GEORGE NEWS - The vibrant and colourful Africa Day Festival returns to George from Friday to Sunday 23 to 25 May, once again set in the Witfontein Nature Reserve.
Widely regarded as one of the Southern Cape's most enriching heritage events, the festival offers a rare blend of cultural immersion, healing arts and economic opportunity through innovative heritage tourism.
According to one of the festival's organisers, Hein Scheepers, this year's programme promises an unforgettable experience with traditional performances, heritage showcases and wellness offerings that reflect the depth and diversity of African identity.
One of the most anticipated highlights is the presence of Uli Vilander, a traditional Bushman (San) healer, who will lead nightly Bushman fire healing dance ceremonies from 21:00 to 08:00, throughout the weekend.
These spiritual ceremonies, rooted in the ancient practices of the Ju/'hoansi people, are centred around the n/um trance dance, a sacred ritual believed to release supernatural healing energy.
Participants can also engage in traditional Bushman healing massages, which include personal consultation, bodywork and medical advice upon request. The immersive sessions aim to reconnect individuals with nature, spirit and the timeless rhythms of healing passed down through generations.
The trance dance, a ritual in which women sit around a fire, singing and clapping as healers dance in the centre, is both a physical and spiritual event.
The dancers wear joros, rhythmic instruments made from cocoons, to invoke n/um, the spiritual medicine believed to be a gift from /Kaggen, the great creator spirit.
"Africa Day is more than a celebration, it's a strategic platform to grow a heritage tourism ecosystem in the Garden Route and a prime opportunity for our local communities to leverage the heritage tourism economy. It invites companies, municipalities, institutions, cultural collectives, faith groups and grassroots communities to participate in a shared vision," says Scheepers.
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