Sport & recreation: Mpumalanga comes alive with music and dance

Sport & recreation
Mpumalanga comes alive with music and dance

Mpumalanga's first annual music and dance festival was a resounding success when more than 32 groups took part in a two-day event to celebrate the province's cultural diversity.

In Africa, the rythhm and energy of life is expressed through music, song and dance and no celebration is complete without it. 

In true African tradition, Mpumalanga has started an annual traditional music and dance festival to celebrate its cultural diversity. The inaugural festival took place in December at Themba Senamela Stadium in Mhluzi (Middelburg).

The province came alive with sound, movement and colour when more than 32 contemporary traditional and indigenous music and dance groups participated in the two-day festival. 

Spokesperson for the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation Sibongile Nkosi said local contemporary music groups shared the stage with established traditional artists.

He said the department went to the length and breadth of Mpumalanga looking for the best performers of traditional music and dance and in the process uncovered some amazing talent.

Groups came from all corners of the province representing Swazi, Zulu, Ndebele, Pedi, Tswana, Tsonga, Indian and Afrikaner cultures.

The variety of brightly coloured traditional outfits worn by participants from the different groups complemented the vibrancy of the music.

Nkosi said the festival held under the theme: "Revival of our African norms, values and ubuntu through cultural music and dance" presented new opportunities to aspiring artists in the traditional music genre. 

At the same time it afforded the people of Mpumalanga a chance to unite in experiencing the sheer joy of singing, dancing and making music together.