By: Vuyo Cebekhulu
Tshwane University of Technology has organized an event called INGOBOCO CULTURAL EVENT, that takes place every month on Fridays and accommodates every student and those who are interested Zulu culture.
In the INGOBOCO CULTURAL EVENT people sing and dance in a Zulu culture, showing others how the Zulu culture is and teaches them about the cultural songs and dance.
The Zulu dance is differentiated in many ways, there is a Zulu dance called ukugida, Nazareth dance, and the one called ukubhaca which is similar to ukusina. And there is the part where there everyone only sings without dancing, which is called ukuvumisa ingoma in isiZulu.
Students embrace their culture at Ingoboco, they celebrate their roots and where they come from and how they were raised. Last year they called it ZULU HLANGANA. The event last year was handled by two Zulu students who also attended at Tshwane University of Technology, Zungu Bonga and Sakhile Mpanza.
“This is actually a great event that also shows people that the Zulu culture is not a bad thing, compared to what other tribes say about them. I am a Pedi, but I love their culture also,” said Lesedi Sekhwele one the student who attended Incoboco Cultural Event.
People enjoy watching and participating in the cultural event as the place was filled up with students from different TUT campuses, namely Soshanguve North and South, Ga- Rankuwa, Arcadia (arts campus) and Pretoria campus itself.
This cultural event is not only done by the TUT, but it has also spread in some South African universities like; University of KwaZulu- Natal, University of Johannesburg, University of Witwatersrand, Nelson Mandela University and University of Zululand popularly known as Ungoye.
This year, 2024, the Ingoboco cultural event is held by many people but is organized by two people, Sphesihle “Gcwabe” Mkhize, who is also a student representative council at Pretoria Main Campus and his right-hand man Mzwandile Magwaza.
The Ingoboco Cultural Event was formed by Bonga Zungu, and other students namely Bhungane, Dladla, Mkhize, Magwaza, Qwabe, and Bhabuli.
“Our means and wishes as we formed the Ingoboco three years ago, we wanted to unite the Zulu nation in the city of Tshwane, since we come from different provinces and areas of KwaZulu- Natal. Others grew up knowing their culture, some do wish to know their roots,” said Sphesihle Mkhize.
Sphesihle Mkhize continued,” As Zulu people when we are happy, we want to celebrate by doing the traditional dance and singing Maskandi songs, in other words, we think that it is a best idea that the students do not stress themselves on academics, they also have to have a spare time to have fun and rejoice with others.”
Gcwabe also thanked his fellow members of Ingoboco that they must continue showing unity and that they must keep the event going for the following years to come, not for it to fall down so that even those to come to TUT will find it .
