30 Mar 2016

 

With Botswana set to celebrate 50 years of independence and the whole country looking to reflect and introspect on achievements, challenges and the way forward for the country, what would the festivities be without culture?

A lot of debate always arises when people speak about culture and what should happen to it, what belongs here and what does not, but that is a debate for another day.

This coming Saturday at Bojanala Waterfront, the cultural landscape is set to be turned on its head by a cultural event that will be on its 2^nd year running and plans going forward also look amazing.

Speaking in an interview, Mduduzi Madzwamuse, who most got to know during his heyday as a radio jockey with Yarona Fm, he said he has been busy putting in work along with his team.

“The Play Fest-A Re Tshamekeng is an annual family fun day hosted in Gaborone, in which the public is invited to participate in various activities consisting of indigenous Setswana games,” he said, indicating that the idea was conceptualised last January and held on February of the same year to rekindle the spark of Botswana’s heritage, which is a link to childhood memories and important social lessons within communities.

Mduduzi, also known as Mdu, said he feels that within this rapidly changing world, societies and values were changing also and as such the estrangement of indigenous games in the modern household, robbing future generations of the perks of participating in such games. 

“Good health and social skills are just some the advantages of engaging in such games. 

And we also have the educative advantages attached to our indigenous games. 

Indigenous games have been neglected in the education system where more western sports are given priority,” he said.

He further said Batswana’s native games were rich in physical and mental development as players acquire strategic skills, precision/accuracy skills, co-ordination skills, arithmetic skills through practice and experience as it is evident in a book titled Metshameko ya Setso, Batswana’s Native Games Rule Book.

Mdu indicated that the case of cultural estrangement presents an opportunity to exercise the reinforcement of Botswana’s cultural values in the community. 

“Traditional games such as diali, crazy 8, skonti ball, koi, diketo, kitchen, tap-tap, ma-roundas, mhele, suna baby, dutch, morabaraba, donkey donkey, hop skotch, black mampatile and dibeke will be available and by inviting families to participate, this will close the cultural disparity and instil our fading cultural values-as the parents and older siblings teach the younger generation how to play such games,” he said.

Mdu further indicated that upon achieving intergenerational exchange of culture with the first Play Fest which was in 2015, along with his team they wish to uphold those cultural values once again with the 2^nd Play Fest-A Re Tshamekeng on Saturday and there could not be a more opportune time to encourage cultural pride in Botswana than now, in the wake of celebrating 50 years of Botswana’s independence.

“Play Fest is aligned to educate and re-instil the cultural values attached to our native upbringing, in which native games carried community values, and we will thus make an attempt to teach the culturally estranged younger generations about such values,” he reiterated his stance.

Speaking on the organising parties, the young lad said it includes a 100 per cent citizen owned company and council members of the Vision 2016 Youth Council.

“Collectively, we boast employment of 106 positions and 38 of those positions including deputy director and accountant being opportunities awarded to women. The event will engage up to 12 other companies,” he said.

Mdu further said other activities on Saturday would include live performance of various local acts, nursery for children under five years and a market place for traditional food, clothing, accessories and literature.

“Tickets are available at all university campuses across Gaborone for P150 adults (admits 2) and free for kids below eight years,” he said, adding that people should find contacts near them through the Play Fest social media pages or call 72769222 for tickets and stalls.

On what plans they have moving forward, Mdu said there would be a 3^rd Play Fest in August, which would be a cultural exchange festival which would invite natives from all over the world to participate. 

“Activations will tour the country and be hosted in big villages and towns spreading the message of cultural preservation and pride, which will be stretched till 2019 and possibly beyond. 

In a bid to further share cultural values with locals and the world, the Play Fest will partner with diplomatic missions in August for the upcoming Play Fest Cultural Exchange Festival,” he said, adding that their dream was to host the Play Fest all over the world and in every country that has a Botswana Embassy. 

He further said they were either looking to host the Play Fest every independence holidays, or on any other accommodating public holiday, or by invite, the Play Fest could be held at one country and host Batswana and friends residing there courtesy of the Botswana Embassy.

Touching on the opportunities for others to be involved with Play Fest, Mdu said the team was open for expansion and whoever wishes to help in any way would be first screened so as to identify compliance with their themes, values and objectives. ENDS