Dynamic book launch for Patterns in the Sky

LAURI KUBUITSILE
Correspondent | Wednesday October 17, 2007 00:00

Maun-based Bontekanye Botumile redefined what a book launch in Botswana is when she launched her new children's book, Patterns in the Sky: A Story of Botswana Legends and Basket Patterns, at Westwood Primary School on October 12-13.

Guests were treated to dynamic performances that included a modelling show from a local Maun label, Mudpie, and an interpretation of her book through dance. The dance included hip-hopping tortoises, kwaito-dancing zebras, and jiving ostriches. The performers, a group of talented unemployed youth from in and around Maun, had the little ones dancing in the aisles. The audience was so enthralled with the performances that some people advised the author to take her show on the road as it would be appreciated anywhere outside Botswana. One hopes Botumile has taken the advice because Maun residents will get to see a repeat the performance at Okavango International School this Saturday.

Patterns in the Sky is Botumile's second self- published book for children. Her first, Tlou - The Elephant Story, was well received, selling over 2,000 copies, basically a best seller in Botswana's book-buying aversive market. Although self-published books in Botswana have lacked in quality, Patterns in the Sky cannot be criticised for that. If anything, it looks better than most books published by the big publishers in this country.

The illustrations by Emmanuel S. Muntanga, an art teacher in Maun, are exquisite. It has interesting back of the book activities and games for children, too. Priced at P60, it is well within most people's budgets unlike the P100-plus-priced books that fill most bookstore shelves. Botumile was the winner in this year's Bessie Head Literature Award in the short story writing category. From the look of things, she has much to teach local writers and publishers about how to win over readers and create a book-loving and book-buying public. The integration of her story in the patterns of the dresses that were modelled and the storyline of the dance performance pulled people in to find out what was hidden between the covers of her book. All of that led to increased sales, which in the end is what sustains writers. Her marketing savvy cannot be underestimated.