At 28, he describes himself as passion-driven, with a vivid memory of the humorous yet instructive tales once told by grandmothers.

 “Cultural preservation is one of those things I adore most,” he said.

Before publishing his animations, Gaothobogwe often debated with friends about the interpretation of folklore, such as the story of Tshuele.

 He argues that analysing such tales more deeply can inspire longer narratives, books, or even films, an effective tool for preserving culture.

For too long, he noted, Batswana have imported foreign myths like Cinderella and Harry Potter.

 His vision is to see Botswana’s own legends, Lentswe la Baratani, Matsieng, Tintibane adapted into films and celebrated globally.

 “Why are we not exporting our cultural stories and myths?” he asks. He imagines Otse village rivalling Paris as a “city of love,” with couples marrying atop Baratani Hill as a romantic gesture rooted in local myth.

Gaothobogwe stressed that Botswana’s calendar lacked holidays celebrating indigenous identity.

Storytelling, he believes, is key to building authentic identity and has real economic potential, pointing to Disney’s success and Netflix’s Vikings, inspired by Norse mythology.

His animations resonate with children and adults and teachers even use them as classroom aids. He hopes to collaborate officially with the Ministry of Basic Education.

Drawing inspiration from his grandmother’s fables, Gaothobogwe has animated three stories: Bampedza we Phengwe (an Ikalanga tale), Lentswe la Baratani, and Ntiti le Ntitietsana, his first motion 3D animation created with AI tools.

 The latter has garnered over half a million views on TikTok, released weekly as a limited series.

Voiced by Natasha Oitsile, Ntiti le Ntitietsana will premiere as a full film during a Culture Night hosted with Livingstone Kolobeng College on May 2.

 The event will feature live folklore storytelling by his grandmother, Chituelele Gaothobogwe, comedy by Emmanuel ‘Depay’ Tumelo, and traditional snacks to bind arts and culture. ENDS