There is a multi-cultural event happening just a few blocks away from where I am staying for a few days in Polokwane. The event kicked off with a parade of people representing many of the different people/tribes within South Africa. The dress for each group is traditional and colorful. The pictures above are a rather small sampling of the different groups and related dress.
I have already seen a number of the traditional outfits at various events such as weddings and celebrations. The people are very proud and happy to wear their traditional dress at such occasions. I have not yet become good at distinguishing which outfits go with which group (e.g., Zulu, Sepedi, Venda, Setswana, Xitshonga, etc.). Maybe in the two years I’m here in South Africa, I am hoping to learn to make those distinctions.




Cool pictures! I can’t help with all of them, but I know that the first picture is a Venda group, and the third Tsonga. The patterned cloths the Tsonga women are wearing kinda like togas are called nceka. The bulky skirts are xibelani.