Hosana dance group to perform in California

By Sesupo Rantsimako — reprinted from The Botswana Gazette,

FRANCISTOWN: The northern Botswana based traditional group, Chelenje chengwao, which specialises in Ikalanga dance style, Hosana, has been invited to perform in California, USA next month.

The group is set to leave the country at the end of June and stay in California for three weeks, touring and performing. “Our performances will be based much on promoting and preserving culture; including Hosana rain dances, sangoma traditional doctors’ dance, pre-healer and wedding dances,” the leader of the group, Ngwisiwa Ntongwa told Time Out.

Ntongwa said the invite followed 2010 performance at India Dasara Culture. “After our performance we were approached by one of California promoters, Mathews Livan who showed lot of interest in inviting us. We received the invitation to start our performance at Humblest University. From there we will tour California where they have organized shows,” he said.

He said other than promoting Botswana culture, their main aim is to raise funds to revive the dying Hosana culture. “Hosana cultural dance used be well known but it is dying slowly so we do not want this situation because this is the history of our forefathers hence needs to be respected. Our grandfathers used to have annual festivals praying for rain; we want to revive it,” Ntongwa pointed out.

He further noted that the group’s motivation is to create employment for the youth. “We started with 12 members but have grown to 14 and our intention is to join hands with other organizations to attain a position in the corporate world as the major culture driving force. Furthermore our goal is to establish resource centre where the market can get all related merchandising,” he said.

However, Ntongwa decried lack of sponsorship despite the invite. He lamented that the group is currently running around in order to source for funds. “Even though we have made some proposals to different companies they have not yet replied, but we are hoping for positive by the time they respond.”