Seronga-born Thato Kavinja’s musical career rise is a perfect example of how remaining true to one’s origin can propel him or her to greater heights after he burst onto the scene with his hit track ‘Ko Seronga’.

‘Ko Seronga’ was just a song meant to create humour among his friends, family and natives. However, it became a national hit that opened doors for his music to be listened to by the international audience during the premiere of a local produced documentary, Nkashi: The Race For The Okavango.

In an interview with Arts & Culture, Kavinga, who is also known by other names such as Mr Seronga and Koolkat Motyiko, his music career started with a story-telling song that narrates the lifestyle of Wayei in Seronga. In the song, he reminisces about his childhood and what he was exposed to. Activities such as ‘go tyika nkgorongo, go tshameka xabi, go domina dithapi and go kgeta lethaka, which he sings of proudly as they are about his culture.

It is safe to say the song opened doors for The Okavango Music Industry.

‘Ko Seronga’ has given birth to a life of success through music that is yet to unfold for me and the rest of hard working artists from this land.

I am so grateful to God and all who believed in my craft from the time of my street days selling CDs, people I met in front of Shoppers Boseja in Maun, Shoprite in Gumare. The conversations we had and their well wishes drove me to keep it up,” he said.

Born and raised in Seronga, Koolkat Motyiko relocated to Maun at age of nine where he completed his schooling. As fate would have it, he then decided to venture into music though not professionally. “I had been doing music but not professionally. Just recording and sharing with friends until the story telling song ‘Ko Seronga’ broke the Internet and that’s where everything started.

I decided to start doing it professionally,” he explained. He added: “I only anticipated a humorous reaction from friends and family who knew what I was addressing in the song. I never thought it would be a national appeal even making it into international spaces.”

With the new wave of South African music genre called Amapiano, it is easy for one to get swept along and go with the tide. But Koolkat Motyiko has remained resolute and intends to do music that tells stories of his people and origin.

He said he believes that telling a story that’s originally yours is more profitable and authentic. “You become the go-to-person when listeners or consumers want to hear the story. Amapiano, for instance, no matter how much I work hard at it, I can’t tell it better than the South Africans.

My music is a journey of storytelling and creating a vivid image in the mind of listeners about our way of life and culture from Okavango. My upbringing in the Delta and experiencing the raw culture and way of life of Bayei way before we got access to television paved way for the success of my music as it gave me a lot to express about who I am or who we are,” he explained.

Koolkat Motyiko is now a fellow of Nature Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) Compose Yourself Lab where they get opportunities to create music for films and documentaries telling African stories, and believes his authenticity to culture and African sound will keep opening more doors for him.

“That’s why sticking to my original traditional fused sound is important”.

With his songs being used as sound tracks for the Nkashi film, he said this experience has allowed him to dream and see beyond just being a music recording artist but look at the possibility of working and collaborating beyond the borders of Botswana.

As it is, he endeavours to expand his music career and studying sound engineering and music production as more film makers and production houses are showing interest in engaging him to produce sound tracks for them. Koolkat Motyiko said it has been great to get the recognition and being stopped by fans wherever he goes.

He stated that he is currently working on an EP as well as music videos for his songs including