Drama and Music Festival for Tshakhuma community

     Film & Theatre

The Minister of Communications, Ms Faith Muthambi, had vouched to seek means to support the annual Drama and Music Festival of the Tshakhuma community after she was overwhelmed by excellent performances by different performers and drama groups during the festival.

The second annual festival was held in the main hall of the Tshisimani Campus on 31 December.

“This is a very good initiative,” Muthambi said. “I want us to host another one on Good Friday. We will host it here and I will help you with everything you need to make it a success.”

According to the event organiser, Mr Tshidino Ndou, the festival is aimed at unearthing acting and musical talent in the Vhembe district. He said this exciting festival desired to reach into the deep rural areas and discover young musicians who were trapped by poverty, unemployment and lack of exposure.

“The festival offers an excellent opportunity for talented youth in the rural communities to have a performance platform,” he said. Ndou told Limpopo Mirror that he was on a mission to give developing talent the chance to network with other artists at all levels and professionals from all over the district, if not the province. He said the festival also aimed to raise awareness through drama and music.

Some community drama groups such as Tshilapfene Youth Drama Development, Tshedza Community Drama and Dzhatsha Community Development entertained the audience.

Tshidino welcomed Ms Muthambi with a stunning performance of his hit song Munwe na munwe una zwine a tenda khazwo, which made Muthambi put on her dancing shoes. Avhapfani Gabara & The New Toronto Band stole the show by taking the audience on a journey back to the 1980s with their hit song Mbuyavhuhadzi.

There were also music performamnces by Zwido, Sikheli Junior, Mavutha, Texas & the African Rhythm, Gwandread, Nditshe Ramalamula, The Prince M, Ravhalusani Ratshitanga, Phumu Gee, Bashy, Ras Mulweli, Mash’B, Humbulani Ramagwedzha and Deejay Roneh.

Ndou said that he would like to take the festival to other local municipalities in the district since the festival was not only meant for Tshakhuma artists and audiences alone. “I started the festival and that only shows that pride begins at home,” he said.

All community drama groups who are interested in participating in the Good Friday edition of the festival can contact Tshidino Ndou at 082 542 4041, [email protected] or [email protected].

Entertainment - Date: 22 January 2017

Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

Email: [email protected]