The Stories of Our Land exhibition opened this week at the Nhabe Museum in Maun with a moving speech by Kgosi Ledimo, who called on Botswana’s youth to take pride in their roots and protect the country’s cultural heritage through storytelling and creativity.
Speaking at the launch, Kgosi Ledimo reflected on the responsibility of traditional leaders in preserving culture while adapting it to modern times. “As chiefs and traditional leaders, we are custodians of culture. We are entrusted with protecting the wisdom, the values and customs of our generations. But culture is not meant to sit still. It must grow, breathe, adapt with time,” he said.
The chief commended the young photographers and storytellers featured in the exhibition for their innovative use of visual storytelling to connect past and present. “Through the camera lens, our young storytellers have found new ways to speak the language of our ancestors while sharing their own lived experiences from their own authentic lanes. They have turned memories into images and lessons into art. This is how our heritage survives, through the hearts and eyes of those who inherit it,” he said.
He urged the next generation to value and protect the traditions that define Botswana’s identity. “Our oral history and traditional knowledge are fragile threads that hold our identity together. We must teach our youth to guard them, share them, take pride in them. Let them know that the stories they tell today will shape our future generations,” he said.
Kgosi Ledimo went on to recognise the role of the Nhabe Museum in preserving Botswana’s cultural legacy, describing it as “not only a place for objects, it is a home for memory.” He commended the museum for “carrying the legacy of Okavango Delta, Ngamiland and Botswana with dignity and strength,” and praised its collaboration with artists, craft makers, and storytellers as “a great direction, blending tradition and creativity, elders with youth and heritage with innovation.”
The chief also acknowledged the Nkashi Trust and the Okavango Eternal Partnership between National Geographic and DBS Group for their continued support of the Nkashi Storytelling Club. “They show a commitment to protecting and preserving the Okavango while supporting communities, and they embody one of the core principles of our conservation. You are doing a very important job and you should applaud yourself for that,” he said.
Addressing guests from the fields of education, business, conservation, and the arts, Kgosi Ledimo encouraged collaboration and support for the youth storytellers featured in the exhibition. “You hold the power to help these young storytellers grow and reach further. Support them, partner with them and give them platforms where their work can be seen and their voices can be heard nicely. When you do that, you are not only helping them, but you are helping Batswana tell their story of the world,” he said.
He concluded with a message of pride and unity: “To the young storytellers, be proud of your roots and your journey. To our partners, keep working with these youth, for their success is the future of us all. And to everyone here tonight, let us remember that every story told, every picture taken and every lesson shared keeps our identity alive. May the spirit of our people continue to guide us. May the land of the Okavango always inspire us and may the stories of our land never stop being told.”
The Stories of Our Land exhibition, presented by the Nkashi Trust, brings together moving photography and storytelling from youth across the Okavango Delta who are part of the Nkashi Storytelling Clubs. It features works from the Ngami Collective, Nkashi Wild, Nkashi Visual Voices, Xokhwe Somseeko Kx’ei and Mayi Gha Dhimo Hetu, alongside a special showcase by Matlapana Primary School students mentored by the Friends of Photography NGO.
Running from 31 October to 7 November 2025, the exhibition invites the public to celebrate young voices, cultural pride, and the landscapes that inspire them. Entry is free at the Nhabe Museum, with a Cultural Market Day held on 31 October from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
