A spirited team representing the North West Province is currently participating in the 2023 National Indigenous Games Festival, which isnbeing held from September 24 to September 29 in Hoypark, the heart of Durban. Team North West enthusiastically joined the festival's opening ceremony at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, Kwazulu Natal, on September 24th.
The festival, celebrated under the theme "Celebrating our cultural diversity in a democratic South Africa," kicked off with a vibrant parade and street carnival featuring all participating provinces. Comprising 120 participants, including coaches, technical officials, and team managers, Team North West is proudly adorned in the provincial colours of Red and Green.
They are set to compete with seven other provinces (excluding Northern Cape) in a range of traditional sporting codes, including dibeke, kgati, ncuva, drie stokies, morabaraba, khokho, juskie, intonga, and diketo, with their sights set on reclaiming thecoveted first position. The term "indigenous" emphasizes the origin and locality of knowledge systems developed within specific population groups and communities in South Africa.
The Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture (DSAC) has played a pivotal role in clarifying what qualifies as an indigenous game. During the opening ceremony on Heritage Day (September 24), Minister for Sports, Arts, and Culture Zizi Kodwa addressed the attendees, emphasizing the significance of cultural diversity in South Africa. He stated, "Our diversity is who we are as a nation. South Africa's rich and diverse cultural heritage incorporates African, Asian, and European cultures and traditions.
South Africa boasts a rich, unique, and diverse indigenous knowledge system (IKS) that has endured for generations." Kodwa went on to highlight the resilience of indigenous knowledge systems, noting that they have sustained South Africa's indigenous communities through various challenges, including times of plenty, drought, floods, famine, and all phases of life.
In the 2022 edition of the games, KwaZulu-Natal claimed the title of official winner, with the North West Province securing the fourth position. With renewed determination and a strong sense of cultural pride, Team North West aims to make a significant impact in this year's National Indigenous Games Festival, showcasing the enduring spirit and heritage of South Africa's indigenous sports and traditions.
