Nkashi: Race for the Okavango will premiere on National Geographic Wild
The groundbreaking documentary film, “Nkashi: Race for the Okavango,” is set to premiere on National Geographic Wild, DStv channel 182 on June 24, 2023. The film, created in collaboration with Batswana filmmakers and music composers from South Africa and the continent, highlights the beauty and significance of the Okavango Delta and Botswana to the world.
The documentary tells the story of three mokoro polers, traditional canoeists in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, as they prepare for the annual Nkashi Classic race. Alongside their race preparations, they face challenges such as grief, local impacts of climate change, and the need to preserve the mokoro and nkashi tradition for future generations.
“Nkashi: Race for the Okavango” is part of the Okavango Eternal project, a five-year partnership between National Geographic and De Beers aimed at protecting the source waters of the Okavango Delta and the lives it sustains. The film was created by the Impact Story Lab, a creative unit within the National Geographic Society, in collaboration with Batswana filmmakers and Parable Motion, a local production company. Key roles in the film’s creation were filled by Batswana professionals, including the cinematographer, producer, sound recordist, and drone pilot. The film’s score features tracks by Motswana musician Thato Kavinja and composers from the Nature Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers Composers Lab, including South African musician Marcia Buwa.
