Faces of Botswana

Faces of Botswana is a social impact project to celebrate Setswana culture. The focus is on traditional music and dance and the role artistic expression plays in the lives of native people. The result was a coffee table book celebrating the richness of Setswana culture, specifically traditional music and dance. Botswana is as one of the leading producers of gem diamonds and as a premier wildlife and wilderness-based ecotourism destination. Not enough is known of her diverse cultures. Our culture therefore remains an under-utilized aspect of our identity as a nation. By identifying this national branding gap, Faces of Botswana highlights and appreciates the country’s unique heritage offering. The project recognises the need to weave our cultural heritage into the fabric of our national brand for local and international awareness. The medium of photography was used as the vehicle to capture striking elements of our culture and convey our heritage to a wide and varied audience.

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Faces of Botswana is therefore well placed to bring to the world evocative images of our culture from events such as Kuru Dance Festival held annually, every full moon during the month of August. The current installment is a visual celebration of the rich cultural heritage of Basarwa people in south western Botswana. It is an exploration of the links between the different elements of dance, storytelling, identity and inclusion.