Local cultural activists to feature in BBC documentary

An Alex artist is at the centre of a documentary being filmed in Alex for the BBC and the travel tourism channel on DSTV.

Lebogang Setuke, an actor, dancer and choreographer whose acting is modelled and perfected around the Khoisan culture, said the documentary depicts various scenes of this old but still vibrant culture of the most indigenous people of the Southern African region’s people.

Of Tswana descent, Setuke said he was drawn to this culture by his cultural and geographical affinity to the Khoisan. “Some of our traditional rural Tswana practices and rituals blend with those of the Khoisan whose dance routines depict the wind, nature, animals, trees and rain,” he said.

Setuke had to learn more of the Khoisan culture through research at the WITS Origins Centre and from forays into their settings in the Northern Cape where he and his colleague had to be initiated and welcomes into the culture by successfully displaying their skills in emulating their dance routines. With the assistance of an interpreting tour guide he learnt more of the clic language. This he said, will benefit the content of the documentary reflected through body language, clic sounds and the art of patience and perfection in his display of the best of one of the remaining truly indigenous African cultures.

Setuke runs his Lebo the Khoisan Dance Company and Academy where he teaches children between 9 and 15 years Khoisan and other African cultural dances. “This is to inspire pride in them, expose them to who they really are, develop their self worth and help them cope with their challenges using African thinking and also to endear in them the value of respect of others and nature.”

Setuke said his commitment to the arts is not without challenge. He said government is still to provide meaningful support to avoid the sector going under. “Already, many artists live miserable lives and die as paupers trying to propagate African cultures which are the foundations of our survival.”

He said he had used all available opportunities to profile the Khiosan art form through programmes like Mzansi Insider and Morning Live on SABC and others on television like, So You Think You Can Dance, SA’s Got Talent and Zola 7. Setuke encouraged children to develop interest in their cultures and for groups to conduct structured festivals in the township to help revive their cultures and pass on their values to younger generations.