Executive Secretary for Mdauku wa aTonga, (MWATO), Levi Zeleza Manda, says all is set for this year’s Tonga cultural heritage celebrations, popularly known as Mdauku wa aTonga.
The event, scheduled for Saturday at Msani in the area of Group Village Head Chilerawana under Senior Chief Mkumbira in NKhata Bay, seeks to unite and preserve the culture of Tongas within and outside the country.
Manda said they will inaugurate a cultural heritage site for the Tongas called Mwato Village at GVH Chilerawana.
“This will be our Tonga cultural ground which we will develop ourselves. We will construct a school, museum and other structures to preserve the Tonga culture,” Manda said.
According to Manda, the event will be spiced up by dances like Honala and Malipenga and there will be a display of food like batter fish, locally known as batala, rice, chigwada, nkhungu and Kondoole.
The theme for this year’s MWATO celebration is “our environment, our future.”
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, is expected to be the guest of honour at the event.
By Chisomo Kambandanga, MANA
