DIVERSITY WEEK: CELEBRATING CULTURE

Makgala Folotsi

@Kgali_Lee

On Wednesday, 7 August, the Transformation and Diversity (TAD) with Current Affairs team hosted a celebration of culture in Lover’s Lane as part of Diversity Week. The focus of this event was for people to show off their culture by sharing visuals, music, poetry and art. 

Lover’s Lane was riddled with booths, where everyone displayed what their cultures had to offer. The displays featured the diverse cultural backgrounds of not only South African students but also the representation of some international students’ cultures. 

The booths offered interactive activities and traditional forms of entertainment that were used to send some students down memory lane and became a teaching moment for those curious about other cultures. They offered examples of childhood games, food that they grew up eating, the music that represented their cultures and the clothing of their people. 

Karabelo Ramorena, TAD House Committee member of Vergeet-My-Nie, was a representative of the Sotho culture and said they set up their stall to make students feel as if they were within the culture itself. They offered a wide spectrum of cultural elements for people to better understand the culture, including traditional beer, mqombothi, food, traditional attire and games. Ramorena said that students learnt a lot from their stall by wearing the traditional skirts, eating the food, and participating in the games they offered.

Lethabo Kubayi, a first-year Behavioural Science with Sociology and Psychology student, and a member of the Tsonga culture, said that family and community play a vital role in Tsonga life. Throughout generations, they have diligently preserved their traditions, maintaining a strong sense of identity and resilience. Music and dance, specifically Xibelana, form an integral part of their culture. They boast energetic and rhythmic dance styles, often accompanied by traditional instruments. She said as a Tsonga girl, her tradition holds tremendous significance to her. It provided a foundation of values, skills and a sense of identity that continuously guides her through life.

Kubayi said her culture shaped her personality by emphasising the significance of role models, and how successful women and men in their community become mentors, inspiring the young to strive for their aspirations and offer positive contributions to the community. She said an important aspect of their tradition is the initiation ceremony, Ku Khomba, which symbolises a rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. She said it is a process where young women are imparted with knowledge of their responsibilities, cultural values, and expectations of womanhood. 

She further said, “Young girls are brought up with a strong sense of community and are guided to respect their elders and contribute to the well-being of their families. This upbringing fosters a deep sense of belonging and responsibility.”

When Ramorena was asked why Diversity Week was hosted at the beginning of August and not during Heritage Month, which is a month away, she responded, “It is never not a good time to celebrate culture.”  

Witnessing students fill Lover’s Lane and interacting with different stalls of cultures different from their own, wanting to learn more and expand their knowledge embodied what Mahatma Gandhi once said, “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and the souls of its people.”

Edited by Danica Nortjé