University of Fort Hare Drama Society will showcase a 57-minute play titled Maxhoba Village: Lost Tribe on Thursday and Friday night at 7.30pm at UFH East London Campus.
The play centres around the titular Maxhoba Village, which considers the world beyond its boundaries to be the “Lost Tribe”.
“Although it has been existing for so long with people who made a successful living through acquiring knowledge, as well as their practices, they are labelled as ‘indigenous’ and their ancestral land is one part of the villages that were colonially victimised,” drama director Yanga Mabetshe said.
“With the use of spiritual resources, grandchildren of the village continued to create a sustainable relationship with their natural environment. But until today, their unique personal, health, social and environment development resources are undermined and undervalued by the outside world.”
Mabetshe said it was their aim to travel with the story across SA and beyond. “The production embraces African cultural development, ancient traditions, spiritual resources and identity. The play speaks more on sustainable cultural development and spiritual resources of African people,” he said.
The GO! reported (NAF nod for drama society, May 24 2018), that the drama society consists of students who are not able to study drama at UFH as the university does not offer the subject as one of its courses.
Mbetshe said had been accepted to perform at the National Arts Festival (NAF) this year for the first time in the history of the university.
“When we were finally able to register for the festival, we were overwhelmed because going to the festival has been our goal for years., and we finally got the opportunity.
He said the play is already registered for NAF’s Fringe programme from June 30 to July 6.
