25 Jun 2025

A short film that captures the essence of Tsodilo Hills known as Mountain of the Gods has recently premiered in Manhattan, New York as part of the recent New York Africa Film Festival.  

It was also a runner up to the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art MCRW Wing that exhibited works of art from Africa, Oceania and Ancient America. The short film exhibits the historic rock paintings that brands Tsodilo Hills as a World Heritage site, the intangible cultural heritage, thanks to the spiritual beliefs associated with the Hills and the San people’s traditional dance that is synonymous with healing.

Tsodilo Hills story is told through the four of Tsodilo Hills community member, rock specialists from University of Cape Town and the Botswana National Museum and Monuments chief curator, Phillip Segadika. It appreciates the archaeological aspect of Tsodilo Hills, which has had human occupation for over 100 000 years and the creativity depicted by over 4 500 rock paintings. The film further evokes the challenges and future of the rock paintings since some of the rock paintings are fading.

Located in the Ngamiland region, Tsodilo Hills consists of rock art, depressions and caves,  and was recognised by the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage Site in 2001 for its unique religious and spiritual significance to the local people and its unique record of human settlement, according to prodafrica.com website.

In an interview Segadika said the short film placed Tsodilo amongst other master pieces from Mali, the Tztecs and Oceania. He said out of the 12 Cultural Landmarks films that were recently produced by Metropolitan Museum, Tsodilo was one of the three that were actively screened while some were only accessible through QR codes.

“Tsodilo was selected by the Met curatorial and film team to serve as the anchor site introducing the galleries, providing an interface between the Met’s Greek galleries and the rest of the Africa, Oceania, and Ancient Americas exhibitions,” he said.

The film, he said, showcased how rock art was the earliest form of art known, based on its evidence found at Blombos Cave in South Africa in layers that are 80 000 years old. Segadika said the film was made possible through the Metropolitan Museum and the World Monuments Fund, a global fundraiser and awareness campaigner for conservation of heritage sites on their watch list.

“Part of the objective of visiting and filming Tsodilo in 2024 was to identify conservation gaps, those have been identified and projects are being formulated, especially around rock art conservation, training of guides and community empowerment,” he said.

He said the awareness raised was intended to trigger tourism by funding agencies not only for Botswana, but Southern Africa and Africa as a whole. Directed by Sosena Solomon, the film is available on the Metropolitan Museum YouTube. ENDS