Indigenous Games celebrates our diversity and unity

Moyahabo Mabeba

LIMPOPO – With heritage month to be celebrated next month the provincial department of sports, arts and culture will host the Provincial Indigenous Games at Polokwane Cricket Grounds today and tomorrow.

The games is aimed at preserving traditional pursuits like morabaraba, jukskei, dibeke, ncuva, khokho, diketo, kgati, intonga and drie stokkies.

The 10th anniversary games will be held under the theme: “My roots, my pride, my future”.

This week’s events follow the district competitions that were held in all five regions of the province during the past few weeks. The provincial games will also help in selecting Team Limpopo to represent the province during the National Indigenous Games Festival later this year.

The department utilises the games to preserve heritage; promote social cohesion, cultural diversity and nation building.

Malesela Ramaoka, spokesperson for the department, said the games impact positively on socio-economic issues such as African identity; cultural diversity; education and training.

Furthermore, the games encourage healthy lifestyles, and discourage unwanted social behaviour by keeping the youth engaged.

The department has been hosting these games for many years to highlight cultural importance. It is also part of the national strategy to optimise South Africa’s rich cultural heritage and values by instilling a sense of pride in also celebrating our differences as a rainbow nation, said Ramaoka.

“Honouring these indigenous games unshackles us from the stereotypical thinking that our games are inferior. These are our games and they are ours to preserve, to hold on to, to teach and to share.”

Participation in indigenous games emphasises physical development, skills training, reinforcement of community values and interaction between communities.

Moloko Ramokgopa, Morabaraba legend, pointed out that “these games unites us as people and once we are united there won’t be any discrimination or bias against each other”.

“The difference between indigenous games and mainstream sports such as soccer, rugby and cricket is that our sports do not have age restrictions and can be played by anyone from five years to 100 years,” added Ramokgopa.

He also spoke about the importance of the tournament in nation building: “These games help us as a nation with different cultures to come together practising what is indigenously ours.

“We used to play dibeke without rules while growing up; now it has evolved into a sport or game with rules.”