What do people think of when Botswana is mentioned? Some perhaps would not even know that it is located in Africa.

I was thrilled when a “Botswana Dance & Music Night” was organized by the International Community Center (ICC) under the theme of “Feeling the Cultures of Africa” on 21st May. My curiosity brought me to the ICC lounge.

That was my first time ever to be in contact with any African culture. The faraway country of Botswana, its culture and its people, crowded the little lounge. It was indeed a wonderful night for students to acquire some firsthand knowledge of Botswanan dance and music.

At the beginning of the event, a group of performers from central Botswana called Phate ya Setso Cultural Troupe brought the audience a traditional setapa dance of the Tswana people from southern Africa. Students unconsciously started to move their bodies at the energetic yet rhythmical coordination of singing, clapping, and stepping accompanied by simple instruments. I noticed that the costumes were also a part of the music, as the attached chains of beads produced a harmonious melody at every step made by the performers. This was the enthralling setapa dance using every part of the body.

Located in southern Africa, Botswana is the number one producer of diamonds in the world and also a high achiever in economic growth. In between the dances, representatives from the Embassy of Botswana and the Debswana Diamond Company gave us presentations about the country’s social and political situation. It seems that despite its political stability, the country has to deal with the problem of AIDS and other health conditions, education issues, and other social circumstances. The Debswana Diamond Company has been helping to combat these problems.

At the end, Mr. Ntielang Berman, an active guitarist and vocalist specializing in Botswana folk music and poetry, played a soothing tune that reminded us of the expansive earth. One could not help but be amazed at the beauty of this unfamiliar culture. I would most definitely like to visit Botswana someday to see it for myself.