29 Feb 2016

Proverbs and idioms were the order of the day.  A deep sense of culture was in the air as one approached the Motswedi kgotla in Lobatse . 

The day was set aside to celebrate culture, and men and women came donned in various traditional attires, especially the blue German print which is largely known in Setswana as ‘leteisi.’

It was a marvel to watch men and women gather to celebrate the culture that is slowly waning and being overtaken by the adoption of Western lifestyles.

It was in that regard that the Lobatse traditional leadership saw it fit to host the day, and to interact with the youth of the town who are imbedded in town life and have little knowledge of Setswana culture.

Giving a keynote address, Balete supreme leader, Kgosi Mosadi Seboko said it was important for Batswana to know their roots, to stay rooted in their culture as it was the only remedy to a lot of challenges that the country is currently facing.

As the Setswana culture is largely based on ‘botho,’ Kgosi Mosadi said it was important for Batswana to embrace culture as an assurance of living in peace and harmony with each other. 

Kgosi Mosadi said the country has been bedevilled by a lot of challenges such as teenage pregnancy, murder, alcohol and drug abuse and robberies, saying it was only when people appreciate and embrace their culture that lives would not be a problem.

She said in the olden days, there were idioms and norms that were taught and followed by both boys and girls with the aim of growing them into responsible men and women.

“Only when we deviate from these idioms and norms that we are taught and continue to ignore them would we find ourselves not being able to deal with these life challenges,” she said.

She told the youth that it was important for them to look up to their elders and learn cultural aspects that could help to build their lives.

She said it was the responsibility of dikgosi in particular to ensure that culture was preserved in order to ensure the nation was not swallowed by foreign cultures.

Kgosi Mosadi said before the country’s independence, dikgosi played a vital role, not only on issues of cultural preservation, but also in the country’s development.

She applauded the government for recognising the importance and relevance of bogosi even in the currrent modern era.

She said dikgosi were not only seen at rural areas only, but also in urban areas as the government has recognised their value and significance in the country’s governance.

In her welcome remarks, Kgosi Pepukae Makambe said he was happy to have hosted the event whose main purpose was to celebrate culture.

Kgosi Pepukae said most important was the fact that the celebration of culture came 50 years after the country gained independence, saying it was a sign that the Setswana culture was still relevant even in modern times.

She said it could only be a nation that was proud of its roots and culture that finds it fit to celebrate hence, the Motswedi kgotla hosting such an event.

Giving objectives of the day, the tribal secretary,  Salang Khumalo said the day was celebrated in line with the 2016 vision pillar of a proud and united nation, which shows that the Setswana culture plays an important role in uniting people.

She said the day was celebrated for Batswana to come together in a celebratory mood to appreciate all cultural aspects such as language, dance and food.

She said the day was also meant for the elderly to have time to interact with the young and for the youth to learn cultural aspects from their elderly.

In her vote of thanks, Lobatse mayor, Malebogo Kruger appreciated the fact that the past generation has left the current generation with its rich aspects of culture.

She said it was important for the past generation to preserve and teach the young generation the importance of culture preservation as it was evident that a people that preserve their culture continue to live in peace and harmony.

She said one important aspect of culture was that it gives a nation its identity which differentiates it from the universal, adding that it was important for a nation to be proud of how they were identified.

The day was celebrated under the theme: Our culture is still relevant in 50 years.

Characterised by strong Setswana language without an allowance to speak any other language, the day also had the best folklore and music presentations such as dikhwaere by Tsopeng kgotla elderly women and Mosu choir, Matlotla traditional group, Segaba and Setinakane players who entertained the crowd that was gathered. Ends