14 Jan 2016

As is the norm in the arts and cultural circles of Botswana society, towards the end of every beginning month of the New Year, Batswana celebrate and showcase their cultural heritage amidst dance, song and food.

Having started in 2005 in Tlokweng, Son of The Soil (SOTS) has come far and this year the event will be looking to celebrate the past 50 years of cultural independence and projecting forward into the next 50 years of cultural awakening.

Speaking in an interview, Pontsho Pusoetsile, the publicity and media relations officer of Bana ba Mmala Trust, which is a youthful group of individuals and the organisers of Son of The Soil, said the 2016 event is planned for the weekend of January 30.

“The only minor change to this year’s event is that the Kitsong workshop will take place a week earlier than the rest of the festival, and besides that the event is still a three-day festival with Friday (January 29) being the Metswaisong Evening Chillas and Sunday (January 31) being the Setswana Jazz. The main event continues to be the whole of Saturday from 8am to 12pm,” he said.

He indicated that the theme for SOTS 2016 is Kwa re go yang-Ke Motswana and is meant for each and every Motswana to remember what makes them special from a cultural point of view.

Pusoetsile said celebrations for this year’s event are meant to place in comparison the past 50 years of culture against the next 50 years of cultural evolution.

Speaking on the venue of the event, he said they will host the 2016 and 2017 event at Serokolwane Lawns in Oodi-Matebeleng area, and that this is so because they want to move around venues in Gaborone so as to spread the promotional value of the event.

“We want people to familiarise themselves with the rich history of the different areas as we go on,” he said.

About the Kitsong workshop, Pusoetsile said the workshop is targeted at other organisers of similar events across the country to come and learn from cultural leaders and traditional leaders on how culture could be best preserved.

“On the evening of January 29, we will invite our patrons to a relaxed session of mainane, maboko, song and dance and it will also be held at Serokolwane Lawns,” he said, adding that the evening session is known as Metswaisong Evening Chillas.

He said the main event will be on Saturday and will entail traditional cuisine, traditional games, song, dance, an evening Setswana themed festival, and that there will be different stalls selling various traditional themed items.  “As for the Sunday event, Kgalagadi Jazz Beats will be serenading patrons with jazz music,” he said.

Pusoetsile said SOTS is targeted at the young and upwardly mobile urban dweller who wants to keep in touch or reconnect with their culture.

Speaking on the pricing packages, Pusoetsile said the P250 ticket is for one adult entry for the Friday Metswaisong Evening Chillas and the Saturday main event and includes a meal coupon at the main event.

“The P100 ticket is entry for one child under 12 for the Friday Metswaisong Evening Chillas and Saturday main event and also includes a meal coupon at the main event,” he said, adding that for the Setswana Sunday Jazz the ticket is P100 and admits one adult over 18.

Tickets are available at Checkers Airport Junction (Gabs), Shoprite Station (Gabs), Shoprite Game City, Shoprite Molepolole, U Save Mochudi, Shoprite Francistown and Shoprite Maun. Ends