11 Jul 2023

Maun based traditional group, Ditsuatsue Arts Group on Saturday lived up to it’s name by sweeping through the stage like a hurricane, stealing the show to be crowned the song and dance category champions at the just ended National Arts final competitions.

Ditsuatsue beat the favourites in the category, Nca’ancaase traditional group from New Xanagas at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks (SSKB) in Mogoditshane.

Tsutsube, a traditional Sesarwa healing dance with its origins from Basarwa clans, is a rich cultural dance which often details a story line of either healing, hunting or gathering experiences of Basarwa.

However, other tribes have since learnt the dance moves, style, and messaging and  incorporated it into their performances, hence it was not a surprise when Ditsuatsue beat other Sesarwa traditional based groups to their own game after mastering the skill.

Cgoe   Saa Karee, a Khoisan group from Xere was the second runner up while Kgabo Sereto traditional group, who once had their hand on the Crown twice in 2015 and 2017 during the Presidential Final competitions were now relegated to fourth position.

Phathisi, which originates from Kweneng region, is acclaimed to have been originally practiced by herd boys while tending to cattle in the woods. It has been a norm that this category was dominated by Kweneng groups.

This year Kwena Madiba, a traditional truope from Molepolole sailed through to win the finals, snatching the glory from after Dipela tsa-ga Kobokwe, who reigned supreme in this category for years didn’t make it to the Nationals.

Kwena Madiba, a group made of dancers from different traditional groups, became popular over the years as it raised successful and popular artistes who in turn formed their own groups such as South Africa based Mmaausi and Morubele group from Molepolole.

Kalatsakgale from Selebi Phikwe scooped position two in  the same category while Bajakhudu traditional group from Ghanzi took position three followed by Dibini tsa Setso from Maun.

Kamberera group from Etsha 6 scooped position one in the Diware category.

In the Seperu sa Chobe category, Ndavwe group from Satau emerged the overall winner while Shigyakao group from Gumare won in the category of Seperu sa Okavango.

Tsa Kalawa group from Bobonong won the Sebirwa category while Tse Ditona Tsa Kalawa from Francistown won the Hosana category.

Setapa was won by Morogo wa Ngwana traditional group from Ramotswa.

Earlier when officially opening the 12^th annual National Arts Festival traditional song and dance event, CIPA director of compliance, awareness and client services, Ntesang Sebetso urged artistes to register with Copyright Society of Botswana so that they could earn royalties from their public performances.

She also stated that when President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi launched the Botswana Intellectual Property Policy (BIPP), expectation was that when fully implemented, Botswana should be able to transform it’s economy through the intellectual property system.

“We should see a growth in the entertainment industry, diverse cultural offerings from music, dance, artefacts, and food among others,” she said.

She reminded the audience that as they got entertained, they should also bear in mind that, ‘these are the creations of the minds which translate into Copyright materials that can be used on TV and radio as content, commercials or any other derivative work. Ends