More Batswana artists to grace Mahika Mahikeng festival
Pauline Dikuelo | Friday October 19, 2018 14:23
After ATI (Atlasaone Molemogi) and R’n B queen Amantle Brown’s memorably mouth-watering performance last year, the trio of Dramaboi, Samantha Mogwe, Sereetsi & the Natives and DJ Sbi Techn are expected to scale the heights and do miracles and represent Botswana well at the four-day festival running from December 6 to December 9 in Mahikeng, South Africa.
Sereetsi & The Natives is not new to the Mahika Mahikeng stage, as the folklore group has graced the festival before leaving revellers yearning for more of his performance. The robete hitmaker together with the songstress Samantha would perform on Sunday alongside Anthony Hamilton, Shekina, Amanda Black, Kelly Khumalo, Lady Zamar, Selaelo Selota, Zahara, Sands, Sho Majozi, Brenda Mtambo, Mlindo The Vocalist and Kabelo Buga Luv. “My understanding is that the festival bookers for Mahika were at GIMC Jazz 2018 and loved our set. This will be our record third appearance at the fest. We must be doing something right,” Sereetsi & The Natives front man,soft-spoken Tomeletso Sereetsi said in an interview.
Sereetsi said the biggest lesson is that they have to take the craft seriously as musos.
“You just never know who is watching. As they say ‘take care of the music and it will take care of you’. So far it’s been an indisputable truth for me. I am encouraged to work even harder and go for more,” he mused.
On the other hand, local Hip Hop/Motswako star Dramaboi, real name Thuto Ramphaleng, who ventured into the music at the tender age of 12 and has since been producing hit after hit would battle with South Africa Motswako heavy weights on Friday during the Maftown heights.
To add more cherry on top, local Electronic Dance Music (EDM) DJ Sbi Techn will perform at the festival for the first time ever after shutting down GIMC music festival last month at the National Stadium.
The event, which is in its fourth year, will start with a Gospel night on Thursday, followed by Motswako night on Friday then comedy night on Saturday before wrapping up with the Jazz event in Sunday.
South African Gospel maestro Dr Tumi will perform alongside Benjamin Dube, Sipho Ngwenya, Lebo Sekgobela and Omega during the gospel night. The comedy night will include acts such as Roni Modimola, Mashabela Galane, Tumi Stopnonsons, Salesman, Chris Mapane, King Flat, Tshekedi Monyemore and Summary.
Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival is an earmarked arts economic development programme aligned to the state of the province objectives and supports the rebranding, repositioning and renewal programme of the provincial government.
It provides a platform for product, position and paradigm innovation for the creative industries sector in Bokone Bophirima and the development of Mahikeng as the capital of the arts in the country.