Paying homage to lions and lionesses of song

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Friday January 29, 2010 00:00

 

Save for the RB 1 programme, Dipina le Maboko, there is hardly any radio programme or a presenter for that matter whose primary interest is to promote traditional folk music. One can only decry that Batswana have got the tendency of acknowledging people when they are dead. As if that is not enough, those who are alive are largely ignored and most of them live in poverty. This begs the question: Do we have to wait for another great artist to die before we heap praise on him or her?  This week, Arts and Culture pays homage to some of the sons and daughter of the soil who have been in the forefront of traditional music.

When it comes to folk music, great legends have come and gone and perhaps the most prominent of them is Ratsie Setlhako who has also been described as a poet of sorts in some quarters. Interestingly, this writer's 'connection' to the man comes from the fact that he was a member of the Bangwato mophato (age-regiment) Masokola inducted in 1912 and led by my grandfather and namesake, Gasebalwe Seretse (Sekgoma) according to writer Modirwa Kekwaletswe and when he sang he would indeed boast that he was a Lesokola. Despite Ratsie's humble life, he remains the most prominent Motswana folk artist of all time and that he even had a school named after him. In Botswana, schools and other institutions have been mostly named after royals, politicians and educationists and the man was able to transcend that. Ratsie, with the help of his poetic voice and his segaba managed to set a trend that many hope to emulate. So famous are the man's song that one traveller actually told this writer that one day he heard the man's song being played on an British Airways aeroplane.  Did the mostly non-Batswana passengers understand the man's music or were they attracted to it by the melodious singing and the skilful playing of the segaba? Some of the Lesokola's famous songs include A Re Chencheng and Ka Mponwane. Sadly when Ratsie died in a car accident in 1979, he was a pauper.

Malefho 'Stampore' Mokha has always been one of this writer's favourite artistes. Stampore had a humble upbringing that denied him a good education and this has possibly led to his being taken advantage of, exploited by some unscrupulous people in the music industry because despite his immense talent, he does not have much to show for it. These challenges aside, the guitarist who is famous for songs such as Re Batswana and Ha Modimo O Kanthusa Nka E Bona Ka Matlho remains a favourite son of the soil. One can only hope that since the man has been signed to a local recording house and has a new manager, he would be able to rise up above the challenges and leave a rich legacy.

Stampore's songs have been featured in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency movie and he has been able to perform internationally.

Interestingly, Stampore has an equally talented brother, Taka 'Kwataeshwele' Baponi, who brought Batswana engaging songs like Kwataeshwele O Dira Mathaithai and Mahipihipi. Sadly, the last time this paper met this great artist, he was sickly and admitted at a psychiatric ward at Scottish Livingstone Hospital in Molepolele.

Kwataeshwele is the man who mentored Stampore and the latter admitted having 'borrowed' a lot of materials from his older brother. While the future looked bleak for the artist the last time Mmegi met him, one can only hope that Stampore's improved livelihood would provide some relief to him.

Another sad story is that of the female artist, Gaotswesepe Robalang whom Mmegi revealed was living on handouts sometime last year. Robalang of Mmashoro is best known for her song Go Ka Tweng in which he accused Ngwato regent, Tshekedi Khama of dumping his people in some desolate place. This song is most certainly well-crafted and interestingly the younger generation love it and a typical example is Jeff Matheatau, who sampled it in one of his albums.  Another Robalang song, which is equally engaging, is Kibi Mokoko in which she boasts of having raised a fattened cock. During last year's interview, the old woman pleaded utmost poverty and went on to suggest that had it not been for handouts, she would have died of hunger.

The blind vocalist and keyboardist, Anafiki Kerapelang has warmed many Batswana's heart with the love song, Mpolelela Re Ba Bedi.  Anafiki is vocally gifted and there is no doubt that if she were based in another country, she would have exploited her voice and keyboard-playing skills to earn a living. Like most folk musicians, the woman has little to show for her artistry.

Lovers of Dipina Le Maboko are very much likely to know Speech Madimabe's Sebodu Ke Nenekwane. Writing about the late artist, one local journalist asserted, 'Madimabe's lyrics are steep in protest' and another described him as a protest-lyricist perhaps rightly so because sang about the injustices of this world such as when relatives deny orphans their inheritance. An artist named Deben Natale (real name Otlaathusa Tshipa), who says he is Madimabe's nephew did a good job adapting some of Madimabe's songs but sadly he was recently convicted and jailed for a crime and this means he cannot continue the legacy of his uncle.

George Swabi of Palapye is another artist who has made a mark with his song Ba Ga Mmagwato-Ba-Ga-Mabiletsa. This artist was recognised by the first citizen last year when he got a presidential award.

This writer tried to trace him last year unsuccessfully because it looks like he has taken a break from the music scene. This is a sad story because Swabi is a marvel to watch. Did he decide to take the backstage because he does not feel adequately rewarded for his talent? A few years back, another artist, Taolo Moshaga was sympathetic enough to build him a two-roomed house in Boikago ward in Palapye.

Other folk artists worth mentioning are Ndona Poifo, Andries Bok Johnny Kobedi and Stikasola Molefhi.  Although Kobedi and Molefhi are some of the local artists who have made a name for themselves in recent years, according to recent, reports, both artists have been complaining of financial problems.

Molefhi is said to be struggling to market his latest album while Kobedi is feared to have abandoned music in favour of his small business that he operates from the Bus rank. This begs the question: What can be done to preserve the legacy of all the artists mentioned in this article and others? One can only hope that the Department of Culture is listening.