The Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) and the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders are calling for May 8 to be declared National Ancestors’ Day.
JOHANNESBURG – The Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) and the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders are calling for May 8 to be declared National Ancestors’ Day.
This comes after the traditional leaders body hosted its third anniversary of Ancestors’ Day held at the Cradle of Humankind, Muldersdrift, north of Johannesburg, on a day that the organisers hailed as a good omen following the heavy downpours throughout the day.
Speaking to SABC News on Tuesday, Contralesa secretary-general Zolani Mkiva said it was important for the government to help declare the day as National Ancestors’ Day.
“This is about self-love and self-encouragement; it’s about reclamation and restoration. And also about reaffirmation of ourselves as the natives. We come from a very bad background where we have been hated in our own space. We are in an African country, and we can’t walk alone, leaving our spirituality behind. We can’t walk alone, leaving our ancestors behind,” Mkiva said.
The day, which was celebrated through music and other activities, featured performances from singers such as Berita and Phila, and speakers such as Bishop Joshua Maponga and Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi, alongside Nimrod Nkosi as the host, while a bevy of intonations from traditional leaders set the event in motion.
Castle Milk Stout’s marketing manager Khwezi Vika said the beer brand was excited to help Africans realise their greatness.
“As Castle Milk Stout, one of our primary objectives is to inspire Africans to rediscover and embrace their ancestry, identity, and way of life. The campaign for the official realisation of Ancestors’ Day stems from our quest for self-realisation and affirmation and a celebration and acknowledgement of those who came before us,” she said.
Celebrated spiritual and traditional healer Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi said it was important for Africans in South Africa to celebrate and take pride in what is theirs.
“The essence of being African is understanding the role that ancestors play in our lives. Ancestors Day’ is not exclusive to certain groups of people or those practising a particular traditional belief system. As much as one cannot celebrate Christmas if they are not Christians, Ramadaan if they are not Muslims, or Diwali if they are not practising Hindus, Ancestors’ Day is underpinned by the conviction that all religions are anchored in ancestry because they speak of those who lived before us and had a heightened relationship with divinity. So Ancestors’ Day is a day of unity, of oneness. Africa is the cradle of humankind, and therefore we cannot surpass the African identities and ethos that anchor us,” she said.
