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News - Date: 15 October 2004
TSHIAVHA – The Vhatavhatsindi communities from seven villages around Lake Fundudzi attended the traditional cleansing ceremony of the lake that took place on Saturday.
Villagers from Tshiavha, Makuleni, Tshiheni, Tshifume, Thononda, Tsharotha and Tshitangani made rituals and sacrifices while performing Venda traditional dances during the event. The villagers are stakeholders in the Lake Fundudzi Development Project, which also includes the Department of Forestry, Thulamela Municipality, University of Venda, Komati Land Forest and the Department of Finance and Economic Development.
According to Mr Vhangani Silima, the national coordinator of Community Wetlands Management, the Lake Fundudzi Development Project started in 2000 after being initiated by the Department of Agriculture. The aim of the project is to raise awareness among communities living around the lake and also to establish a community-based governance structure made up of members from the seven villages around the lake. Silima further said the communities would be provided with an opportunity to generate income, as the project would enhance the tourism potential of the lake.
During the function, the chairperson of the Fundudzi Development Project, Mr Golden Netshiavha, said the cleansing ceremony was held to forge unity amongst the villagers and to encourage the communities to respect the lake and to give it the dignity it deserves.
“We felt it is important to preserve the lake as we had problems like siltation, deforestation, overfishing and the removal of flora and fauna. As Africans, we have our own laws and customs and it is imperative that we make the cleansing ceremony to please our ancestors and to preserve our own history. Through the cleansing ceremony, we also want our ancestors to bless our project, so that it can sustain itself without stumbling blocks. We also felt that the Lake Fundudzi Development Project will one day pave the way for our lake to be declared a world heritage site,” said Netshiavha.
Chief Zwontangana Netshiavha of Tshiavha stressed that the lake should be preserved for the benefit of the future generations. He said he wholly supports the Lake Fundudzi Development Project and the cleansing ceremony, as this will bring income to his subjects.
He continued: “Strongest disciplinary action will be taken against individuals who destroy the lake by cutting trees and dumping garbage. We must learn to understand that this lake is ours and it is our own duty to make sure that it is well looked after. The cleansing ceremony is a symbol to show our identity, collective responsibility and the urge to develop our own communities. The lake is part of our history and if we destroy it, we would be killing our own history…”
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