Mantepe wins big in the MTCMA Awards
Dikgalaopeng
Sekhukhune based traditional artist, Nthwaleng “Mantepe” Tlaka, walked away with two awards at the Mzansi Traditional and Cultural Music Awards, held at the Victory Theatre in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Tlaka, from Dikgalaopeng Village outside Groblersdal in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, won the MTCMA Best Sepedi Artist Award and her group, Ipopeng Cultural Group, won the 2nd Best Traditional Dance Group Award.
Tlaka was nominated in her solo Sepedi album titled: “Satma e tlile” for the Best Sepedi Artist category, while a group she co-founded, Ipopeng, was nominated in the Best Traditional Dance Group category.
“I am overwhelmed, have no words to express my happiness. I appreciate everyone who supported me since we started this project, we brought home five awards since 2018 and this one gives me more reasons to celebrate as a woman,” she said.
Tlaka, a former Principal at Naledi Ya Meso Secondary School in Dikgalaopeng, said the milestone was not an easy road, but they managed to sustain and grow their projects as women.
“I believe every woman has something to offer to their respective communities as long as they work together in what they want to achieve.
“Let’s get rid of self-centered mindset and contribute to our communities by empowering each other. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who pushed and supported us through thick and thin,” Tlaka said.
She added that her motive started in 2019 when Ipopeng Cultural Group managed to bring home two South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA).
“We celebrated the achievement as a group while looking forward to achieve more awards in the near future,” she said.
Tlaka said however, some of their plans were disrupted by the outbreak of the Covid-19 that contributed to their two years of drought without any awards and other achievements.
A Traditional Leader in the area, Kgoshi Boleu Rammupudu II, said commended Tlaka and Ipopeng Group for advancing cultural music in Dikgalaopeng, Tafelkop and other surrounding villages.
“This is a sign that we have good leaders in our communities. Mrs Tlaka, as a former educator and principal, is a proof that teaching was her calling because she never stopped sharing her knowledge and talent with her community after taking an early retirement. We have every reason to celebrate their achievement as women and role models to the coming generation,” said Boleu.
Mantepe has composed and produced the “Satma e tlile” album during the Covid-19 hard lockdown. It features five tracks including the famous “Manthsegele”, which has already received airplay on several community radio stations.
