Reality TV star and traditional healer Makgotso Lee-Ann Mokopo, popularly known as Gogo Maweni, has always had a dream to host a festival that will unite traditional healers.
She longed for an event that will feature art, music, entertainment and African spirituality. However, this remained a pipe dream due to financial challenges.
Post the pandemic and after Gogo Maweni had worked hard to build her brand, she is finally living her dream, and is gearing up for the first ever Ubungoma Festival at the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg in October.
Maweni said the event would be about meeting new people, being vibrant, and experiencing ubungoma (traditional healing) on a different platform.
“We want to celebrate this traditional healing that we do by uniting under one umbrella, because there are so many different forms of spirituality,” said Maweni.
The financial capacity, in terms of putting together the event, solely rests on her shoulders, but she is in talks with potential sponsors. “At this moment, it might seem like it will cost a fortune, but I believe it is the beginning of a festival, which I hope to see happening annually. I hope next year many people will be interested.”
She shared that this year, she wanted to do everything by herself, because she believes her ancestors want her to unite the traditional healers and to celebrate other healers.
Gogo Maweni and Gogo Skhotheni plan to host seminars three days before Ubungoma Festival takes place on October 1.
“We will be discussing with people about their different traditional journeys. We will also talk to people who feel like they have had issues in terms of spirituality. On the day of the event, we expect people to have fun and mingle with other people,” said Gogo Maweni.
“A lot of artists’ music that will be performed at the festival translates to healing. Music is also a form of healing, and if you listen to the lyrics of their [performing artists] music, you will understand that music also aligns with ubungoma and healing people.”
The line-up for the day includes Nomfundoh Moh, Khuzani, Blaq Diamond, Sjava, Somizi, and many other musicians.
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