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FNB Vita dance Umdudo, Grahamstown
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Sports, Arts Culture

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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY MS LINDIWE MSENGANA -NDLELA, AT THE FNB VITA DANCE UMDUDO, GRAHAMSTOWN
 21 APRIL 1999


Chairperson, Ladies and Gentleman, good evening.

Thank you for inviting me to speak at this very important event.

Dance Umdudo is one of our Provincial events that seek to promote and develop dance throughout the Eastern Cape. This project provides an 
opportunity and a free platform to individual dancers, choreographers and groups to explore and expose their creativity in all forms of 
dance from African/traditional to western Modern/Freestyle and classical ballet. We would like to thank the First National Bank and BASA 
for the meaningful and rewarding partnership that we share.

The artists

We in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture have great respect for the artists that are participating in this festival as well as the 
organisers of this project.We have respect for these artists, not only because they have talent, but also because of their strength and 
determination to succeed against all odds.We are proud to be associated with this arts community.

The role of Educational Institutions

From the onset, I would like to pay tribute to Rhodes University for valuing arts education and for continuing to support the Department of 
Drama as well as the First Physical Theatre Company under the able leadership of Professor Gordon.We are aware that educational 
institutions at tertiary, secondary, primary and foundation levels are facing enormous pressures and challenges on curriculum choices.

As we come face to face with South Africa after apartheid, challenges such as:

* the low levels of discipline in our educational institutions,
* crime,
* unemployment,
* the increasing threat of HIV/Aids,
* the depreciating moral and ethical values in some quarters;

we realise that all of us in the Arts Community have to play a constructive role by contributing towards addressing these challenges from 
an arts education perspective. Surely the value of the arts extends beyond its aesthetic and entertaining aspects!

Chairperson, Ladies and Gentleman, it is our belief that the Arts Community can assist South Africa in inculcating the culture of caring, 
learning and teaching in our educational institutions. This culture of caring, learning and teaching definitely should not only be about 
the teaching of physical science and mathematics during the entire school day.We believe that this culture can be restored by exposing the 
youth to inclusive and holistic learning experiences.These experiences have to invariably include dance, drama, music, visual arts and 
crafts, different cultures, heritage, and many other areas in the arts.

This arts and cultural awareness should go beyond the classrooms and the lecture theatres to embrace community reflections and 
participation.And that is the beauty of this Dance (Umdudo) Festival, for it seeks to expose this richness in talent, diversity and 
excellence.

Today and in the following days we are celebrating this talent, diversity and excellence.

We are celebrating our South African heritage.

The past, present and the future

As much as we have struggled before, much of the powerful oral and cultural tradition of our people was retained.Now as we celebrate our 
new multi-cultural democratic society, the time is ripe to gather that which has survived, to re-establish our once rich and vibrant 
culture.With our new government, we can now all celebrate our cultural heritage without fear that it will be used to consign us to some 
kind of ethnic compartments.Now is the time to rediscover our cultural roots to ensure that all that is good in our culture is passed on 
from one generation to the next.

Conclusion

In the form of celebrations and festivals such as the FNB Vita Dance Umdudo, our culture enables us to assert our identity and how we want 
others to see us.

Democracy has introduced a rediscovery of our arts and cultural heritage. It has introduced possibilities for professionalism and 
maximisation of economic benefits in arts and culture. It has introduced opportunities for community development.

Festivals such as these are a resultant of the fruits of this rediscovery of our heritage and we urge artists and communities to take up 
this challenge!

Through these festivals we can liberate ourselves emotionally, intellectually, and in our capacity to fulfil our potential as human 
beings.By so doing, our people are able to take their rightful places in the social, political and economic life of our communities.

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