20 Feb 2017

A 32-year-old, Mambo Ntema from Maun prides himself as a folklore and jazz musician, story teller, native drummer, poet and author.
So outstanding is his commitment to arts that he has been nominated in the upcoming Botswana Youth Awards under the ‘Best youth promoting culture heritage’ category.

“We need to take pride in art and culture to transform, develop, preserve, document, research, then package and market Botswana’s creative heritage to diversify our country’s tourism economy,” said Ntema in an interview.

Ntema is also the coordinator of Chobe Alliance for Arts Organization (CAAO), which lobbies and advocates for arts, cultural and creative tourism as an alternative tourism package to diversify Chobe’s tourism products.

The organisation recognises three categories in the creative industry namely; performing arts, fine and visual arts, as well as crafts and literary works.

His footprints in the local arts industry revolve around co-founding several theatre and traditional groups in Chobe District such as Tjiviri Theatre works, Vakwala Seperu group and Matsaudi Cultural heritage.

On the international front, he has traversed across the world to countries such as Germany, France, United Kingdom, United States of America and a few African countries to showcase his art works to the world.

Travelling the world has helped him grow his business more so that he has also created an online portal blog (CreativeChobeTourism.blogspot.com) to sell his works to people outside Botswana.

Ntema highlighted that some Batswana still regard art as leisure and recreation and perceived as an industry for poor people.

“My fellow young people can simply use their hands and talent to make a living for themselves with our rich art and culture,” he said.

In a tourist town such as Kasane, Ntema noted that young people could come up with an accapella group, which could sing at the airport to welcome international visitors, while at it, making money.

Ntema said he wishes to see art grow, especially in Chobe as it shares borders with three countries and it was where most international visitors, who were photographers, directors or actors come for touring.

“In order to promote Chobe’s creation of cultural diversity, I am working on an activity managed by Tse Tilodi cultural group on Vanzovu Cultural festival. We will be hosting Kabelo from Culture Spears,” he said.

The activity is a funded project, conducted under Companies and Intellectual Property Authority and features acts from around Chobe to showcase their works in the form of traditional dancing, theatre or poetry

Ntema also sells his artifacts through collaborations with travel agencies such as Tour ’de Kasane and Mabele Cultural Tour, where tourists are shown the Chobe enclave and cultural monuments found around those areas. BOPA