Chief’s’ wife to represent province at National Cookout competition

TRADITIONAL leaders and their wives are custodians of culture through various ways including promoting consumption of traditional foods.

Ms Sindisiwe Ngwenya, wife to Chief Kavula of Lubimbi in Binga, has indeed confirmed that she is leading from the front in promoting the eating of traditional foods as she will represent Matabeleland North at the National Traditional Cookout Competition to be hosted by Manicaland Province in Mutare next week.

This was after she won the provincial competition held at Lupane State University last week where women competed in cooking brown and white isitshwala, amangqina (cow hooves), dried fish, ibhobola (pumpkin leaves) laced with moringa leaves, tree roots prepared into relish known as bwidi in Tonga, bondasi and amasi (sour milk) as well as prepare dessert using umxhanxa, umtshwankela, umnyi, umviyo, umkhuna juice, traditional herbs and eggs.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa launched the traditional cookout competition in 2020 to promote the uptake of indigenous dishes and ensure citizens benefit from their nutritional value and medicinal properties.

The competitions are designed to ensure people embrace traditional dishes as well as learn how to prepare them in an effort to revive cultural values especially by embracing traditional dishes.

As the founder and patron of the competition, the First Lady is expected to grace the finals in Mutare.

She is also expected to attend the inaugural United Nations Tourism (UN-Tourism) Africa Gastronomy Forum in Victoria Falls in July.

Zimbabwe was chosen to host the forum in the wake of an exceptional exhibition of the country’s culture and cuisine by a Zimbabwean delegation at a similar forum held in Spain in October 2023.

Meanwhile, Ms Ngwenya is expected to become Matabeleland North’s ambassador and carry the provincial flag high at the national traditional cookout competition on 24 May.

She, however, said she was under pressure to make the province proud especially as Matabeleland North is set to host the inaugural international gastronomy forum.

“Contestants prepared the meals overnight on May 8 for the competition on May 9 and 10 when judges, auditors and moderators took turns to check on the displays. They were looking for attractive and tasty traditional foods that we literally call seven colours in a three-course meal but wholly traditional.

“They wanted someone smart and time conscious which is critical to the food industry. So my display was isitshwala senyawuthi, isitshwala esimhlophe, amangqina, dried fish, ibhobola laced with moringa leaves, tree roots prepared into bwidi, bondasi and amasi as dessert, umtshwankela, umnyiyi, umviyo, umkhuna juice, indigenous chicken eggs and traditional herbs. For all these foods, I did not use cooking oil or sugar, I used fat from domestic animals and honey for umxhanxa,” said Ms Ngwenya, who is also a traditional healer since last year when she underwent initiation.

Twenty-one contestants took part in the competition’s community category.

There were other contestants in the chefs and students’ categories.

Ms Ngwenya said when the judges announced the winner who came second and the runner-up, she was saddened thinking she had lost the competition.

“I was almost heartbroken. It came as a surprise when I heard the announcer call out my check letter Y. I couldn’t hide the shock and excitement as I screamed and jumped with tears of joy. My husband and my mother were there to support me as I celebrated,” said Ms Ngwenya.

She won hampers and kitchen utensils.

Ms Ngwenya has started preparing for next week and invited everyone in the province to come on board and assist with advice, coaching, materials or anything that will help her win for the province.

“I feel very happy but a bit nervous that the whole province is looking up to me. That has put pressure on me especially that we are set to host the Gastronomy Summit. This is no longer an individual journey but the responsibility of the whole province.

Ms Ngwenya said she was grateful to the First Lady for such an opportunity and the utensils she won.

“When I got married last year and started interacting with chiefs’ wives in the province, I approached Chief Menyezwa’s wife who had participated in this competition before and she was more than willing to guide me. I thank her because she taught me and in no time I was working with some women in my ward before Binga District Development Coordinator, Mr Land Kabome, noticed and I was selected to represent the district leading to me winning at provincial level,” she said.

Ms Ngwenya, who is originally from Lupane, thanked the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise and Chief Kavula for their guidance and assistance.

Chief Kavula said it was all by God’s grace that his wife had won the ticket to represent the province and is going to accompany her to the national finals.