TEN groups from Matabeleland North province will tomorrow battle it out in the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival that will be will held at Jabulani Beer Garden in Hwange. By Luyanduhlobo Makwati, Own Correspondent
The provincial competition will see groups drawn from Lupane, Hwange and Victoria Falls taking part in the competition. Winners will represent the province in Harare later this year.
The coal mining town is expected to come alive with fun-filled fest, as different dance groups will be strutting out their stuff and doing what they know best.
Some of the groups expected to take part are Black Stars, Makhishi and Umkhankaso Wamajaha, among others.
Matabeleland North provincial arts manager Clara Nkomo said they had completed all the preparations and they were ready for the competition.
“We are done with preparations and we are looking forward to a spirited competition.
“All of our groups have registered for the competition and definitely Saturday (tomorrow) will be our day in the province,” she said.
Nkomo decried the situation in the province because she said it was difficult to bring all districts in the province to the competition because Matabeleland North was a big province.
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This year’s competition will have more groups coming from Hwange and Victoria Falls.
Groups from districts such as Nkayi, Umguza and Bubi have usually been financially challenged and have failed to travel for such competitions annually.
“The challenge that we face is that the province is big and some districts do not come despite the fact that we invite them to register with us.
“I think the major challenge is the issue of money, despite the fact that we reimburse them after competitions,” she said.
The Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival is sponsored by Delta Beverages and the event is organised by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) in collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association.
Meanwhile, the Bulawayo NACZ office is still encouraging local groups to register with them before the end of day today.
Bulawayo will host their competition next week on Saturday at Manor Hotel.
