Chiefs, Sangomas bemoan cultural rot

GLENDALE - Traditional Chiefs and healers should work tirelessly in reviving cultural decency through application of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) amongst communities, with existing interactions threatening to ruin Ubuntu.

Speaking at a belated Africa Day celebration event at Excel Academy in Glendale, Chief Chiweshe (born Elias Kutadzaushe) has challenged communities to restore indigenous morality through routine knowledge sharing and engagement using complementing traditional infrastructure.

"As custodians of our culture, chiefs should regularly interact with their subjects amongst communities to ensure restoration of indigenous cultures which have been on the verge of total collapse. As part of bringing sanity to existing cultural abnormalities, Indigenous Knowledge Systems should be continuously rolled out in schools, communities and all public gatherings for sustainable development," Chief Chiweshe said.

"Let us not tamper with principles of Ubuntu. Alien cultures have been continuously threatening existence of indigenous local cultures and it is our duty as leaders to defend against such, in our quest to benefit next generation," Chief Chiweshe added.

Meanwhile, popular Glendale-based traditional healer, Sekuru Nyangatayani (born Peter Chingudzi) has bemoaned cultural decadence countrywide.

"It is quite embarrassing to note and observe that people have dumped their local traditions and morality has been substituted alien toxicity. Sacred places and essentials are destroyed," Nyangatayani said.

"It is our duty to get back to basics of indigenous traditions and that defines us. We should share and engage genuinely on indigenous knowledge systems," he added.

Sekuru Nyangatayani donated two goats and some money towards the belated Africa Day celebrations at Excel Academy.