Team South Africa were officially welcomed into the 2018 Commonwealth Games village on Friday at a multi-cultural extravaganza in Gold Coast writes MARK ETHERIDGE in the Gold Coast.
As has become customary in Commonwealth Games history, representatives of each team were treated to a special ceremony.
On this occasion, South Africa had the privilege of being introduced to village mayors Mark Stockwell and Sara Carrigan.
Three countries were present, South Africa’s continental neighbours Mozambique and Caribbean nation Trinidad and Tobago.
Stockwell is a three-time Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimming medallist. Carrigan is a gold medallist road cyclist from the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Team SA members were treated to an exhibition of Australian history.
Among the narrators were Jarred and Zac Fogarty, descendants of the Mununjali tribe. ’This is the world’s oldest living culture. Peace my many friends, peace.’
The Games are being held on the traditional Yugambeh land/country.
Athletes were spellbound as actors took them through the region’s cultural history, old and new as Melbourne-based Anna Lumb wove her spell with a hula-hoop exhibition.
Team South Africa’s chef de mission, Ezera Tshabangu, presented both village mayors with two hand-crafted vuvuzelas, which were both blown with great enthusiasm, both during and after the ceremony.
The Games kick off officially on 4 April and continue to 15 April.
Photo: Wessel Oosthuizen