Tourism Month has officially
kicked off in KwaZulu-Natal,
with the theme #WeDoTourism. An event was held at the
Vulintaba Country Estate last
weekend to celebrate the Zulu
kingdom.
From Zulu warriors (amabutho)
to beadwork demonstrations,
the event encapsulated
what it means to be a KwaZuluNatal
local.
Anglo-Zulu War re-enactment
The festivities kick-started
with a re-enactment of the AngloZulu
War where the British
soldiers and Zulu warriors
battled each other, depicting the
war that happened decades ago in
which the Zulu were victorious.
Baking bread
I have seen the famous
amagwinya being bought at local
eateries in Durban, but a bonus
was seeing it being prepared.
A resident showed us how to
prepare the amagwinya and what
made it unique. The delicacy
is also known as vetkoek in
Afrikaans.
It is a popular meal for
many people living in townships
and is served plain and hot. It is
is sold by spaza shops, hawkers at
taxi ranks, roadside vendors, and
fast-food shops throughout the
country.
Beadwork
I was handed a Zulu beaded
bracelet with green, red and
black patterns on it. Before
we were presented with these
gifts, we were shown how these
were made.
The beadwork
demonstration shed light on the
significance of the colours of the beads used and how it is part of
the Zulu custom.
Entertainment
Newcastle group New Tunes
made us dance with their
stunning tunes, showcasing the
delightful sounds of the province.
In between speeches, Zulu
dancers enthralled guests with
their invigorating dances. I even
learnt a few tips.
We Do Tourism
One of the main objectives
of this year’s tourism month
celebrations is the “We Do
Tourism” campaign.
The campaign encourages
South Africans to explore their
city or other parts of the country.