PHOLA– Rachel Nyambe, a woman living with a disability hosted a Heritage Day celebration at Tycoon on 24 September, reminding the community of the essence of cultural preservation.
The event featured traditional African games such as morabaraba, kgati, diketo, mpa and dikotikoti, delighting both elders and youth. Nyambe said the purpose was to draw attention to the importance of passing down heritage through practical activities.
“These games are not just entertainment; they are vessels of memory and identity,” she explained. “When children play morabaraba or jump rope in the way our grandmothers taught us, they are unconsciously inheriting skills, discipline and values that shaped generations before them. Without these games, we risk raising young people who only know modern gadgets but have no connection to their ancestry.”
She also highlighted the need to preserve smaller cultural identities in a region dominated by Zulu and Ndebele traditions. “Many of our young people grow up adopting the dominant culture around them, forgetting their own. Heritage means protecting our culture while appreciating others,” said Nyambe.
Local entrepreneur Promise Hlengiwe Jiyane sponsored the traditional meals served on the day. “Our traditional foods are healthier than the processed meals we are quick to adopt,” Jiyane said. “Dikgobe provides proteins and vitamins, morogo is rich in iron, while pap remains a strong energy provider. Eating what our forefathers ate, we will not only reconnect with heritage but also improve our health.”
Nyambe also demonstrated the preparation of traditional beer, which drew admiration from young women in the crowd, many of whom admitted they had only seen bottled alcohol and never experienced this cultural craft.
“The result is more than a drink, it is a symbol of unity. Traditional beer has always brought people together during weddings, rituals and community gatherings,” she said. “What our parents and grandparents practiced in villages can still be lived and celebrated here in townships. The environment may differ, but the values remain the same. We can wear jeans in the city, but on Heritage Day, we must remember the attire, food, and songs of our people.”
