Indigenous Games Festival 2005

In the spirit of reconciliation and reconstruction, sport and recreation contributes significantly in meeting the government's imperatives of redressing past imbalances. It is in pursuit of this democratic ideal that the Sports and Recreation South Africa Commission (SASC) has deemed it fit to present the Indigenous Games Festival for the collective good. The festival is part of Sports and Recreation South Africa's global strategy on sustaining and popularizing the indigenous games.

Adv. Rod Solomons, Head of Department of Sport and Culture said, "the objective of the Indigenous Games Festival is to celebrate our rich cultural heritage by bringing together all nine Provinces to a central venue where cultural exchanges occurs and people can have appreciation for our various tradition."

On 13 August 2005, the team to represent the Western Cape at the South African Indigenous Games Festival (to be held in Oudsthoorn on 2 - 3 September) was finalized. Advocate Solomons, encourages the people of the South Cape and Karoo to come out in numbers to enjoy this spectacle.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport hosted the Provincial Indigenous Games tournament at Paulus Joubert Secondary School in Paarl. This tournament saw all the regional teams of Boland, Western Province, the West Coast and the South Western District (SWD) in their competitive gear to ensure that teammates secured well-deserved places in the final Provincial Squad. This year, at the insistence of the Department and, in an effort to be inclusive, several deaf players and those with other disabilities also took part as equal participants in games like Dibeke and Diketo.

All nine indigenous games that were identified and agreed upon in collaboration with the National Departments of Education and Sport and Recreation as priority codes were displayed in a competitive spirit. These codes are Dibeke, Diketo, Kgati (Ugqaphu), Morabaraba, Ncuva, iintonga (stick fighting), Tik Tok, Kho-kho and Jukskei.

Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Whitey Jacobs expressed delight at the rate of interest and growth in the games since inception about three years ago. He said, "Participating in and raising the profile of the Indigenous activities of our country, South Africa, begins to create a society that recognizes and value the cultural heritage of all. This is an important step in building a Home for All. I want to call on all of us to join hands in ensuring that we act as a collective to popularize and raise the profile of the South African Indigenous activities." Mr Jacobs added that he shared the vision President of Mbeki which is anchored within the African Renaissance ideal that seeks to elevate these indigenous activities to the same status as that of Olympic Games movement.

The Provincial team will be assembled towards the end of August for a two-day practice session ahead of the national competition, while the junior Provincial team (at school level) will be selected on the 26-27 August 2005. The festival for schools is to take place from 23- 25 September 2005 in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.

The Indigenous Games program will undoubtedly come out a favourite for the future, enjoying a major support due to its principles that subscribe to both the African Renaissance ideals and the NEPAD constructs.