Mapulana ‘Xmas’ organisers lament selective funding

By Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane
Tshwarelo@sundayworld.co.za

A cultural funding row has erupted in Mpumalanga after the province’s tourism agency cut direct support for Bushbuckridge’s Mapulana “Christmas”, while keeping financial backing for the established Innibos Afrikaans arts festival.

Organisers of the Dikoma Cultural Festival, a Sepulana cultural activist and former Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) chief executive Mdu Vilakazi have questioned why the growing indigenous cultural tourism product was left without funding despite receiving support over the previous two years.

MTPA injected R500 000 into Dikoma in 2024 and R300 000 last year. This year, the festival, held from July 31 to August 6, went ahead with key features scaled down. The agency has previously said financial constraints forced it to reduce event funding, with Innibos the only cultural event it supported in the current financial year.

Dikoma organiser Emmanuel Mokoena said the loss had hit the wider Bushbuckridge community rather than only the festival committee.
“This did not hurt us at a personal level, but the broader community that was growing used to having one proper festival where various activities took place at different official locations,” Mokoena said.

He said previous funding paid for transport for thousands of participants, security and bookings for popular Morupelo artists. “None of that was possible this year,” he said.
Dikoma packages Bushbuckridge’s initiation homecoming season into a week-long cultural tourism event featuring welcoming ceremonies, traditional stick fighting, music, food and village festivities. Organisers say the wider season involves more than 6 000 initiates and reaches about 150 000 people.

When funded, the festival also included a travel expo and tourism experiences linked to Kruger National Park, Manyeleti and the Panorama Route. Mokoena said guest houses had grown used to receiving hundreds of visitors.
It is MTPA’s continued support for Innibos, however, that has turned a funding complaint into a cultural controversy.

“It’s shocking that they dumped a black festival and continue to support an Afrikaner festival as if we don’t matter,” Mokoena said.
“We are not against Innibos, but we wish to be treated as a growing festival that recognises one of the most marginalised tribes in the country.”
Public records show Innibos has also benefited from government support while growing into a major festival. Mpumalanga’s Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation transferred R2-million to Innibos in 2023/24 to promote cultural diversity and cultural tourism, with historical provincial records showing another R2-million transfer in 2019/20.

Sepulana cultural activist Macdonald Lekhuleni said Dikoma’s economic footprint should be measured beyond ticket sales.
“They speak of return on investment, but have they done research on how local malls and retailers make a killing during the Dikoma period?” Lekhuleni asked. “It’s a Christmas for the businesses.”
Vilakazi, speaking on local podcast The Big Seat, said “Dikoma is similar to Innibos. Innibos is an Afrikaans cultural festival. Dikoma is a Mapulana cultural festival. Why are you still continuing to fund Innibos, but not Dikoma?”
Questions sent to MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube had not been answered by time of publication.

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane