Journey to Germany: SOUL SEEDS Craft & Poetry Cafe

Journey to Germany: SOUL SEEDS Craft & Poetry Cafe

It was on June 11, 2015 when I received a letter of Invitation from Voelkerkunde Museum Hamburg Germany to attend the Markt der Völker slated for November 11-15, 2015. 

I had to device a fundraising model for the trip and it was not an easy one because art is loosely regarded yet appreciated in our country. I had to approach government institutions and organizations relevant and conversant with Art, Culture and Tourism but the bureaucracy took long for the responses and had to work a mile further. It was a journey, and still is. I also approached the business community in Kasane, Maun and around Botswana in request for funding but it rendered such efforts futile until I had to utilize the business networks I have to source a portion of the requisite funding as justification for visa application and related procedures thereon.  I finally received a quarter of the budget from Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture in October and some contributions in-kind from Maun and Kasane resident-businesses. Also my former Headmaster Mr. David Tregilgies handed his support in. 

Art indeed needs a Trust fund, or a(n) National Arts Council, mean time, we need to strengthen initiatives such as Chobe Alliance for Arts Organization(CAAO) in cognizance with Botswana Society for the Arts with National Union for Botswana Artists to collectively lobby and or create artistic platforms for arts excellence beyond just the Botswana borders, to fly away far into distant worlds afar, to gather and share the creative seeds for a better world. Art for Change it is.

However, I have managed to fulfill all the legalities and procedures for my travel and I am just resting, waiting to catch the flight from Gaborone to OR Tambo (RSA) on Sunday, arrival in Hamburg on Monday morning November 9, 2015.

My slots on the programme:
- Thursday 12 November, 2015 @19h00: Presentation on Botswana Cultural Diversity through Creative Tourism
- Sunday 15 November, 2015 @16h00: SOUL SEEDS Poetry Reading session

Find me at Stall No 1.

Market of the People

Dialog between cultures is the main focus of the Market of the Peoples. About 70 craftspeople, traders and specialty-dealers acquaint visitors with craft products from all over the world. 

On one hand, the market is a platform for many different traditional crafts threatened or disappearing as a result of modernisation. The market is also a forum for new trends in the field of these crafts. Some examples include the creation of recycled products using tin cans or telephone wire. Countries from which exhibitors have come in the past include Portugal, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Indonesia, China, Japan, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, South Africa, Canada, Argentina and Guatemala.

The world of handmade crafts is changing constantly. The Museum für Völkerkunde follows this process and provides the opportunity for visitors to experience these exciting changes directly. In the Market of the Peoples, manufacturing techniques are put on display in live performances, through film and other media. We value fair trade highly; we find it important that local economies, small family businesses and other projects are purposefully supported. Through this market, the museum also aims to directly support different craftspeople.

The exhibitors are selected according to the quality of their goods and especially by their interest in the dialog with the museum’s visitors. The exhibitors are almost always experts of their cultural regions and the representatives of aid organisations are always interested in explaining the work of their groups.

The Market of the Peoples is also known for its diverse cultural programme. Musicians, singers and folklore groups give performances; for children there is make-up, crafts, painting and a story-telling workshop. The Market is a festival for the whole family. 

Since 2008, each Market of the Peoples has had its own focus. This focus determines the selection of exhibitors and the organisation of the cultural programme. In 2008, the topic was India; in 2009, it was the Indians of North America; in 2010 the topic was Latin America. And 2011 the topic was the Orient.

The Museum's Mission Statement:

We respect all other cultures. We require respect for all other cultures.

Ours is a lively museum, which appeals to all five senses.

We provide a forum for cooperative exchange between people of all cultures.

As a world cultural archive, we collect, preserve and display evidence of all cultures for the purpose of making those cultures accessible.

Our high-quality and unique artefacts make up the indispensable foundation for our entire work.

We provide scientifically substantiated, comprehensible information, which takes into consideration the self-image and unique perspective of each culture.

Our appealing, high-quality and diverse exhibitions and events address many diverse target audiences.

We feel obligated to ensure that our activities remain relevant to and address actual, current issues.

The utilization and development of our resources are important parts of our work.

It is our priority that our visitors feel welcome and have a satisfying experience in the museum.

---------------------

I thank Martina Postelt for the courage and networking in support of my creative path.

I intend a Welcome Back Cultural night once back from Germany to thank you all. Keep your eye on the details...

