TiBaKalanga Festival 2025: A Celebration of Culture, Community and New Chapters

What an incredible weekend it was! The TiBaKalanga Festival 2025, held on the 31st of May and 1st of June 2025 at the TG Silundika Cultural Community Centre & Memorial Library (TGSCCC), brought together hundreds of families, runners, artists, elders and young people in a joyful celebration of our culture, resilience, and collective achievements.

This year’s festival was especially meaningful as it marked the 10th anniversary of the Miss TiBaKalanga Pageant, an initiative that continues to uplift and celebrate the strength, beauty, and intelligence of young Kalanga women.

We are proud to announce the Queen of Miss TiBaKalanga 2025:
👑 Sifiso Candice Ngwenya, from Goho village

Together, these inspiring young women represent the bright future of our community—confident, culturally rooted, and committed to positive change.

Running, Reading and Rising Together

For the first time, this year’s festival also featured the Under 12K Race and the Half a K Fun Run, drawing energetic participation from children and youth across the region. These events brought an exciting spirit of movement, joy, and friendly competition—while also introducing many young participants to the newest jewel of the TGSCCC: our very own community library.

Festival-goers were invited to explore the TG Silundika Cultural Community Centre & Memorial Library, where children sat for storytelling sessions, flipped through colourful pages, and discovered the magic of reading. For many, it was their first time setting foot in a library—and the smiles said it all.

A Community Triumph

Though we were working against the clock, the festival came together beautifully. From the rhythms of traditional drumming to the cheers at the finish line, from the crowning of our queen to the quiet moments in the library—this year’s TiBaKalanga Festival was a living, breathing example of what we can achieve when we come together.

To every volunteer, participant, family member, sponsor and visitor—thank you. You made this celebration unforgettable. And to our new Miss TiBaKalanga and her court—we are proud to stand beside you as you carry our culture forward with pride.

Here’s to stories yet to be told, races yet to be run, and many more chapters to come.