adminAuxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
AMANGWE people from Matabeleland South province have intensified their preparations for the annual Amangwe Cultural Celebrations to be held in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa next month.The commemorations would be held in Vryheid and eNtshenteka areas of the province.
The Amangwe people are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique.
Spokesperson of the group Nkosilathi Ndiweni said preparations for the event were going on smoothly.
“A 15-member group would be travelling to KZN for the celebrations, some of our members are already in South Africa that is why we have a lesser number than last year’s,” said Ndiweni.
He said the visit was significant as it brought together the Amangwe people under one king.
A larger number of Amangwe people are found in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland than in Mozambique and Botswana.
Ndiweni said the Amangwe were people of the Nkomazana, Nzima, Ndiweni, Mafu, Mbambo and Zwane families.
The Amangwe people were last year reunited with their kith and kin after 180 years of separation.
During the celebrations, the Amangwe people visited eNtshenteka area where they originate.
Last month, the Amangwe celebrations were held at Chief Nyangazonke’s homestead in Kezi but King Ntshosho Zwane the leader of the Amangwe in the region could not make it due to the ill-health of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
At that time, all monarchs in South Africa had been requested to put on hold any trips they had planned in solidarity with the anti-apartheid icon Mandela as the nation was conducting prayers for him.
Instead, the king sent a royal delegation of 18 people from Indlunkulu in Swaziland to represent him at the celebrations which were attended by nearly 1 000 villagers.
In Swaziland, the celebrations are held in March, then June in Zimbabwe before the biggest fete in KZN in September.
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.
Online Reporter