Thanks to:
- my empress Etsuko Nagayama (Japan)
- Martina Postelt
- Nobert Mathumo (Botswana)
- Ilanga Tours & Safaris (Kasane, BW)
- Chris Durand Woba Kele (Reunion Island)
- Poetavango Spoken word collective (Maun, BW)
- Mambo Ntema Fundraising team
- MYSC, BTO, German Embassy
- Clario Travel (Kasane, BW)

Art, Our Journey

The Week that was the Maun International Arts Festival 2015 - Khutsie Kasale - Afrika Bohemian

The Week that was the Maun International Arts Festival 2015

November 5, 2015 by Afrika Bohemian

Maun International art festival has been spoken about quite a lot through the years; from local media, to the participants sharing their experiences, to sponsors, everybody giving their unique voice to this beautiful feast of the arts . So I thought that I should contribute my voice as a member of the audience and as the ordinary customer.

There really is something amazing about week-long festivals; it is the excited artists invading the quite town with their artsy boho looks and energy, it is the excitement that builds up over the course of the week where you get to experience your favorite artists over an extended period of time, it is the connection you get to make with the tribe and the daze of feeling like a groupie following the artists around from one performance to the other. I tell you nothing beats the festival atmosphere or vibe as my little sister likes to call it and she says you do not even have to be interested in art you can come just for the vibe.

It is all about the vibe: Poetry Night at Maun Lodge, Everybody get down

So come I did for the art and for the vibe, on an overnight bus no less because clearly nothing was going to keep me from the festival and I am glad that I came, my journey was not wasted. The event made me feel hopeful about Botswana and the arts, these artists have so much talent and as long as arts and culture have friends in great sponsors such as; the Ministry of youth sports and culture, the American Embassy, Sefalana etc. we are definitely on the right track but the thing about being on the right track is we have to keep moving or we might get run over just sitting there.

The festival which is in its fifth year had a great line up of performers, events and even cool venues the only issue that was worth noting from a customer’s point of view is that it would have been great to have a package deal for travelers wishing to come to Maun solely for the festival, the package could have included accommodation, travel around Maun and a bit of sightseeing.  I would have also welcomed different priced passes or packaged deals to the different events which could have avoided the issue of paying for separate events which became quite pricey at some point especially since I wished to see most of the performances.

This is a great festival that needs participation from Batswana, it is sad that with events that happen at home we are always reluctant to attend due to a lot of reasons one which is worth a mention being that they isn’t enough communication so we are never sure if the activity is targeted towards us. So for 2016 I would really love to see a huge social media communication campaign (social media is free so no costs to the organizers) around the festival to get everybody hyped up and make people feel included in the event, hashtag and all because in my opinion it is about time we made Arts and Culture in Botswana popular culture.

Having said that I say big up to the organizers (these guys really did a great job), to the participants and to the sponsors and of course art lovers such as myself who came to show support let us go boldly into the next one.

Enough yapping, now a little clip from a performance by Mambo the poet at the Poetry night at Maun Lodge…This is from the popular Setswana folk tale of Chiwele if you grew up in Botswana you will definitely remember the story of the stubborn little girl.

Art is my Journey, Our Journey

Art is my Journey, Our Journey

By SOULSEEDS Art Project Correspondent,

November 4, 2015

Maun International Arts Festival V 2015, October 25-November 1.

After a hectic week of creative artistry rendered at the Maun International Arts Festival V 2015 from October 25-November 1, in different localities of the Nhabe region in the cosmopolitan creative tourism town Maun, to showcase the artistic diversity and socio-cultural networking, I really appreciate the cultural exchanges, experiences and artistic networks emanated from MIAF.

The festival organizing team managed to unearth over 50 creative minds and persons from all over the world; South Africa, Reunion Island, Uganda, Nigeria/Canada, USA, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. The event featured aspiring and renowned voices of Mother nature’s mouthpiece to breathe life into Maun  through Spoken word, Contemporary dance and Music, Theatre, Fashion, Literary arts exhibitions ; Hector Kunene, Ngwao Putswa, Mophato Dance theatre, The Contrabandists, Sereetsi and the Natives, Stiga Sola, Phoenix Baaitse, Leshie Love Song, Mambo Ntema, Juby Peacock, Mista Poke, Bella,  Chief Kunta, Prince Marenga, Rashida Namulondo, Vera, Barbra (Breeze), Maya Roze, JahGee, MmaKgosi, ?oem theAnsa, Dasha Kelly, DeePee, Poetess Phopho, Abra-conscience, One Finite Monkey, October, Chris Woba Kele, Juliet Kego, Charles, and a dozen more.

