Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma, [email protected]
A STAR-STUDDED line-up has been unveiled for the inaugural Inqama Arts Festival, a new community-driven initiative aimed at reviving cultural traditions, strengthening community bonds and celebrating the rich heritage of the Enqameni area.
The festival, a grassroots project spearheaded by the people of Enqameni, promises to be more than just an entertainment showcase. Organisers say it is a platform designed to restore cultural pride, reconnect generations and preserve traditions for future generations.
Matabeleland South’s finest performers are expected to take centre stage, with Clement Magwaza, Indosakusa The Morning Star, Ndux Jnr, Godolude, Chase Skuza, Sis Thoe Queen ‘n G, Nqameni Super Stars, Maqedimbuzi, Phikisani Super Sounds and Zinjaziyamluma all confirmed for the festival.
Other artistes set to perform include Tia Music, Maluka, Luba leMvelo, uFasimba, NonoeBae, Maps Mabhayi, Obert Dube the Poet, Izikhokho ZeMakwe, AmaGwandamahle, Ayibongwe, Thuli & The Band, Queen Nozy and Revonia Ndaba.
Activities will begin from August 25 to 27 with an Amabutho and Amatshitshi training workshop aimed at equipping younger generations with traditional knowledge and cultural practices.
On August 28, attention will shift to traditional music, poetry and dance exhibitions that will showcase the diversity and richness of local cultural expression.
The official launch of the festival will take place on August 29 and will feature a full day of cultural activities before culminating in a night gala headlined by some of the region’s top performers.
The four-day programme will conclude on August 30 with a soccer and netball tournament, bringing sport into a celebration that organisers say is intended to unite communities through culture and shared identity.
The festival will bring together people from Wards 6, 7 and 8 under the patronage of Chief Mathema. It marks one of the most significant efforts undertaken by the community to showcase and preserve its cultural heritage on a common platform.
Organised under the theme “Reclaiming Our Roots – Shaping Our Future,” the festival seeks to encourage communities, particularly young people, to embrace their cultural identity while looking ahead to future opportunities.
For organiser and Thobela Arts Foundation director Oscar Siziba, the festival is about far more than music, dance and performance. He sees it as a deliberate effort to reconnect people with values and traditions that have shaped communities for generations.
“It is a deliberate act of cultural restoration aimed at reviving music, dance, language, traditional dress, indigenous cuisine, and the guiding principles of Ubuntu Bethu/Hunhu Wedu among younger generations. This is our time to stand proud as Nqamenians, Zimbabweans and Africans. We are bringing back our identity, strengthening our culture and showing the world who we are,” said Siziba.
His sentiments reflect concerns increasingly being expressed in many communities, where rapid urbanisation, modern lifestyles and global influences are perceived to be eroding traditional knowledge and customs.
Against that backdrop, the Inqama Arts Festival is positioning itself as a vehicle for cultural preservation and renewal.
Siziba said visitors can expect a range of activities highlighting the community’s cultural wealth through practical demonstrations and interactive experiences.
He said the festival would focus on tangible expressions of Enqameni’s heritage, including culinary displays featuring traditional dishes that have been prepared and passed down through generations.
The event will also showcase local craftsmanship through exhibitions of beadwork, pottery, sculptures and moulded artefacts, providing visitors with an opportunity to appreciate the artistic traditions rooted within the community.
Traditional fashion will form another key component of the festival, with displays of cultural attire and ceremonial dress that continue to hold social and historical significance.
These garments, organisers say, represent much more than clothing, serving as symbols of identity, heritage and continuity.
Workshops facilitated by elders and experienced artisans will offer younger participants a chance to learn directly from cultural custodians who have spent years mastering traditional skills and practices.
From storytelling and craftsmanship to customs and cultural etiquette, organisers believe these exchanges will help bridge generational gaps while preserving valuable knowledge.
“The interactive format is intended to facilitate intergenerational knowledge transfer, with elders guiding youth in skills and customs that have sustained the community for decades,” said Siziba.
Traditional dance performances are also expected to feature prominently, with groups representing different communities and cultural traditions from across the area.
Beyond providing entertainment, the performances are intended to demonstrate the enduring role of dance as a tool for storytelling, education and community expression.
While the festival’s early activities will focus on practical and physical aspects of culture, organisers say the latter stages of the programme will place greater emphasis on music, memory and community history.
Siziba said the closing programme would celebrate local music while reflecting on shared experiences and the future of the community.
“On that day, we will shift focus to music and memory and also feature performances by musicians from across Nqameni and beyond, alongside a dedicated session reflecting on the history and significance of the Inqama community,” said Siziba.
For organisers, music represents far more than entertainment. It is a powerful medium through which communities preserve memories, tell stories and strengthen social bonds.
The planned historical reflection session will give community members an opportunity to revisit the origins and development of the Inqama community while exploring ways of preserving its heritage for future generations.
The symbolism behind the festival’s name also carries deep cultural significance.
According to Siziba, Inqama is the Ndebele word for a ram, an animal traditionally associated with strength, resilience and determination.
“The festival’s name draws from Inqama, the Ndebele word for ram, an animal revered in Ndebele military tradition for its resilience, stubbornness, and fighting spirit when provoked. This reflects the vision for the festival, which is to channel that strength into the arts and declare that our creativity and culture are strong, unbreakable, and worth defending,” he said.
The symbolism reflects the broader vision of the festival: encouraging communities to take pride in their identity and to protect their cultural heritage in the face of changing social and economic realities.
Beyond the performances, exhibitions and workshops, organisers hope the festival will strengthen social cohesion by creating opportunities for shared experiences and meaningful dialogue among community members.
For young people, the festival offers a chance to engage with traditions that may otherwise feel distant or unfamiliar in a rapidly changing world.
For elders, it provides a platform to pass on knowledge and wisdom that might otherwise be lost over time.
Ultimately, organisers hope the festival will leave a lasting legacy, not only through attendance figures but through its contribution to cultural preservation, community development and renewed pride in heritage.
If successful, the Inqama Arts Festival could become an important annual fixture, celebrating the past while helping shape the future of the Enqameni community.
