Mabolwe - Culture

Culture

Tradition is also deeply embedded as elderly people here still hold on to their traditional way of life. Mabolwe people still have a strong bond with South African who live on the other side of the border. To them, South Africa is closer to them compared to other parts of Botswana and this is evidenced by the culture that they share. Babirwa are believed to originate from South Africa where most of their relatives still live thereby enhancing continuous trips for social purposes. Most of their means of survival are centred in South Africa, for instance, medical help. Mabolwe people just like other Babirwa still speak sebirwa language which sound more like a mixture of Sepedi, Sesotho and Venda both in South Africa to give a clear indication that they originate there. Apart from language, their dances, food and traditional clothing is exactly similar to their South African counterpart. Here culture is mostly evidenced by the commitment and devotion of the village elders who defied all odds to establish a traditional troupe named BDF X1. Due to the name some people think the group is related to Major Bright’s boys or Matshwenyego Fisher’s platoon, but they only possess a special link to President Ian Khama. Having been formed in 1978 as Mabolwe Traditional Troupe, the group discarded the brand in 1979 to label itself BDF X1. The name was derived from the celebrations in which Khama was installed as the paramount chief of Bangwato in Serowe in 1979 where it was hired to perform. Even today the group has stuck to the name that it has now become well known in Bobirwa, a thing that usually sparks confusion whenever they are called on stage to perform. However, the strategic name often draws a huge audience and attracts a lot of cash prizes when they perform. The name is simply a tribute to Khama when he parted ways with the Botswana Defence Force and the group still nurtures and respects the day they performed for him in 1979.

The group consists of 40 elderly women all in their late 50s. Alongside the ZEBRAS troupe from Mathathane, BDF X1 provides the most cherished form of entertainment, not only in Bobirwa but throughout the country. Their movements are determined by the occasion for which they are hired to perform, be it a wedding celebration, or even sometimes political rallies. In 2004, the group spent a month in China where they had been selected to perform and display Setswana culture. The group leader stressed that it broadened their horizons. “To be honest, everybody was impressed by our performance and we left behind a good image of our country. We are now flexible, even if BDF X1 football club could invite us to interact with them after the league, we are okay.” BDF X1 has also been to Zimbabwe. As old as they are Falala Ngala maintains that the time they spend at rehearsals does not in anyway overstretch their schedules. “We have adjusted well to doing our personal things and going for practice.” She adds that the spirit of cooperation, commitment and a thirst to keep their culture alive is the only force behind the group’s 27 years success. However, the traditional singing is often put on hold during ploughing season as it is against the Sebirwa culture to beat drums at a time when rain is needed most. During such seasons they only prepare if they had been hired to perform somewhere outside the area. During practices, every one of them strictly abides by the command from the leader. The songs they emphasize on are the ones used to pray for the rain, ploughing season and those that were sung during night outs. Members believes that they mostly sing songs that convey a useful meaning to listeners combined with beautiful dance techniques that also appeal to the audience. Youth have found it difficult to join the troupe as they often fail to withstand the intense cultural practices maintained by the group. The group does not only keep the culture through dance but also conducts initiation on young girls and gives them advice on how to handle their husbands once they are married. “We do not allow a situation where a girl can have more than one man and there is no revenge if a man is playing around. Re ba ruta gore monona ha tshwarwe madeudeu.” Currently the group survives from the little they raise from performances and weave their own dance gear that includes beads and matlhowa. They even go as far as South Africa to fetch indigenous tree fruits that they use in dance gear. However they have expressed worry that the money is too little for the 40 of them to share. They appealed to the general public to donate anything that could help them survive in their endeavour to maintain Sebirwa cultural practices. “Even a roll of material to make a uniform is more than welcome because our uniform is now torn and we are not working yet we have a passion for our tradition.” BDF X1 troupe’s main concern is that they have been the backbone of the Bobirwa Trade Fair since its inception but they say the government has done nothing so far to acknowledge their presence. “We are desperately in need of donors and the government has turned a deaf ear to us.”

Though a strong bond has been established with the name, BDF X1 has forwarded the name and two others to the registrar of societies to select a suitable one for them. Members said though they foresee a situation where they will be allocated a different name in their certificate, it will take them centuries to cut the umbilical cord with “BDF X1”. “All the names we submitted were suggested by Mabolwe residents and we hope we will adjust to any outcome of the Registrar of Societies. But before we change the name we wish the vice president could come to Mabolwe, where he is assured of royal treatment.” ref>"Distribution of population by sex by villages and their associated localities: 2001 population and housing census". Archived from the original on 2007-11-24. Retrieved 2008-01-08.