11 Aug 2026

Ghanzi District Deputy Council Chairperson Xukuri Xukuri has appealed for the revival of the Kuru Dance Festival, warning that the rich culture of indigenous communities is slowly facing extinction.

He made the call on Saturday evening during a D’Kar cultural event organised by Cynthia Soso, a Cultural Survival grant beneficiary from D’Kar settlement.

The Kuru Dance Festival, once an annual crowd-puller held every August at Dqae Qare San Lodge, has been on a dry spell due to alleged mismanagement.

Xukuri said the festival used to showcase traditional San music, sacred healing dances, storytelling and other rites of passage.

He described Soso’s mini event as a stepping stone that could inspire the D’Kar community and the Kuru Development Trust to fast-track the festival’s return.

Xukuri said youth participation was critical to exposing young people to cultural lifestyles through songs, storytelling, food exhibitions and indigenous herbs demonstrated by elders. He applauded young people learning cultural preservation, adding that failure to embrace it would lead to instant extinction.

He also called on the community’s diverse ethnic groups to practice cultural tolerance to foster harmony.

Kgosi Waynard Morris, in his welcome remarks, urged D’Kar residents to preserve Naro culture for future generations.

He noted that while the world was evolving and youth were exposed to other cultures, communities must uphold indigenous identity in dress, language and practice. He said cultural identity could also help economically challenged communities generate income.

Soso, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Lifelong Learning and Community Development from the University of Botswana, said she applied for a Cultural Survival grant to respond to elders’ pleas to safeguard Naro culture. She observed that many youth were no longer fluent in their mother tongue.

Through her project, she ran a youth cultural workshop in July focused on Naro language teaching, survival skills, traditional medicine and sacred healing knowledge. Soso said she plans to mobilise youth to form cooperatives that advocated indigenous culture.

Cultural Survival representative Bhibo Maruping said the US-based NGO supported indigenous cultural preservation. Applications open in September and do not require company or society registration. Approval depends on originality, local leadership confirmation and project strength.

The grants include five components:

Youth fellowship at US$2,500 - US$6,000 and Keepers of the Earth at US$6,900 - $8,000 for first-time applicants, rising to US$8,000 - US$12,000 for second applications. The Bazaar Grant which facilitates market access for women crafters

Media Fellowship aims at training youth to document culture and prevent distortion as well as Community Regime Groups which targets cultural exchange programmes Maruping said five youth from D’Kar, Lokgwabe, Qangwa, Chobokwane and Tsodilo have already been funded under the Youth Fellowship.

Village elder Xonxlae Qubi closed the event by applauding Soso and urging others to follow her example. She said youth involvement in cultural activities builds strong personal identities and social cohesion. ENDS