Setswana Week Celebrated In Style

By Gasebalwe Seretse
Staff writer | Monday September 22, 2008 00:00

 

Not far from the Kgotla, was a Setswana house that was built with the help of the school's ancillary staff. The Friday programme was divided into two sessions with the afternoon session held at the Kgotla and the evening session in the school auditorium.
The place around the Kgotla was decorated with ditlatlana/ditotwana, maselo, digo and mafeelo a Setswana. There were also some displays of paintings with Setswana themes around the area and dried traditional Setswana foods such as mosutlhwane, letlhodi, lengangale, ditloo, manoko, dinawa tsa Setswana and others.

As one would expect, there was a kgosi sitting in the Kgotla, draped in a leopard skin, holding a flywhisk (seditse) and sitting on his 'throne' with all the pomp. Sitting in the shade of a traditional hut was the 'kgosi's wife', 'mohumagadi', dressed in a German print, which some say is traditional wear.

The programme began with welcome remarks by Maruapula principal, Andy Taylor, who said culture is dynamic. After the short speech by Taylor, all those who attended had the opportunity to taste traditional cuisine. The sweet course consisted of a pudding made from a mixture of baobab fruit and milk.

Then some women staged the almost defunct tradition of dikgafela whereby, women would take the first fruits of the field to the kgosi, who would then bless the morafe and then thank the ancestors (badimo) and Modimo (God) for the good harvest. The women sang the popular dikgafela song, Le a bidiwa kwa kgotleng that summons the morafe to the Kgotla for the thanksgiving service.

Speaking at the event, the guest of honour, former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Youth Wing president, Gomolemo Motswaledi, commended Maruapula school for the initiative, saying that it would 'help young people better-handle the challenges brought about by the 21st century'.

Motswaledi alluded to the fact that in the past, many who attended Setswana medium schools shunned the school in the mistaken belief that it was only for the privileged, who had no time for Setswana culture. He added that with the introduction of Maitisong, people started embracing the school.

'This initiative will also help change the whole picture,' he said.
One of the organisers of the event and head of Setswana department, Jackie Mokgachane, said, 'The objective of the Setswana Week is to conscientise Batswana about our culture. We fear that if we are not careful it will soon fade away.'

Some of those who performed in the afternoon session were Maruapula school staff, Notwane Primary School, Bamalete Ditlhakga tsa Mmino Group and a young poet, Phetogo Selemogo.

The evening session was even more exciting with the likes of the multi-talented, Ntirelang Berman performing. One of the highlights of the evening was the versatile Mogwana who performed a number of traditional songs in styles such as setapa, tsutsube, phathisi and koma.

Some well-trained members performed gymnastic-dance routines to the delight of revellers.

Young contemporary Mosarwa artiste Quni followed  with three songs before giving way to BDF ban who performed  songs such as Setlhako saga Pulenyane (also known as Setlhako saga Kulenyane), Re bulele mo hekeng and Molato ga o bole.

For youthful revellers, Posta and Kgotla Kgaodi were there to give them a hippy song Wena wa pelo.

Another highlight of the night was the performance by Tsoga Africa Theatre Works who gave an electrifying performance.

The group's approach of telling their stories through dance and song left revellers asking for more. In a very comical way that left revellers in stitches of laughter, the performers relayed the message that could be summed up as a reminder to Batswana to revisit their culture.

Ditholwana, led by the likable and hugely talented Judith Sefhako, came after Tsoga Africa Theatre Works performing a number of traditional songs like their contemporaries, Mogwana.

The group gave way to Kgaodi and BDF who concluded the week with their breathtaking performance.