Can you see a sea of historians, academics, culturalists
or traditional leaders who are dancing or discussing Ndebele
history and heritage? Join me today, let’s sing Ngwalo Ngwalo
KaMatshobana! Where is your lovely traditional attire? Don’t tire.
I see a sea of proud and patriotic participants: Amabutho (regiments),
Amatshitshi (young maidens), and praise poets (izimbongi) marching
in traditional attire. Where is your beautiful traditional attire? Don’t tire.
September 5–6, 2026 are momentous dates and days
on the heroic, honored, perceptive minds and hearts
of the Ndebeles and culturalists from all walks of life
as they honour the heritage and history of King Mzilikazi,
the valiant, visionary and iconic founder of the Ndebele Nation.
Do you hear them? They are crooning: Ngwalo Ngwalo KaMatshobana!
In that majestic spirit, various pupils and community members
congregated at Mhlahlandlela, on the outskirts of Bulawayo, on the 4th
of September, 2026 to mark the anniversary of the death of King Mzilikazi.
The two-day occasion saw a brilliant and beautiful convergence of schools
from across Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South for the purposes
of prosecuting a programme focused on the origins of the Ndebele people,
on cultural heritage and history. What is a nation or the future without children?
“Isigogo sigoqwa sisemanzi”—which lightly translates to a cow hide
or skin is rolled or fashioned or shaped when it is still fresh and wet,
or so goes a timeless Ndebele proverb. The flipside of the lesson
is that once a hide dries out totally, it becomes stiff, and unbearable
to bend or shape without breaking. A child’s mind is like a wet skin,
hence, behavior is easy to outline, lead and inspire. It is encumbered
on parents and elders to impart good manners, discipline, and values
early in life since corrupt habits become unbending and hard to change
as one grows older. Think of English equivalents “As the twig is bent,
so grows the tree” or “Catch them young.” The King Mzilikazi Celebrations
are more than mere carnival parades from Matshobana through Makokoba
to the Large City Hall and the main heritage site at EMhlahlandlela: they signify
the present, prosperity, posterity, cultural continuity, identity, dignity and unity.
They represent an academy where children are disciplined, trained, and taught
good character while they are still young and pliant, so they proudly know who
they are, and where they come from. Both parents and kids that are duty-bound.