The week-long MIAF’s activities included Official opening ceremony, inter-School Poetry (art) competitions, Comedy night, Folklore/Traditional Music, Slam Poetry, Hip-Hop battles, Open Mic session, Poetry night, US Corner at the Maun Public library (partnership between Poetavango, US Embassy and Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture), Cultural tours to Sexaxa (cultural) village and motivational visit to BOFWA in Maun.

And Christophe Durand Woba Kélé from Reunion Island is a creatively humbled man that infused traditional instrument (nGoni) with almost every genre. I call him 'Madala'.

Much thanks to Poetavango Spoken Word Poetry collective and its partners for a wonderful MiAF. Poetavango

Chris 'Woba Kele'

 Lakai, Mmasechaba & Mista Tee

Chris (Madala), Mista Tee, Mambo Ntema and Chief Kunta

Matsosangwao Arts Troupe 10-year Anniversary

I am also proud of #Team50 Matsosangwao Arts Troupe for a successful 10-year Anniversary this past weekend (October 30-31, 2015) in Kasane. I am so humbled by the effect and shape of the Chobe Alliance for Arts Organization (CAAO); a social enterprise model that seeks to leverage on artistic sustainable livelihood and socio-economic development and welfare of the creative arts and culture industry.

 Art is Life

I have to now look forward for my journey to Central Europe this coming weekend to attend Markt der Völker event  from November 11, 2015. Market of the Peoples

Market of the People

Dialog between cultures is the main focus of the Market of the Peoples. About 70 craftspeople, traders and specialty-dealers acquaint visitors with craft products from all over the world. On one hand, the market is a platform for many different traditional crafts threatened or disappearing as a result of modernisation. The market is also a forum for new trends in the field of these crafts. Some examples include the creation of recycled products using tin cans or telephone wire. Countries from which exhibitors have come in the past include Portugal, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Indonesia, China, Japan, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, South Africa, Canada, Argentina and Guatemala.

The world of handmade crafts is changing constantly. The Museum für Völkerkunde follows this process and provides the opportunity for visitors to experience these exciting changes directly. In the Market of the Peoples, manufacturing techniques are put on display in live performances, through film and other media. We value fair trade highly; we find it important that local economies, small family businesses and other projects are purposefully supported. Through this market, the museum also aims to directly support different craftspeople.

The exhibitors are selected according to the quality of their goods and especially by their interest in the dialog with the museum’s visitors. The exhibitors are almost always experts of their cultural regions and the representatives of aid organisations are always interested in explaining the work of their groups.

The Market of the Peoples is also known for its diverse cultural programme. Musicians, singers and folklore groups give performances; for children there is make-up, crafts, painting and a story-telling workshop. 

The Market is a festival for the whole family.  Since 2008, each Market of the Peoples has had its own focus. This focus determines the selection of exhibitors and the organisation of the cultural programme.
In 2008, the topic was India; in 2009, it was the Indians of North America; in 2010 the topic was Latin America. And 2011 the topic was the Orient.

Volkerkunde Museum fb

Mambo Ntema SOUL SEEDS Poetry Project Promo

https://www.facebook.com/mambomusicpoetry

www.SOUNDCLOUD.com/opnmambo

SOUL SEEDS Illustration

Soul Seeds: Reality & Mental inspiration Poetry pencil on paper illustration by Ronald Pled Kegomoditswe, 2015 

Featured: MamboNtema

SOULSEEDS DailyNews, SOULSEEDS UK

Copyright holder Ronald Kegomoditswe, 2015

Of Life and its Notions part 2

Or would the asylum despair when reality devours our littlest;

Days to captivate us before dead?

For religion and isms know no word;

Uttered by tribal rhythms except in ancestral tribute.

For life is a termite mount, a season. 
And I hesitate not but to live, for life knows no beholder, a pity.

For life and its notions a mystery. Our days a victim.

For the asylum would seek, but neither here nor there,

Either near or drifted in desert lands of my grandfather’s crop field.

And when elephants gather, rain clouds would gather for our seeds;

To grow and replenish our famine. For life is a dream, a seed.

And our littlest time to live shall fade at the cross-fields;

Like death upon Mother Nature’s creatures.

For the asylum would speak in spoken words for time to heal our hearts,

Yet summoned before the Creator’s jury to bury dead our past.

But not just our past;

For our past defines what we would become,

Our last laugh lasts before the soul.

And I reiterate my articulation, my language,

For life is a language;

Of repetitive extremist imagery as though a refugee,

Not a slavery kind, a tragedy.

As though I were living in the Blue Mountains;

The higher mountains, the Ashanti hills, the untouched, the unexploited,

As though I were singing for the unknown, the unborn, the ancient.

The serpent, the secret, the sacred, of course I'd dare not,

I'd embrace the essence of life and its notions...

