09 Feb 2014

Government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (MYSC) believes art is not only an integral part of culture, but necessary for employment creation as well as economic diversification.

Speaking during the official opening of beading and leather work exhibition at Tsabong Cultural Centre recently, Tsabong Sub-council chairperson, Samuel Brooks said beading and leather work should be promoted among Batswana, especially in Kgalagadi where there were abundant resources for such.

The council chairperson also informed exhibitors and inductees that MYSC availed platforms and programmes for leather and bead workers to excel as part of its mandate of promoting culture.

Brooks further informed bead and leather work enthusiasts that their cause availed them numerous opportunities that they needed to tap in to improve their livelihood. 

He cited Khawa Dune Challenge as one of the opportunities that artists could take advantage of to further exploit their trade.

In an endeavour to help in the sustainability of bead and leather work, Brooks promised to lobby with government departments, parastatals as well as private businesses to purchase artefacts from artists.

He also promised to work with the district leadership to devise strategies of how best the Cultural Centre could benefit the people.

District commissioner, Moemedi Letina said the workshop was critical in that it sought to improve the quality of the artwork that already existed. He however said artefacts did not necessarily have to be perfect so long as the artist could interpret it.

He thus encouraged ‘the multi-talented’ people of Kgalagadi to take advantage of programmes made to empower them.

Held at a historic building that used to be home to the then resident commissioner (now district commissioner), the event has been hailed as apt for both established and emerging artists.

The building has been crafted into a cultural epicentre where the majority of cultural events including songs and dance are held.  Facilitators believed that all have benefited from the exhibition in the form of being inducted as well as information sharing.

They hailed art, especially leather and bead work as ‘diamonds’ that can improve not only livelihoods, but the economy a well. The same has been attested to by participants. ENDS