A weekend with ‘the First People’ of Xere
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday October 2, 2023 06:00
Travelling and meeting new people has always been one of my favourite adventures, but most of my trips have taken me beyond our borders. I rarely took the time to explore my own country and appreciate its beauty and diverse cultures.
It was only this year that my desire to tour my homeland and learn more about my people was ignited during my very first adventurous trip to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans for the famous Makgadikgadi Epic event.
I fell in love with adventure tourism upon reaching the pans.
More recently, my journey to the Xere settlement in Boteti was a blessing. I had an extraordinary experience with the Basarwa in a settlement that is home to just 402 residents. Departing from Gaborone as part of a group of journalists heading to Xere was a joyous affair, as we all eagerly anticipated meeting the Basarwa people and exploring their way of life.
Numerous questions swirled in my mind about the settlement and its inhabitants. Many times, we neglect to inquire about how other groups of people live, their cuisine, and their attire, among other aspects. We took the Serowe route, and our anticipation grew as we passed through the villages of Letlhakane and Orapa. After passing Rakops, which is the nearest village to Xere, we believed we had at least an hour or more of driving left. To our surprise, the Xere sign was just a few kilometres away. Our excitement heightened as we ventured down a bumpy, dusty gravel road in Xere, heading toward the event venue that had brought us to the settlement.
Since preparations for the two-day Xere Cultural Festival were ongoing, we wandered about and snapped a few photographs while waiting to check into our tents. In the evening, we were invited to a sundowner event hosted in the pans, where the setup was nothing short of breathtaking. We settled by the bonfire, where we had the privilege of witnessing the spectacular sight of a bright orange sun setting.
The talented Basarwa women and men delighted us with beautiful songs and poetry, and I had the opportunity to converse with some of them, including a pair of twins who played the guitar. The conversations and laughter we shared were invigorating, and I learned more about their lives. Despite many of them being unemployed, the Basarwa are an appreciative tribe and easy to engage with.
We shared a few adult beverages and noticed that many of the locals there certainly enjoyed their drinks. I was gifted hugs and kisses from a woman after I gave her, her husband, and a few brothers some.
The following day, our game drive into the world-famous Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) did not go as planned, and we had to return to the campsite when we were just a few kilometres from encountering wild animals. We returned to Xere to the event site and were welcomed by Basarwa who were excited to see new faces arriving. After lunch, I decided to visit a few stalls at the Cultural Festival and then interact with the youth who shared their challenges about life in the settlement.
One thing I realised about the Basarwa is that they are a loving people. Although they were initially shy and hesitant to converse with us, after assuring them that we meant no harm, they opened up to us. The smiles from both the young and old made me forget about the intense dust in Xere that was making my eyes water.
Spending time with the First People was a memorable experience that left me eager to return to Xere. I am determined to spend more time in the settlement to gain a deeper understanding of Basarwa and their way of life.
It would be particularly intriguing to learn how they have adapted their livelihoods, transitioning from a nomadic tribe of hunters and gatherers to engaging in activities such as farming.