Volume 54 Issue 6- June 2016 : Sports

The Khawa Dune challenge has become a trademark feature in the cultural event of the Botswana Tourism Organisations calendar. The event offers a variety of fun activities such as motor bike challenges, quad and motor bike fun rides, sky dive demonstrations, camel races and rides amongst others. 

Kutlwano staffer Baleseng Batlotleng endured a grueling 700 km trip to the small village. After almost six hours of travel and an additional two hours off-road route with both sandy and rocky sections between the village of Khuis and Khawa, he finally arrived at his final destination and joined the festivities of the much talked about Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival. The event took place from the 5^th to the 8^th May and remains one of its kinds in the country, combining both motorsport and culture and adding a new dimension to tourism development in Botswana.

The Khama Magic

Constable Malebogo Kegakilwe of Botswana Police Service could not believe her luck when President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama walked up to her and invited her to join him for a few exquisite polka moves much to the excitement of the crowd. Ever since the inception of the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural festival in 2012, polka has become one of the highly appreciated dances and is now embraced by various tribes in activities held across the country. 

President Khama`s undying love for the music genre is unrivaled. The first day of activities took revelers down memory lane in what has come to be known as Polka Night. The household tunes of polka music are belted out to the excitement of hundreds who gather around to witness different cultural groups showcase their talent. As a way of appreciating different cultures around the country, an arrangement was made to have groups from as far as Kgatleng and Bobonong to come share their experiences. Traap Vas Polka group from Khuis and the hosts Gareng Ga Dithota left spectators calling for more. The next day President Khama arrived early in his Can am outlander bike. He traversed the sandy terrains of the village dunes with the perfection of a professional rider and reaffirmed his position as champion in this field.

Community leaders speak

Kgosi Piet Manyoro is thankful for the Khawa event. According to him the event has not only brought financial gains to the community, but has also been able to fight off social ills especially amongst young people. “Khawa e tswelela ka go ipega mo lefatsheng ka bophara. Thulaganyo ee fetotse matshelo a batho ka bophara mme seo ka nnete sea itumedisa,” he says. Khawa Trust chairperson, Piet Bok explains that their trust was formed and mandated to utilise natural resources in their area for the benefit of the community of Khawa. He says since the hunting ban was imposed they struggled to make income for the trust, but the inception of non-consumptive initiatives such as the dune festivities has come in handy. The Khawa challenge funded the trust with P20 000 in 2012 and has since grown to about P70 000. However, Bok decries insufficient funds as the main challenge they face as a lot of their projects are still lagging behind. He notes that the total budget for their envisaged projects was around P3 million. The chairperson of the Khawa Village Development Committee, Sophie Visagie praised the organisers for a great spectacle that was hosted in their village. She was impressed by the level of participation by locals in the event, especially stalls and litter picking. Visagie appealed to the private sector to come on board and support their initiatives. Recently Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited funded the trust with P120 000 for the rehabilitation of the gatehouse and other related infrastructure.

The Village of Khawa

A small remote area known for its hostile and bumpy gravel roads, has transformed into a beacon for tourists and fun-loving enthusiasts largely due to its charming mountainous sand dunes that besiege the homesteads. According to village elders the name Khawa is derived from the Setswana word ‘Kgawa,` which means dew or water in the form of droplets that appear on thin and exposed objects in the morning or evening due to condensation. True to its perfect description, a visit to this part of the country is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The dry but mint condition makes it a perfect destination for getaways for those who enjoy the beauty of nature. The whole village is a scenic view. And the people too are beautiful, speaking Afrikaans and Setlharo. ENDS

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