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Cultural dancers converge to celebrate their traditions

CULTURAL DANCE: Muchongolo dancers celebrate Heritage Day at John Matyeka bar lounge at Songeni village, near Thulamahashe in Mpumalanga over the weekend. Pic. Andrew Hlongwane. 26/09/07. © Sowetan.
CULTURAL DANCE: Muchongolo dancers celebrate Heritage Day at John Matyeka bar lounge at Songeni village, near Thulamahashe in Mpumalanga over the weekend. Pic. Andrew Hlongwane. 26/09/07. © Sowetan.

Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

Muchongolo traditional dancers from Mpumalanga celebrated Heritage Day with action and style on Monday.

The dancers, from the Bushbuckridge area, converged on the John Matyeka bar lounge at Songeni village, near Thulamahashe.

About 10 local groups danced during the occasion which saw tourists from Pretoria crying out for more.

"Muchongolo is our traditional dance in the area and we do not want it to die.

Hence we ensure that we even teach the young ones," said one of the dancers, Edwin Lekhuleni.

Lekhuleni said it was an adventure for the groups to meet during a special day in which heritage was the agenda.

"Traditional dancing is a direct relative of heritage and that makes us so proud because we are able to identify ourselves," said Lekhuleni.

A young dancer, Given Nyathi, told Sowetan that he knew nothing much about heritage but that the elders used to teach him about tradition.

Skop Matyeka, the host of the occasion, said he was pleased to realise that some people took themselves very seriously in terms of their own culture.

"This is good for the growing generations and I understand these dancers always converge somewhere every Sunday and dance like crazy.

You can love the art if you can see them in action," said Matyeka.

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