09 Sep 2019

Song and ululation dominated the Moshupa kgotla on September 6 as small groups of men and women paraded before Kgosi Oscar Mosielele and other tribal leaders, among them chairperson of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Puso in celebration of Dikgafela by Bakgatla-ba-ga-Mmanaana.

Clad mostly in German print garments and other traditional attire, the strong winds seemed not to bother them as they waved small Moologa branches in the air.

Brown clay pots and white buckets were securely positioned on their heads as they followed others who held big traditional beer containers which were presented as each ward’s contribution to mark the celebrations.

Of significance was also the Moologa tree which is traditionally known to bring rain, a justification for choosing the plant for this particular tradition whose objective is to appreciate the previous harvest and consequently ask for rain in the coming ploughing season.

As the director of ceremonies kept calling up various wards that make-up Moshupa, scores of other villagers continued to throng the kgotla area in anticipation of a jubilant day ahead.

“We have come to celebrate Dikgafela to show that even if there is drought we cannot give up. I call on everybody to go and prepare their ploughing fields so that we can collectively play a role in food production,” said Kgosi Kgabosetso Mosielele.

He made a call for Batswana to introspect and retrace their steps back to the times when they used farming to sustain their livelihoods. He said contributions by both subsistence and commercial farmers could go a long way in ensuring that the country was self-sufficient in food.

Moreover, the celebration was also one way of supporting the government’s goal to improve food security in the country and reduce the import bill, while at the same time preserving culture.

“Traditionally, Dikgafela was used to share the harvest with orphans and under-privileged members of society, thereby eradicating poverty within communities. Again, activities such as this one teach our children that they should work hard to be self-reliant,” noted Kgosi Gaborone.

He promised Moshupa residents that he would advocate for support of such events at Ntlo ya Dikgosi to assist tribal leaders to execute their mandate of promoting culture among their people.

He was impressed by the commitment and unity shown by residents, saying it was a reflection of the love and care they extended to their leaders. “You have ensured that this event takes place annually without fail for the past 10 years and your commitment has made it grow over time.”

For his part, the district agricultural coordinator, Monia Mfolwe advised farmers to employ ploughing techniques such as ripping to detain moisture content in the soil.

She also cautioned them against plants such as maize which required a lot of rainfall to grow as compared to sorghum and beans. ENDS