21 Feb 2019

Polka music lovers will be treated to an improved Annual Kgalagadi Polka Festival  at Tsabong Showgrounds on March 2.

This was said by Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development representative,  Keabetswe Motswasele in an interview on February 19.

Initially, he said the festival, which started in 2012, featured only Polka music and dance groups.

But now, he said the festival had since been diversified.

This year, he said other aspects of  culture in the Kgalagadi District would be added to enrich the experience of festival enthusiasts.

He said the annual event was aimed at promoting cultural tourism and heritage to enhance the artistic excellence in the Kgalagadi District and was usually organised by MYSC in collaboration with other government departments in the district and the community.

The festival, he said was primarily run by government to promote cultural tourism, art and entertainment in the Kgalagadi District and has over the years shown tremendous improvement.

“In 2011, there were only four known Polka groups but the number has since grown to 40 in 2018 nationwide,” he stated.

He said this year, the festival, which used to last for four hours in the past years, will last for about 13 hours.

“We will explore other activities such as camel rides, horse racing, and quad bikes, art and crafts exhibitions from different ethnic groups in the region and Polka will start in the evening,” he said.

Some of the curtain raising performances, he said would be by Kgosi Sebulelo from Ghanzi, who sings contemporary Nama Stap Polka genre, the local Hip Hop group, Motswako Translators and local DJ Smaaro.

As for the cream of the festival, he said, the top eight Polka music and dance groups had been chosen from the 2018 President’s Day Regional Polka Competitions to perform.

“We will select regional categories to entertain and also include one group of the Polka elderly dancers and the youth from Bokspits, Rappelspan, Vaalhoek, Struizendam, (BORAVAST) as these were areas in Botswana where Polka originates from,” he said.

He said Tsabong would come alive with excitement from elating performances by Polka groups such as Honey Polka from Kanye, !Huni Kama Nama Strap from Tsabong, Remmogo Polka group from Ghanzi, Riem Vas Maak from Struizendam, Kalahari Dancers also from Struizendam, !Khara Khoen from Lokgwabe, and Sam Trek Polka group. Ends