The slow and painful death of 'dumela'

Ike Vava | Monday December 13, 2010 00:00

'Have Faith,' it simply appeals to the one being addressed. Yet it also assumes the existence of faith in the one being greeted and petitions God to restore it just in case. A more encompassing word is hard to find. Dumela. Have Faith in the Maker. 

The word is regarded as the embodiment of the humility, friendliness and welcoming nature of Batswana as a nation. That it is the one word that is equally valued by all the different tribes that make up this nation is an open secret underscores the common denominator that it is.

Unfortunately, however, this manifestation of good interpersonal relations is undaer siege. It is slowly but surely disappearing from the vocabulary of many Batswana.

According Tembwe Kavuka, this state of affairs can be attributed to the fact that 'people are failing to realise the importance of this term. But this word is the foundation of the much talked about socio-economic and political stability that is prevailing in our country. It is a word that defines what kind of people we are.' 

Kavuka says that for ages, this word has held families, wards, villages and the entire nation together. 'It is unfortunate that people today do not value the thread that has held us together for ages. Its contribution to our nationhood must be acknowledged.

'Our social interactions are judged on the basis of this term. The absence of it in any interaction is tantamount to disrespect and as signal that all is not well socially. It is therefore the litmus paper for social relations. Any interaction which is not punctuated by this term lacks a vital ingredient and cannot be regarded as healthy.'

Tanyala Ramogwana is of the view that 'our value or concept of Botho in general revolves around the use of the term Dumela. It is a word that sets us apart from other nations. It is one word that summarises our welcoming and friendly nature as a nation.

'This word qualifies to be regarded as one of our national symbols. It deserves to be included in the marketing mix of this country to the outside world. It should form part of the national brand.'

She is also worried that this national symbol is slowly disappearing. 'People no longer value it,'' she laments.

She decries the fact that at times people who still use this term are discouraged and ignored. 'It is disheartening that at times when you say 'Dumela' to some people, they just stare at you as if you are not talking to them.

Some just look at you and don't respond.'

Eve Moipolai says the trouble is that 'people have lost self-respect. In the past, it was very difficult to keep quiet when someone greeted you because people respected themselves. It was therefore difficult for people to just ignore each other even when they met on the way. Whether they knew each other or not was not an issue.

'People knew and understood that one has to greet whomsoever they met. 'Dumela' was therefore not reserved for those that an individual knew or was close to in social circles. It was shared with everybody. Keeping quiet or ignoring others was therefore perceived more as a sign of lack of self-respect.'

Moipolai is perturbed that even some of the older generation are perpetrators of the silent slaughtering of the word. 'Even some elderly people do not respond when greeted,' she says resignedly. The younger generation are worse. 'It disheartening that some of the younger generation do not appreciate the importance of this word. They perceive it as an old fashioned way of punctuating interaction. This explains why even at service providing centres, it is a common feature for the service provider to ask you about the nature of assistance you are looking for without uttering the magic word,' she says.

Those who bother to greet say the word with little warmth and enthusiasm. 'They do not even wait for your response before they quickly disappear from your face. This appears more like mockery,' she says.

A lecturer in Psychology and Sociology lecturer at the Institute of Health Sciences in Francistown, Annita Lebengo, says 'Dumela' is a very important term for Batswana. 'It is a term that is very rich in meaning,' she says. 'People need to understand and acknowledge the importance of this concept.

This is one of the remnants of Tswana culture that needs to be jealously guarded because it has and continues to add value to social relations. It is mostly used to connote the nature of the social interactions. It is one tool that the society uses to gauge the quality of interactions and to diagnose relations that need urgent attention in terms of revival or fixing.

'This term is also a summation of the humility and friendliness of our nation. This is why it cuts across all the different ethnic boundaries in the country. It is, therefore, a word that gives a synopsis of who we are as a nation.'

She also thinks 'Dumela' should be treated as one of our national symbols. She points out: 'The slow disappearance of 'Dumela' has to do with the fact that Batswana are mostly trying to adopt foreign cultures. It is this that make them shun and disregard the importance of this very important term.'