27 Apr 2014

The hosts and exhibitors of the Ebat Northern Annual Letlhafula and Cultural festival have been implored to explain and demonstrate the significance of components to their food, crafts and activities.

Giving a key note address at the eighth Ebat Northern Letlhafula and Cultural festival over the weekend, a Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) investment and promotions manager,  Tafa Tafa said doing so would enrich the experience of the first-tie attendants, the youth and children and the latter can teach their friends and families.

Tafa further said by adding more variety of activities and traditional food of various ethnic groups in Botswana, the festival could attract a wider market. He said the growth of the event would also translate to it being self- sustaining and commercially-viable going forward.

He said the annual northern festival, which covers North East, Chobe, Ngamiland and the Central district unites people from different ethnic backgrounds.

He said it is BTO’s vision to see events such as Ebat Northern Letlhafula and Cultural Festival, Western Kgalagadi Cultural Association Festival, Son of the Soil Cultural Festival and Domboshaba Festival of Culture and History realise full commercialisation for the direct socio-economic benefits of individuals, enterprises and communities who initiate them.

An official of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Sereko Bolokoe said culture is a foundation of any nation. She said although culture was dynamic, it was everybody’s responsibility to ensure it did not lose value. She further said culture promoted an individual’s identity through cuisine, dance, attire and utensils.

She applauded the management of Ebat Guest Lodge for organising the festival every year, as the event accorded the people from the north and outside an opportunity to share different cultural identities.
Patrons at the festival were served with northern traditional cuisine such as phane, seswaa, mokoto, chimoni, delele and bogobe ja lerotse. ENDS