Phuthadikobo museum to go on line soon

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Staff Writer | Thursday February 16, 2012 00:00

 

It has preserved important information, photographs and relics from the tribe's past as well as important accessories used in the last century.

For instance, there is a well-documented data on the formation of Bakgatla-baa Kgafela as a tribe, the challenges such as Anglo-Boer War and how the tribe's 'resilience' saved other tribes the pain of having to face the white men with guns, while they only had spears and clubs in their armoury.

A big clay pot (nkgo) inside the museum has a label indicating that one Makoteng Ruele moulded the pot in 1932. Amazingly this pot still remains in tact after 80 years most of which it was in use (44 years) before it was brought to the museum sometime in the late 70s.

Other relics such as the metal tax stamps dating back to 1918, the old Bible brought to the kgosi by the white missionaries and perhaps even appalling is the chronology of events in the Anglo-Boer War and how it affected Bakgatla.

However, all these have been confined within the walls of this colonial era building and those with interest in such can only see them once they visited the place.

But according to museum assistant curator, Khumo Ntsepe, this is bound to change as the authorities at the heritage organisation are working on plans to market the museum on the Internet.

'We would like to be accessible to as many people as possible, the world over and though our current set up have survived the tests of time, we believe it is time to move with times,' Ntsepe told Showbiz.As per this year's International Museums Day theme, 'Museums in a changing world, new challenges, new inspirations' such a move would place Phuthadikobo in a better position as modern technology is literally taking over in all spheres of life.

Another challenge that the museum is facing is that of attracting visitors from the local community. According to Ntsepe, not many locals visit the place, while a good number of foreign tourists frequent the place.

'People from Mochudi and Batswana in general are not coming here in large numbers; despite our efforts to try to market the museum through various events. We have had a good number of foreign school children and university students from across Africa.

'Normally university students come here for research, but we would like to see a situation where more locals show interest,' she said. In the past one could drive up to the museum through the north-eastern pathway running through the royal residence, but since that road was closed some years back, visitors are often forced to take the stairway from the Kgotla.

The journey is only a few metres up the hill and could make a visit even more adventurous, according to Ntsepe.