The day saw a number of speakers who were unanimous that culture has every potential to improve people's lives, and help in combating the ever growing unemployment, giving individuals opportunities for self employment and creating employment for others.
Kgosi Sechele I Museum chairperson, Basiamang Garebakwena, started off by briefly explaining to the audience what the festival was all about. Among other things, he said, the festival was a platform aimed at reviving culture. He added that the festival also aims to promote cultural activities by hosting competitions, and encouraging people to treat cultural festivals as a way of entertainment. He urged the gathering to support the annual cultural festival, so Kweneng culture does not disappear. He noted that the museum intends to move the celebration to Dithubaruba, where Molepolole village started. Garebakwena told the gathering that reviving and preserving culture would not only instil pride in Bakwena, but that it can also be used as a means of sustenance. He said Kweneng District has a number of monuments (historical cultural cites), which, if used well, could attract tourists to the district, and thus help improve the lives of the communities. The growth of tourism can upgrade the lives of the people in various ways, as it will create a bigger market for traders from different sectors, including those who trade in handcrafts, which have proven to be popular globally. Garebakwena mentioned a number of monuments, including Legaga la ga Kobokwe, also known as Kobokwe's cave. The cave is also sometimes referred to as Livingstone's cave, named after 19th Century Scottish explorer and missionary, David Livingstone. Livingstone once visited the cave, despite the local myth that the cave was inhabited by evil spirits, and actually spent the night in the cave with Kgosi Sechele I of Bakwena to prove that spirits could not harm them. The myth about the cave however still continues, as some people still believe that the cave is a place of evil, with the believe that those who visit the cave are doomed and never return. The cave is believed to have creatures like "Bokgala potsane", which are supposed to be big snakes with human features, which supposedly engulf visitors. Locals have reported seeing snakes crossing from one hill to another at night, with the base of the story being the fact that big snakes such as pythons and several other creatures live in the cave. Legend also says Bakwena chiefs in the olden days used to throw witches into the cave, which is why the cave is believed to be haunted by evil spirits. It is still widely believed that the cave can only be visited by spiritual leaders and Sangomas to consult divine powers, and chiefs to talk to ancestors on behalf of their tribes.
