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Showbiz Correspondent
THE Kalanga community in South Africa is set to host the second edition of the annual Bukalanga Cultural Festival this month with a beauty contest being the main highlight.
The festival that will be held at Hillbrow Theatre in Johannesburg on August 13 will be held under the theme: “Our language, Our Culture, Our Pride”.
Liverson Habe Mdongo, one of the organisers said the event promotes and celebrates the Kalanga language and culture through a series of vibrant performances that include poetry, traditional music and dance including modern genres such as rhumba and gospel.
“The Bukalanga will showcase the best in traditional food, dances, folklore, literature and music among many other activities to promote our culture,” Mdongo said.
“There’ll be various traditional foodstuffs on show and sale that’ll include ‘dobi’ (peanut-butter), mahonja (Mopani caterpillars), tjimoni (inkobe) hadzalezembwge (millet pap), lemapfunde (sorghum pap), Nhopi (pumpkin sadza and samp) and ‘Banon’wa’ our home made brew.”
He said they decided to have a beauty pageant as a way of encouraging people to embrace traditional concepts of beauty.
“The Mr and Miss Bukalanga Beauty Pageant is aimed at showcasing unique Kalanga, fashion, art and excellence.”
Entertainment will be provided by Gwamuka Traditional Group, Tedzani, Bakalanga Traditional Group, Ithemba le Nsindiso Gospel Group, Nkedile Super Sounds, Progie & Kumbudzi Sounds, Bakalanga and GobaDzantoloto among others. Kalanga dances such aswosana, woso, kwayara and mabhiza will also be showcased.
Mdongo said they had invited a diverse range of guests including representatives from other tribes and nations that relate to Bakalanga that include BaVenda, Balobedu, VaShona, amaNdebele and amaZulu. Cultural organisations from South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe are also expected to attend.
The event is organised by the Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA), who have been at the forefront of promoting the Kalanga culture and language.
KLCDA has achieved several milestones such as the setting up of Radio Bukalanga – on online radio station which broadcasts from Johannesburg, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom as well as launch books for use in teaching primary and secondary school pupils.
As a result of the success of the festival, Mdongo revealed plans to host the first-ever cultural gathering overseas in the United Kingdom.
Online Reporter