National Culture Day fails to impress
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday May 23, 2017 18:00
For an event which was supposed to celebrate Batswana as a whole, the National Culture Day failed to represent the country’s rich cultures and diversity. The event held under the theme ‘Ngwao ke boikarabelo jwame’ was intended to promote the diverse Botswana cultures and is another way of embracing the country’s different cultural elements. While fashion is one of the most vital aspects of culture, many people flocked to the main kgotla to celebrate culture, but only a few dressed up for the occasion.
Balete as the hosts were deservingly given the focus, but other tribes like Baherero and Basarwa just to name but a few were nowhere included in the activities of the day.
However, despite the inability to leapfrog an activity of that national stature, MYSC engaged other tribes from outside Ba Ga Malete that included Bomme Ba Bakgatla from Mochudi who did their best to show why they are always attributed to dikhwaere.
With megagolwane on their backs they sang a song called ‘Re tlhametse Balete sefela’ as they danced around carrying little branches in the air. Bana Ba Bana ba Ntogwa from Francistown displayed their hosanna while Welkom Polka Dance Group from Gabane serenaded the crowd with the popular dance from Kgalagadi and Gantsi districts.
Balete as the hosts did not disappoint and performances by Nnunu Ramogotsi, Morogo Wa Ngwana Traditional Dance Group and Ditlhaka tsa Balete were enough to keep the day going.
Bomme Ba Goo-Moeng paraded dikgafela in the kgotla and finally took the harvest to the host Kgosikgolo ya Balete, Mosadi Seboko. Other dignitaries on the day included the main speaker and also the assistant minister of MYSC, Kefentse Muzwinila, Kgosikgolo ya Bahurutshe, Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele, Kgosikgolo ya Batlokwa and the chairman of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi Kgosi Puso Gaborone.
While the event was too formal, people expected a hive of cultural activities rather than just speeches and performances. As it is the norm with every cultural event, people always want to engage in the activities rather just watch and listen to speeches. People expect to get on the dance floor and sing to dikhwaere in high volumes. Culture is more than just dance and music, but other elements like language had to be employed, but it was not the case anywhere on the programme.
Other tribal cultural events like Dithubaruba of Bakwena, Mmakgodumo of Bangwaketse, Domboshaba of Bakalanga have already eclipsed the National Culture Day by far and hopefully the latter will be better organised next year.