Dramatic Scholars

Preserving History Through Theatre in Botswana 🎭🇧🇼

Preparation, in theatre, is rarely just about learning lines or perfecting movement. For us, it begins long before the rehearsal room opens — in conversations with elders, in memories shared across generations, and in the quiet responsibility of asking how history should be remembered. As we prepared to explore the Tale of Ahmed De Geer, we found ourselves returning to an essential question: how do we preserve history in a way that feels alive?

Botswana’s history is rich with stories carried through oral tradition — dikgosi gathered beneath trees to deliberate, families passing wisdom through storytelling, and communities shaping identity through collective memory. Theatre allows us to honor that tradition. It becomes a living archive, where voices once unheard are given breath again and moments long past step forward into the present.

Our preparation demanded research beyond books. It required listening — to language, to silence, to gestures that carry meaning deeper than words. We reflected on how colonial encounters, migration, faith, and resilience continue to shape Botswana’s cultural imagination. Every rehearsal became an act of restoration, piecing together fragments of history so they could speak clearly to modern audiences.

In Botswana’s theatrical landscape, preserving history is not nostalgia; it is responsibility. It asks artists to balance truth and interpretation, to protect dignity while inviting dialogue. We were reminded that storytelling is sacred work — especially when representing figures and narratives that shaped who we are today.

As we move toward sharing this work beyond our borders at KITFEST in Kenya, preparation has grounded us in purpose. We do not travel simply as performers, but as custodians of memory. Through movement, sound, and story, we carry Botswana’s past into the future, believing that theatre remains one of the most powerful ways to preserve history — not in museums alone, but in hearts willing to listen.

PC: .marguson

Random Days in Kenya 🇰🇪✨
Between rehearsals, performances, and festival magic, we’ve been soaking in the everyday beauty of Nairobi—its people, its rhythm, its energy. From morning walks and market stops to late-night conversations with artists from around the world, Kenya has gifted us moments we’ll never forget.

These little snapshots remind us that the journey is bigger than the stage. It’s the laughter, the learning, the friendships, the culture, and the creative sparks that surprise us in the simplest places.

Here’s to the random days that became core memories.
Kenya, o re amogetse ka lorato. ❤️🎭✨

Jetlag Diaries: Kenya Edition 🇰🇪✈️😅
Travelling for the arts isn’t always glamorous—sometimes it’s early flights, heavy eyes, mixed-up sleep schedules, and trying to remember what day it is. But even through the jetlag, the excitement of carrying Botswana’s stories across borders always makes it worth it.

From airport naps to late-night rehearsals and sunrise call times, every moment reminds us why we do this.
Tired? Yes. Grateful? Always.
Here’s to the journey, the culture, the chaos—and the beautiful art that keeps us moving. 🌍✨

Grab yourself a copy of THE VOICE📰📰
Bagolo Dikgang ke tsao🥹🥹Heelang ke ya re DIKGANG KE TSAO BAGOLO 🔥🔥🔥
kana le batla ke bua ka Sekgoa 😭