HughFest, one of the most influential entertainment festivals, continues to honour the life of the illustrious Hugh Masekela and is making a return to Nirox Sculpture Park at the Cradle of Humankind on November 26.
The festival, which has been running for over a decade, continues to provide a platform for South Africa’s abundant and diverse talent. In the name of Bra Hugh’s final studio recording, the curation has no borders as it cultivates a strong and eclectic line-up of collaborations, poets, intellectuals, dancers and musicians.
Tresor, The Masekela Band with Kunle Ayo, Ihhashi Elimhlophe, Zolani Mahola/The One Who Sings, Amadodana Ase Wesile, and Zoe Molelekwa will also perform at the festival, which has always featured various line-ups that reflect Bra Hugh’s eclecticism.
Velmah Nzembela, Assupol’s head of group corporate affairs, said: “We are proud to have been associated with HughFest since its inception 10 years ago. This is another way that Assupol continues to give back to the communities it serves and supports the arts and culture. HughFest has grown into a highly anticipated annual event that brings people together to celebrate and showcase local talent, fostering a sense of unity and pride within the communities we serve.”
Mabusha Masekela, the co-organiser and Masekela’s nephew, said: “HughFest is one of South Africa’s most unique and culturally driven festivals. From its inception through its continued evolution, HughFest has been home to a vast array of sound styles and performance traditions that represent our South African culture in all its nuance, diversity, eclecticism and honesty. HughFest exists as our platform to celebrate ourselves, share our joys and traditions, amplify and enhance our shared human creativity and abilities, encourage and contribute to our social change, express our beliefs and heritage, and enact our dreams of freedom and the promise of our future.“
Over the past 10 years of curation, HughFest has embodied Bra Hugh’s unique vision of African tradition, heritage, inter-generational conversations and pageantry.
Pula Twala, board member of the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, said Bra Hugh’s vision for HughFest is invested with his passion for the restoration of heritage in the lives of Africans, especially of our languages, our pageantry, and our age-old ingenuity and artistry.
“These are woven into the sounds and sights, feelings and experiences of the festival celebrations, and on into our day-to-day lives. HughFest is a mirror of who we were, who we are becoming, and what we bring with us into our future,” said Twala.
This annual event, previously known as the Hugh Masekela Heritage Festival, has also received support from the National Arts Council.
The Star