15 May 2016

Matlhako-born Mmeiki Tlou believes that ability to play segaba is a gift from God that she will chirish forever.The little she gets from playing segaba makes her forge ahead in life.She says she had a strong liking for playing this traditional instrument though it was by luck that she learned playing it.

When speaking in an interview recently, Tlou said she did not know anything about segaba before the inauguration of the President’s annual arts competitions.“I use to listen to the competitions in the radio where artists were playing different instruments such as guitar, setinkane and segaba among others and the sweet sound of segaba stole my heart,” explained Tlou.

She said she approached a number of elders in her village to help her with the technique for playing the instrument but unfortunately none of them had the idea.Tlou was not demoralised, but the passion she had kept on inspiring her until she met a young person playing her favourite instrument in a social event in Ikongwe in 2013.

“After that young man’s performance, I did not waste any time, I told him how much I like segaba and how I am eager to know how to play it and that is where my dream came true,” said Tlou. Tlou says because of the passion she had, it did not take her a long time to master the technique of playing segaba.

She said  he now entertained people at various social events.She said she was proud to be one of the young people who were promoting and preserving the culture in the country.Tlou encouraged her peers to show interest and participate in cultural activities so that the culture could not fade away.She expressed a concern that a number of young people were not taking traditional activities seriously as they preferred the western type activities.Her wish was to be a grown artist who can represent the country somewhere. ENDS