The Splendour of Mookane BOT50 Celebrations
Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday October 3, 2016 18:15
It was not just the performance of the groups that impressed the villagers but the costumes on display that made the various groups look so professional on the day.
And many who thronged the morning programme at the Pinkie Setlalekgosi Stadium were wondering where their primary school groups got the entire swagger and the brand new costumes. The teachers at Mookane Primary School told The Monitor that all their groups’ costumes had been provided for by Ausi Pinkie.
The polka dance group, coached by Bokspits-born Sarah Van Staden, was a marvel to watch with their mastery of the dance moves as they glid on the windswept surface in single files of boys and girls before they danced with grace as couples to the cheering and proud gathering of the villagers. The girls looked beautiful in their new dresses and polka hats, socks and shoes, while the boys showcased their new pairs of trousers, shirts, shoes and socks. The teachers that The Monitor spoke to said Ausi Pinkie dressed all the groups and the school can have the costumes for the groups for keeps.
The drum majorettes looked presentable with their newly acquired set of drums and costumes too as they performed well-coordinated stunts that were enjoyed by their villagers. There was also aerobics performance that caught the eye with both repertoire and costumes on the morning.
Perhaps the most touching display was the sarafina dance performance by the all-girls group whose level of confidence as they executed one move after the other left many spectators literally in tears.
At the end of the performances, Ausi Pinkie was seen posing for a photo with a representative of each of the performing groups, before walking with them to the main VIP marquee tent.
Looking at some of the aspects of the event, it surely did not come cheap; Prime Time TV, estimated to cost P50,000 were covering the event. Glory Computers, a Mafikeng based stage, sound, lighting and audio visuals provider, were also at Mookane for two nights and a day, and they are estimated to cost not less than P60,000.
They had brought their state-of-the-art stage, sounds, and lighting. The spectators got to experience and appreciate the value of this quality when on both the opening ceremony of BOT50 celebrations; the two giants screens mounted at the Ausi Pinkie Stadium beamed the national stadium live proceedings. The giants screens also captured the Mookane performances which actually looked crispy clear and magnificent on the screens, according to many.
The highlight of the day’s programme was perhaps when the contributors to the day were each called on to the podium and awarded certificates of appreciations by the village leadership, dikgosi Keitumetse and Molefi.
There was also a documentary film honouring the officials who made this day a success. The documentary was aired via the giant screens as the villagers watched their people, from VDC officials, dikgosi, BOT50 committee, all narrating their tales in the more than one hour film that for sure appears to have cost a fortune too. Mobile ablution facilities were also provided around the stadium to ensure that no one struggles to find them when the need arises.