Maikano Celebrates Culture Day
Monday, June 23, 2014
Moreri Moroka reciting a poem during Maikano CJSS culture day.
The baritoned poet told students during the school’s culture day that having a keen interest in Setswana opened up opportunities for him. He said Setswana continues to play a pivotal role in his life. “I am a living example of the fact that if you take your language seriously, you can make a career out of it.
It was because of my interest in Setswana that I got jobs on both radio and television. I remember when Botswana Television employed me some years back. They emphasised that of the four new readers they employed at the time, I was the best for the Setswana bulletin,” he said. He called on students to fight to preserve their mother tongue, as it is part of their identity.
It is a warning flare to every Motswana who logs onto social media. As a country, we have reached a point where the line between robust debate and outright destruction has become dangerously blurred. At face value, Mabeo’s response, which seeks an apology and threat of a defamation suit, might seem severe to some. But we cannot ignore the context. The comment in question did not offer a policy critique or question a political decision.It...