DCAS Stimulates Our African Heritage On 25 May 2015 | Western Cape Government

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DCAS Stimulates Our African Heritage On 25 May 2015

21 May 2015

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport with the support of various partners will be celebrating Africa Day across the Western Cape.  Africa Day takes place on 25 May and the theme for this year is ‘We are Africa – Opening the doors of learning and culture from Cape to Cairo’.

DCAS, the National Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and local arts and culture organisations invite the public to dress up in true African fashion, prepare traditional dishes to share with friends and to participate in an African heritage celebration in Langa. A parade with marimbas, djembes and steelbands will start at the Langa Taxi Rank.  The parade will join a burst of music, dance and poetry performances at the Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre.  Participants and spectators will be exposed to cultural diversity with traditional food, music, dance and regalia.

The Western Cape Library Service will be screening African themed films, such as African lion and his realm, Miss Goodall and the wild chimpanzees, Red ons renosters and My country my hat, at various Western Cape libraries as part of Africa Day celebrations. The promotion of African authors and films is available to library members but is also aimed at senior citizens and pre-school learners.

DCAS, in partnership with the Saldanha Bay Municipality will also host an Africa Awards Breakfast themed Sport Unites Against Xenophobia Attacks. Various cricket, kickboxing and shore angling athletes in the West Coast region, who have travelled to other African countries, will support the breakfast.

Indigenous games will be taking place across the province and DCAS, in collaboration with SAFA, will stage a soccer match at the Philippi Stadium.

Workshops celebrating the South African national symbols will take place at selected DCAS Museums and the department also supports the official Western Cape Government celebrations at Artscape.

Liezl Jansen, Deputy Director of the Stakeholder Management unit,   said DCAS illustrates the department’s continued commitment to strengthening social cohesion through arts, culture and sport. ‘It is recognised as vital for any community and remains an important part of African identity and contribution to African development. It is for this reason that arts, culture and sport will be used to highlight and address issues of xenophobia”, she said.

For more details on these celebrations please see the DCAS events calendar.

DCAS encourages people to learn more about our continent and to support these activities to foster social inclusion in work environments and communities.

Media Enquiries: 

Tania Colyn
Head of Communication Service
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9877
E-mail: tania.colyn@westerncape.gov.za