09 Mar 2025

Renowned author, Dr Lame Pusetso captivated attendees at the Creative Entrepreneurship and Cultural Heritage Workshop with a poetic tribute to cultural heritage.

She seamlessly weaved together three languages during her performance at Cresta Lodge recently. Dignitaries attended the workshop from the government of Botswana and Estonia as well as local cultural organisations and institutions of higher learning.

A multi-award-winning global literary activist, spoken word poet, and author of 16 books, Dr Pusetso is also the Managing Director of Poeticblood Publishers and the founder of the Botswana Literature Awards.

Given her impressive literary achievements, it was no surprise that the audience was mesmerised by her performance. Her recital transitioned almost effortlessly between English, Setswana, and Shengologa, a Hukuntsi dialect from Kgalagadi North, eliciting an intrigued uproar from the audience.

Dr Pusetso performance came at a crucial moment, following heated discussions on the poor preservation of cultural sites, inadequate documentation of cultural stories, and the lack of support for organisations striving to protect Botswana’s cultural heritage. The poem provided a soothing yet powerful reminder of the significance of art in cultural preservation.

“Today’s performance was a celebration, but it also served as a reminder of art’s impact on the economy and why it deserves support,” Dr Pusetso shared.

She further emphasised her intentional use of three languages in performances as a means of celebrating and preserving local languages.

“Shengologa is my mother tongue, and we know that indigenous languages are at risk of extinction. I make a conscious effort to use it as much as I do with Setswana to keep it alive,” said the poet, who has authored three poetry books titled, Oceans of Untold Goodbyes, Sa Lorato, and Her Voice.

She added that incorporating Shengologa into her performances not only preserved the language but also distinguished her from other poets, making her work more memorable.

Giving feedback to the recital, attendees highly praised the poet’s ability to seamlessly fuse three languages in one poem.

“Her performance was visually and aurally appealing. And her voice sounded so ethereal as she combined English, Setswana and Shengologa.She filled the room with so much warmth,” remarked Professor Connie Rapoo from the University of Botswana’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Dr Pusetso is The Asian Prize 2025, Jury Member for Poetry Prize where she will be judging the poetry submissions made to the competition.

“It is open to the global world including Africa and my work is to judge all poems submitted and select those that are best in creativity,” she said. ENDS