adminLiberty Dube
CULTURE is a national resource that can play a critical role in turning around the socio-economic fortunes of the country as well as opening up entrepreneurial opportunities in other sector.
Speaking at the joint Mutare Teachers’ College and Manica Post Culture Day commemorations held at the college on Wednesday, acting Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Charles Mugano who stood in for Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Edward Shumba, said children should be encouraged and nurtured to be curators, designers, poets, traditional dancers and mbira players and earn a living by “harnessing our rich cultural heritage”.
The event was organized by Mutare Teachers’ College in partnership with The Manica Post which sponsored some of the prizes won during the highly successful event.
“The Ministry of Arts and Culture as well as the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe must intensify efforts to reclaim and restore our ideals as Africans. Culture can no longer be regarded as just another thing. It is a natural resource that can effectively turn around the fortunes of our country and open entrepreneurial opportunities in other sectors,” he said.
He said the culture day affords Africans an opportunity to celebrate cultural heritage in the wider context of the great diversity of culture, beliefs and traditions that make up Zimbabwe.
“This is a critical day because it recognises different aspects of our culture and encourages Zimbabweans across fields to celebrate their cultural heritage, the diversity of their beliefs and different traditions. It is a day that we celebrate, indeed with pride, our historical inheritance, creative expression, food and our various languages which are vehicles through which our culture is transmitted. The day gives us an opportunity to promote uniqueness of our different cultures and fully actualise ourselves as a true nation with a culture.
The Culture Day celebrations which coincided with the Africa Day week were held under the theme: “Celebrating African Heritage with Pride”.
A fashion show as well as art displays and poetry were part of the celebrations that was attended by various stakeholders and tertiary institutions representatives from across Manicaland province.
Mutare Teachers’ College female students who were clad in traditional dressing exhibited their clothing and competed in the Mr and Miss Culture modeling contest.
Fiona Vhukani was coroneted Miss Culture, while Shomo Mafirenyika was crowned Mr Culture. Traditional foods were also exhibited and offered to guests.
Speaking at the same event, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Manicaland provincial manager, Mr Jonah Muchayi, said as an organisation, they felt indebted to empower arts institutions in skills leadership towards professionalism in arts, crafts and music in-order to promote the unhu/ubuntu concept.
“In line with Zim-Asset, artists should aim to be creative entrepreneurs and make a living from our cultural artefacts. Continue with the good work of producing quality products since you will always realise a decent livelihood. We are a people that has cherished peace and tranquility. We are neatly bond together with our nationalism and patriotism. We are rich in our music, fashion shows, dances arts, our dishes and herbal medicine. We all have to follow what promotes development and the future of our people. Culture shapes identity. Our cultural values, norms, moral, rituals and religious shape us as a people hence it calls for celebration,” added Mr Muchayi.
Online Reporter