Dikaki

My smiling father:  with the happily ululating Mma Patricia, of course, from a wedding.

When I was growing up, in the magnificent village of Kanye, located in southern Botswana. I have indeed seen countless Batswana men – wearing the treasured, fashionable, and admirable Khaki two-piece clothing. Miners, Builders, Drivers, Teachers, Businessmen, Farmers, Security Guards, MPs, Pastors, and the President – all proudly exhibited the famous clothing.

I can only speculate, but I strongly believe: in the tropical savannah of the Bechuanaland Protectorate; the ’’successful’’ British settlers favoured the summertime and practical khaki garments. Therefore, to emulate the ’’success’’, the Batswana men donned the two-piece too?

My father was one of the Batswana men. He owned at least 2 pairs of the ’’dikaki’’: the old set, which he casually wore at the Kgotla or at home; the special ones, which he supremely and fashionably wore at various weddings – and when he went for the midweek church services.

Of course, I kept the special pair.