Balete Celebrate Bojale
Kagiso Onkatswitse | Monday August 31, 2015 18:00
The occasion themed Ngwana Wa Kgomo Ithute Molodi (cattle owner should know how to whistle) started with village elders show-casing cultural artifacts and demonstration of Balete’s ways of life such as grinding sorghum with stones, skin chair making, cow sledges, traditional thatching and plough and hoeing.
The day was a celebration of the Balete culture with cultural activities such as musical chorus provided by Andante Choir, poem by Lekgetho and Ntwaetsile and traditional dance by Morogo Wa Ngwana troupe. Bamalete’s famous reed pipes blowers, Ditlhaka Traditinal Group provided their characteristic mesmerizing performance. The piece of music seemed to have hyped the mood, as suddenly there was ululation and whistling from the audience. On the other side, exhibitors gave visitors a taste of traditionaly brew, as well as teaching about the process of brewing the traditional brew. Traditional meat cut, lesuhu, was also being dished out, as well as traditionally made sour milk, madila, maize corn snack, kabu.
Deputy paramount chief Kgosi Tsimane Mokgosi employed the tribe to embrace culture. “As you can see, we have various entertainment to make this day fantastic. ‘Goithuta Molodi’ means that you should learn useful ways for survival”, this is a big day because we have integrated the event with initiation graduation ceremony,” said Mokgosi.
Then came the big moment of the ritual. The ladies of the day, with hairless skulls had painted their head with letsoku as they looked beautiful in their signature brown attire and beats of diverse colours and shapes, as they paraded with their heads down before sitting down
Kgosi Seboko named the initiation graduates Madisa Motse Regiment. The group is headed by Tuduetso Mokgosi from the royal family.
According to Kgosi Seboko, she decided to delegate Mokgosi the responsibility and leadership of the group to demonstrate her value to Madisa Motse. “I give you responsibility to lead your sisters. It is upon you to prove your worth as a leader of Madisa Motse and the village at large,” said Seboko. Seboko also acknowledge that as leaders of Balete, they can learn from Bakgatla in terms of tradition and ways of conducting cultural activities. “We can learn from you Mme Mma Seingwaeng. We will always visit you to see and hear how you are doing that side in traditional issues,” said Seboko. Meanwhile, Seboko also said she is proud of Barolong who are always helpful to them every season of initiation activity. “They provide and drape our students with bamboo (letlhaka) when ever they go for initiation,” said Seboko. However, Seboko says she is not happy with churches that demonise cultural practices.
“Churches should not call traditional practices ‘matimona’. Church leaders should teach their congregations to have respect for culture. Culture would in turn also have respect for religious activities. Therefore, I call upon you all to work together harmoniously,” advised Seboko.
Bakgatla royal Mma Seingwaeng urged the new initiates to support their Queen, Mosadi Seboko. Seingwaeng said the regiment Madisa Motse was rightly named as it spoke for its self. She encouraged the graduates to have more roles in the village such as cleaning and to obey Kgosi Seboko whenever she speaks on the path of development.