The annual Mahika Mahikeng Music and Cultural Festival took this weekend in the North-West province, also known in SeTswana as Bokone Bophirima, to celebrate the Motswako heritage.
The festival included a wide variety of show genres, with a mix of local, provincial and national performers. The main aims of the festival id to promote cultural and heritage tourism, to celebrate artists in the region and to reposition and rebrand Mahikeng and the North-West Province as a cultural hub.
The 4-day festival kicked off on Thursday, 7 December with a colourful Carnival and a Gospel concert, headlined by the mighty Joyous Celebration.
Day2 was Maftown Heights, the second biggest hip-hop event in Africa. #MaftownHeights is an annual hip-hop event that hosts some of the top rappers in Mzansi. The Heights have never been hosted in Mafikeng before, even though the aim of the event is to showcase and celebrate Motswako rap. The show has been hosted in Joburg for the past 7 years.
Maftown Heights co-founder, Khuli Chana said: "The importance of having Maftown Heights to Mahikeng this year, where the number 8 signifies new beginnings, is unwavering. This was the best Maftown Heights installment yet.”
The artist line-up included Maftown artists, such as Khuli Chana, Tuks, HHP, Morafe and JR. There were also many national artists and DJs who performed at the event, including Okmalumkoolkat, Kwesta, Riky Rick, KO, AKA, Emtee, Shekhinah, and Da L.E.S., Distruction Boyz and Ms Cosmo. Bonang ‘Queen B’ Matheba, T-bo touch and Staon were the hosts.
Day 3 was the comedy festival at the Mmabotho Convention Centre, hosted by comedy giant, David Kau and other comedians, such as Mpho Pops, Vuyo Jiya, Siya Seya, Kagiso Magodi, Thabang ER and Theho Khakhau. The town was abuzz and the crown was in stitches.
The final day of the Mahika Mahikeng was the epic Jazz Festival, which took place at the Mmabatho stadium. Music lovers came in their numbers. The crowd was a wonderful mixture of locals and people from all around the country. Smiles, cooler boxes, sunglasses and amazing music filled the stadium. A perfect way to wrap up the weekend and 4-day long annual cultural festival. With sizzling performances by Amanda Black, Zonke, Mafikizolo, Vusi Nona, Thebe, Zahara and the legendary couple Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu.
North West Tourism MEC, Desbo Mohono, hopes that the Mahika Mahikeng festival can attract people from around the world. “The event is only 4-years-old and we’re hoping to attract international people as the festival grows each year” she said.
The event organisers described the festival as “A music and cultural festival, which aims to provide a platform for product positioning and paradigm innovation for the creative industry sector and the development of Mahikeng as the capital of the Arts in the country”.
