Women swathed in matching traditional German print and patterned azure blankets wielding tree branches, carrying nicely crafted clay pitchers as well as sleighs drawn by a group of eight sturdy oxen are just some of the images that will conjure the minds of die-hard patrons of Mmakgodumo Heritage and Cultural Festival.
The annual traditional festivity is hosted every year in Kanye to promote, restore and educate Batswana about the Bangwaketse culture as well as foster cultural exchange with other cultures in Botswana and beyond and will take place this weekend, Saturday 29, at Mmakgodumo Dam and Bird sanctuary.
Now in its 4th year, the event is run and hosted by the Ba-Gangwaketse Cultural Association; a dully registered society working under the Tribal Authority whose purpose is to, among others, restore, promote and educate people about the Bangwaketse culture.
The Association also seeks to foster unity through cultural exchanges thereby promoting national unity as envisaged by Botswana’s national vision.
“This year the event is scheduled for the 29th October 2016 under the theme – ‘Tshwaraganyo Morafe ka Ngwao’. The event will take place at Mmakgodumo Dam and Bird sanctuary as has been custom. The upcoming occasion simply promotes the Bangwaketse culture and will feature among others; folk music, traditional dance, couture, poetry, traditional cuisine, dikgahela, mephato and bird viewing,” said Thapelo Searobi, Publicity & Marketing Manager at Ba-Gangwaketse Cultural Association.
“We will have a Cultural Dinner before that on the 28th October 2016 at Kanye Education Centre. The dinner will also be used as a pedestal to honour those companies that have supported us in the previous instalments of this festival,” Searobi added.
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Tickets for the Friday banquet dubbed Cultural Couture and Cuisine Gala dinner sell for P300per person and P3, 000 per table of 10 people. The event is slated to start at 1900hrs and the dress code is cultural couture with performances by Ditiro and Banjo Mosele.
On Saturday, at the Mmakgodumo Heritage and Cultural festival, tickets for adults sell for P50 while children pay P30. Those interested in buying stalls should note that these sell for P1, 000 for corporations while food stalls sell for P400 and SMEs trade for P250. Camping for two days at the site is available for P450 only.
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| Jazz musician Thabang Gaarogwe (R) attended last year’s festivities. |
•culled from www.bostwanaunplugged.com
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