Son of the Soil 2016 back into the future

The annual Son of the Soil (SOTS) event billed for end of this month will not only introspect in the country’s 50 years of cultural independence, but also project the next half century.

Publicity and Media Relations Officer for the event organisers, Bana ba Mmala Trust, Pontsho Pusoetsile told Vibe that they look at this as a 50-50 celebrations and introspection.

“We will also be juxtaposing culture at the 2016 event looking at Botswana food from the past 50 years and projecting Botswana food in the next 50 years, the same with song and dance.”The SOTS 2016 event will be hosted under the theme ‘Kwa re go yang – Ke Motswana’ to underpin the importance of culture as a pillar of national development.

“We strongly believe that development must be anchored on a strong national identity. The sub-theme for the 2016 event (“Ke Motswana”) is meant for each Motswana to look at the past 50 years before 2016 and also project forward the next 50 years and take pride in the achievements.”

The main event will be staged on the 30th of this month at Serokolwane Lawns. Pusoetsile explained that activities would start this Friday with a workshop in the build up to the main event.

The workshop dubbed Pitsong Workshop will focus on sharing of various Setswana themes and topics. “It usually covers food culture, homestead culture, tribalculture, musical culture and what can now be considered national level culture. All these topics are usually covered from a historical and futuristic point of view. With the key message being how a Motswana of the future will be easily identifiable among Global Citizens.”

Entry into the Pitsong Workshop is usually free and on invitation only. Target groups are those that organise cultural events and also leading cultural thinkers including cultural opinion makers. On Friday 29th January 2016 there will be a Metswaisong Evening Chillas and on Sunday 31st January a Setswana Sunday Jazz powered by Kgalagadi Jazz Beats.

Metswaisong Evening Chillas encompasses storytelling, traditional dance, traditional song, dithamalakane and light hearted Setswana humour.

At the main event Pusoetsile said there will be traditional cuisine, traditional games, song, dance and evening Setswana themed festival. “We will also have stalls selling various traditional themed items at the event,” he said.