24 Apr 2024

Some artistes from Moshupa and surrounding areas have thumbed up the Hika La Ngwanyana Cultural Festival and are hopeful that the event will uplift music and entertainment in their area.
The festival, a brainchild of Ipelego Trust, was officially launched by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi at Moshupa Dam on April 20. Its inaugural edition was a booming success with a large crowd of people treated to a carnival of cultural and contemporary entertainment.
Adding to other entertainment activities was an enthralling music show featuring great performances by big names such as MmaAusi, Dr Vom, Dikakapa and Vee Mampeezy who left spectators eating from the palms of their hands. The crowd went into a frenzy and left their seats to join Dr Vom as he performed his signature song ‘Tsaya Thobane O Ba Bolae’.
In the midst of it all, some artistes from Moshupa and surrounding areas who performed during the event, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. They also thanked Ipelego Trust for bringing an event of such magnitude to their area, stating that it would help to promote music and cultural exchange. They further hailed President Masisi for supporting the event.
An Rn’B and soul singer from Moshupa, Chigi Baaitse pointed out that it was a huge opportunity and honour to have performed at Hika La Ngwanyana Cultural Festival. She said she was not initially in the line-up, but begged to be included in the programme and the organisers agreed.
“I wanted to be able to showcase my talent for those few minutes when I was on stage. The line-up was packed with many artists and I am so thankful and excited that Member of Parliament for Moshupa, Mr Karabo Gare managed to convince the production manager to squeeze me in the line-up because I am an artist from Moshupa. I would say the event is going to help artistes to showcase and develop our talents. The event is going to be a big investment for Moshupa not only in music and cultural exchange, but also in the area of tourism,” she said.
Moleri Morapane, who is Kuka La Setso Traditional Group founder and lead singer from Moshupa, was also impressed by how the inaugural Hika La Ngwanyana Cultural Festival went. Though they had been in the music industry for nine years now and had their songs regularly played on local radio stations, Morapane was happy that Hika La Ngwanyana Cultural Festival gave them a platform to perform songs from their new album for the first time in front of a big crowd. He further said what impressed him most about the event was that it was well organised.
“Performing at Hika La Ngwanyana has given us more exposure. Exposure is more beneficial than anything. You can become nationally and internationally recognised though performing in events such as Hika La Ngwanyana,” he said. He explained that the crowd at the event was the first to hear songs from his new album called Sekukuni.
“The first song I played today is called Ba A Imamaula, which warns married people about dangers of infidelity. The second song is called Sekukuni Se Bonwa Ke Sebataladi, which warns everyone that bad things which they do in the dark thinking they would remain a secret, could end up being exposed. The album itself has eight songs,” he said.
He said other songs such included Thokgamo, Khoba, Banyana, The Mares and Maferefere. He said Kuka La Setso Traditional Group was formed in 2016.
“We initially struggled with financially at the beginning to a point where I used my salary to record an album called Segwaba Itae. The album managed to give us exposure because it received a lot of airplay in Radio Botswana (RB1) station. RB1 loved to play a song in that album called Mmadume Ke A Dumisa, which encouraged artistes to persevere when they encountered challenges in the music industry,” he said.
House Kwasa artiste, Michael Matolo of KosiboyBW music group from Lotlhakane West, 10 kilometres away from Moshupa, stated that it was their first time to be featured in a big event like Hika La Ngwanyana Cultural Festival.
“The attendance was very good and I am so happy to have been a part of the line-up. I want this event to grow even bigger. The event will give us exposure which will hopefully help us to be featured in other big events such as Ga A Bo Motho and the Khawa Cultural Festival in future,” he said.
Matolo said he formed the group in 2013 and had albums such as Kgorometsa and Mananeo. BOPA