05 Sep 2023

Makobo, Jamataka and Natale (MAJANA) have been commended for reviving and preserving their culture through their annual intercultural games.

Officiating at the cultural event for the three villages held in Makobo on Saturday, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture, Tebogoetsile Matebesi, said cultural activities came in different forms such as music, dance, food, clothing as well as sports.

All these, Matebesi said, brought people together and united them as a nation despite coming from different places.

He noted that having these three villages coming together to share their culture in sports would inspire other areas to follow suit, preserve their culture and encourage the young generation to hold on to these cultural activities.

He added that holding this activity annually with sponsors such as the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) could open doors for more sponsors and turn into a big cultural event that  attract people from across the country.

“It is possible that this can be turned into a sporting tourism activity like the annual Makgadikgadi Epic,” he said.

The DPS implored the organising committee members to challenge themselves by broadening their minds to come up with strategies, which could  be their roadmap to expand this event.

Matebesi further said having it diversified could help boost the socio-economic status of the three villages as small businesses could blossom from the revenue earned at the event.

Furthermore, he urged the elders taking part in the event to share their experiences with the younger generation so that there could be continuity even when they are no more.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the organising committee, Shyllet Tshireletso, said as Batswana were known to value their culture, they too enjoyed and loved to showcase their different cultures, which brought them together as the people of MAJANA.

He said in Makobo they had Hosana traditional dance, in Jamataka they had Motshe dance while in Natale they were good at dikhwaere.

He said together they danced for their enjoyment while spreading peace and love, which Batswana were known to possess. ENDS