AmaBhaca celebrate their rich cultural heritage through dance and song in Soweto
The Saturday event which attracted people as far as from Northwest, Mpumalanga, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal was organised by Hlangana Bhaca Organisation.
By Funeka Bambalele
The nation of AmaBhaca gathered in numbers at Mofolo Hall in Soweto this past weekend to celebrate their rich culture and heritage.
The first of its kind, the celebration marked the end of Heritage Month and the recognition of a lesser-known group of people who were colonized and assimilated into the Xhosa or Zulu people. AmaBhaca are scattered around Bergville, Mzimkhulu, Mount Fletcher, Mount Frere, Underberg, Pietermaritzburg, Matatiele and Kokstad among other places.
Since in South African schools Isibhaca is not taught, children of AmaBhaca are forced to either learn in Zulu or Xhosa languages depending on where they are situated. Isibhaca language is considered as a dialect of Swati, and it also fuses Xhosa, Zulu and Isiphuthi. It was planned in mid-July and this year we do more showcasing our traditional garb so that people can understand who we are.
The Saturday event which attracted people as far as from Northwest, Mpumalanga, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal was organised by Hlangana Bhaca Organisation (HBO), which is a dedicated civil rights and heritage organization that is fighting for the recognition of Bhaca people in South Africa.
Amabhaca proved on the day that they are a growing nation as they came out in numbers. They donned their traditional outfits while enjoying expressing themselves in their Sibhaca language which is still not recognised as a language yet. The celebration included Isibhaca traditional dance which was performed by both young and old.
One of the brains behind the event, Sanuse Ka Zulu told CITYLIFE/ARTS that the event was an absolute success. Zulu said they came up with the idea to celebrate this day in July and the good news spread through the word of mouth and social media.
“After hosting various Ingoma Yamabhaca dance events at different halls, we decided to take things to another level. The first Amabhaca Culture and Heritage event was staged to celebrate and preserve Bhaca cultural traditions. It is a fact that as Amabhaca we are not united, and this division was sown in by a government who is not recognising our culture and heritage.”
“For too long, some of our people have been forced to adopt either a Zulu or Xhosa culture while knowing they belong to the Amabhaca nation. That has not sat well in us. We have realised that we are not even acceptable under the nation we live under.”
Chairperson of Hlangana Bhaca Organisation, Bukhobakhe Sibobi said about the event; “We are delighted to welcome you to the Bhaca Heritage Festival, an event dedicated to celebrating and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Bhaca tribe. We are driven by our core values of inclusivity, respect, integrity, and social justice. We believe in fostering an environment that celebrates diversity, embraces dialogue, and advocates for equal rights and opportunities for all individuals within the Bhaca community. We want to establish the Bhaca Heritage Festival as a premier and enduring cultural celebration that annually revitalizes and preserves the rich heritage of the Bhaca people, while fostering pride, unity, and cross-cultural understanding within South Africa.”
The event was made possible by Four Zero Digital, City of Johannesburg and Harry Gwala FM.