Ikalanga to dominate Domboshaba festivities

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Friday September 17, 2010 00:00

This was announced during a press conference held at the National Museum Kgotla in Gaborone on Tuesday. The objective is to promote the language of Bakalaka as this year's theme is: 'Lulimi gwangu, mazwiikudzo angu,' meaning 'my language my pride'. DCT members have however indicated that this should not prevent people from other language groups and cultures from attending the event as this could be a learning tool.

Speaking at the press conference, University of Botswana (UB) director of academic service, Professor Amos Thapisa said the idea of the Domboshaba festival was to promote Kalanga culture and 'this cannot be done without promoting the language itself'.

He said Kalanga material and culture needed to find its way into academic outlets so that upcoming generations can be able to learn about it. He added that such material should also be showcased globally for the international community to know about the different cultures Botswana prides itself in. Such events also help in spreading cultures across the country. 'It is important to integrate our culture through events such as Kuru and Domboshaba because among other benefits they promote national unity and democracy,' he said.

A prelude to the festival is however expected to take place on October 1 at Masunga. The curtain-raiser is meant to bring people together around a fire where Ikalanga poems, songs and traditional games will be shared. However, the main event will cost P20 for adults and P5 for children. DCT member Chedza Siwawa said Kalanga artefacts, food and other cultural items would be showcased at the main event. She said they expect the turnout of the event to improve from the 5,000 last year to over 6,000 this year. 'The event has in the past attracted lots of people and I would like people to continue supporting it,' she said.

Different Kalanga artists, including Ndingo Johwa, are expected to perform at the event. Meanwhile, the DCT has embarked on hosting different events to raise funds to build a cultural village at the Domboshaba ruins. The plot was allocated to DCT in 2007 by the Mukani Action Campaign to specifically host Domboshaba festivals and construct a cultural village. In July DCT hosted the inaugural football tournament in Masunga to sensitise the youth about the Kalanga culture. The team that won got a trophy worth P15, 000.

DCT also hosted a first class dinner dance at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) last month where different donations from members of the public and corporate stakeholders were made. Before the end of September, DCT is expected to have hosted a 'Heritage Tour of Sites'. The tour will begin at the Gandanyemba Hill, Nlakhwane, where tourists will be shown old buildings that Bakalaka used to live in. The tour will proceed to another heritage site, Mbalambi, where tourists will get to see one of the sacred traditional rain dance sites as well. The tour will end at the Domboshaba ruins where the festival is expected to take place. The ticket for the tour cost P450.

'Running the Domboshaba festival costs about P100, 000 which is why we have embarked on different fund-raising schemes,' said another member of DCT, Tjakabaka Matenge. He said so far the Department of Arts and Culture has sponsored them with P20,000 whilst the Botswana Tourism Board has sponsored their publicity to the tune of P43, 000. 'Most of the revenue is dedicated to the building of the cultural village,' he said.