Fading Hope?

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Baleseng Batlotleng

Location : D\'KAR

Event : Interview

The road that leaves Ghanzi to the north, leads to a serene village called D`kar, just 30km away. The serenity could be a result of soaring temperatures against a cruel sky that is yawning cloudlessly. Or rather, the placid atmosphere that seems to prevail here could be the emptiness that has engulfed the small settlement. 

Not even a stray dog is visible within eyesight. The only sound audible is of long haul trucks en-route to Namibia from Kuke Veterinary Camp gate which is just a stone throw away from here.

The camp is the gateway to Ngamiland and separates Ghanzi District from the former. At this moment, quietness and emptiness fit together like stacked spoons. In the past it was a mixture of joy and cheerful energy as Basarwa communities came together while cultures melted together in song and dance.

The small village of D`kar was once the darling of Basarwa communities living in this part of the country. However, ever since the disappearance of the Kuru Dance Festival which was held at Dqae Qare farm, the community of D`kar now belongs to the dustbin of history. The Kuru Dance Festival was the largest gathering of San dancers in southern Africa.

The festival used to draw dance groups from Basarwa settlements in the Ghanzi District, Kgalagadi, Okavango as well as San groups from neighbouring South Africa and Namibia. It was held in the only Basarwa owned game farm in Botswana operated by Kuru D`kar Trust.  The beautiful farm is situated about 10km south of D`kar and sits on a 75 000 hectare plot with wildlife and many bird species.

Disagreements between Kuru D`kar Trust and a sister organization, Letloa Trust, seems to have sparked what has now become the main reason why the small village can no longer host the festival which used to attract much international attention even as far as Europe and tourists from the West.

The two, alongside six others including Shakawe based TOCaDI, are part of the Kuru Family of Organisations. Kuru D`kar Trust and Letloa could not find a common ground in their string of consultative meetings in preparation for the festival and a subsequent kgotla meeting convened to redress the situation hit a snag. 

The festival was one of the highlights of Botswana`s cultural calendar and was an annual event since 1997 but has not been able to take place three years running now. This has not gone down well with village elders who saw the festival as a solution to their socio-economic burdens.

When Kutlwano team took a casual walk around the village on one hot Thursday morning, it was met by a seemingly distraught village elder, James Morris, one of the founding fathers of the Kuru D`kar Trust.

“Batho ba ba rutegileng ba re senyeditse sengwe le sengwe. Batho ba ba tsileng morago ga go tlhokafala ga ga Moruti Brahm Le Roux ke bone ba itseng se se diragetseng. Hela ha go sena go kgaoganngwa Kuru Development Trust go simolola go nna le bo Letloa Trust sengwe le sengwe se senyegetse gone koo,” laments a teary Morris. He blames those he terms “the educated” besides formation of Letloa Trust for the death of the festival. 

Quizzed on what his community was planning to do in the event the festival does not return to the village any time soon, Morris appears to have given up hope that any fruitful negotiations will come up. He cannot even be taken further with the interview. All he does is to name and shame those he thinks are responsible for the collapse of talks. 

Area councillor, Nathaniel Tuohuku, shares the same sentiments with Morris and explains that trouble started when Kuru Development Trust started showing signs of growth. “The Kuru Dance Festival was now organised by the cultural centre which Letloa financed. Mathata jaanong a bo a simolola fa barotloetsi ba bua gore madi a ba a ntshang a tshwanetse go tsena ka letlole le le lengwe,” explains Tuohuku. 

Trouble started when Letloa took over the cultural centre and even retrenched some members including Morris and Arone Johannes. Then Letloa succeeded in securing sponsorship for the event from Debswana and the festival was successfully held.

However, there came a time when Dqae Qare had to submit reports under the auspices of Kuru D`kar Trust and Letloa. Irregularities ensued and Kuru demanded to have full control of the event but Letloa did not approve of the proposal in a letter Gregory Louw, who was engaged as the farm manager, wrote them.

Tuohuku says rumours were flying thick and fast that Letloa wanted to relocate the event to Ghanzi which also fuelled speculation that Letloa`s aim and its leadership was not to promote cultural and rural development of the D`kar community.

However, as a village elder, Tuohuku met with Letloa management and explained to them that it would be a bad idea to move the festival to Ghanzi.  A meeting was convened and it was agreed that the festival would be rolled up at the farm.

Sponsorship of more than P400 000 was sort from Botswana Telecommunications Corporation through its beMobile brand but still Letloa was not convinced that Kuru Development Trust was fully capacitated to account for hosting of the event.

Things fell apart. Letloa Trust chairperson, Xhaao Moletle, does not mince words when he explains how Kuru Development Trust failed them. Moletle says it was always going to be a flop given that D`kar Trust leadership was incapacitated and according to him “too autocratic”. 

“Their manager, Louw, wanted to deal directly with the sponsor without our input and that was not possible. The donor explained to them that that was only viable if they presented Letloa`s proposal. We met with D`kar community and an agreement was reached that the right procedure be followed,” he recalls. Letloa managed to secure funds but there was no venue. 

Up until now hopes for another festival are slowly fading and authorities` failure to reach a common ground may be enough to put the festival on its death bed. ENDS

Teaser:

 

Reflections on  Kuru Dance Festival