Botswana: The Kgosi Kgari Sechele Museum hosted the 16th Edition of the annual Dithubaruba Cultural Festival yesterday at Ntsweng heritage site. The festival is also famous by the name ‘Ko Ga-Mmakgosi’.
The culture festival has been an important part of the annual calendar of the Kweneng District Council. The members of the various communities within the district have been participating in the event for a long time.
The officials have shared that the 2024 edition of the event is being hosted under the theme, “Go mmudupema ko ga Mmakgosi”.
The event was hosted over the previous weekend in Molepolole. The festival serves as an opportunity for showcasing the unique Bakwena culture. The organizers have shared several images from the festivities on their social media account.
According to the organizers, the annual Dithubaruba Cultural Festival is popular among the members of the community. The festival is not limited in its scope to Kweneng District and draws people from all over Botswana and beyond.
The festival is also popular in parts of Africa including Lesotho, South Africa, and Namibia. The festival was highly anticipated and significant for the community and attended by several high level officials.
Kgosi Kgolo ya Bakwena, Kgosi Kgari Sechele III delivered a brief address at the festival. He indicated that the festival which began in 2007, has been a great platform to showcase diverse Bakwena cultural expressions to the extent of preserving their rich culture.
He stated that the festival has grown in its spoke over the course of the last decade and half since its inception adding that with the aid of the government, they were able to construct a museum and an amphitheatre to accommodate cultural activities that ordinarily take place at Ntsweng.
Attendees enjoyed the thrilling performances ranging from traditional instruments, traditional song and dance and contemporary music including the likes of Dr. Vom, MmaAusi, Ditiro Leero, Solly Sebotso, Bana Ba Kwena, Dipela tsa ga Kobokwe cultural troupe and many more.