Domboshaba festival calls for cultural ties

Chakalisa Dube | Monday September 29, 2014 09:38

 

The guest speaker at the Domboshaba Cultural Festival , in its 14th year said over the weekend  before an average audience. The festival was themed ‘Local languages for global citizenship’.

Chief Sibangani Mosojane of Mosojane village said that although Bakalanga in Botswana have been celebrating their culture for years they are yet to establish a true relationship with other Bakalanga beyond borders in order to preserve and strengthen their culture. He said other tribes such as Batlokwa who straddle borders  have created a more pronounced relationship with their counterparts beyond borders particularly South Africa which helps them to foster and promote their culture. The guest speaker also chided the traditional leadership in the Bakalanga region (in Botswana) who are believed to be custodians of the Bakalanga culture for not actively playing a role and supporting the Domoboshaba Cultural Trust.

“I urge you to support the trust. This would go a long way in restoring and preserving the culture and history of Bakalanga.

Your good and supportive relationship will also promote the cultural heritage for the benefit of us all,” he said.

He also stated that there seem to be greater fragmentation among major players who have a common goal of preserving and promoting Bakalanga culture and history. “It is imperative to further strengthen the relationship that exists between organisation such as Mukani Action Campaign, Society for Promotion of Ikalanga Language and other groups  whose interest is  the promotion of Bakalanga Culture.

Although he acknowledged the translation of the bible into Ikalanga language, Mosojane said that there is greater need for other forms of literature such as magazines and books to be published in the Ikalanga language, for promotion and preservation of the Bakalanga culture.

He challenged organisations that are devoted to promoting and preserving Bakalanga culture to publish such works.