No 'Diesel' so 'Zulu' wins
2006-01-08 17:37
Johannesburg - This sport is not for the faint-hearted. Here, there are no rules or limits.
Musangwe (traditional, indigenous bare-knuckle fighting) is a well-known sport still practised among Vhavenda people today.
Fighters are allowed to hit with their fists and use their heads and knees to defeat their opponents. The use of muti is also permitted.
Who takes part? Males of any age, even nine year-old boys, can take up the fight.
The recreational sport is a humour-filled one and spectators and referees treat it as such.
The Musangwe event takes place in Gaba village outside Thohoyandou every December.
When we arrived to witness the grand finale the air was thick with anticipation. The locals were looking forward to seeing who would be crowned overall champion. Although Musangwe can be quite dangerous, it enjoys a big following in the area.
The open space next to the dipping tank which doubles as an arena and a ring for fighters was packed to capacity.
About 4 000 people had turned up for the finale to see if Pfarelo "Zulu" Mahadulula would successfully defend his title against challenger Eric "Diesel" Muvhali.
But it is not so much about winning as it is about proving your manhood - "Zulu" was unanimously crowned champion after "Diesel" failed to turn up for the fight.