Qinisela Ndebele, a native of Tokwana, says although he has always known about Luswingo Heritage Site, located just a few kilometres from his home, he had never visited the place until recently.
Luswingo Heritage Site lies 36 kilometres north of Plumtree Town, on a hill by the Thekwane River in Tokwana Village, Bulilima District. The site, which was built by the BaKalanga, holds deep cultural and historical significance.
Ndebele says although he was born and bred in Tokwana, the myths and mysteries he grew up hearing about Luswingo kept him away until curiosity finally led him there.
“I was born and bred here in Tokwana. My elders told me that I was delivered in the kitchen, in accordance with our culture. However, I had never set foot here. It’s my first time and I am excited,” he told CITE in an interview.
Ndebele said he was ready to learn more about the place and share that knowledge with others.
“There are so many myths surrounding this place. Some say if you come here and your ancestors are not strong enough, you will not climb down the mountain. You will spend your entire time going round in circles.
“Others say if you use the easy path to climb the mountain you may get lost. You must follow the correct path and be led by someone who knows it well. Others also say that you need to give a token in form of silver coins when climbing. So going up the mountain requires you to be quite ready. This is a sacred place, rich in culture, history and tradition. People must be taught accordingly about it so that they have the correct information.”
Local leaders in the area say Luswingo remains undermarketed and underutilised, yet it could become a vibrant tourist attraction if properly promoted and preserved.
Ward 4 Councillor, Biganani Ndlovu, said the site has potential to generate income that could fund local development initiatives.
“We have a beautiful heritage site here, rich in history, culture and tradition. We need to maintain it well and market it properly. People will be interested in coming here to visit and learn about our culture. We will not charge exorbitant amounts, but just enough to attract tourists, domestic and foreign, so that we can raise money that can fund local projects,” Cllr Ndlovu said.
“This mountain is surrounded by Thekwane River that has a lot of water. If we make enough money from tourism, we can be able to lay pipes that will draw water from the river and help the locals.
“Our schools and health facilities need water, our village people need nutritional gardens. We cannot be burdening our diaspora communities all the time to fund us. Through this initiative we can be able to have sustainable projects.”
Cllr Ndlovu added that the surrounding areas host various wild animals, which could add to the tourism experience.
“This area is quite rich in terms of resources. All we need is to have this initiative converted to reality so that we can benefit from it,” he said.
Another villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Luswingo and its surroundings hold valuable lessons about BaKalanga culture.
“The water in Thekwane River is pure, hence some people who believe in tradition go to specific sections to cleanse themselves. They can go on their own or accompanied by traditional healers,” he said.
“We also have a lot of wild fruits and traditional food that we can capitalise on. We can package and sell these to visitors and tourists, teach them their health benefits and how to conserve them. Our area is very rich, and if we get an opportunity and support, we can do much to improve our community.”
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