Qwaqwa cultural exhibition captivates

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – The founders of Bofihla Museum brought the heritage, restoration, and preservation programme to Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP) in the spirit of reminding people about the rich heritage of South Africa and the Basotho people.

As a person who was born and raised in Qwaqwa, exhibition organiser Mpho Letula was inspired to bring this awe-inspiring exhibition to his community at the Sentinel Primary school during the week of the December 11 to 16, because he believes that the youth will not know where they are going if they do not know where they come from.

“I thought I should take the baton that has been passed on to me by the elders, and remind young people that their stories should have a line of importance, they should always know where they come from.

“They should take the teachings that they were given by our elders and take them forward so that we are able to bring the light into our society,” Letula said.
Majwale Seoke, a young woman who attended the exhibition, said the exhibition took her by surprise as she did not know that something like this can be done in Qwaqwa.

“I didn’t know about the battle of Namoha which took place here in Qwaqwa. Ssuch things fascinate me because it shows me that there is a lot that I do not know about this place,” Seoke said.
According to exhibition guide, Letlala Motsoene, the exhibition was showcasing a brief history of the formation of Qwaqwa, a collection of Basotho cultural heritage art and artefacts as well as sharing the story of South Africa’s journey from the apartheid to democracy eras.

“This exhibition is particularly significant and important because it showcases the history of Qwaqwa that is often untold and not known to some of the people in this very community.

“Our intention is to bring this exhibition back and share it with the youth who need to know where they come from so that they can know where they are going,” Motsoene said in an interview with The Guard.

The battle of Namoha happened between 1942 and 1950 when certain inhabitants of the Witsieshoek reserve launched an organized revolt against decisions and instructions that came from the office of the Assistant Native Commissioner regarding the improvement and control of livestock and the rehabilitation and development of land in the reserve that saw the Basotho lose their wealth through the culling of livestock and larger farms being given to white farmers.