Traditional ceremony launches start of Marula Fest
Hundredes of locals, politicians, councillors and traditional leaders attended the Ku Luma Vukanyi ceremony on Saturday as part of the lead-up to the annual Marula Festival which kicks off on 24 February.
LIMPOPO – The ceremony was hosted by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture at Valoyi Vatsonga Cultural Village in Nwamitwa village.
The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Onicca Moloi, Hosi Phyllia Nwamitwa II, Mopani Mayor, Nkakareng Rakgoale, Tzaneen Mayor, Maripe Mangena and Giyani Mayor, Sasavona Mathebula, were some of the dignitaries who attended the event.
Speaking during the event, Moloi said her department hosts the festival to promote knowledge and to build awareness about the cultural heritage associated with the marula fruit.
“The brewing and drinking of the marula beverage is part of our cultural heritage and if we don’t hold celebrations like this, a bottle store will soon become the only place to buy marula beer. One way of preserving this heritage is to pass the method and skills of brewing the beverage to our children,” she said.
Moloi added the Ku Luma Vukanyi ceremony, which is also known as The Tasting of First Fruits, was also celebrated in neighbouring countries such as Swaziland and Mozambique which provides an opportunity for regional cooperation and integration.
She explained the marula tree doesn’t only bring forth the fruit from which the marula beverage is made, but was helping to create jobs and to build the economy of the province. “Several cooperatives have been formed and every year they brew thousands of litres of marula beer which are consumed at this ceremony and the upcoming Marula Festival. The fruit is also used to make jam, oil and even shells for decorations,” she said.
Hosi Phyllia Nwamitwa II said the Ku Luma Vukanyi is an age-old ceremony which marks the start of the marula beverage drinking season. “This ceremony is led by traditional leaders and healers as it is part of our culture and traditions. If we don’t celebrate our cultural heritage, we will become a lost nation. We must teach our children to be proud of who they are and to know our cultural heritage is not inferior to those of other people,” she said.
After the formal programme, thousands of litres of marula beverage were consumed by the public while traditional healers conducted the pouring of offerings of fresh marula beer over a shrine as cultural groups provided entertainment.
