29 May 2017

The President’s Day competitions are geared at empowering artists who ordinarily do not have any platform to showcase their talent.

The Ministry Of Youth Empowerment Sport and Culture Development South East district coordinator, Tiny Gontse-Tamasiga said during the President’s Day Competitions in Ramotswa on May 27 that participating in the programme assisted artists to realise their full potential and participation towards economic diversification.

“The programme is an empowerment strategy for the artists who currently have no source of income or any formal platform to showcase their works,” Gontse-Tamasiga said as the district was hosting southern region dikwaere category competitions.

 She said the competitions recognised and appreciated creative talent adding that the competition, which had been run by the ministry since 2008 also raised artists profile and developed the creative industry.

 Since its inception, artists showcased their cultural diversify and uniqueness of Botswana cultures.

 Gontse-Tamasiga added that the competitions also existed to encourage community participation in cultural activities as well as to encourage elders to work with youth on cultural matters.

 For his part, Magopane ward councillor, Kgabo Mabotseng said there was need to thank the youth ministry, which had been tasked with organising the competitions.

 He said the competitions had assisted in reviving Dikhwaere,  which were dying a slow death.

“The revival of dikhwaere will assist in reviving Setswana culture as well as encouraging artists to see their participation as worthy enough,” she said.

Out of the 13 dikhwaere that anticipated, Dintoroko of Metsimotlhabe in the Kweneng region scooped position one to advance to the next round while Senyetsa from Kanye failed to advance after settling for second position followed by Vultures also from Kanye. ENDS