Imbizo celebrates Youth Month

Imbizo Shisanyama Busy Corner celebrated Youth Day on Friday last week, under the theme “Khumbula” (I will remember) as a tribute to June 16, 1976.

It formed the ideal location given the historical significance of June 16 and the fact that as an establishment Imbizo Shisanyama was founded to celebrate the authentic African lifestyle and culture in true style, class and dignity.

Over the last two decades, Imbizo Shisanyama has become famous for consistently paying tribute to great African culture and history through its celebratory festivals on SA’s important historical public holidays, such as Heritage Day, Reconciliation Day and Youth Day.

It is because the establishment remains true to the authentic African identity, heritage and culture that its patrons exhibit unusually high brand loyalty and ownership.

“Honour our freedom was the message aimed at the younger aspiring black diamonds, who I define as children brought up by the original black diamonds who instilled a strong social conscience and a deeply rooted identity in their own culture and heritage. Young people born from the original black diamond generation are fast becoming a new, more contemporary emerging black diamond target market and remain true to African heritage, history and culture which are some of their core values,” said Mr Develd Monyai, the media liaison officer of Imbizo Shisanyama Busy Corner.

Mr Monyai said years of history, steeped in rich African culture and heritage, are passed down from one generation to the next through the art of story-telling, traditional dance and local music. Enjoying African cuisine is an essential characteristic of this audience.

“It is these young people who we would like to remind of the struggle fought by their parents and grandparents and encourage an attitude of honouring the freedom that was so hard to achieve. Reminding them that in Ubuntu we respect, pay tribute to and reinforce the message that ‘We are who we are, because of who we all are’. Now instead of political freedom, the youth today face another and in some instances a more daunting one: that of achieving economic freedom.

“What they need to be reminded of is the fact that the struggle for economic freedom is just as hard to achieve as political freedom was. Our campaign is encouraging the younger generations to honour the freedom that was so devastatingly difficult to achieve and by doing so, encourage them to have the courage, determination and commitment to fight the struggle they now face and pursue their dreams,” said Mr Monyai.

Local traditional artist Ayanda Sithole was among other artists who entertained the audience.