Local creatives unleash their talents at NAF
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Wednesday August 6, 2025 09:25
This year's competition is themed, 'Recognising our cultural diversity and celebrating the freedom of our expressions'. It had different categories such as mogolokwane (ululations), traditional instruments mainly Katara (guitar), stand-up comedy, drama, polka, dikhwaete, contemporary and traditional poetry, hosana, and tsutsube traditional song and dance.
Some of the day's highlight performances included the Tap n Clap, where Bana Ba Lesedi from Mogoditshane East, wearing a navy blue and white uniform, lit up the conference room with a spectacular performance. They sang the 'Re Bone Lesedi' song. The choir leader's ability to decorate that melodious voice whilst also showcasing his dance moves won the hearts of the audience. They could not resist applauding and cheering the choir despite being told not to make too much noise so that the adjudicators could hear the message well. The choir's dance moves, voices, composure, and playing of instruments were simply spectacular.
Lentswe La Baitshephi from Metsimotlhabe also came in well prepared. The choir wore red and white uniforms, and unlike the previous one, its lead singer was a woman. She led the choir and sang their competitive song titled 'A re Ipeleleng Ngwao ya Lefatshe la Rona. Even though the choir sang well, it could not match the energy the previous one ignited in the hall. However, it also had a couple of fans who could not contain their excitement and support. Each of the two tap and clap choirs won the first position.
In the comedy category, famed for his skills in making people laugh, a local poet who has been in the industry for over a decade, Olefile Mokgware, also famously known as Mawee, showcased his stand-up comedy skills. Even though he managed to make a few people laugh, his performance was not as good as his previous performances. From Mogoditshane East, Kutlo Legowe managed to crack a couple of audiences' ribs with his usual hilarious jokes about the gap and the different characters between the rich and the poor. He also joked about a Rasta man who became a prophet and would forget that he was a man of God when casting out evil spirits from the congregation, but praised 'Jah' along the way. Morekolodi Sekoche from Mmankgodi also did his best to make the audience laugh.
In the drama category, each group was given 20 minutes to perform, and various groups made sketches on the importance of preserving culture through the arts. Tsoga Africa from Mogoditshane West was the first to perform, and their storyline and performance were splendid.
They performed a drama piece dubbed 'The Wall That Speaks', which celebrates cultural diversity. The play was about a princess who came back from abroad and proposed that they build a mural in their village. That caused conflicts in the village, but on realising its significance, the mural united villagers. Everyone witnessed and got to understand its purpose. From Gabane/ Mmankgodi, the Home Theatre drama group also did the best to showcase their talents. Tsoga Africa Theatre Works scooped position one while representing Gabane/Mankgodi. Home Theatre got position one and Dija Mmogo the second position.
In the Mogolokwane category, from Gabane/Mankgodi, Batshidi Doreen Maidi scooped the first position, proving to be gifted in the ullulating category. Frida Ramagapu scooped second position while Bakang Ranku won third position. From Mogoditshane East, Kgalalelo Mariba won position one, while Gaisang Lebele got position two, and Mpho Thomas position three in the Mogolokwane category.
Metsimotlhabe and Mogoditshane West had one contestant, Dintle Besele and Dimpho Maganeli won the first positions respectively. In the contemporary poetry category, from Mogoditshane West, Kgosietsile Dlamin scooped position one and Thomas Mbejane the second position. From Mogoditshane East, Caroline Dlamini, who did not have opponents, won the first position, and the same goes for Selebogo Saubi from Gabane/Mankgodi and Oratile Monamela from Mmopane/Metsimotlhabe. In the traditional poetry category representing Gabane/Mankgodi, Kutlo Kefitlhile scooped position one.
Moreover, in the traditional instruments category (katara), representatives from Gabane/Mankgodi, Batlaadira Radipitse won first position, while Boyce Kgatwane won the second position. Representing Mogoditshane West, Clifford Learabea got position one.
Mogoditshane East had four competitors, namely Kgatogo Kgokong, who won position one, Tlholoso Kentshitswe (position two), Mogwele Mbaembas (third position), and Letsweletse Ramasu (position four). In the Tsutsube category, representing Gabane/Mankgodi Magakwa traditional dance and song group won position one, and Sesigo got second position. On the Hosana category from Gabane/Mankgodi, Remmogo Dancers scooped position one.
In the polka category representing Gabane/Mmankgodi, Welkom scooped position one, while from Mogoditshane East, Woestyn Desert also won position one.