Chief tastes the 1st marula beer
LOVE for the marula fruit was in the air on Valentine's Day at the Cheuenespoort Resort when the department of sport, arts and culture hosted a ritual ceremony for tasting the first marula beer of the season.
POLOKWANE – LOVE for the marula fruit was in the air on Valentine’s Day on Saturday at the Cheuenespoort Resort when the department of sport, arts and culture hosted a ritual ceremony for tasting the first marula beer of the season.
Traditional leaders, entertainers and residents took part in this special ceremony, and Ga-Chuene chief, Ramadimetja Chuene was the first to taste the sweet and sour brews.
Acting head of department of sport, arts and culture, Mabakane Mangena, said the department felt the need to support the annual ritual in their mission to preserve culture.
“In this ritual, the chief is the first to taste the marula beer before other leaders and then the community. This is done to announce to the ancestors that the marula season is here and that they must not be surprised when the community processes the marula beer,” said Mangena.
MEC for sport, arts and culture, Nandi Ndalane said the ritual played an important role in the promotion of diversity, social cohesion, reconciliation, peace and economic development.
“We should not be ashamed to perform this ritual. We all know that the art of brewing marula beer will slowly fade away if we do not popularise it in this fashion,” said Ndalane. Ndalane called on all traditional leaders to make sure the ritual was not treated as a mere event, but as a process that led the community into realising the importance of culture.
The department’s heritage manager, Dirk De Wit, said the the department took an initiative 10 years ago to prevent the dying out of the marula tasting ritual.
“Our goal is to see this happen in every village. The department relies on the house of traditional leaders to teach young people about the importance of this marula tasting ritual. We want to instil culture and the knowledge of tradition among our young people,” said De Wit. Chairperson of Capricorn House of Traditional leaders, Molepo Maisha III thanked the department for respecting the ritual by providing support. “The marula tree is connected to the ancestors. It is our culture as traditional leaders to taste the beer first. The ancestors have to approve first before the community processes the marula fruit,” said Maisha.
