Sixty women of Vhurivhuri-Ngwenani, near Hamakuya, are making a name for themselves by being ambassadors for the Venda culture and traditional practices.

Led by their visionary traditional leader, Khosi Ravhalitsheni Sumbana, eight years ago, the women came together and established the Vhurivhuri-Ngwenani Tshigombela Dance group, which has collected countless local and national awards.

The women invited stakeholders from different communities during the weekend to celebrate their achievements with them. They also used the opportunity to display the awards which they have received from different competitions. They have never gone beyond position two in any competition in the last five years.

Some of their awards and certificates, where they took first positions in the respective competitions, include: Zindala Zombili National Dance and Music Festival (2005 and 2006 consecutively), 2005 Mapungubwe Arts Achievers, 2006 VDAA Traditional Dance Competition, 2006 Vhembe Traditional Dance Festival, 2002 Kruger National Park Dance Festival, 2006 Tshikondeni Mine Dance Festival and the 2003 Folklife Dance Festival.

Group leader Johanna Ravuluma explained why it was important to invite these stakeholders to their celebration: "We want to show community members the fruits of our hard labour. We usually get recognition from other communities and our people here do not know what we actually do. Above all, we want to encourage community members to take culture seriously because it is the backbone of prosperity."

Ravuluma says the group has performed in different parts of the country in the past years. "We have impressed large crowds in Gauteng, North West, Bushbuckridge, Lenyenye, Polokwane, and Musina, to name but a few. We are available to community members who would like to invite us to entertain them whenever they have functions."

She says the group saves part of its winnings, but they also use the money for traveling and buying uniforms. "We have also registered the group as a non-profit organization because we need recognition wherever we perform"

Vhurivhuri traditional leader Khosi Ravhalitsheni Sumbana is impressed by the achievements of the group: "They have really put our area on the map and we are very proud of what they are doing. There is no other Tshigombela dance group that has achieved what they have done here in South Africa and that is why I pledge all my support to them. They are true ambassadors for our culture and they need our courage to achieve more."

* Community members who would like to know more about the group, or to invite them to perform, can call Johanna Ravuluma at 082 343 9292 or Patricia Nethononda at 082 683 1928.