Some pristine heritage sites around Semolale and Mabolwe

The area around Semolale and Mabolwe villages in eastern Botswana has many significant heritage sites. The list ranges from rainmaking shrines to historic ruins associated with the Mfecane, prehistoric ruins of the Bakalanga state of Butua and some Stone Age period sites.

There are also scenic gorges, granite kopjes and unique water holes that are locally known as Maghopo in Sebirwa. This paper discusses some of the outstanding heritage sites that were visited by the writer and colleagues in February 2010. The purpose of this visit was to survey heritage sites with potential for tourism development in the area. The exercise formed part of an ongoing project aimed at assisting local communities to benefit economically from natural and cultural resources found in their areas. My responsibility was to lead the team in exploration of these sites and make an assessment of their needs.

The expedition was quite interesting due to a number of reasons. The team itself was made up of different characters. Two trusted drivers made up of the reserved Neo Modisaotsile and the well-known extrovert, Rre Direlang, made our journey quite interesting. Ricky Moseki, the team's informed historian, never failed to impress us with his calculated stories detailing the origins and names of each of the villages that we passed on our way. 

Editor's Comment
A call for collaboration in Botswana’s media landscape

This call is both timely and crucial, as it reflects a growing need for unity and collaboration amongst media bodies to address pressing issues facing the nation.The theme of this year’s Press Freedom Day, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” resonates deeply with Batswana, particularly in light of the ongoing human and wildlife conflict. Botswana’s rich wildlife population is not only a national...

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