Ziyawa La is a South African in-studio television magazine series produced for SABC1 by Touch Down Africa that encourages the youth to participate in arts and culture with the aim of encouraging an appreciation of the global environment, heritage, arts and culture.
The series premiered on SABC1 on Tuesday 6 February 2007, at 18h30. There are 39 half-hour episodes in two seasons to date.
Season 2 premiered on SABC1 on Monday 19 January 2009, at 18h00. There are 26 episodes in the second season.
Synopsis
The programme has the following elements; book club, poetry, music and dance, to encourage and instil the culture of reading and the celebration of South African culture and arts.
Hosted by Tsoana Nhlapo, the aim of the programme is to encourage an appreciation of the global environment, heritage, arts and culture.
By displaying and equally endorsing different South African cultures, Ziyawa La will attempt to promote a sense of national pride amongst the youth with the purpose of helping preserve, develop, and foster South African culture.
It displays and promotes South African diversity through culture, poetry, songs and dance.
Ziyawa La reflects a national shift from ‘chasing the American dream’ to embracing the motherland. New age Africans are taking their rich cultural heritage of music, poetry, afro-chic, clothes, food, living space and language and defining themselves."
The includes live performances by prominent and emerging artists, interviews with African artists who've found success in embracing their heritage and a book club insert where an audience member will be invited in studio to talk about the last book they read.
The show is predominantly in Nguni and Sotho and incorporates English through interviews.