National Museum and Monuments celebrates 50th anniversary
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday October 12, 2018 13:05
When addressing the media at the museum’s Little Theatre on Tuesday, the deputy director at National Museum and Monuments Stephen Mogotsi said the celebrations would be held at National Museum and Monuments headquarters in Gaborone under the theme ‘Museum at 50: Celebrating our Heritage’.
He explained that the theme was appropriate and relevant given the role of the institution in the sustainable development of the country’s heritage resources over the past 50 years.
“Prior to the main celebration there shall be a panel discussion on October 11, 2018 which begins at 2pm. The panel discussion will be held under the theme ‘The Museum at 50: A Reflection and Projection on Heritage Development in Botswana’. Experts from local knowledge-base as well as international experts will grace this,” he said.
The activities for the main day will begin at 9am. Mogotsi pointed out that there would be a procession float and dikgafela (a thanksgiving ceremony after a successful harvest) on the Independence Avenue from the CID South traffic intersection, which shall end at the National Museum and Monuments headquarters. He added that there would be a mock rendition depicting what takes place during the time of Setswana kgotla in the premises.
He said there would also be an exhibition in the museum’s main gallery, which showcases the developments and progress, made by that institution in the past 50 years.
The exhibitions are said to be on display of artefact from their collection and pictorial representations of the institution. Mogotsi added that a special issue of the DNMM Zebra’s Voice capturing the department’s function and history would be available.
“Three of the people who were significant to the setting up and development of the museum shall be officially recognised posthumously. These three people are Kgosi Bathoen II, who was the founding board chairperson, Alec Campbell, who was the first director of the institution and Doreen Nteta who was the first museum curator responsible for the collections and the education of the public.
“This presentation shall be done by Vice President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane,” he said.
Moreover, he noted DNMM’s achievements for the 50-year period which includes; the Tsodilo Hills that was listed as the first World Heritage Site in 2001, the Okavango Delta that was listed in 2014 as a World Heritage Site as the 1000th site inscribed on the World Heritage list, the assistance to the Regional Community Museums with a grant for sustenance, the development of access and declaration of 100 monuments as National monuments to mention a few.
He pointed out that they planned to develop 20 heritage sites, revamp and refurbish regional museums, mordenise the permanent exhibition at the headquarters, develop site museums such as those at Ntsweng in Molepolole and Old Palapye near Makala village through the NDP11 budget.