Story by Courage Bushe
SPOUSES of traditional leaders in Zvishavane got a rare opportunity to showcase their culinary skills, share recipes and engage in cultural exchange during a traditional cookout competition held at Vugwi Business Centre this Wednesday.
The second edition of the cookout competition saw more than 60 women from Zvishavane displaying various traditional dishes and brews in a cookout competition tailor-made to confirm the country’s rich cultural heritage, which is being preserved for posterity.
“This move aligns with the President’s vision of leaving no one behind and promotes unity and inclusivity, and we are grateful to be part of this journey,” a participant said.
Another participant praised the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for championing the programme, noting its growing recognition beyond the country’s borders.
“We want to thank our First Lady for this initiative and for being a patron who is giving us a good direction that is even recognised by UN Tourism, which has given destination Zimbabwe an endorsement. It is something that reminds us of our culture, and is commendable. Traditional dishes are unique because they do not cause diseases,” another stated.
The local leadership had nothing but praise for the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who came up with the idea of a traditional cookout competition, saying the initiative has unearthed immense potential.
“We are seeing that women are being empowered by this programme. When it started, we never thought it would be modified to this extent. We are so grateful to the First Lady, she is doing a sterling job, we are humbled,” Event Coordinator, Mrs Yeyani Moyo said.
“We applaud the First Lady for coming up with this initiative, as it will help our younger generations to catch up with the traditional ways of doing things. Our mothers should play their role and teach our children how to prepare these meals and how important they are to the body,” Guest of Honour, Mrs Fidelia Nyoni weighed in.
The First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa launched the traditional meal cookout competition in 2020 to promote the uptake of indigenous dishes and ensure citizens benefit from their nutritional value and medicinal properties.