22102015-1300

Extract from 'Of Life and its Notions' part 2

Onalethuso Petruss Buyile Mambo Ntema

The Voice of a Shadow: Life, Reality & Mental Inspiration Poetry, 2016

Author of SOUL SEEDS: Reality & Mental Inspiration Poetry, 2014 Xlibris Publishing UK

Soul Seeds - Amazon Germany, Soul Seeds - Xlibris UK, faceBook, #opnMambo

Of Life and its Notions

For the asylum would insane;
When reality entangles beneath hearts to a mermaid,
Of norms and customs gone but decayed and faded,
Of horns and phantoms bold but enslaved and painted,
Of arms and toes hold than betrayed and wasted,
Of yams and pawpaw’s than entrenched and fainted,
Of dogs and puppies than brave to be humbled,
Of guns and monies but grave in their last moment,
Of moms and sapiens, wrongs and rights for a planet,
Of charms and mountains, tonnes and tongues but fallen,
Of gums and porridge, deaf for a student,
Of calm and solid, death had secluded;
In sacred days when secrets of the metropolis unfolded,
Bound, found, sound to the deaf ear unwanted,
For life could suppress us more but depressed,
For I am not a Poet, I am just a simple man;
With notions of life complexed between the two men,
The you men, the new men, the gone men, the me man, the few men,
But true men do not hide, they delight in eyes like a true man,
They strike for a piece of bread in the basket,
They strive for a niche but dare in the casket;
As though theirs would be a better death than dead,
They cry for peace in pieces of their hearts a burden,
They smile to please their peace of mind blinded,
They hide behind their fingers like frowns of an innocent girl haunted,
They pride in times of their leaders like clowns before marriage,
They child in dozens of their notions, for life is a notion, a mystic,
A devotion. For religion knows no word uttered by tribal rhythms.
Except in ancestral tribute. For life is a termite mount, a season. 
And I hesitate not for life knows no beholder, a pity.

For life and its notions a mystery.

22102015-0940

Extract from 'Of Life and its Notions'.

Onalethuso Petruss Buyile Mambo Ntema

The Voice of a Shadow: Life, Reality & Mental Inspiration Poetry, 2016

Author of SOUL SEEDS: Reality & Mental Inspiration Poetry, 2014 Xlibris Publishing UK

Between Two Dunderhead Friends (Part 3)

Between Two Dunderhead Friends

What if dunderheads befriend dead-woods?

They can only do as cowards do,

For they are just mentally constrained to;

Rationalize than defend

Their defenceless senseless;

Being and pride in helpless

Cry-foul.

They're just as thin air between dark clouds,

They descend in envious yet porous;

And empty as vessels of a dumb

Mongrel that only bites when fed

And often

Fall from grace to disgrace their soul.

For they not know their purpose,

They just are dead;

As walking skeletal kind.

They are never here nor there.

They chase a silent wind from imaginative deficiency,

As though theirs were a brutalized kind without remedy,

For enemy

Is their most adorable human face. They are ready;

For what does not concern their little mind.

They really are just as innocent like a broken child,

Their innocence is deceptive, as snake to a tongue.

Yet enslave their brethren with perceptive arms;

Of a lost but lunatic. O what a vulnerable pal,

For yours would fade into pages of the missing. After all;

Life cares not about you either. You can harden to a stone,

For hard ears rebel against their deafness. They're prone

To know the truth as though they had known,

And I know that you feel weak when I talk,

As days have coloured in empty blue skies galore!

01082015-0320

Onalethuso Petruss Buyile Ntema

The Voice of a Shadow: Life, Reality & Mental Inspiration Poetry, 2016

This poem discourages greedy and seemingly narrowed-bourgeois friendship. It scores further to forewarn human beings against such deceptive 'mark of the beast'. For life is just a friendly kind, yet distorted by shadows of friendship.

Mambo Ntema's SOUL SEEDS Poetry Preview

Maun born and Botswana's rare multi-talented Creative artist Mambo Ntema has confirmed that since its publication, SOUL SEEDS: Reality and Mental inspiration Poetry has not been previewed visually to extend on the book's potential outreach. The outspoken Entrepreneur and Cultural activist has indicated that the 4-minute sneak preview was filmed in different locations in Botswana and Namibia (in Kasane and Impalila island along Chobe-Zambezi rivers, and in Matsaudi village along Thamalakane-Santandadibe rivers in the Okavango Delta)  and directed by Tumelo Prince Mokongwa and published by ISHYN GATES Graphix Media & Arts. The promotional video is hoped to reach-out to Folk and Contemporary Poetry community worldwide, whilst working on an Audio and DVD projects scheduled for 2016. 

