adminBongani Ndlovu Entertainment Correspondent
A group of Amangwe people from Matabeleland South yesterday left for Swaziland for the annual Amangwe cultural celebrations which kick off today and end on Sunday. The commemorations, which bring together more than 1,000 people from the Amangwe clan dotted around Southern Africa, will be held in Manzini, south-east of the capital Mbabane. Zimbabwe will be represented by a 12-member delegation which includes the Matabeleland South Chief Bidi.
Amangwe King Ntshosho II is scheduled to attend the event accompanied by a delegation from South Africa. The Amangwe people, who are a sub-section of the Ndebele nation, are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique.
Zimbabwe Amangwe spokesperson, Nkosilathi Ndiweni, said the trip was to further strengthen relations with their kith and kin.
“We are going there to discuss issues of how to strengthen our culture through a seminar that is organised by our hosts in Swaziland. We will have the exchange because it is important for one to know where they come from.
“Getting together like this will not only create a platform to empower each other, but we will also be able to come up with ideas that will help develop and empower our youth”.
Ndiweni said Chief Bidi was going to Swaziland to be formally introduced to the family after his inauguration.
“We have chiefs among us who are part of the clan and Chief Bidi is one of them. We will be in Swaziland to formally introduce Bidi to them as he ascended to the chieftainship last year after his father, Joseph’s death, in 2009. This is important as this will further show that we are people who take our heritage seriously in Zimbabwe,” said Ndiweni.
The Bidi chieftaincy’s area of jurisdiction is in the southern part of Matobo. It is bound by Shashane River in the east and Semukwe River in the west. Ndiweni said preparations for the Zimbabwean Amangwe gathering were on course with Bulawayo being the chosen venue. “We have chosen Bulawayo as the province for the event. However, we have not set the actual dates for the celebrations but they are in June. We are also going to travel to South Africa to Entshenteka in Durban for the celebrations there later on this year,” said Ndiweni.
It is said the Amangwe bore Ndebele king Mzilikazi. Historians say that King Zwane bore King Mangethe who was a king in the days of Zulu King Tshaka. King Zwane had a daughter Cikose who was mother to King Mzilikazi.
The Amangwe celebrations have been held annually since 2012 where the Amangwe clan in Zimbabwe were reunited with their kith and kin from South Africa and Swaziland after 180 years of separation. Since then, they have travelled to South Africa every September and Swaziland every March to strengthen their cultural ties and heritage.
Online Reporter