Umkhumbane Maskandi Festival
Njengoba le nyanga eyedlule ka Mandulo (September) kuyinyanga yamagugu ezizweni ezahlukene eziphila eNingizimu Afrika, ibimningi imcimbi ebihlelwe kulenyanga ephathalene nokuzigqaja ngamasiko ethu thina sizwe esimpunga. Lemicimbi kubalwa kuyo umgubho waminyaka yonke uMkhosi woMhlanga. Lomcimbi uhlonishwa kakhulu ithina sizwe sikaPhunga noMageba okuwuwo obunedumela elikhulu, futhi obulindelwe ngamehlo abomvu isizwe sonke, okubalwa nezinye izizwana ezingasiwona isizwe sika Zulu. Kweminye imicimbi ebihleliwe beku Umkhumbane Maskandi Festival. Lomcimbi ubuhlelwe iMzansi Youth Media ngaphansi kwesiqubulo esithi “Unyaka wamabhinca”. Lomcimbi ubungezi 16 September 2017.
Lomcimbi ngokwezinhlelo ubusezingeni eliphezulu, njengoba bekumenywe izingwazi zika Maskandi igalelo lazo elaziwayo emculweni, kanye nabaculi abasafufusa abangakaqini ukhakhayi endimeni yalomculo. Abaculi ababelindeleke ukuthi babe yingxenye yalomcimbi kubalwa Amageza Amahle, Ama SAP, Cevuzile, Dlubheke, Majotha, Igcokama Elisha, Mjikijelwa, Osaziwayo, Thokozani Langa kanye nabanye abaningi. Esinye isimenywa esikhulu ebesilindeleke kulomcimbi beku Yisilo samabandla onke, Inkosi yesizwe samaZulu, uMntwana uNgangezwe, nokho owagcina engafikanga. Okunye obekwenza lomcimbi ube undaba mlonyeni kubalandeli baka Maskandi, ukuthi bekubekwe inkomo abalandeli beqembu elithile ababezohlomula ngayo, ebibekwe njengomkomelo kubalandeli beqembu elithile ababezoba bebaningi.
Nokho lomcimbi ubuhlelwe kahle futhi ubonakala uhamba kahle ngasekuqaleni kwawo, umoshwe isiphepho somoya esidilize isiteji ebesibekelwe abaculi kanye nemvula enkulu ephelezele lomcimbi, lokhu okugcine kuwumoshile kwawona lomcimbi njengoba abahleli bephoqelekile ukuthi bagcine ngokuwuvala ungakapheli. Isimo sezulu siwonile lomcimbi njengoba kukhona amaciko ka Maskandi agcine engabadlalelanga abalandeli babo abebephume ngezinkani ukuzokwethamela lomcimbi oqale ngokukhulu ukuthembisa. Noma imvula iphoxile, siyathemba imcimbi enje, ethuthukisa amaciko iphinde igcizelele ukuzigqaja ngamasiko kuzoqhutshekwa ihlelwe ngoba iyona eyenza sizigqaje ngobuZulu bethu.
Brief Overview
As September is our heritage month, many traditional events and celebrations took place across the KwaZulu Natal province. These include the most celebrated, the Reed Dance Festival, which took place earlier in the month, the much celebrated Shaka’s Day at Stanger and also other cultural events planned by various traditional institutions.
This article briefly talks about the Umkhumbane Maskandi Festival which had the slogan “Unyaka wamaBhinca”, and which was held at Umkhumbane sports ground. This event was about celebration of Maskandi music, and many astute Maskandi musicians were invited to compete and also entertain their fans. However, the only downside of this event – even though the planning was spot on – was the bad weather that destroyed the stage before some of the other Maskandi acts performed and the event had to be cut short.
Siboniso Langa is a content generator, researcher and practising poet. His work focuses on Zulu oral and material culture, its promotion and preservation. He holds an Honours degree in Community and Development studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).