Firing of cannons, mock battles and traditional singing and dancing are what residents can expect this week, as the Makana Municipality celebrates the memory and contribution of local struggle hero, Makhanda ka-Nxele, also known as Makana.
Firing of cannons, mock battles and traditional singing and dancing are what residents can expect this week, as the Makana Municipality celebrates the memory and contribution of local struggle hero, Makhanda ka-Nxele, also known as Makana.
The annual Makana Freedom Festival, hosted by the Makana Municipality, will take place this year tomorrow and on Thursday. Makana led 10 000 Xhosa warriors in an attack on British headquarters at Grahamstown, on 22 April 1819.
This year's theme will be the celebration of the isi-Xhosa language, as the cornerstone of local identity. The Royal House of King Maxhobandile Sandile, and his chiefs, are expected as guests and speakers.
There will also be a variety of cultural activities, including performances by local artists, to entertain the crowds.
As it's described in a press release from the festival's organisers, it celebrates the determination and fortitude of the ancestors who fought so bravely for the successes that eventually came with the advent of democracy.
The name, Makana, was given to the newly formed municipality in 2000 and is a name identified as an iconic symbol of struggle in South Africa. "The Freedom Festival provides an opportunity for positive community building associated with this treasured legacy," the press release states.
