Cultural practitioner, singer and theatre producer Mbuso Khoza regularly travels the world for concerts and other cultural events.
This week the luminary of African culture sat back to speak to Sunday World about his work as the advocate of African customs and cultural practices.
Khoza, who is also a jazz artist and singer of ancient Nguni music form called amahubo, said South Africa does not have a single representation of culture.
“Around the arrival of [Portuguese sailor] Vasco da Gama, the missionaries from England, and the Dutch people, there were crucial battles that were fought in the land. These battles and later ones, such as the Anglo-Boer War, were crucial as they determined a huge shift within the Africans,” he said.
He further added that churches and schools were then later built on the basis of religion.
“There is no way in the modern day that we are going to have a proper presentation because we are already diluted. We need to look at where we are and never look back and say how do we evolve as Africans.”
Mbuso Khoza said he believes the misrepresentation of the African culture, customs, and practices is psychologically nuanced.
“In the modern day people no longer enjoy umqombothi (sorghum brew) because beer brands like Castle Milk Stout have become popular and we can now find out this type of beer can be used at emsamu (a scared place) and still keep umqombothi as it is.”
Storytelling in African languages is important because it plays a role in educating about customs and culture. He added that people should not be touchy about English.
“Times have evolved and we need to use the language people understand in order to invite them into the world that you want them to understand.”
