Mzansi’s maskandi to grace Matabeleland Cultural Awards

By Silas Nkala | May. 30, 2023

Thokozani Langa

SOUTH African maskandi musician Thokozani Langa is expected to perform at this year’s Matabeleland Cultural Awards (MCA) ceremony.

MCA chief executive officer Philani Ncube told NewsDay Life & Style that preparations have begun for the Matabeleland Cultural Awards’ fifth edition set for August 25 and 26 at the Youth Arena, White City, Bulawayo.

“We are inviting exhibitors like weavers, carvers, crafts work persons, traditional food cooks and local indigenous language authors,” said Ncube.

“We are expecting to have Somnandi Thokozani Langa, a South African maskandi musician. The first kick off of our exhibition is at Alliance Francaise Bulawayo whereby we hold an exhibition of local indigenous language books like Kalanga, Ndebele, Xhosa, Tonga, Venda, Nambya etc on August 18 from 10am to 3pm. We are inviting local indigenous language authors to contact us.”

Ncube said places designated for cultural events must be used, noting that some of them were built by funds from donors specifically focusing on culture and community.

He said the guest of honour at the event would be Chief Fuyana.

Ncube said they had started registering participants and hoped to have a very successful event this time around with over 100 exhibitors expected to take part.

The annual awards were launched in 2019 and mainly target traditional dance groups, carvers, maskandi, traditional regalia designers, traditional food cooks imbube, local indigenous language authors, rural hut painters, weavers, potters and poetry, among others.