The Sunday News
Vincent Gono recently in Chiredzi
AN assorted collection of rural artistes drawn from different cultural backgrounds set the usually dull and silent nights of Muhlanguleni community and its environs in the deep rural Chiredzi alight when the fourth edition of the Great Limpopo Cultural and Tourism Fair exploded to life.
The three-day cultural and tourism event that was organised by the Centre for Cultural Development Initiatives or Gaza Trust was graced by more than 20 community artistes from Mozambique and not more than ten from South Africa who blended well with local groups that attended the show in their numbers and confirmed the country’s richness in terms of multi-cultural celebration.
Local groups were drawn from the Ndau, Shangani, Tsonga, Karanga, Ndebele, Venda among many other cultural groups. It was however, the community artistes who stole the show with their rich artistic displays that were a portrayal of their different cultures.
Poets, dancers and musicians draped in their cultural costumes drawn from Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwean communities showcased their artistic abilities much to the delight of the audiences and proved wrong the notion that art talent was abound in towns and cities only.
The cultural and tourism jamboree was running under the theme “Promoting women through culture, conservation and value addition” and it saw a number of initiatives that seek to empower women in their communities being unravelled as well as linking their different artistic productions such as weaving, basketry, and culinary to markets.
The event witnessed the construction of the multicultural centre that sits on ten hectares of land given by Chiredzi Rural District Council.
Founding director of Gaza Trust Hebert Pikela said the first stage of the project which was the construction of the cultural village which was a depiction of the traditional village set up was through with the support from the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Chiredzi Rural District Council.
“We are done with the first phase and it is to be followed by guest lodges, conference centre, arts gallery and research centre that are projected to be complete in two years. The plan is to power it with solar energy and water it with underground water in line with the climatic friendly trends. It is at this centre that the 5th edition of the Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair will be held,” said Pikela.
Silva Maluleke from Mozambique said in an interview that the cultural and tourism fair presented a great platform for people in the region that have been separated by artificial boundaries to share notes on their cultures.
“We are trying through such initiatives to preserve the remaining vestiges of our culture. It should be borne in mind that we are one people only separated by these artificial boundaries and borders. We realise that culture is the glue that not only brings us together as a region but also makes us speak with one undistorted language. Our boundaries pale to insignificance and oneness bind us together as a family regardless of our diversity,” said Maluleke.
He added that the Great Limpopo Cultural Fair concept was going to be adopted in Mozambique where there are a good number of Ndau and Tsonga people and they were also going to invite Zimbabwean communities to showcase their culture.
