Dance & Culture

Phalaphala FM and Matsila Development Trust will be hosting the finals of the traditional dance competition at the Makhuvha Stadium tomorrow (Saturday).

At least 50 groups will be participating in various dance categories, with prize money of more than R100 000 at stake.

The first prize will be R15 000 in tshikona, while the runners-up will receive R12 000. A sum of R10 000  awaits the group ending up in third position. In kiba, makgakgasi, malende, xigubu and tshigombela, the prize for the winner will be R10 000, the second prize is R8 000 and R7 000 for the third-placed team.

"We are very pleased with the response we received from the groups that participated in this competition since it started four weeks ago," says Ms Rudzani Mulaudzi, marketing manager of Phala Phala FM. For the past month,  groups were eliminated each week until the categories were trimmed down to 50 groups that will participate in the finals.

The finals will coincide with South African music week. It is expected that King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana, Minister Faith Muthambi, Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi, traditional and regional leaders will attend the event.

Chief Livhuwani Matsila said that all the arrangements were in place. He invited all the residents of Vhembe to attend the event. He appealed to the youth to respect elderly people and stated that Africans must be proud of themselves, their culture and traditions. He stressed the fact that "immorality is the enemy of traditional leaders, since people have moved away from good morals."

He said parents must be taught of their identity and said that no culture was inferior to another. He also criticised parents who are not teaching their children their mother tongue.