Opinion By Charlotte Lobe- The original idea of the Mangaung Cultural Festival (MACUFE) was to celebrate our cultural diversity and heritage by attracting local and international artists in various fields of creative arts.

The original Macufe, not the one contested in courts, appreciated that the Free State province share borders with 6 province at the exclusion of only Limpopo and the Western Cape and a road infrastructure that is connected to all parts of South Afica. The Free State cultural heritage is thus influenced by cross-border cultures making it a boiling pot of popular culture.
The original Macufe was launched in 1997 by the Free State Provincial Government to celebrate this rich heritage. It was conceptualized as a self-sustaining entinty not dependent on government funding for its sustainability. Of course government would still play a role in providing support to Macufe as its initiative and ensure that it retained its original founding principle of showcasing the best local and international African artists in various disciplines such as music, performing arts, fashion, crafts, sport etc. When the original Macufe was conceptualized there was no cultural festival that expressed the rich culture of indigenous South Africans.
This made Macufe unique and it became the pride of everyone in the Arts industry. Most popular and successful festivals in South Africa at the time were Eurocentric and to be frank undermining the African cultural heritage. This made Macufe not only a Mangaung Festival but an African cultural festival.
The original Macufe conceptualized by a team led by Comrade Webster Mfebe as the then MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture in the Free State became more than an arts festival, from the onset the idea was to stage a powerful event that would recognise and celebrate indigenous African cultural heritage.
The original Macufe disrupted the status quo of a Eurocentric arts festival phenomenon and brought a much needed transformation to the industry. The original Macufe was bold and transformative at so many levels notwithstanding challenges of inclusion of Free State artists it was a great success. It became a pride of everyone beyond the border of the Free State.
The Macufe Cup became the last addition to the Macufe show in 2003. The idea behind the Macufe Cup was to broaden the scope of the Festival and include other aspects of the Free State cultural heritage. The considetation at the time was that soccer was a big part of our heritage, specific reference was made to how Bloemfontein Celtic FC became the pride of the people of the Free State when it won the Mainstay Cup in 1986 under the rally slogan: “Phunya Selesele bana ba o shebile”.
Bloemfontein Celtic became a symbol of our soccer heritage and Macufe Cup was about showcasing this heritage. Kaizer Chiefs FC was identified as an appropriate opponent also because in the context of this heritage Celtic fan have always despised Chiefs, they nicknamed them “MaHippy”, by “they” I am being polite, let me be frank, “we” called them MaHippy. The Cup was not only about players, supporters were huge part of it. We went to the Free State Stadium to showcase our culture as the Celtic Fans, Bloemfontein Celtic was our popular culture.
This culture was stolen from us when the Celtic PSL status was sold at the alter of financial expediency and convenience facilitated by the PSL itself through Ntate Irvin Khosa who said on national TV there was nothing he could do when the guy approached him.
This was despite the fact that Mamosina Makume Leshabane was blocked from buying the team and retaining its identity and history. The Free State Government without consideration to how Macufe Cup was conceptualized is now endorsing this thuggery by bringing Royal AM FC to Macufe. How insensitive can anyone be? It is like endorsing theft and parading the thief expecting applause. This is as insensitive as a quotation commonly attributed to Marie Antoinette ‘Qu’ils mangent de la brioche’ translated as ‘let them eat the cake’.
These words were uttered in the mist of bread shortage by French peasants. The idea of bringing Royal AM FC to Bloemfontein is an insult of our cultural heritage. It is like you are telling Bloemfontein Celtic Fans to go to the hottest place where ice cannot exist. Free State Government show a bit of compassion and understand the history behind original Macufe!!!
The views expressed here are not those of Central News