Several residents of Tshiozwi, especially some of the elders, flocked in numbers to the Sinthumule tribal offices a fortnight ago to attend a project aimed at highlighting the importance of indigenous foods.

The elderly displayed indigenous food and clothing, while the guests were also entertained by impressive traditional dances. Indigenous food on display included mukusule (dried vegetables) and thophi (pumpkin).

An organisers, Mr Petrus Mamburu, said they wanted to encourage people to eat food prepared with fresh ingredients. He expressed his gratitude towards the rural women who had provided them with information and tips on the preparation of traditional Venda cuisine. "Indigenous food is healthy food. Our dishes are made up of food that is packed with vitamins, because the vegetables are raw and have not been kept in cold-storage rooms."

He added that the communities must be proud of their culture and customs and not "be copycats of other peoples’ cultures. We must learn to love and appreciate our history, tradition and morality, because those are the basis from which a strong nation develops. Our indigenous languages should also be preserved for the benefit of the young generation and the community at large,” said Mamburu.

Ms Elisa Tambani said most vegetables were fat-free and low in calories, because they contained a lot of water.