Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation is hosting the 2010 National Indigenous Games Festival from 6 to 8 October 2010 at the University of Johannesburg.
The Indigenous Games were launched on the 24 February 2001 at Basotho Cultural Village in the Free State province, and the first national Indigenous Games event was held in Limpopo in 2003.
Following the launch, a booklet explaining the seven Indigenous Games, dibeke, jukskei, ncuva, kgati, diketo, khokho and morabaraba was published. Iintonga was later included as the eighth game. The headway made by the indigenous games movement was witnessed in 2008 when South Africa was represented in Busan, South Korea, at the World Traditional Games.
The objective of the Indigenous games programme is to establish these games to gain national and international status.
"It is with pride once again to see that Indigenous Games have gained the recognition it deserves in our country", said Reverend Dr Makhenkesi Stofile, Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa.
Indigenous Games are being played in all nine provinces and these games reside within the nationwide hubs of SRSA's Mass Participation Programme.
"The game's' target groups is from 14 to 18 and 18 to 30 youth and this year we are expecting a growing number of participants", said Luvuyo Veli, National Indigenous Games Coordinator.
"To date, six national Indigenous Games festivals have been hosted by six different provinces with the number of participants increasing every festival, reaching total of 1100 this year," added Veli.
With the institutional support from SRSA the Indigenous Games have gained much momentum resulting in the formation of clubs, establishment of leagues and vibrant Indigenous Games structures.
"When these games are played each and every one of us will remember who, when we were young, we spend most of our time playing these games," added Stofile.
Media enquiries:
Sipho Maduna
Tel: 012 304 5131
Cell: 083 9431 684
E-mail: sipho@srsa.gov.za
Nomazwe Ntlokwana:
Tel: 011 355 2578
Cell: 083 507 8068
E-mail: nomazwe.ntlokwana@gauteng.gov.za
Source: Sport and Recreation South Africa
2010 Indigenous Games under way
