The National Arts Council’s Arts Festival unfolded this past weekend, marking the first time the Council hosted the competitions, previously held by Ministry of Youth and culture. The event brought together artists from Maun East, Maun West, and Maun North in a celebration of music, dance, poetry, and performance.
While the festival kicked off on time, the packed schedule meant that multiple events were staged simultaneously at the Life Centre, forcing audiences to choose between outdoor performances on the patio and those staged inside the hall.
For participants, however, the focus was less on logistics and more on artistry. Competitors embraced the opportunity to showcase their craft across categories ranging from traditional dance and poetry to contemporary music and the setinkane – a finger piano whose rhythmic melodies became one of the festival’s standout highlights. Spectators were captivated as players lost themselves in the music, their fingers moving in fluid, dance-like motions across the instruments.
What audience believed to be the standout performances that garnered multiple standing ovations over the previous competitions in the clap and Tap category was cut and placed in the beginning, leading to some audience members unable to catch what they thought would be the highlight.
Audience reactions were mixed. Some attendees expressed excitement at experiencing the festival for the first time, praising the platform created for local talent.
Others, however, criticized the lack of structure, pointing to sound challenges, unclear programming, and what they described as “chaotic” scheduling that led to moments of fatigue among the crowd.
Despite these concerns, the festival ultimately achieved its purpose: giving artists a platform to be celebrated.
The competitions brought fierce rivalry between Maun East, Maun West, and Maun North, with winners spread across a wide range of categories including dance, poetry, comedy, live band, drama, and instrumental performances. At the close of the event, Maun West emerged with the most victories, securing 24 winners across different categories. Maun East followed with 20 winners, while Maun North claimed 16 winners. In total, the festival produced 60 winning performances, a reflection of the breadth of talent within the region.
The National Arts Council’s first festival in Maun demonstrated both the richness of local artistry and the challenges of staging such a wide-ranging program. With refinements in planning, many believe the festival could become a flagship event for celebrating Botswana’s cultural and artistic expression.
