The Xhosa Students Association is a group of Xhosa-speaking students at the University of the Free State who advocate for preserving their language and culture. This time, they beat everyone’s anticipation, as they are always expected to be in their Xhosa regalia. This association celebrated Ancestors Day with vintage wear and old African music from Mafikizolo, Hugh Masekela, Rex Rabanye, Brenda Fassie, and many more.
Ancestors Day is celebrated on the 8 of May every year; this day is not an official public day yet, but Contralesa, National House of Traditional and Khoisan, CRL Rights Commission, and the National Heritage Council are pushing for this day to be officially recognised on a National Calendar. It is great to see young people showing interest in things such as Ancestors Day because this shows their interest in knowing about their history. This current generation is allegedly perceived by many as a generation that denies who they are and does not care about their roots. However, the Xhosa Students Association defies all these perceptions about Millennials and Generation Z.
They chose to celebrate Ancestors Day with vintage wear because they felt like there were times and incidents that we forget to remember, such as the segregation era and the beginning of economic issues. 1923 marks the time of segregation and the beginning of the Marabi tradition, which resulted in the composition of African music, Jazz. Colonisers introduced Vintage wear to black people, and it gained popularity in those home shebeens where the music composition started. The current generation knew vintage wear as a jazz fashion style, hence why XSA chose to celebrate this day by playing songs that were composed during that time to commemorate the pain, suffering, segregation, and unjust acts by the apartheid system, which our ancestors survived.
The opening act was a Kwela-kwela dance by all the XSA members outside the UFS historical building, The Main Building. They were joined by the Embo Xhosa Society from CUT, who share the same vision and mission. The dance was followed by fairy tales/Iintsomi, old-school dances, and storytelling. Students showed their interest by looking the part.
A few students commented on what Ancestors Day means to them and the vintage wear: ‘’ Ancestors are our forefathers who lived before us, and they respected traditions and customs. Therefore, vintage wear is how they dressed to cover their bodies because people of the West brought this type of clothing. Therefore, Ancestors Day and vintage wear is a reminder to us of who we are.’’
Another member commented and said, ‘’Ancestors Day means commemorating our ancestors who walk with us; before colonization, our forefathers were wearing animal skins, but because of colonization and political influence, they adopted another Western wear. Therefore, we remember them with this wear because it forms part of our history and ancestors’’.
Indeed, the event was a step closer to realizing who we are and honoring the history we will always reference when talking of a black person.
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