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Arts Reporter
Preparations for this year’s National Jikinya Dance Festival to be held at Pakare Paye in Norton on November 27 have gathered momentum as provincial finals begin this weekend. The festival that is held annually by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, aims at encouraging primary school children to appreciate and perform Zimbabwean traditional dances to promote and preserve Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage.
The Festival showcases various traditional dances by primary school pupils and the different dances that will be showcased will be a reflection of endless diversity that is found in the different communities of Zimbabwe. The theme for 2015 Jikinya Dance Festival celebrations is; “Preserving Cultural Heritage and Identity.”
NACZ communications and marketing officer Catherine Mthombeni said the theme is based on the need to embrace cultural diversity. “This particular theme underscores the need to embrace diverse cultural aspects that brings people together, gives them a sense of belonging and make them realise that despite the differences in values and norms, we are all Zimbabweans whose identity is spearheaded by certain cultural traits that are unique,” she said. Schools will showcase a dance of their choice as well as the common dance that is Ihosanna dance.
Four years ago, NACZ introduced a system whereby a specific dance is selected as a festival piece that runs for two years and is judged as a common dance. The common dance was introduced so that all participating children, despite their regions can learn, perform and appreciate diverse Zimbabwean cultures.
Ihosanna is a dance that is performed in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. It is a rainmaking dance. The dance is also used during spiritual ceremonies amongst the Ndebele people.
The Founder and Vice Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa Professor Hope Sadza donated a trophy for the Jikinya Dance Festival’s common cance. The trophy has since been named the “Prof. Hope Sadza Trophy for Outstanding Common Dance Performance”. Last year the common dance was Jerusarema Mbende Dance that was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Jikinya Dance Festival is a partnership programme between NACZ and National Association of Primary Heads and is sponsored by Delta Beverages and Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust. Attendance to the all Jikinya events including the National Jikinya Dance Festival event is free. The provincial finals begin this week and end next weekend.
Online Reporter