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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
HARARE Gardens has literally been turned into a cultural park where Zimbabweans from all the country’s 10 provinces are showcasing their diverse culture, thanks to the inaugural Food and Culture Festival initiated by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Visitors to this colourful gathering are getting a glimpse into the country’s rich cultural diversity while being afforded a chance to taste mouth-watering dishes from different corners of the country.

To spice-up the festival are various traditional dance groups, showing just how well-knit and rich Zimbabwe’s societies are.

Jerusarema, Katekwe, Chamusasure and Mbakumba were among numerous other dances that were being showcased.

Workshops are being conducted on the sidelines of this big event imparting knowledge in the young on various topics.

The First Lady and chiefs’ wives yesterday interacted with pupils from different schools and gave them meaningful insights into life through teachings on love, peace, unity, dressing, traditional diets, the importance of education religion, culture and shunning early child marriages.

The schoolchildren also had an opportunity to view traditional tools used by various communities that were on display.

The First Lady said there was everything for everyone at the festival with many lessons to take home.

“Zvinhu zviripano zviri kunakidza zvakanyanyisa, kubva nhasi kusvika Saturday inenge ingori batai wabata chaiyo,” she said.

“I have seen all the provinces showcasing their traditions, food and crafts.

“Zvirukwa, midziyo, zvipfeko, vanodzana, vanoridza aiwa zvese zviripo marudzi ese ari pano uye tese tiri kudzidza kubva mune zvatiri kuona muno.”

She called upon Zimbabweans to come out in their numbers and unite for a common purpose of embracing culture.

“Zimbabwe huyai tifare semhuri imwechete tichikoshesa chinyakare chedu embracing our cultural diversity, promoting cultural food consumption and healthy eating,” she said.

At the festival, there was time for mentorship as the First Lady together with the chiefs’ wives imparted knowledge to schoolchildren on the importance of culture.

The chiefs’ wives led by Mrs Priscilla Charumbira — wife to the president of the Chiefs Council Fortune Charumbira took turns to address the children on various topics.

Mrs Tsitsi Makumbe from Manicaland Province urged the children to exercise self-control while Mrs Siabuwa from Binga and Mrs Sandra Ntabeni from Midlands spoke on the importance of decent dressing.

Other speakers were Mrs Regina Shana from Matabeleland North who schooled the pupils on the consumption of traditional food which she said unlocks health benefits while Mrs Naume Chimanikire of Seke educated the children on the country’s cultural dances, instruments and totems.

Chief Stanley Chimanikire (Seke) and Chief Milton Ntabeni thanked the First Lady for the initiative saying the festival will unite communities.

In response, the schoolchildren apprised their mentors on the challenges they were facing in their communities due to lack of knowledge on culture.

They said nowadays their aunts and grandmothers no longer have time to teach them on the importance of culture.

Lydia John, an Upper Six student at Queen Elizabeth, thanked the First Lady for the platform adding that they had learnt a lot from the session.

Harare Girls High School pupils showcased their language skills when they spoke fluently in African languages that included Shona, Nambia, Xhosa, Portuguese, Swahili, Afrikaans, French and Spanish among others.

In her closing remarks after the mentorship session, Amai Mnangagwa said; “I hope vana vangu, vazukuru vangu you have learnt a lot from what you were taught here.

“As your mothers, aunts and grandmothers, we have also learnt a lot from your feedback. It is important that we should always sit down with our children teaching them chivanhu chedu kuti vasarasike.”

The First Lady called for the preservation and generational transmission of cultural values which she said defines evolutionary identity and instil moral values.

The day ended with the First Lady touring exhibition stands where she was welcomed with traditional dances and mouth-watering traditional cuisines.

The festival will be officially opened today.