By Ndalo Mbombo & Thubelihle Mathonsi
Temperatures lifted and the weather is decidedly warmer than the first weekend of the Festival. On this sunny winter’s day, there are vendors converging to fill up the normally vacant space on Church Square, spilling over into the cordoned-off streets with vibrant and colorful fabrics from all over Africa. Each stall luring shoppers into making a purchase – who can resist beautifully stitched African prints?
“Siphila ngethmba everytime sifika apha but when comparing this year to the other festivals lonyaka is better — ingomso liyatshinstha alifani ne zolo”
Sibonokuhle, is from Hlalani township, here in Makhanda and expresses his appreciation for the job opportunities the Festival creates. He has a longstanding relationship with a vendor from Cape Town who crafts beads and sews jackets and wrap-around skirts. They have enjoyed a fruitful Festival collaboration for the past three years.
“Business is not bad, it is picking up. I am selling African fabrics from Kenya, Senegal, Congo and some dresses my sister made for me”. Deborah is from Cape Town and has six Festivals under her belt.
“I am a tailor; I make African clothes that all men and women want. We are here to sell African clothes,” says Ibrahim, who has been coming to the festival since 2005, with his African print, winter jackets styled from patterns that add texture to the coldweather wear.
Elizabeth is here with her son, travelling all the way from Cape Town. She handcrafts beaded earrings and bracelets to sell from her stall at Church Square. “I’ve been coming to the festival for a long time. I started long before COVID-19. The festival is no longer the same, and there’s no movement like there was last year. We are still hoping it will pick up better as the days go on”.
