Lembas celebrate their history and legacy

Hundreds of Vhalemba gathered for the 59^th annual Lemba Cultural Association (LCA) Conference, which was held at the Lemba Cultural Centre at Sweetwaters at the Moddervlei Farm, outside Elim.

The event, which is hosted by the Lemba Cultural Association, was held on Saturday and this year's event was dedicated to the former president of the Lemba, the late Ishe Musandiwa J Muungulwa, who passed away earlier this year.

“Ishe Muungulwa played an important role in the preservation of the Lemba culture,” said key speaker Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, former Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture. “It is now in our hands to take the baton and move the Lemba forward to ensure that future generations are taught and practicing our culture for as long as nwali wa denga has kept us in fold.”

She said it was incumbent upon every Lemba to know and understand who they were, where they came from, and what their cultural customs entailed, so that they could navigate the road ahead with pride. “The Lemba community has to go back to its roots,” she said. “This we should do with the involvement of every Lemba, especially the youth. No one should be left out.”

She stated that going back to Lemba roots meant they needed to rebuild all branches to ensure that they remained relevant in pursuing the Lemba agenda of preserving their culture. “Our branches should reclaim their position of being leaders of the Lemba community,” she said. “Our annual pilgrimage should be a culmination of activities happening at our branches. It should not be a talk shop that happens annually wherein we come together to listen to speeches year in and year out.”

She stated that the leadership should rise to the occasion of leading the Lemba in the preservation of their culture and that the leadership should listen to the entire Lemba community without favour and prejudice.

“It should know where the Lemba live and encourage them to embark on programmes that seek to take the LCA forward,” she said. “Our children must grow up knowing that they are Lemba (and) what it means to be a Lemba. Every Lemba must practice and know their totems. Zwahashu zwi ri ita vhathu.”

Lemba Cultural Association's general secretary, Ishe Phineas Malima, indicated that the involvement of the youth in the operations of the association was necessary. “I had some talks with some Vhashavhi, who are available to assist in shaping, educating, motivating and mentoring the youth,” he said.

Date:16 September 2018

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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