32 PUPILS FOR KWAZULU WORLD CARNIVAL

MBABANE – After intense auditions, the Hhohho Art Centre has selected 32 pupils to participate in the upcoming KwaZulu World Carnival.

 The KwaZulu World Carnival is an initiative aimed at celebrating culture and will be hosted in Durban on May 25. During the weekend, the Hhohho Art Centre was doing auditions which started at Pigg’s Peak on May 2 and Moved to Buhleni on May 3. The Pigg’s Peak auditions were hosted at Gobolondlo Hall while Buhleni auditions were hosted at Buhleni Plaza. According to Hhohho Arts Officer Nokwanda Masimula, only nine made it through during the Pigg’s Peak auditions and at Buhleni, they had five schools and 53 students. “A number of young people came through to audition, out of the massive numbers that we got during the weekend, we were only able to select 32 pupils for the upcoming carnival,” Masimula said.

She went on to share that during the auditions they noted that Buhleni was blessed when it comes to talent. “We were happy to realise that Buhleni is one area that has massive talent when it comes to the arts. Pupils showed us flames when it comes to showcasing their talent. We are grateful to the pupils from Buhleni as well as from Pigg’s Peak and we are proud to say that the auditions went well,” Masimula said.  

The first-ever KwaZulu World Carnival will take place on Africa Day, May 25 in Durban. This authentic and vibrant parade is proudly sponsored by Durban Tourism and SAFA eThekwini and is free to all who want to attend and celebrate World Africa Day. It will celebrate all things KZN including all races, cultures and diversity in the province from the dance, food, culture, sounds etc. Everyone is encouraged to come (for free) in traditional dress or costumes that represent their race and heritage. This KwaZulu World Carnival will grow in the following years to attract troupes from the entire world.

The Carnival Chairperson Dr Bandile Mkhize recently shared that the carnival is aimed at giving attendees a Zulu experience. This was during his interview with Vibes SA when they were announcing the dates of the first ever carnival. “We want to be like Rio in Brazil, as carnivals are known to be tourist attractions. Ours is different as it will surely give all attendees the authentic Zulu experience. This new carnival will include a parade from the Workshop to Hoy Park. People are invited to wear their traditional garments and line up the street to enjoy the different performances from different countries. We will have troupes from KwaZulu, various izigodi, troupes from Eswatini, Botswana, Zambia, Burundi and local groups like the Tsongas, the BaSotho etc. This is a family affair, with dancers, stilt walkers, brass bands, drum majorettes, traditional dancers and more. The carnival will finish off at Hoy Park with a free concert, headlined by Big Zulu,” Mkhize said.

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