The lifeblood of any vibrant community is culture.
It is expressed in the way people tell stories, celebrate, entertain themselves, and envisage the future.
Customs and traditions have intrinsic, economic, and social benefits.
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They enhance the quality of life.
From the Venda greetings, traditional clothing and other rituals, the Venda culture is phenomenal.
What constitutes the Venda culture?
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Who was the first king of Venda?King Shiriyadengawas his name.
Where do Vendas come from?
They originated from the East African and the Congo rift and migrated across the Limpopo River.
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Their migration happened duringthe Bantu expansion.
In the 9th century, the Mapungubwe Kingdom was headed by King Shiriyadenga.
The kingdom was vast and stretched from Soutpansberg to Matopos, across the Limpopo River.
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In 1240, the empire declined, and the community established its first settlement in Soutpansberg.
The community traditionally allowed polygyny.
The number of wives that a man got was dependent on his wealth.
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Chiefs and headmen, who were wealthier, married more women.
Older men often married younger ladies to bear them children and to be their caregivers in old age.
During this period, she learns about her husbands family, his likes, and dislikes.
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She lives with her mother-in-law until she gives birth to her first child.
Afterwards, she moves to her own home.
They got the skins by hunting.
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Women wore these accessories around the neck.
They were ancient accessories because they are passed from one generation to another.
Traditionally, mothers worked in the fields.
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They also ensured that the family has water and maintained the cleanliness of the home.
The men were responsible forthe cattle and buildingshelters for their families.
When children become of age, they are separated.
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The boys go out herding while the girls join their mothers and grandmothers in the fields.
Venda traditional food
Thetraditional cuisinein this community mainly depends on grains and vegetables.
Maize is a staple food to date.
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The main traditional Venda food is Tshidzimba, which is a mixture of beans, groundnuts, and maize.
The marula fruit is healthy and is used to prepare a traditional alcoholic drink.
The community widely consumes Mopane worms which are nutritious.
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They can either be eaten cooked or dried.
They taste like chicken.
Other foods that are commonly consumed are beans and groundnuts.
The most common fruits include avocadoes, mangoes, oranges, and apricots.
In this community, it is taboo to consume pork and other pig products.
Language
TheVenda languageis also known as Tshivenda or Luvenda.
In the 16th century, it became a distinct Bantu dialect.
The vocabulary is similar to SeSotho, but it also shares many similar elements with the Shona dialects.
Today, it is one of the 11 official languages in South Africa.
At least 650,000 people live in Limpopo Province and speak Tshivenda.
It is the most famous dance that is also known as the python dance.
The dance involves long fluid movements.
Usually, small aprons that cover the front and back are worn during the dance.
Another popular Venda danceis the Tshikonadance.
It is a male dance that is performed in religious ceremonies, Venda culture funerals, and weddings.
Each dancer has a special bamboo pipe that they use to create a melody with other dancers.
Married women perform the Tshigombela dance while young single girls perform the Tshifhasi dance.
Both dances are performed when the first green maize cobs appear on their crops.
Young men also have dances that they perform during the circumcision period.
What is Venda religion?
Offerings are taken to them because plants cannot grow under the water.
The community does not hunt crocodiles because it is believed that they have poisonous brains.
Venda culture is rich and meaningful.
This Bantu community has defined gender roles, and there are many other rituals, beliefs, and dances.
The vibrant traditions give the community members an identity in society.
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She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019.
The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course.
it’s possible for you to email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
