This year’s annual Tshivhase Dynasty Heritage celebrations offered some surprises.

For the past ten years, the day has been celebrated in towns as a way of reviving culture amongst the urban dwellers. This year it was celebrated at Luaname-Mukumbani.

To add flavour to the celebrations, Premier Cassel Mathale addressed guests for the first time during such a celebration. The celebrations also drew guests from as far afield as France, Germany, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The history of the Tshivhase Dynasty was read to the guests, who also enjoyed a fun-filled day of cultural dances, choirs and musical groups. The highlight of the day was when the highest honour in the Tshivhase Royal family was bestowed on the premier.

He was given the title Vhavenda, which entitles him to partake in some of the royal rituals like tshikona dancing, which he mastered in an instant.

Outlining the purpose of the function, Khosi Vho Muelekanyi Tshivhase said the family as the custodians of culture felt that an occasion of this nature should be held on an annual basis.

He said he had visited many countries and came to realize that they were succeeding economically because they followed their culture. He gave an example of Japan, where each province has a cultural village where the history of that nation, dating back many thousands of years, is told to tourists and the young generation.

“Other nations have their special days to celebrate their culture. We cannot be left behind and we will continue to be in the forefront of cultural revival. A nation without culture is doomed and has no future, “he said.

Mathale said it was high time that people stopped being apologetic and practiced their culture. He said government would continue to revere the status of traditional leaders and that they were in the process of completing laws governing traditional leadership.

Addressing his subjects, Vho Thovhele Midiyavhathu Tshivhase urged all to be united in the preservation of culture. He urged all to teach the young ones the history of the Venda people, where they came from and where they were heading, so that it could not be forgotten.

He said it was sad to find that all children and some parents were proud when their children could not pronounce a Venda word, but only speak English, even at their homes. “Let us invest in our children and by doing so, we will be investing in the future of the country,” he said. After the speech, he bestowed the highest family honour on the premier, who will be able to use the title Vhavenda from now on.

Tshivhase also honoured some of the country’s well-known music artists, such as Solomon Mathase, ABC Band, well-known poet Mashudu Mabidi, Rhumba king Zozo and Percy Mukwevho.

The Vhembe Music Forum, under the leadership of Bishop Roxley Masevhe, honoured Vho Thovhele Tshivhase, making him the life president of the forum for his un-wavering support and development of music and the arts in Vhembe and the country at large.

FNB and SABC Phalaphala FM sponsored the function.