The MEC for the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Mr. Dan Kgothule will be hosting the celebration of the African New Year at the Basotho Cultural Village on 29 July 2011 starting at 7h00 with a great walk from the Crescent Mall in QwaQwa. The formal program will commence at 10h00 at the Basotho Cultural village.
The African New Year celebrations is celebrated after the last days of Mariha/winter. This is to give way to new life after the dry season, which is after winter in Central South Africa. The African new year start therefore in August – Phato, known for the blowing winds, clearing Mother Earth and refreshing the ground with showers of Spring.
Africans or Basotho in particular, do not follow the Gregorian calendar as is the practice, but rather rely on the solstice and position of the moon, the natural indicator of seasonal rotation. As most of us have observed, the full moon occurred on the 3rd - 4th of July, “Ha kgwedi e toloka”.
To mark the African New Year, fields are ploughed, and the very first harvest is brought as an offering to Tlatlamatjholo - God.
The celebration will feature arts and crafts exhibitions, horse demonstrations, cultural performances as well as presentations on traditional harvesting methods.
Your media house is cordially invited to cover the event.
Media enquiries:
Tankiso Zola
Cell: 082 940 2392
Tel: 051 4104742/4786/4719
E-mail: tankiso@sacr.fs.gov.za
General enquiries:
Mmasi Mosikatsana
Cell: 072 340 1277
Tel: 058 7210300
Email: mmasi@sacr.fs.gov.za
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