The tshikona traditional dance is widely regarded as a male-only dance, but one tough woman is not afraid to take this bull by its horns and show that she can pull anything off.
This does not really come as a surprise, as Zwivhudi Netshivhale (42) of Hamavhunda, outside Thohoyandou, happens to be a police detective attached to the Thohoyandou Police Station. When she is not fighting crime, she loves to express her deep love for her culture. In fact, she is a very skilled dancer and multi-instrumentalist, and has become a popular figure at traditional events and other functions, plying her skills as a lone figure alongside the men.
For Netshivhale, who is a royal and the sister of well-known jazz artist Lwei Netshivhale, becoming a traditional dancer was something natural. She said that her late father, Vhamusanda Vho-Mulimisi Netshivhale, had played a major role in honing her tshikona dancing skills. "The tshikona dance runs in my blood. It has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a very little girl when I would see the dancers rehearsing this entertaining dance at our home. My father would call us and give us the chance to dance with them. I fell in love with it, and the rest is history.
"When I perform, I do not see myself as woman, but as an instrumentalist and performer like any other member of the group. I play different reed pipes and the drum. Music is music, irrespective of whether you are a woman or a man. I enjoy the company of my fellow group members and feel comfortable among them," she said.
Netshivhale is also a pastor at The Throne of Heaven Ministry at Mavhunda.
Asked how people looked at her during performances, she was quick to say that she was not deterred by the staring faces from the crowd. "I am used to people looking at me with strange looks and stares. I see them whispering to each other, and this does not bother me anymore. It gives me strength to do even better. Many of the locals know my capabilities and appreciate my skills. They always encourage me and have become a motivating force. I am a Christian, and a pastor for that matter, but nothing will separate me from the tshikona traditional dance. I want to encourage other women not to see this dance as a 'men's-only' dance, but something for everyone to enjoy," she said.