Molomo cultural event filled with rich Setswana culture
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday June 18, 2024 11:28
Themed 'My culture, my pride', the event was filled with the beautiful Setswana culture and gave visitors from other tribes and a few foreigners who went to witness the Setswana culture a glimpse of Babina Thakadu/Batlokwa culture. The women painted the tent blue with their blue German print dresses, skirts, head scarfs and ditjale while most of the men opted for khakhi outfits, some made from African materials. The event was filled with different traditional songs and dance. Kick-starting the event, Bankane Ma 60 sang different songs including Serurubele se Fofa Jaaka Folae Machine. The choir was made up of men and women said to have been born in the 60s.
They also sang songs praising their kgosi. Bomme Matshego also entertained the gathering with song and dance. For his part, the poet Kaone Mahuma recited a poem where he praised Kgosi Gaborone for his good leadership. In his poem, he even hinted of how Molepolole youth were affected by drug abuse (katse) and were disrespectful comparing them to Kgosi Gaborone's youth whom he said were respectful and did not abuse drugs. He said Batlokwa youth were raised into responsible adults. He further said women in Tlokweng were well mannered. He praised the Member of Parliament for Tlokweng for the developments in the village. Kgosi and his delegation blessed Mahuma with money as he went on praising him for being a good leader saying other dikgosi should benchmark from Kgosi Gaborone's leadership skills.
Ditlhaka also played music through some pipes. Furthermore, guitarist, Mosanki entertained revellers with beautiful Setswana melodies. He sang a song about how the Setswana culture was vanishing saying traditional games must be returned. He also calling for teachers to be paid more for their good job of teaching people and grooming different professionals such as police men, soldiers and others. He also sang the popular Baga Mmangwato Ba ga Mabiletsa song. Benson Phuthego, who was also the co-master of ceremony, did not want to be left behind as he showered Kgosi with a praise poem. The poem, dedicated to Kgosi Gaborone and his wife, left the audience stunned by his immense talent and rich Setswana. Later on, the main activity started where different wards representatives presented their harvest before Kgosi together with other tribesmen seated in a Kgotla setting. Some of the wards are Monneng, Magwadi Taukobong, Metlhabeng and Mafatshwa.
Representatives introduced themselves before dikgosi gifting them with the harvest. He accepted them and blessed them calling for more rain in the next ploughing season. He asked them to take the harvest to women led by the queen at a traditional house where they received the harvest with ululations. The queen also blessed the harvest and told them to keep the harvest in a storage so that they could feed the underprivileged people and orphans People snacked with kabu in the morning. Kgosi and his queen were the first to taste the harvest (go loma). They ate the watermelon before it was given to the tribes men and then the community. He blessed the harvest and wished for a better harvest next year. With serankure (traditional guitar made of tin, wood and string), artist Sebetlela said he was from Mmopane and sang of how he was suffering from being passionate about the creatives. His immense talent attracted two young girls who also took part in the event voluntarily ululated for him as he sang. The pair scored themselves P1, 000 each from the Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Thulaganyo Segokgo who was impressed by their talent on stage at such a young age.