07 Feb 2023

Visiting Swiss Confederation President, Dr Alain Berset and his spouse Muriel Zeender-Berset were treated to a mouth-watering cultural dinner under a beautiful African sky upon arrival in Botswana.

The Swiss delegation, hosted by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and First Lady Neo, was offered a seat at the main core institution of the Setswana culture, the kgotla, at the National Museum and Art Gallery by Minister of Environment and Tourism, Philda Kereng, afternoon of February 6.

Kereng said the traditional dance, art, culture and food were what the country’s cultural tourism had to offer.

There was a lot of excitement when the Botswana music story was relayed to President Berset as he changed his official sitting position, to get a full glimpse of Sereetsi and the Natives, who played beautiful renditions of folk music enthused with setapa, phathisi and tsutsube dance moves by Dipela tsa Ga Kobokwe dancers.

Kereng said the Setswana traditional dance unified communities across different cultures and also spoke to the uniqueness of many Batswana traditions.

She explained that Botswana’s democratic and peaceful values were enshrined within the traditional value system of the kgotla as it allowed community leadership and the commoners to participate in decision-making inclusively.

She told President Berset that Botswana’s trophy as a beacon of good governance and rule of law all started in the kgotla system.

“It is a traditional set up where the community, together with leadership, would sit and discuss community-related issues, problems and strategies,” she said. 

She explained that the collective would come up with laws and regulations, adding that any agreements made were to solidify the community and deal with social ills and economic issues.

Kereng also explained the traditional homestead setup - highlighting the significance of crafts and Setswana garments and patterns.

She pleaded with President Berset to, after enjoying morula juice cocktail and Botswana’s best beef, take the story of what the country had to offer back with him.

“We want to develop industries out of the utilisation of morula as a natural resource for livelihoods and job creation,” she said.

The guests were offered koko ya Setswana, braised oxtail, seswaa, bogobe jwa lerotse, mosutlhane, letlhodi and morogo wa dinawa. Ends