Bizana-born Smangele Kitana represented AmaMpondo well at the Indoni my heritage my pride event. Tikana was crowned the new Indoni Miss Cultural South Africa 2022 Queen at the Durban ICC on Friday 16 December 2022.
This prestigious cultural event was attended by people from all walks of life. The Indoni My Heritage My Pride is not just a beauty pageant it’s a cultural moral building programme for young people it was created by Dr Nomcebo Mthembu, a medical doctor, as a way to curb various social ills faced by the youth on a day-to-day basis competing at the competition were contestants from various South African cultural groups. Even though the competition was stiff, Kitana triumphed and walked away with the Mpondo Queen crown.
She says winning this tittle filled her with joy and pride because this is the first time a miss Mpondo ever won the Queen tittle. “I am happy that I won but what makes me happier is that me winning this has brought recognition to the entire AmaMpondo kingdom in south Africa. My community, AmaMpondo as a whole all supported me. I entered the competition just so I could represent AmaMpondo and show the country what we are about and winning the competition was just a bonus.” Said Smangele Kitana.
Kitana is a culturally rooted young woman she joined Inkciyo in 2012 and has never looked back ever since Inkciyo. This young woman believes that the inkciyo has saved her from the many challenges faced by the youth. She has been saved from teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and other social ills.
The iNkciyo is a cultural educational and leadership programme that grooms virgin girls and boys and teaches them to understand and embrace their culture and traditions.
The 2022 Miss Cultural South Africa Queen says she learned from this competition that we are not very different as people. She says people may speak different languages but people are the same.
Kitana hopes to shed more light on the cultural practices of the AmaMpondo Kingdom, she says she would love to one day teach the entire South Africa about AmaMpondo. She said;
Growing up I have always had big dreams about AmaMpondo. I don’t want this journey to end at me being the Queen but I would love to do more than just that.
Back at home in Bizana people welcomed their Mpondo Indoni Queen in song and cheers. “I received such a warm welcome back home, there was a parade and many people waiting to welcome their Indoni Queen home.” Said Kitana.
