19 Jan 2015

In its the 11th year running and 10 years of existence, Son of the Soil cultural event continues to promote and preserve culture as one of its fundamental purposes. 


Still reigned the most contagious cultural social event to date, each year the organisers of Son of the Soil, Bana ba Mmala add to the event, one or two activities.

These activities are traditional activities and Bana ba Mmala retrace them back and bring in a touch of modernity such that it appeals to the revellers and keep with times, but also most importantly not loosing the intended purpose.


For the past years, the event has been a three-day one, with Saturday being the main day. Fridays and Sundays were mainly for preparations and wrap up, and more so organisers and a few others would be in attendance.

This time around, however, Son of the Soil festivities will be a three-day affair of everything Botswana culture. 
The event scheduled for last weekend of January, will start off with Matswaisong traditional chillas on a Friday evening.

This is a typical Setswana set up where people gather around the fire at dawn and old folk tell stories, proverbs and axioms to the young ones. 


This event will be augmented by traditional song and dance as well as Setswana humour, explained Pontsho Pusoetsile, Bana ba Mmala Trust publicity and media relations officer.

Pusoetsile further stated that the idea behind this is for those in attendance to take something out of this traditional set up, as it was in the old days whereby children were taught morals. 
 Son of the Soil has always been unique because of its strict traditional atmosphere from attire to food cuisine.

 Even when it comes to drinks, revellers are encouraged to consume from diphafana even for all non-traditional drinks. Phafana, the traditional drinking cup, has always been easy to acquire; people brought them from home whole others bought them at the event. 


Therefore Pusoetsile emphasised drinking any non-traditional drink from a traditional drinking cups so as to augment and maintain the identity of this event.

He noted that revellers would be allowed to bring in cooler boxes, but they are to stay in their cars.
 The 2015 Son of the Soil cultural show themed, Kwa Re Go Yang – Bana ba Kgaupe ba Laelana go Sale Gale is meant to show that culture will be one of the pillars of national development, stated Pusoetsile.

 He added that as Bana ba Mmala they strongly believe that development must be anchored on a strong national identity. 
 They also appeal to the nation to introspect culturally as the country prepares for the next vision pillars post Vision 2016.

This is explained in the sub-theme for 2015 event "Bana ba Kgaupe ba Laelana go Sale Gale”. It is meant for Batswana to sit back and evaluate how they retained the good elements of Botswana culture in the past years, Pusoetsile said.

He also said Batswana should be able to learn and retain something in this journey as they move forward in building the nation on a cultural perspective. 


Son of the Soil cultural event will be held on January 30 to February 1 at Boetelo Sun Valley Resort in the Notwane area just outside Gaborone.

Tickets are already being sold in various outlets such as Checkers Airport Junction, Shoprite Station, Shoprite Game City, Shoprite Molepolole, U Save Mochudi, Shoprite Francistown, and Shoprite Maun.

The Friday event costs P50, Saturday main event is P250 while the Sunday jazz is sold at P100. Children under the age of 12 pay P50 for each of the Friday and Saturday event. ENDS