19th Mpondo Culture and Heritage Festival and 17th Reed Dance 

HRH Stella Sigcau 

18 August 2025

AmaMpondo nation will be celebrating 19th commemoration of the annual Mpondo Culture and Heritage Festival which will take place on 13-14 September 2025 at Lwandlolubomvu Great Place Matshona Village, Ntabankulu, Mpondo Kingdom, Eastern Cape Province. 

Key to these celebrations is the showcasing of Mpondo culture and heritage including language as well as the promotion of the Kingdom as a tourism destination. This to also contribute to rural development and culture economy. Forming part of the celebrations is also youth empowerment as well as promotion of cultural diplomacy in including cultural exchanges amongst diverse cultures.

Activities include horse parade, arts and craft exhibition, performances, traditional dances and music. The Festival also promotes unity in a diversity of cultures.

It is preceded by the Mpondo Reed Dance (inkciyo yamaMpondo) which is on its 17th year since its launch in 2008 . The theme for the Reed Dance is creating of awareness against GBV, child abuse and trafficking.

AmaMpondo have a rich history, culture, customs, heritage and a distinct language and traditional, unique colourful regalia that they take pride in. Currently they are campaigning for our Mpondo language to be one of the official languages. The event also promotes the Mpondo language.

The Festival which is the biggest and the first event of its kind in the Mpondo Kingdom and in the Eastern Cape province, was launched in 2006 in commemoration of Nkosi Ntsikayezwe Sigcau (1947-1996), an ANC liberation activist and stalwart, who was the Senior Traditional Leader of Lwandlolubomvu Traditional Council and the youngest of the two sons of the late King Botha Manzolwandle Sigcau who made a meaningful and significant contribution in the liberation struggle of South Africa as well as in the rural development in the Mpondo Kingdom.