30 Aug 2016

All roads led to Shoshong for the first ever food and culture festival on Saturday.

Dressed in colourful dresses and shirts, people came in large numbers to celebrate Mokoto wa Lesoso cultural event organised by Makgobokane Social Club at Mmabobowe in Shoshong.

Revellers were treated to traditional music, food such as diphaphatha, kabu, lengangale, mala a koko, nchwachwa, khadi, tradition beer, mokuru, meat and many others. When officially opening the event, conservator from the department of national museum and monuments, Sewelo Fane said cultural festivals were scheduled gatherings that give communities the opportunity to interact socially, economically and even politically showcasing songs, dance and poetry. Fane said they also showcase ways of entertainment, food and drink deriving emotive and economic benefits for the upliftment of their lives and livelihoods.

He said  culture was a way of life of people, and as people come and pass they live evidence of interaction and existence, life patterns and origins, adding that evidence of life constitutes cultural and natural heritage which government through his ministry protects embodied in the Monuments and Relics Act of 2001. Fane suggested that communities especially the people of Shoshong  need to take it upon themselves to guide tourist to the rich cultural heritage sites of their village in an organised and tourist friendly manner.

He said in the past the department assisted the community with guides to do this job and they continued to do so, adding that it has to be the community taking that initiative because the story of the village sounds more authentic interpreted by the original inhabitants and in that way they would be able to collect guiding fee. 

He noted that there was need for locally based initiatives and innovations to exploit the resources, citing that there was the Shoshong trail starting from Lephephe all the way to Old Palapye.

He said this kind of business was applicable, as there was a young man in Gaborone who has innovatively developed a red tourist truck and labeled it ‘Itse Mageba’.Fane said they could also develop an idea for transporting tourists either using donkey carts, over landers, bicycles or quad bikes.

He said in Botswana there was freedom of association; however, he said it would be ideal to have one umbrella reference group, which would join representatives from all the existing trusts, social clubs, youth groups and entrepreneurs as a forum for negotiating and working with the government.

Fane applauded the Makgobokane Social Club and the community of Shoshong for their commitment which echoes the mission of his department which was to preserve, and promote Botswana's cultural and natural heritage. For his part, the chairperson of Makgobokane Social Club, Edwin Lesole said this club was formed by Shoshong youth in 2012 with the objectives of giving back to their community and working towards developing their village.

Lesole said the name Makgobokane which means coming together, augmented government initiatives of a united and proud nation. So far the club has donated food hampers and clothing to the needy, picked litter, had lunch with elderly on Christmas day and planted trees in all the dikgotla in Shoshong. ENDS