Teams from the Makhado Municipal area were the overall winners in the recent District Indigenous Games.

Three trophies were scooped up by the Makhado Municipality in the games hosted in Musina on July 14 and 15. The trophies were for “Overall Winner”, “Best of the Best”, which is a floating trophy, and “Best Organised Municipality”. The participating teams were from Makhado, Thulamela, Musina and Mutale, and they finished in that order.

The Makhado Municipal team comprised some 60 members selected from the community at games held at ward level on July 1. Participation took place in the eight indigenous games, Ndode, Jukskei, Khadi, Muravharavha, Duvheke, Mufuvha, Itonga and Kho-kho.

The revival of the indigenous games of South Africa came about as a response to the African Renaissance idea of President Thabo Mbeki. The main purpose of reviving the indigenous games is to popularize those cultural activities that have a particular appeal. Following research by the South African Sports Commission, the eight codes were launched in 2001. The first Indigenous Games Festival in Limpopo was held in September 2004 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The games develop different skills: Itonga (official name Iintonga ) is a stick-fight game, Jukskei is played with skeis and pens, Duvheke (or Dibeke) is a game of running and kicking a ball on the field and Muravharavha is a board game.

The Makhado Municipal team won all the codes except Kho-kho, where they obtained position two. The man behind the games and the organization was Mr Shadrack Maroge, the municipal sports officer. The mayor, councilor Glory Mashaba, said that the good results show the dedication and commitment on the part of the organizers.”People from marginalized communities are now realizing the value of sport,” Cllr Mashaba said. Cllr Patricia Reynecke, heading the EXCO’s portfolio committee for sports, said that there was obviously a lot of taletnt hidden in the community and invited all to become part of these events.

The Provincial Indigineous Games will be hosted in Phalaborwa from August 11 to 13 and the National Indigineous Games in Badplaas in Mpumalanga from September 1 to 3.