Dithubaruba Cultural Festival 2022

The 14th edition of the popular Dithubaruba Cultural Festival gets underway at the Molepolole Sports Complex on Saturday, 03 September 2022.

Dithubaruba spokesperson, Tlamelo Letlole said preparations are at an advanced stage. “On Wednesday venue set up will start followed by a site visit by dikgosi on Thursday morning.  On Thursday evening we will start welcoming the cultural groups, who will be hosted to a dinner by Mma Tumagole -the wife to Kgosi Kgari III on Friday evening,” he said.

“All Botswana should come to Molepolole to appreciate the Sekwena culture, and appreciate cultural diversity of various cultural groups. The festival will also celebrate the contribution of Kgosi Sechele I as the architect of modern day Botswana, through Sekwena cultural activities including kopelo ya mmino wa dikhwaere, dikgafela, poetry, dress code and food,” said Letlole.

He added that Bakwena in the diaspora have been invited as guests among them, a delegation of BooNgwenya from Zimbabwe, Bafokeng of Kgosi Leruo Motlotlegi, Bakwena from Limpopo-Bahlaloga of Kgosi Kgabo Moloto III. The guests will be bringing their cultural groups to exchange notes with their local counterparts in celebration of sekwena culture and the historical lifestyle of Bakwena.

Kgosi Maruje III of Masunga will conduct the official opening.

Healing dances will be performed in the evening including tsutsube, while Francistown Ensemble and Mabutswabapele will perform the hosana, hoso and ndazola(sangoma dance). Basarwa will also take the stage to showcase their skills, opening for an all night setapa dance performed by Motshitshi wa Suping, Phala tsa Ngwao, and group of elders from Ditshukudu, Gakgatla and Semarule. Other performances will include contemporary music Mma Ausi, Dr Vom, Dikakapa, Ditiro Leero and Murubere. 

Heritage Walk

As precursor to the main cultural festival, a guided tour of Ntsweng heritage site dubbed Dithubaruba Heritage Walk was scheduled for Saturday (27 August 2022), led by Kgosi Kgari III, with Power Kawina -curator at Kgosi Sechele I Museum and Kgari’s uncle Keineetse Sebele giving lectures about the signifance of different sites on the hiking trail.

Themed ‘Walk and discover’, the Heritage Walk will include a visit to archeological sites to view some household artefacts depicting the life and residence of Bakwena in the 1880s led by Kgosi Sechele I before the tribe relocated to Dithubaruba. During his reign, Kgosi Sebele II also resided at Ntsweng before he was banished by the British rulers to Gantsi around 1935.

Ntsweng is the site for the new museum currently under construction, due for completion and handing over in September 2022.