for our people back in the day, proving what a valuable animal it was.”
She said her grandmother still makes most of the meals that were on display and said black people should always make time to indulge in traditional cuisine, not just in September. ●
Monday marks Heritage Day in SA, where the nation shows pride in and appreciation for cultural practices and learns to embrace the diverse cultures in the country. In the lead-up at the weekend, various communities including AmaMpondo's Tshomane under Nkosi Mkhanyiseli Dalisizwe Dudumayo held heritage celebrations in Gqubeni Great Place near Mqanduli and among those who attended were AmaXhosa King Mpendulo Sigcawu and agriculture minister Zenzeni Zokwana. Meanwhile the Xesibe Heritage Association of Southern Africa (Xhasa) led by Professor Somadoda Fikeni held a gathering at the great place of AmaQwathi headed by Nkosi Zwelakhe Jomo Dalasile in Kokleni near Ngcobo on Saturday. About 20 branches of Xhasa across Southern Africa attended, including Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa and social development MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi, who were there as members of Xhasa as they are Xesibe. Finance MEC Oscar Mabuyane, who is also related, also attended. Provincial Heritage Day celebrations will be held in Mthatha on Monday at WSU's Zamukulungisa Campus.