Western Kgalagadi cultural body to host festival

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Thursday March 11, 2010 00:00

The association, which was started last year, working together with Conservation International (CI) an organisation that promotes conservation, natural resource management, income generation and community development in the Western Kgalagadi Corridor are currently organising a festival that is going to be held in Kang and is slated for April 31 to May 1 (to be confirmed).

'The purpose of the festival is to promote, preserve and showcase the Sesarwa (San) and Sekgalagadi  (Shengologa)cultures,' said Odirile Molemele, a member of the organising committee who added that CI has already engaged a company that has been tasked with promoting and marketing the events , activities and products of the association.

According to Molemele, at the festival, the participants will showcase different aspects of tsutsube San dance such as hunting and 'game' dances. They will also demonstrate the ngwale initiation ceremony that is held to welcome young girls into womanhood.  Molemele also said that Setswana cuisines will be on the menu and they  will also be showcasing  Sesarwa traditional healing ceremonies and how traditional crafts are made.  The popular San healing dances are reserved for Saturday evening and they will be held around a bonfire.