Watch the Promo Video: Mambo Ntema Poetry promo video 

SOUL SEEDS online: Xlibris Bookstore, Amazon, Google Books, Loot RSA, Bokus Sweden, Barnes & Noble, Saxo Denmark, Amazon2, eBay UK, Mercado Libre Spain, Amazon Canada, Amazon France, Amazon Germany

As well, the Scholar-Applied Researcher-Author-Musician-Entrepreneur is editing his second, third and forth book(s) 'The Voice of a Shadow: Life, Reality and Mental Inspiration Poetry' a 250 poems and inspirational quotes anthology featuring poets and wordsmiths from Africa, Asia, US America and Europe, and 'Poko Puo: Tswana Same' a 50 Setswana poems collection and 'Ntema and the Wayeyi Ancestral Chants!' which is a historical tribute to my late grand father Ntema Shaldiwara Sinqaera. He has also worked (and continues to) on numerous trans-continental poetry collaborations to spread his wings beyond just Botswana. 

The philanthropist (if not Community Developer) has pledged his creative skills, expertise and indigenous knowledge in mentoring and facilitation of Arts and Cultural heritage in Chobe through establishment of a legal arts structure; Chobe Alliance for Arts Organization (CAAO) which is a newly registered arts entity, seeking to leverage on Social Enterprising through Cultural tourism; a component-based 'company limited by guarantee' in the nearest future. 

Mr. Ntema is a founding Director of OPN Group of Companies (Pty) LTD which trades as African Arts & Crafts and Chizo Travel & Tours based in Kasane and Maun (Botswana), with partners and agents across Botswana, Africa, Europe and Asia and world-wide. He also is a Secretary and Public Relations (and Marketing) Manager for CAAO, and a member of DysisGraphy, Chobe Alliance for Non-Governmental Organizations (CANGO), Craft Council of Botswana and World Youth Alliance. He has a BA (Sociology) from the University of Botswana with vast experience on Sustainable Rural and Remote Community Development, Land and Agrarian Question, Land Rights and Land Use/reforms to mention but a few.

Published Research works: Decentralized Land Reforms: Cases from Botswana, Madagascar and Mozambique by Rick de Satgé (Phuhlisani, Republic of South Africa), 2011

SOUL SEEDS ISBN 978-1-4931-4128-9

Interviews: https://afroartvism.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/conversations-with-onalethuso-petruss-buyile-mambo-ntema/

http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/mobile/news-details.php?nid=17385&flag=

http://www.theblackapostle.com/#!Soul-Seeds/cuhk/5500237b0cf24585979fe2ad

Her and (Between) the Two Men Part 1

Her and (Between) the Two Men Part 1

She had just met them, the two men.

And of course at first she would appear an innocent child;

With an innocent face but caught between the two men.

Her smile could make a bachelor’s taste by the night;

Like dreams over shadows of a teenager’s eye.

Her thighs could drag a man’s feet to a jury. Her eyes;

Could provoke a blind man’s sight to the chest of a juvenile.

But at times she would appear a crazy child, a lazy child.

And she would pride between the two men. She would cry;

A silent tear and she would choose to die inside.

She gave it a try at once and a dozen times thereafter. Her life;

Was a talk of the town, she’d frown;

She’d frown—but ignore. She was the gem of African beauty.

And the voice in her told her to be calm but she would ignore.

She would act as though she did not know.

She had brutal eyes of the beholder. She was still younger;

Than her first daughter when she met her sudden lover,

He was a little older than her but kind to be a brother.

He was a man. A fighter. A warrior, but a drifter.

He had become an intruder, an abuser,

And their friendship could not sustain its vulnerable matter;

But her and between the two men.

She had just met the other, and on way to the other.

She had escaped from the other, O what a saga!

Her and between the two men.

She could not bend to mend a broken heart;

But decided to desert the inner self to a fallen kind.

She submitted herself to the civilized kind. The broken kind.

The material kind. And she was a teenager.  She was enticed;

By fairy tales of the working class. And she would miss a class,

To quench an old friend’s thirsty days. But the two men retained theirs.

They kept a secret. And the secret between the two men became a little curious.

And curiosity is relative. It is never absolute. You’d rather be a coward;

But curious for rhetorical matters to unfold beneath the mountain of lovers.

03102015-2147

Onalethuso Petruss Buyile Ntema

The Voice of a Shadow: Life, Reality and Mental Inspiration Poetry

MAMBONTEMA

mambo.bw@gmail.com