Inako Mateza recently clinched the national title of Indoni Miss Cultural SA 2023/24. She is from the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Winterton Residence, and she believes it was one of the best things that had ever happened to her.
“It’s wonderful to receive not just recognition, but public recognition for something you have done. I have been longing to win this for eight years and on the ninth year I won it. I don’t only feel ecstatic about winning this title but I feel happy that now I will be able to visit several organisations and voice out on how a particular challenge should be solved as I have thousands of ideas on how challenges can be solved; but before my voice was not heard but now I believe they will give me an ear,” she replied euphorically.
In explaining more about the competition, Mateza expressed that Indoni Miss Cultural SA 2023/2024 is a platform that changes the lives of young people in South Africa, giving them opportunities to discover themselves professionally, psychologically and socially, and to work hand in hand with local Governments and traditional leaders.
She relayed that the national cultural pageant advocates for moral regeneration targeting the youth by using identity focused programmes such as a tool for addressing social ills and bringing about behavioural change. This competition took place in Richmond at the Indoni Village kwa Gengeshe.
“Indoni is a national cultural pageant where 12 kingdoms meet and compete. These kingdoms include Xhosa, Zulu, Venda, Ndebele, Tswana, Pedi, Thembu, Mpondo, Khoi-San, Tsonga, and Swati. It is vital for the youth like me to participate in such a competition because it helps one to know more about his or her culture. It teaches ubuntu and kindness, and knowing who you are, where you come from and where you are going to in life. You also exclude yourself from many negative things such as drinking and teenage pregnancy,” she stressed.
DUT’s Student Recruitment Officer and Winterton Residence Advisor, Mr Michael Zulu commented that he is very proud of Ms Mateza, a student resident at Winterton Residence. He indicated that the Winterton Residence is a first-year residence which was very supportive to Mateza where the final aspect of the competition involved voting on Facebook which most students from Winterton Residence had done so, contributing to her obtaining many votes.
“I have a role of supporting and developing students with an understanding that learning is not only limited to disciplinary knowledge. I don’t only focus on discipline but holistic support and development of students. It makes me proud to say, we have been part of Ms Mateza’s journey to becoming Miss Cultural SA 2023/2024. We voted as Winterton Residence, we posted on her on social media platforms and even took videos while she was practising. We encourage students to take up every opportunity possible and she did just that,” said Zulu.
The 18-year-old Mateza is in her second year of studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences as a homoeopath. Her love for culture extends to being a renowned poet and founder of her own organisation called the Inako Foundation. She indicated that the mission of her organisation is to impart knowledge of cultural values, traditions, traditional dances, teach ubuntu and sports to the youth.
She further views herself as a Xhosa activist, cultural preservationist, and now the esteemed Indoni Miss Cultural SA 2023/24 winner. In 2019, Mateza was awarded as the best Eastern Cape poet and the best national letter writer at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History programme. The Xhosa kingdom awarded her as the best student leader in 2022.
The dynamic lass grew up in a tiny village called Ludiza, located in Willowvale in the Eastern Cape province. She completed High School at Xolilizwe Senior Secondary School, obtaining three distinctions in her matric year, 2022.
In 2023 she was given a prize as the Hustler of the Year in the Eastern Cape Hustlers Awards. Her Foundation collected an award for being the Best Community Building Programme in the province.
Her journey at the Indoni Cultural School began in 2019. In 2023 she was chosen amongst other participants in this programme to represent her kingdom at national level as she excelled in all the tasks that she was requested to do.
As the newly crowned Indoni Miss Cultural South Africa 2023/2024, she is now planning to visit chiefs from different villages where she will educate them about Indoni, the importance of purity as well as the Xhosa traditional attire. Mateza further aims to also focus on her studies as her modules are intense and requires a lot of dedication and hard work.
Pictured: Inako Mateza, Indoni Miss Cultural South Africa 2023/2024.
Waheeda Peters
