This past weekend, the Xere Cultural festival provided an opportunity for attendees to immerse themselves in the splendour night of the first people of Xere performance, writes NNASARATHA KGAMANYANE
Xere village, located about 45km away from Rakops and a stone throw away from the Xere Guest House, this year attracted a large number of patrons from as far as Gaborone. It was the second edition of the Xere Cultural Festival which was first held around the same time last year. The event gave attendees a glimpse of the Sesarwa culture. Amongst the memorable events included A Night of The First People traditional dance and song showcased by Xere Dance Group, made of the youth of Xere. The group’s dance showcase was coordinated by one of the very talented local choreographers, Andrew Kola, who is the director and founder of Mophato Dance Crew. In an evening event, the Xere Dance Group kick-started their showcase in an intimate setup with dimmed lights giving the whole set a perfect moment. The dancers kick-started the show by making the fire with just wood like how they used to do it in the past. In an absorbing scene, they danced around the fire before showcasing how young women would go into the wilderness to pick up fruits. In that showcase, a young woman got her first mernache and panicked.
However, her friend went to the village and informed the elders about the matter who then went to pick the girl up and nursed her until the period ended. During this period, she was not allowed to touch or do anything and there were some rituals performed. After completing the initiation ceremony, she was then married off. According to the narrator, in Sesarwa culture, after getting their period and going through the initiation stage, young Basarwa girls are then married off. She said her family was responsible for choosing the right suitor for her looking at the kind of family they would want their children to marry into. Later on, the group showcased how they used to hunt wildlife as they survived on game meat. After their catch, men would take the animal home where they would cook and eat it with their families.
According to the Sesarwa culture, everything was done together and whenever they achieved something, for example, healing a sick or poisoned person and or even when praying for rain and they get it, the villagers would come together and celebrate their achievement. The singing and the dancing were up to par. Moreover, the previous day at the Xere Community Trust home where six thatched houses (megowafatshe) were erected, senior citizens took it upon themselves to showcase their culture to the dignitaries. In what was a true exhibition of the Sesarwa culture, in one house were elderly women showing the First Lady Neo Masisi, how they cared for a young woman who just got her first menstruation. The other house showcased how Basarwa cooked meat, yet the other one stored food and was even said to be cooler when it is hot and warm during cold days. The other one had traditional healers who attracted quite a number of people who went for consultation. There was also a kgotla outside the village where men sat and discussed serious issues affecting the village.
