11 Sep 2013

The tale behind the once lively and educational cultural place for the Basarwa of Bukakhwe is a sad one, not only for the locals but for the history and preservation of cultural heritage in Botswana. 

After realising how interesting and unique their culture was, residents of Gudigwa and Seshogora cattle post in the Okavango formed the Bukakhwe Cultural Conservation Trust (BCCT) in 1988 to preserve their heritage. The name of the trust, Bukakhwe, is a Sesarwa name referring to Basarwa who reside in a sandy area. 

Cultural conservation aside, the trust also wanted to promote tourism and diversify the economy through culture.  Financial funding had been secured from Conservation International through which they constructed two craft shops and eventually employed villagers for the day to day activities of the trust. 

“We had a traditional guide who showcased and explained to tourists how indigenous herbs were used for medicinal purposes and as food ingredients. 

The professional guide on the other hand was there to advise on how to interact and live in harmony with wild animals around the area,” explains Mr Kefilwe Bombom, as he reminisces about the place that gave them a meaning and sense of belonging. The curio shops sold Sesarwa cultural items including beads made from ostrich eggs, leather products, paintings as well as bows and arrows. 

As would be expected, tourists got wind of the news and started pouring in, the trust accounts expanded. Just as the tourism Cinderella story was rapidly unwinding, the worst that could befall them happened, a veld fire ravaged the place and reduced it to ashes. “We lost most of our things in that fire, including one vehicle.

The fire destroyed everything so quickly since the firebreak was not wide and the area was surrounded by too much grass which might have fuelled the fire,” Mr Bombom says with no glint of hope.  It seems the dreams and hopes of Bukakhwe people diminished with that 2003 fire because ever since, the trust has not been able to recover. 

Even though the other curio shop, which is in the village was not burnt, it has been unable to sustain the daily running of the trust, which includes staff salaries.

The remaining vehicle could also not be repaired after it overturned just a few kilometres from Seronga. This was the same vehicle that was used for guided tours of the area, but over the years it has remained stuck by the accident scene because there is no money to tour it back to Gudigwa. 

“We are still struggling to resuscitate this place but it is tough. We are currently in talks with the landboard to update the trust lease agreement so that we could at least rent the area to business people. 

But all is not lost because eight staff houses and a kitchen are still there, and we had already identified a possible lessee even though we haven’t got a positive response from the landboard yet.” ENDS