HERITAGE month is a great opportunity for our diverse country to pay homage to their heritage and various cultures.
This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend uMembeso (a traditional Zulu wedding) of a close family friend of mine and, if I do decide to get married (that’s a big if), a traditional wedding is definitely the route I’m going to take!
Not only did it seem to have an unlimited guest list (something that obviously pleases any parent who has too many people to invite), but also saw the guests show up in their best traditional ensemble.
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My older brother, Mhleli, and I did some last minute shopping for the wedding which saw us dash down to Durban to get our finest traditional tops at the Victoria Market in town.
Much to my dismay, there were three other guests with the exact same traditional top… sucks doing things last minute doesn’t it?
Even though I was sharing half of my outfit with three others, it gave me so much pride to be young and Zulu that afternoon. From the songs to the food and of course the lucky couple, Thabiso and Sandi who were getting married, it was a joyous occasion.
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Heritage Month allows us to don our traditional attire in spaces that we would not normally wear it such as the work place.
During Heritage Month, South Africans should celebrate people proudly wearing their cultures on their sleeves. People like Laduma Ngxokolo and Esther Mahlangu. Mahlangu is now regarded as a heritage icon and has taken her KwaNdebele inspired artworks all over the world.
Mahlangu has collaborated with BMW and has a mural in New York City. She’s the perfect representative for the KwaNdebele culture and South African heritage as a whole.
Laduma Ngxokolo is the founder of luxury brand, MAXHOSA. The texile and knitwear brand is inspired by traditional Xhosa beadwork. This year, Ngxokolo took the brand to New York Fashion Week for the Made in Africa SS20 showcase, where each grouping spotlights the African connection between clothing, culture and aesthetics. Both Mahlangu and Ngxokolo give their respective cultures and heritage something to be proud of on a global stage.
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