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Culture
I would have loved to be
swati
To wear lihiya
And take part in the
umhlanga dance
Or even be venda
I wouldn't mind doing
the domba
Or beating the djembe
But I am only a mosotho
woman
Born of pedi and Tswana
Ntepa le dipheta
Complete my attire
Sure I would have loved
to be tsonga
To be called respectful
among modern women
Intelligent and humble
With no fear of eating
masonja
But I prefer my sour ting
le moody
Nama e Maratha le letibi
I would have loved to be
part of the ancient Dutch
To share with van riebeck
in the undertaking of the
command of the initial
Dutch settlement in south
Africa
Or even be English
I wouldn't mind having
the queen as my
grandmother
Drinking tea, shopping
sprees,feeling free with
no fees
But I do come from the
dusty streets of Vutta le
mkhala
Where children look
forward to go bolla
Where teenagers think
the government owes
them money for child
bearing
And some look forward
to university
I would have loved to be
Nguni
And proudly say my
president is Zulu
And gloat that most
freedom fighters were
Xhosa
I would smile and say i
am Ndebele
And though I don't live
ko kwagga
I stil enforce and respect
my culture
But I am pedi
Kemopedi ketletse lerato
Ketletse lerato lagofeta
boloko kagare ga Leshaka
Ke apara ntepa le dipheta
Ke ekgantsha ka setjo
saka
I appreciate who I an
From tzaneen to
polokwane
From northern cape to
the east
Or from Jozi to pitori
I appreciate other cultures
Brits to maftown
Ventersdorp to orania
I still appreciate
Pietermaritzburg to new
castle
Welkom to qwa qwa
I appreciate other cultures
Fore they bring definition
to who we are
Copyright ©
Dineo Mtshweni
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