08 Sep 2024

The fourth edition of the annual Makobo, Jamataka, and Natale (MAJANA) village cultural games has been hailed as a step in the right direction towards attaining sustainable rural livelihoods.

Vice President Slumber Tsogwane, who is also the Chairperson of the Rural Development Council made the remarks in Jamataka on Saturday.

Tsogwane commended residents of the three villages for the joint initiative, saying the MAJANA inter village cultural games, demonstrated commitment to unite and grow the brand.

“The MAJANA inter village cultural games are concerted efforts towards self-upliftment and cultural preservation by the three communities of Makobo, Jamataka, and Natale,” he stated further.

He said the games offered Botswana a unique experience, provided a platform for others to learn, including the youth, and promoted a healthy lifestyle, especially waged war against non-communicable diseases that were currently on the rise.

Moreover, Vice President Tsogwane was upbeat by the level of participation and sponsorship by other stakeholders who also erected stalls at the event.

He said government was fully behind the initiative and the idea by the three villages to form a community trust.

The Vice President was hopeful the organisers would make sure the event grew and became a craze for cultural enthusiasts both locally and outside the country.

He observed that benchmarking with other already established cultural initiatives, such as Dithubaruba, Lefika La Ngwanyana, and Xere Cultural Festivals was paramount to growing the event.

The Inter Village Cultural Games chairperson, Onalenna Majeremane, said the games were initiated in 2021 with the view of continuing the friendship that had always existed between the three villages using culture to achieve the feat.

Prior to resolving to make Jamataka a permanent host for the games, the three villages used to host them on a rotational basis.

She called for potential sponsors to come forth and help grow the event.

Kgosi Sheperd Pelaelo of Natale had, in his welcome remarks, reiterated Majeremane’s sentiments and called on the government to help grow the initiative, which he said had the potential to improve the livelihoods of the people of the three villages. Ends