13 Aug 2018

This year’s youth cultural night celebrations in Francistown took a different form deviating from the usual activities of cultural performances, traditional songs and poems.

This time around the male youth sat around a bonfire with male elders who shared with them life lessons .

The discussions covered various topics including marriage, child abuse, domestic violence, passion killings and the dangers of cohabitation.

On the other side, the girls sat with female elders and were taught how to understand themselves better as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

It was a night not to be missed as it showcased the diversity of cultures that are found in Botswana as more youth were interested in learning something new about other cultures and were happy to spend the evening with the elders and making new friends.

First to speak was Kgosi Bokamoso Radipitse of Tonota who spoke at length about the dangers of cohabitation.

He said most people who lived together broke up before marriage and many suffered “premarital divorce” adding that cohabitation destroyed the foundation of marriage.

Kgosi Radipitse further said cohabitation was the enemy of commitment. He therefore implored the youth to get married and live a happier life and stop harassing their partners.

One of the elders who attended the cultural night Mr Ditiro Seakoko from Makalamabedi informed the youth about the impact of violence against women which remains a global public health and human rights issue.

He said passion killings in Botswana were also a problem against women but little attention had been paid to the killings.

He therefore called on everyone, particularly the youth to unite against passion killings and further urged the youth to stop taking lives when troubled but rather seek guidance. Ends