BOROLONG: Multi-cultural activities are expected to take place at the first ever Borolong culture day on Wednesday. Organised by the village committee of Ngwao-Modi cultural group, the culture day will be celebrated under the theme, ‘Ngwao Seipone Sa Sechaba’.
Organising committee chairperson, Ruth Molefhe, said the festivities are expected to thrill goers with a range of cultural activities, traditional cuisine, dance, music, games and traditional attire among others.
The event will be officiated by the General Manager of Ebat Consultants, Ben Maruapula. Molefhe highlighted that their village has diverse cultures that include Barolong, Bakalanga, Batawana, Bazezuru, Bangwato, and Barotsi, among others. “We found it fit to hold this event as our village is a melting pot of various cultures,” said Molefhe.
She said the day will provide residents with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the values of cultural diversity. Molefhe said that they wish to see the people of Borolong village being able to live together, understand each other’s culture and conserve culture in general. “The idea is for this event to play a part in probing moral decay and reviving culture and heritage in the country as cultural norms and beliefs are being eroded by modernisation,” she said.
She noted that the festivity would start with a cultural march about a kilometer away from the village’s main Kgotla to be led by the chief Israel Molema and his wife on a horse-drawn cart. “At the Kgotla, the royal couple will be welcomed by a group of women paraded in German print (mateise) attire hoisting traditional baskets filled with sorghum grains, demonstrating how dikgafela was done as they walk into the kgotla,” said Molefhe. She stated that all tribes found here will be given the opportunity to showcase their culture either in the form of music, dance, poems and share with others their language and how they do things. She said that events of the day will include narration of the village’s history by Kgosi, moral lessons narrated by elders on important issues like marriage and its importance, adulthood, go baya botsetse, go rupa, to mention but a few. “We have invited popular Kalanga traditional groups like Tjilenje Che Ngwao and Bana ba Ntongwa traditional group to entertain the audience,” she said. Molefhe called on villagers to come wearing traditional attire to spice up the mood of the day.
