The Zimbabwean community based in the United States has for the second year running set aside September 2 to commemorate the life of the late Ndebele king, Mzilikazi.
Prior to the US celebrations, a Zimbabwean cultural group Ubuntu based in United Kingdom had celebrated Mzilikazi Day since 2008.
An organiser of the event, Thembela Mahlangu, said the celebrations were an opportunity for Zimbabweans in the US to get together.
“This will help the youth to work together and get to know each other,” she said.
Mahlangu said those attending the function would be dressed in their traditional garb imisisi and amabhetshu.
“Mthwakazi and friends of Mthwakazi, are cordially invited to our second celebrations of Mzilikazi Day, a continuation of the remembrance and celebration of the extraordinary life of Africa’s greatest kings of all time,” she said.
The celebrations will be held at the MCM Elegante hotel 2330 W Northwest Highway, Dallas in Texas five o’clock to September 2 September 4 at eight o’clock in the evening.
Triggered by the realisation that there is now a big population of people from Matabeleland in the US, but whose presence is often underrated, the Zimbabwean community has realised the need to relive and resuscitate its origins.
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“The celebrations have been said to be a means of providing an impetus to the renewal of Matabeleland cultural pride so that we too can take our rightful place alongside other nations of the world.”
King Mzilikazi was born in 1790 and founded the Matabeleland kingdom.
He was born of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand, South Africa, and died at Ingama, Matabeleland, near Bulawayo.
He is often considered as the greatest Southern African military leader after Zulu King Shaka.
He was referred to by David Livingstone as the second most impressive leader, he encountered on the African continent after Shaka.
He died on September 9 1868.
