RUTENDO CHIRUME
MASVINGO – Masvingo Teachers College held its first National Culture Day commemorations recognise the significance of the country’s culture and identity.
The commemorations were held at Masvingo Teachers’ College on May 31 under the theme ‘Our Culture, Our Identity ‘ which means everything we do as Zimbabweans is culturally conditioned and signifies who we are.
The commemorations were accompanied by various plays of traditional dance, singing, modelling and drama plays which were presented by students from various primary and secondary schools in Masvingo Urban including Great Zimbabwe University and Masvingo Poly.
Speaking during the celebrations, guest of honor , Southern Region Director of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Lovemore Mandima applauded Masvingo Teachers College for taking a leading role in cultural preservation, saying Culture Day Festival is connected with the nation’s desire to create opportunities for people in various communities to gather and share their culture in its diversity.
“What we are witnessing here today is a clear testimony that we should remain resolute that indeed our culture is our identity.
“All your exhibitions from traditional costumes of attire for men and women as well as songs and dance have got a cultural resemblance.
“The peculiarities of traditional foods, songs and dance exhibited here today are key descriptors to our Zimbabwean –African identity.
“These in their diverse varieties are so invaluable beyond what words and any language can explain. This commemoration is therefore in sync with the nation’s desire to create opportunities for people in various communities to gather and share their culture in its diversity.
“Let’s learn from each other. Let’s celebrate our cultural diversity as commemorations of this nature unify us and therefore should be continually celebrated for the benefit of our young generation,” he said.
Mandima also encouraged people to adopt and value traditional foods for healthy purposes as well as alleviating food insecurities.
“The significance of our traditional food is beyond imagination. I urge you to resort to traditional foods for health purposes. Consumption of traditional foods also plays a significant role in our African Traditional Religion. Traditional food is an expression of our cultural identity,” Mandima said.
