09 Sep 2024

The iconic Bakwena cultural festival dubbed Dithubaruba, lived up to its billing as multitudes fond of Sekwena traditional customs thronged the Ntsweng Heritage Site for its 16^th installment on Saturday. 

The annual event celebrates the rich and diverse culture of Bakwena tribe.  As a way of retracing their roots, organisers invited Bakwena Paramount chief Kgosi Kgari Sechele III to perform the official opening of the festivities.

Themed: Maropeng Go a Boelwa, the event returned this year with ABSA as title sponsors once again following their mouth-watering P250 000 for three years.  Kgosi Kgari III told revellers that it was always a pleasure to celebrate the heritage of one’s own tribe. 

He said events such as Dithubaruba provided not only entertainment but also a perfect platform to recall what was learnt from fore bearers.

He said over the years the support from other tribes from across the shores and within Batswana had helped Bakwena on cultural identification and they had been able to learn a lot from others.

Kgosi Kgari III said different tribes were only segregated by borders but shared a lot in terms of cultural heritage.

He said since its inception in 2007 the festival had placed Molepolole on a high pedestal. 

He added that Bakwena had managed to build new museum which was part of the Ntsweng facelift project comprising the state-of-the-art amphitheatre and reconstruction of the historic Mmakgosi house ruins.

Kgosi Kgari III said the goodwill of their partners and stakeholders had sustained them over the years.

Kgari Sechele Museum Board 

chairperson, Kgosi Basiamang 

Garebakwena said they were buoyed by the support they got from other Bakwena from neighbouring countries to keep going.

He applauded the organisers for putting up a sterling show and urged them to stand against all odds to return bigger and better next time. The day’s activities were started by the dikgafela ceremony. Bakwena elderly women lead by a praise poet delivered the harvest to the kgotla first before they eventually gave it to Bakwena royal Queen Mma Tumagole. 

After delivering the harvest the same routine was done with traditional brew. Other dikgosi and dikgosana were at the Kgotla alongside Kgosi Kgari.Four-string acoustic guitarists, Sebongile Kgaile, Thomo Mekgwe, Solly Sebotso and Batlaadira Radipitse provided the much needed entertainment with improvised chords combinations.

History shows that the cultural festival focuses on culture of Bakwena of Molepolole and the significant role played by their late chief, Kgosi Sechele I during his reign in the 1800s.  Kgosi Sechele I played an integral part in defending some Tswana tribes during the infamous Battle of Dimawe against Boers of Transvaal insurgency.

After the victory, Kgosi Sechele I relocated the Bakwena capital from Kolobeng to Ntsweng in Molepolole. Ntsweng was abandoned in 1934 when Bakwena were forced to move by Kgosi Kgari II.

Ntsweng has since been developed into heritage site, a multi-million project that was implemented by Kgosi Sechele I Museum in partnership with Department of National Museum and Monuments.  The project aims to develop the historical site into a cultural hub displaying Bakwena culture.  The cultural event is usually graced by Bakwena tribes from Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Phokeng and Bakwena of Molopa.

The celebration is characterised by cultural activities including traditional dance and song. Highlight of the afternoon is usually the Bakwena signature dance phathisi which is played onto the night till dawn. ENDS