Campus celebrated Africa Day

NWU’s Mafikeng Campus joined the world in celebrating Africa Day on 25 May 2012. Hosted by the University’s Cultural Union, the programme included a range of cultural activities such as music, poetry, choir singing, traditional and modern dance.

Africa Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 25th. Its aim is to celebrate African diversity and success and to highlight the cultural and economic potential that exists on the African continent. The theme of this year’s Africa Day was “Africa Day: Past, Present and Future”.

The programme commenced on 24 May with the Africa Day Walk from the University’s main entrance to the Student Centre, where the celebrations were officially opened by Campus Rector Prof Dan Kgwadi. Students, staff and community members then gathered in front of the University where they were taken through the unique African way of slaughtering a cow, followed by an address by the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Mrs Tebogo Modise.

She told the students, “Being away from home does not mean you should forget about your different and unique cultures. Taking pride in one’s culture should not serve as a basis for tribalism and ethnicity amongst you.”

Senior citizens also gave informative talks on various African cultures, while the Cultural Union, Fifth Groove Poetry Club and the university choir expressed the uniqueness and substance of Afrika Borwa. This included the rhythms and moves of the tsutsube and stape as well as the popular pantsula and sbojwa dances.

On 25 May 2012, Prof S Gutto from UNISA gave the Africa Day public lecture entitled Reflections on the (Re)positioning of the African Continent within the shifting world context and the role of students and scholars.

Good music, good company and traditional fare were the ingredients of this successful celebration.