We saw evidence of this once again in a recent interview where she encouraged South Africans to embrace the idea of rocking traditional wear every day, rather than just on Heritage Day.
Sho Madjozi has been widely hailed as a proponent of African culture. From the sounds in her music to her traditionally-inspired dance moves to her woven braids, Maya wears her province, country and indeed her continent on her sleeve and in her recent interview with Tshisa Live she encouraged her countrymen and countrywomen to do the same.
Speaking to the publication this week, she reflected on Heritage Day and how our desire to wear traditional clothing should extend beyond the national holiday. She compared South Africans to nationals of other countries when she said,
“What has always struck me is how, in Senegal or Nigeria or even Tanzania, what we would view as ‘traditional attire’ is just your everyday clothes for the people who live there. So if you are dressing up for Heritage Day, then who are you the rest of the time?”
It goes beyond clothing, too. Sho Madjozi spoke passionately about how her hair, which was first glorified as a strong traditional statement, is now being accepted as the norm in South Africa – something she is proud to have influenced. She added:
“When I first started doing my dreads it wasn’t cute. Now more and more people are embracing it,”
Sho Madjozi’s sentiments were echoed in the rest of the article which, above everything else, aimed to normalise a new type of formal – traditional wear. It’s an ideal which Winnie Madikizela-Mandela fought for and it appears as if Sho Madjozi has gracefully picked up the baton.
