Balete throng kgotla to celebrate culture
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday January 24, 2023 06:00
The event was held under the theme, “Moseka Phofu Ya Gaabo Ga A Swe Lentswe”, which means when one fights for what belongs to them, they can never tire. As it is always the case with local cultural events, leteisi or German print was predominant with traditional cuisine also flowing non-stop. Those in attendance were treated to endless performances from different cultural groups. The performances were dominated by the older generation who rolled back the years and showed the younger ones how they used to do them during their prime, youthful times. Activities of the day included playing music with ditlhaka and singing dikoma, which are not common with the new generation. The day started on a high note with village elders showing their skills in traditional dance and song. It seemed the village elderly were the most excited about the day as most of them recounted how it reminded them of their younger days when culture was rich and undiluted by foreign influences.
Amongst the beautiful performances was a poem by Ntirelang Berman, Ditlhaka Tsa Ga Malete, a group of men who played music by blowing some small copper or aluminium pipes while one of the members sung beautiful Setswana folklore songs. Tumisang Dikhudu also stunned the gathering with a beautiful poem enriched with big Setswana words and idioms. His poem was about the beauty of their Selete culture and also recited a praise poem of their chief, Kgosi Mosadi Seboko. Furthermore, Bomme Ba Ga Moeng brought dikgafela while singing. They carried fresh harvests like sweet reed, maize, corn, sorghum and beans on weaved baskets. Some of the ladies in the far end demonstrated how they used to pound sorghum back in the days. The young ones, who were dressed in makgabe, German print dresses and a boy wearing ditshega accompanied them. They also presented the harvest to Kgosi Mosadi as it was done in the past where the community would take their first harvest before they could even eat it to the kgosi as a way of showing respect and appeasing the ancestors for the good harvest. The food would be stored in silos for future use more especially during droughts. Their presentation was beautiful. Mophato and Dibatla Traditional groups also kept the audience captivated with beautiful Selete traditional dance where their male counterparts joined women and danced borankana.
Folklore songs like dibulele mo hekeng dominated the event. The event took a few hours break and later held a massive festival filled with traditional choirs, poetry, traditional songs and traditional games. Amongst the night performers were Evolution, Tswaak Mvellas, Duzboi, Ntsa Ya Pholo by Tumisang, Borara, Happy Choir, Nkamozuki who sings disco and many more. Dr Otsile Molefe from Mochudi, who also owns a foundation, said Batswana were slowly losing their culture because they were influenced by the Western culture. He advised the community to take care of their kgosi and go back to the old ways where a leader was given first harvest (malomo) so that ancestors could bless them. Molefe added that dikgosi knew their people’s roots and had the ability to communicate with their ancestors on their behalf. He also gifted Kgosi Mosadi with three baby goats and asked her to ask for his blessings from his Sekgatla ancestors.