mbulelo smpofu
Sipepisiwe Moyo, moyosipepisiwe@gmail.com
IT was a night of celebrating African heritage at the Ubuntu Culture Night at the Bulawayo Theatre on Friday.
The venue was filled to the brim with attendees from all walks of life eager to experience the rich African culture.
Various artistes showcased their expertise and deep knowledge of their heritage.
Performers included poets, musicians, cultural groups and a live fashion show that added colour to the event.
Bhila took to the stage barefooted to unlock his potential at the Ubuntu Culture Festival.
His style as he approached the stage, seemingly possessed by some unseen force emerging from the packed Bulawayo Theatre crowd, proved his prowess as a talented dancer, vocalist, and loyal man of the cloth.
PJ, as he was known to his university peers, became the chant of the night. Performing his track, Wamuhle, wamuhle, wamuhle, many were left wondering which genre he truly falls under. Is it Jazz, Afro-pop, Imbube, or Amapiano?
He set the roof on fire as he performed other tracks, including Ngilentombi emawen…emaweni, emaweni, Komadara sidle ubutsha bethu, and Ngilentombi ehlala koBulawayo.
Keeping the flow running was Master of Ceremony UmAfricakazi and seasoned poet Obert Dube, who had the audience in stitches with his unending comedic lines.
Displaying a mature and well-articulated performance was the group iHawu leSizwe with their Imbube moves.
Dziva lemvula group had everyone on their feet with their hit single Deliwe, a track enjoying airplay on many radio stations and at drinking spots.
Vuyo Brown also gave a calm but splendid performance, leaving everyone amazed by her vocal strength.
Thaluso Da Poet and Dr Gasolo came in hot with their vocabulary-rich poetry. The Matojeni group also exhibited great dance moves. Amaqaqa wrapped up the evening with an interesting Imbube showcase.
Some attendees shared that being part of a night where only culture took centre stage left them feeling proud to be African.
“This was a very pleasant night of celebrating Ubuntu as Africans. The event also gave the artistes a chance to showcase their talents. I enjoyed almost all the performances but Dziva lemvula was my favourite group,” said Timothy Hadebe.
Thandi Dhlana-Jele also expressed her appreciation for the support and love artistes receive from their fans.
“The night of culture was amazing, and I am proud of all the artistes. Their performances motivate and encourage us to keep holding on. Their talent also pushes us to do more, and the unity among artistes makes our work come out perfectly,” she said.
Bhila said the night was only the beginning of great things to come in his artistic career.
“I’m at a loss for words to express my feelings after sharing the stage with seasoned artistes. It was a priceless moment for me to have them on the same stage as me. I don’t even know how to explain this,” said Bhila.
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart was represented by Councillor Aleck Ndlovu who read his speech.
Clr Coltart said the Ubuntu Culture Night was a celebration of the African philosophy of Ubuntu.
