01 Nov 2015

Minister of Sport, Youth and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng has pledged his ministry’s support for Ntlo Ya Dikgosi’s culture day initiative.

The event was held at Tashy’s Royal Gardens in Boatle on Saturday (October 31). Minister Olopeng said the event would be included in the national calendar of events so that it can get the attention it deserves.

The minister said dikgosi, as custodians of culture, should be at the forefront in preserving culture. He said the culture extravaganza was another attempt to promote culture and showcase it to the young generation.

Thus, he said, it was his wish that Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, government, private sector and other stakeholders would collaborate to enhance the day.

He further noted that government was committed to the development and preservation of culture. He said an example was celebration of the Botswana culture during the President’s Day Holidays.  

The minister said failure to share culture with the young generation would drive them to rely on new media to copy and emulate other cultures.

The event showcased a diversity of Botswana culture with acts such as katara, setapa, koi, poetry, mhele, dikhwaere, ditlhaka and traditional food, among others.

Marara as dikgosi are commonly known, set the stage ablaze with dikoma, in a line up which had the likes of ever impressive poet, Moreri Moroka, Sebongile Kgaile, Solly Sebotso, Dikakapa, Mafitlhakgosi, Disaitsaneng and Ndingo Jowa, among others.

Ntlo ya Dikgosi chairperson, Kgosi Puso said apart from being an outreach programme by the institution, the occasion celebrated Tswana culture.

Kgosi Puso said more often, people talked about bogosi, but were not aware of the role played by dikgosi. Therefore, he said the show created a platform where members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi could interact with people in a relaxed atmosphere. He said funds from the day proceedings would be used to assist the less privileged members of the society.

Kgosi Puso, who is also Kgosikgolo of Batlokwa, said they had previously built a house for the needy in Manyana and donated food hampers to the Pandamatenga needy community as well as sanitary material and a laptop to the Pabalelong Hospice in Metsimotlhabe. Ends