Bakgatla Bojale drum gets UNESCO recognition
Lerato Maleke | Monday February 16, 2015 14:55
The tribes women culminated at Phuthadikobo museum, (former Bakgatla National School built in 1921) to celebrate the big Day in true Bakgatla style. The event was organised by Mohumagadi Mma Seingwaeng together with UNESCO officials to shoot a ten minutes video of Bakgatla women showcasing bojale, the initiation ceremony.
The elderly dressed on mateisi (German print) and megagolwane, holding Moologa tree branches , while the young ones acted as boswaile, (the initiates).
The whole affair was to showcase bojale (women initiation school) and show everything that happens there during bojale. The young ones wore miniskirts tucked in their panties and not putting anything on their heads unlike the elderly.
Mma Seingwaeng had her best moment as she was dancing and singing leading the tribesmen.
However, Mma Seingwaeng could not allow the drum to be photographed because the whole bojale affair is confidential particularly the drum. The shooting was also postponed because the only drum player was not well and no one else is allowed to play it while she is alive.
Among other things they were advised to shoot a ten minutes video showcasing bojale.
Mma Seingwaeng thanked the tribeswomen who attended and assured them that the meeting had the blessing of kgosi kgafela and mohumagadi Mma-matshego.
Mma Seingwaeng said that the reason why she went to see both of them is that during the graduation of the last bojale at the main Kgotla, she officially handed the drum to Mma Matshego.
The drum traditionally is kept at the Mochudi Museum when not in use. According to Mma Seingwaeng Bakgatla women have two bojale drums, and that the other one now is at the National museum in Gaborone. Both drums have 200 years between them and have been used in all bojale ceremonies.
Earlier on Mangana regiment , kgosi Kgafela’s age regiment, had converged the tribe at the main kgotla where they bashed Mma Seingwaeng saying she was out of order for convening the meeting at the Phuthadikobo museum.
The Mangana chair Moagi Molebatsi claimed hat Kgafela did not know anything about his mother’s meeting at Phuthadikobo.
However Mma Seingwaeng’s meeting went well without any disturbance with the few tribeswomen who attended..