EMBRACING THEIR CULTURE!

Song and dance bring amaNdebele together

CULTURE brought different ­generations together at the weekend.
At a celebration of the amaNdebele aseNyakatho at Mahaneng in Tshwane on Saturday, children and elders in traditional clothes celebrated their culture.

At the colourful event there were stalls displaying traditional items such as pots, calabashes and home decorations. Various dance and music groups entertained the crowd.
Lesiba Kekana of the MaNdebele- ga-Kekana Heritage Foundation said the event was the result of a meeting in 2008 in which 13 Ndebele chiefs discussed their future.
They decided they should use their culture to empower people and create jobs.

“This land we are standing on was bought by our grandfathers through trading cows and having a vision,’’ said Kekana.
“We decided we also needed a ­vision. We must work for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
Chief Kgomotso Kekana of the amaNdebele-ba-Lebelo said he was proud of his people’s vision and he was committed to uniting the amaNdebele.
amaNdebele-ba-Lebelo is one of the 13 groups under the Amandebele aseNyakatho.