The Limpopo Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will host the 8th instalment of the annual Mapungubwe Arts Festivals over a period of five days from 4 to 8 December 2012 here in Polokwane.
This year’s festival promises a new breeze, synonymous with the Limpopo summer fresh rains. The cherry on top is the international artists that will blow away music revellers this year.
The line-up for the Jazz Festival reads like a who’s who of the music industry. Limpopo will dance away to the sounds of the multi-award winners like Zahara, Zonke, Lira,Stimela, Jonas Gwangwa. Big Nuz and many others.
The festival kicks off with a carnival that embodies the spirit of the first modern city in sub-sahara Africa, Mapungubwe, which is now a World Heritage Site. Mapungubwe, discovered by archaeologists in 1932 and mostly hidden from the public at the University of Pretoria, began its modern civilisation between 1220—1300,trading in gold and ivory with China and India.
“This is the culture and heritage we want to celebrate”, says Mme Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture.
She says this year’s festival is about social cohesion; bringing in different cultures and backgrounds to enjoy without fear or favour of where they come from.“We are going to set a high standard to be envied by the rest of the country”, says the MEC.
The Carnival through Polokwane on the first day will be followed by a Youth Music Festival in the evening were artists like Mi Casa, HHP and local Djs will dance the night away. Poetry and comedy with the likes of Ashifa Shabba will continue through the week at the Library Gardens. The Mapungubwe beauty pageant hosted by the Black Leopards Football Team will be on Thursday, 7 December at Meropa.
Ticket packages, which include accommodation, are available at Computicket all over the country. Packages organised by the Limpopo Tourism Agency are available to those who will stay for the entire weekend.
All media enquiries:
Kenny Mathivha
Cell: 082 450 1331
