Great Limpopo Cultural Fair dates set

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
CENTRE for cultural development initiative-popularly known as Gaza Trust has set the stage for this year’s Great Limpopo Cultural Fair in Chiredzi which promises to be bigger and better.

The Trust’ s director Herbert Pikela said the cultural exposition which is in its third year running will be a unique one given that there will be a mixture of art as it will feature musical display from countries that border Limpopo River; Mozambique,South Africa and Zimbabwe.

A three-day long fair has been slated for July 30 to August 2 at Chiredzi’s Mhlanguleni Grounds and will be action packed. The main focus of this year’s edition is to, “empower the disadvantaged community groups through cultural entrepreneurship,” said Pikela.

The fair will be running under the theme; “Improving Rural Livelihoods Through Cultural Entrepreneurship”.

Pikela said his organisation will use the event to launch a scholarship fund for disadvantaged but talented children within the Great Limpopo area.

“This year’s event will definitely be unique and big given the interest it has attracted from cultural and musical groups. We’ve also moved a gear up in making it popular as we’ve lined up presentations that will change the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities. We’ll have a cultural entrepreneurship symposium aimed at sharing business experiences between traders in the cultural industry,” he said.

He added, “Our core business as a Trust is to empower economically the communities that border the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park through cultural initiatives.”

“Through the cultural fair a scholarship fund has been established which will benefit brighter students within schools in Great Limpopo region,” Pikela said.

The fair which has attracted academics from the centre of Heritage and Cultural studies at Venda University in South Africa and Great Zimbabwe University (GUZ) will see presentation of papers on different topical cultural issues centred on cultural entrepreneurship.

Last year the fair saw delegates touring Gonarezhou National Park and witnessing circumcision graduation ceremonies of the Xitsonga people in Chief Tshovani area in Chiredzi where Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Retired Brigadier Walter Kanhanga was the guest of honour.