Last Saturday, hundreds of mourners endured the scorching heat of a spring morning to pay their last respects to the lovable Gaotswesepe Robalang at her home village of Mmashoro on the outskirts of Serowe. Most of the mourners sang their hearts out as a way of bidding farewell to the woman who became a household name in Botswana. Soon after she was interred, her relatives gathered around her eternal resting place and sang the song that endeared her to many, Bakgomohi also known as Go-ka-tweng. As the song was sung some mourners battled tears, it was an emotional moment indeed. It was with great sadness that Showbiz learnt of the passing of one of Botswana's leading folklore musicians some time last week. Yes, that golden voice that was loved by both the young and the old is no more. It is still hard to believe that the doyen of folklore music is gone.
Indeed the lioness of song, that came and conquered the arts, has gone to sleep. This writer first became acquainted with Robalang when I embarked on an impromptu journey to the village of Mmashoro last year. Even at that time, it was evident that the old woman was not the spring-chicken of old as she was ailing. It was obvious that she was no longer sprightly as she had already seen her heyday.
