PICTURE COMBO: Tourists at Kambako Cultural Village experience Tsonga cultural activities like fire making, crafts and traditional dance.
DRIVING past savanna bushes which are dominated by mopane re-growth along the eastern boundary of Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, one wonders where the hardwood bushes would finally lead him to.
Signs of human settlement start to show. For one who was having a game drive in Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve would quickly mistake cattle grazing in the bushes for buffaloes that might have strayed into communal lands. After a while, an isolated village appears. This is none other than Kambako Cultural Village.
Located in Chizvirizvi communal lands of ward 22 under Chief Tshovani in Chiredzi North, Kambako is an icon of Tsonga (Shangaan) culture. Established in 2011, the cultural village is run by 51-year-old Julius Matshuve and his extended family.
Upon arrival at the village, one would never think that the Matshuve family has much to offer to cultural tourists. It’s only when the team gets into action that one would realise that the family has a rich cultural background.
Kambako means the oldest bull elephant in Tsonga language. An old bull elephant is well known for its ability to lead its herd back to its territory whenever a herd travels. Kambako village leads the young generation back to the past.
Activities at Kambako begin with rules and regulations of the village. After that, tourists are trained how to make fire the traditional way. This is done by gently rubbing dry cow dung stacked in dry stick holes. The fire making process is then followed by introduction to traditional food that is extracted from the bush. Most food exhibited there either has medicinal properties or has nutritional value or both.
From there, people are taken to the arts and crafts department where basketry, weaving, pottery, bead making, traditional cooking and salt making process take centre stage. Visitors are made to do own basketry, pottery and bead making.
Tourists are later taken to experience how people in the past used to hunt for survival. Demonstrations are made on how people trapped mice, all sizes of birds, and how they hunted using bows-and-arrows. Also traditional water acquisition skills are displayed.
It is interesting to note that all the iron which is used to make ornaments at Kambako is cast at that village. They use traditional blast furnaces to process the metal. Credit is given to The Malilangwe Trust for donating them with the iron ore and transport to ferry the stones.
Finally, tourists get a dose of Tsonga traditional dances that include Xinombela, Muxongolo and Xokoto.
On what motivated them to establish Kambako Cultural Village, 22-year-old Oliver, son to Mr Julius Matshuve said: “Youth of my age have lost track of their past and are fond of foreign culture. We are trying to guard against the fading of our culture and help the youth to get a link with the past.”
PICTURE: Tourists are taught traditional survival skills
Mr Julius Matshuve was quick to point out that foreign tourists emulate Tsonga culture more than locals. “We always receive tourists from abroad throughout the year. Most of them are those who would have visited the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve for game viewing. We also receive a few domestic tourists, especially schools. I urge more locals to come in numbers and experience the richness of our Tsonga culture,” continued Mr Matshuve.
On what challenges their tourism business is facing, Mr Matshuve pointed out that some men are not supporting their spouses in tourism. “When we started this village in 2011, we roped in the services of local women, especially in pottery and dress making. Unfortunately, due to pressure from their husbands, they all withdrew in order to safe guard their marriages. That’s a serious challenge. I encourage men to empower their wives in tourism business,” concluded Mr Matshuve.
Kambako Cultural Village is actually linking tourists with the past.