The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) has called for the 8th of May, Ancestors Day, to be declared a public holiday.
Doing so, they say, will ensure that there is a day to acknowledge African spirituality, which will be celebrated with ceremonies and rituals that honour the ancestors.
[ON AIR] Contralesa is calling for government to officially declare the 8th of May as Ancestors’ Day. Zolani Mkiva, General Secretary of Contralesa on #SAfmSunrise with @StephenGrootes #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/aN26gr0acL
— SAfmRadio ? (@SAfmRadio) May 6, 2022
This year, the day was celebrated at the Cradle of Human Kind in Mogale City, west of Johannesburg, through music, art and talks in which homage was paid to the diversity of African Spirituality.
Contralesa General Secretary, Zolani Mkiva says this day is very important to Africans.
“This is about self-love, self-encouragement, it’s about reclamation and restoration. And also about re-affirmation of ourselves as the natives. We come from a very bad background where we have been hated in our own space. We are in an African country and we can’t walk alone leaving our spiritually behind. We can’t walk alone, leaving our ancestors behind,” said Mkiva.
