Dithubaruba thrills once again
The 15th edition of the annual Bakwena cultural event ‘Dithubaruba’ once again brought multitudes of revelers to the newly constructed Ntsweng Heritage Site.
Arguably the biggest cultural event in the country, Dithubaruba has over the years attracted cultural tourists from across Europe and Africa.
Patrons from as far as the UK, Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the United States of America pilgrimage to Molepolole to get their routine cultural fix every year.
In an interview with Voice Online, Kgosi Sechele I Museum Curator, Power Kawina said the heritage site is a perfect venue for such an occasion, a place that should remind Bakwena of their past.
“We’ve now realised that Dithubaruba is no longer a local event, but an international show that attracts many people. That’s why we had traditional groups from the rest of the country and South Africa,” he said.
Kawina however said despite its success, they encounter many challenges to put the event together, chief among them being lack of funds.
He further said they also have to plan better on how they can feed thousands of patrons who throng the event every year.
“We also faced a big challenge with limited parking space. This could chase away a lot of people in the future. So next year we’ve to plan for a wider parking area,” he said.
Officially opening the event, the Patron Kgosi Kgari Sechele III revealed that the theme ‘Maruping go a boelwa’ intersect very strongly with mindset change campaign which His Excellency President Mokgweetsi Masisi officially launched last month.
“There can be no greater manifestation of mindset change than retracing our steps to a glorious past.”
He said the new Kgosi Sechele I Museum on the site which a total of P 60 million has been invested in its construction is expected to bring economic benefits not to the museum itself but also to Molepolole village as well.
He further urged entrepreneurs and performing artists in Molepolole to take advantage of the cultural site.
The event was sponsored by ABSA Life Botswana with P250 000 and Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) with P50, 000.