Mmakgodumo festival showcases Ngwaketse culture

| Monday September 15, 2014 15:11

Their Paramount Chief Malope II was amongst the dignitaries who graced the event.  Arriving at the celebrations riding on a donkey cart that was draped with  the Botswana flag, his unique entrance grabbed everyone’s attention from the audience who looked stunning in traditional attire. Malope urged Ba-ga-Ngwaketse to continue celebrating their culture, explaining that such an initiative has the potential to attract tourists to their village.

“I am very delighted that we are celebrating this annual festival for the second time since it commenced last year. I hope that we will keep celebrating it in the coming years. Culture defines a person; our culture defines us and we must always work hard to share and celebrate our rich and beautiful culture with our children and countrymen- not forgetting people from other countries,” he said.

Malope also told the gathering that he wants the venue to be turned into a tourist attraction site. He said this could create revenue for the village and create employment.

There were teachings from different speakers who told the gathering about the history of Ba-ga-Ngwaketse, which explained how the tribe included others such as Bakgatla, Barolong, Bakgalagadi, and more. Some spoke of the age-old taboos, leaving the gathering almost in tears of laughter.

The refreshing view of the landscape surrounding the venue was beautiful to behold. The venue itself had an exquisite display of a traditional Setswana village setup: Complete with a kraal with cattle that were used to demonstrate how to milk cows. As usual, different tribes demonstrated on dikgafela. They gave Malope, who was then seated at the kgotla that was built in the venue,some of their harvest (thobo). As it was done long ago, the Paramount Chief accepted and blessed the dikgafela.

The event would have been incomplete without Dikhwaere (traditional choirs). Different groups of young and the old choirs belted out their best performance to impress both the audience and their Paramount Chief.  One of the best performances displayed that day was from Tlhomo Junior Secondary School who did traditional singing and dancing. A young female member of the group stole the audience’s hearts and  inspired many to dig into their pockets in appreciation of the beautiful poem she confidently recited.

Bagolo ba Letlhakane, a group of elders danced their hearts out before their Paramount Chief. The crew seemed to have won it self some fans as the audience chanted and sang along with them. The senior citizens of Ga-Ngwaketse also put on a wonderful performance.

A presentation on how to pound maize and sorghum, and how a woman paved the house with traditional resources was before eager on-lookers.

There were small homes in which people drank traditional beer and other traditional chores were performed. More activities included eating traditional food, playing Koi (skipping rope), morabaraba and other traditional games.