Culture Week is commemorated as part of the universal declaration on cultural diversity by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which also declare May 21 as the World day of Cultural diversity for dialogue and development.
Mazvihwa, a rural community South East of Zvishavane is set to celebrate in style this year's Culture Week which begins on May 19 to 25 throughout the country.The national launch will be in Gwanda, a more central venue according to the organizers, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe ( NACZ). A Mazvihwa-based and non-profit organization, Muonde Trust has lined up three crucial Bio- Cultural activities for the week's celebrations.
Top on the list is the collective effort by both the community and Muonde Trust in restoring Mazvihwa's popular sacred forest popularly and locally as ' Rambotemwa'. This sacred forest used to be home to a thousand variety of indigenous trees which were used for medicinal purposes for both the community's people and livestock.
Rambotemwa' also used to be the base for sacred rites, rituals and meetings as
it was regarded as the Mazvihwa ancestral Sprits' habitat.Two separate days
have been set aside for the sacred forest restoration. Firstly, there will be
an inclusive community meeting right at the sacred forest on Wednesday the 16th
of May. The meeting will be graced by Chief Mazvihwa himself, his headman,
Ministry of Home affairs and Culture, media and several government and non-
government relevant stakeholders invited.
Secondly, there will be planting of trees on Rambotemwa on May 21. After a thorough and deep Rambotemwa research Muonde Trust established an indigenous trees nursery well monitored by the Trust's nursery manager.
Thirdly, on May 23 there is going to be the Trust's usual and ongoing Sacred Wednesday dialogue program.
Sacred Wednesday program is an every Wednesday program where community elders, women and youths meet to discuss cultural issues, threats and development, in this case the dialogue and discussions will focus on this year's Culture Week theme.
All these three events will see great traditional performances from popular Mazvihwa and Muonde supported Traditional Dance groups, Zungwi and Jechete.
This year's Culture Week runs under the theme: CULTURE: A tool for building communities,Signifying, Identity and a true sense of belonging.
Muonde Trust which builds upon community's own capacity, norms, values and customs is pleased that the Culture Week's theme suits well with the cultural edutainment galore it lined up in Mazvihwa. Muonde Trust is a community based organization dedicated to forment locally- driven creativity and development in Mazvihwa and nighbouring areas South Central Zimbabwe ( Zvishavane district). Through its locally driven Cultural, Educational, Agricultural and extension programs, and a health dose of Action Research, Muonde back Indigenous developments efforts that maintains the connections between community, ecology and spirit.
More organizational information is at www.muonde.org
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