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Ngonis to introduce new cultural festival

Ngonis from Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachindamoto in Dedza will this year celebrate the first ever Kukhwisula Cultural Festival which will be held annually.

In a statement to announce the event, the organising committee said the festival will be held in May.

It reads: “We officially announce confirmation of the 2020 maiden Kukhwisula Cultural Festival. The cultural festival is held during the first week of May at Dambo la Chitsizi at Mtakataka in Traditional Authority Kachindamoto in Dedza.”

Reviving tradition: Kachindamoto

In a separate interview, T/A Kachindamoto said the festival is an attempt to remind the Ngonis on some of the traditional beliefs and norms that were being practised by their forefathers.

She said Kukhwisula was part of the rites observed when ushering in new chiefs to allow them connect with the spirits of the past leaders. She said normally the process was observed along the lakeshore.

“Before anyone assumes a leadership position, they have to get blessings. You have to be sure that you are indeed a leader who will stand up for the interests of the people, that you will be a unifying factor among them and a parent to all,” she said.

Kachindamoto said there is need for sustained efforts to keep alive the traditions which have guided their existence for a long time.

She said: “As I am today, I have to appreciate that I will not be here forever. Tomorrow I can be gone, but that should not prevent my grandchildren from benefiting from the traditions that made me.” 

Kachindamoto said the event will include a full traditional feast which features mainly traditional dances such as ingoma, ligubo and ngoma. She said initially the festival was designed to start last year but due to unforeseen circumstances it was shelved.

She said: “The organising committee is meeting this weekend as part of our preparations for the festival.”

The T/A said during the festival, all clans under T/A Kachindamoto’s jurisdiction will be invited: “As you know under my chieftaincy we have Ngonis, Chewas and Yao. All these are my children and they will be there.

“We will also have Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani V, Inkosi ya Makosi Mmbelwa V and all the senior chiefs.”

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