Polka music festival slated for Tsabong
Francinah Ngoma | Wednesday February 15, 2017 16:23
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Mosala said due to the challenges they are facing such as capacity and budget constraints during selection of polka groups, there will be a limited number of groups from other districts. She however, said the criteria used for this activity has been that the top 10 groups are selected from the Regional President’s Day Polka Competitions.
Mosala stated that, this year’s cultural festival, the third of its kind in the district, will be held on February 18 at the Tsabong Showground. She explained that out of the 10 polka groups that will perform at this event, eight have been selected from the 2016 President’s Day Regional Polka Competitions while Tsabong Primary School Polka and Modipane Primary school have been invited as guest groups. A well-known local artist Alfred Keorete, also known as Maghebula has been roped in as a crowd puller.
“In 2016 we saw the wonderful performances by Letlhabile Junior Secondary School in Tonota and Mookane Primary School,” Mosala shared. She also gave a background of the festival saying in 2012, the Department of Arts and Culture facilitated the festival in collaboration with the Kgalagadi South artists.
Mosala urged culture practitioners to work tirelessly towards doing all possible to safeguard their cultural practices, ensuring that they are well preserved and not diluted. She further urged artists to improve the quality of their products to make better sales, thus will contribute towards generating income and diversifying the already ailing economy of the country.
Notwithstanding, Mosala maintained that though there were some administrative issues, which cropped up during the 2016 festival, which needed to be resolved between the association and the Ministry, the situation has led to the District office taking over the coordination of the festival. “Therefore it is anticipated that the newly formed association in the district, Pinagare ya Sekaka Association will partner with the ministry in coordinating the festival.
“I wish to encourage artists in this district to enhance their team spirit and desist from working in silos. The Setswana proverb, “Moroto wa oesi ga o ele” is still relevant even to date. It is through strong partnerships and collaborations that walls are demolished,” Mosala added. President Ian Khama and senior government officials are expected to grace the event.