26 Aug 2024

His Honour Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has called on the Basarwa community to register their knowldge and skills under the Intellectual Property Act.

He said they had a very rich and indigenous knowldge, which needed to be preserved.

 The Vice President said this  during the official opening of Xere Cultural Festival on Friday.

He said their healing and water conservations skills, were second to none.

He said Basarwa had the potential to sustain their lives through their culture noting that they were the only group of community that had the ability to survive the drought season.

He said government, through the leadership of His Excellency President Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, had put in place initiatives aimed at uplifting the livelihoods of Batswana and was committed to upholding sustainable livelihoods.

The community of Xere, he said, started the cultural festival in 2023 and it had grown to an even much higher standard this year.

For his part, Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Honourable Tumiso Rakgare said the cultural festival had the potential to promote, preserve and market the culture of Basarwa.

Rakgare said intangible cultural heritage should be protected and registered under Intellectual Property Act. He said the seperu dance, basket weaving style of Bakgatla and dikhwaere were inscribed on the UNESCO urgent Safeguarding List of intangible Hertitage. 

Thus, he said Basarwa should follow suit as they had a rich culture. ENDS