prodemocracy support is unwilling to let even the slightest hint of celebration go on touched. this is date of years up next we have a documentary on botswana's heavy metal queens for now though for me bryan thomas of the entire news team thanks so much for being here. slate. if welcome to the but is the game here for g.w. the flights to talk about since keep this just coverage lead story more can't. possibly have played her let's have a look at some of the most seraphine look so you don't want to miss the. cut kill em t w i. it's

a peaceful saturday afternoon in a rural community in botswana a sleepy little village but not today playing because today members of the country's heavy metal music scene have descended on holding their the rock rockers in the local language of sets one of the flame the outfits are an integral part of the parade play. and that applies in particular to the queen's. such i. come from it's a scene dominated by men but one in which the women are establishing themselves fully.

playing them for 5. bucks one a is often called the garden of. eden of africa the local one go don't tell with its unique terrain and wildlife is a popular tourist destination they call her a desert is a semi arid savannah scattered scrubland it appears inhospitable but his home to a range of exotic animals and tourism diamonds and cattle for 3 pillars of the country's economy the herds of cows are free to roam and graze where they please it's a sign of prosperity as it always has been. for as much as people in botswana look to the future they remain rooted in tradition and that sense of tradition also affects the position of women. queen glorious daily routine begins in less than

regal fashion getting up at quarter past 5 every morning female members of the more rock are called queens the title was awarded as a sign of respect even if it has nothing to do with gender equality as such. i think it was all about it's the be a freakin or this it's not. they the man is on top and they all my needs they know . if i can remember they used to play and help be sitting there watching that they never even see come and play will play that as teach you do they still it was just the men thing you know men doing everything with coming out with slowly we are coming up and hopefully will have at that into a woman bent. base tell em to win then i can tell you. indeed they are but its proved difficult for them to set up their own bands with their own front women botswana is

a vast country almost twice the size of germany for example but its population numbers just 2000000 people. in the. queens of heavy metal only have their get togethers on very special occasions when ludo lives in france as town a 5 hour drive away from queen gloria and she's busy sewing together her. in 3 days' time she'll be at the rocks number festival in the capital gaborone and wants to look her best and with botswana having no dedicated heavy metal fashion stores even the rivets have to be applied by hand. and that some people are not tipping the need to rest and also i do appreciate those who do come up to us and tell us we look good those who accept this will be up. against the mood of the

accepted the less that is judging us. before they get to know whether this is a boat because most of them feel like it's. just to do with religion but it doesn't only yesterday with music. music and also a display of being self-confident strong enough or. getting the 3rd heavy metal queen of flora lives in already close to the south african border just 40 minutes away from god her own. at 21 she's the youngest queen and sports a particular look. at her signature style cowboy hats gloves her pants and waistcoat and plenty of fringe. good tale themes among them the tale kids because now kids

i believe that feel crazy but i am. and the way i feel for. them and yet to flaunt it contains nothing yet because cling cell is self centered cool. they desk and they stay so this i end of them with these you know things. once a year the. different backgrounds meet up at the biggest heavy metal event in the country gloria lives in my own a 9 hour drive away from flora. at home she's the single mother of her son elias. at the never late that it. was. out. of.

all. that. so this is. a lesson. that what. if you'll. look at it this. is an easy thing to do. women are traditionally revered as the heart of the household however the reality paints a different picture that many women are the head of the household simply because they are single mothers for women. the metal scene is an escape from their daily life. and made me crazy like.

my little. made me feel complete. and 7 in the morning glorious that's your work in a shared taxi. while there are row. connecting the country's towns and cities public transportation within urban areas is practically nonexistent. in places like commuters only options are shared taxis or if they're in a rush private camps.

formally one of the poorest countries on the planet since gaining independence from britain in 1986 botswana has transformed itself into one of the most stable nations in africa that's also reflected in the country's education system. gloria left high school with only an intermediate certificate but she managed to earn herself an office job at a construction company which is currently building a lodge and the nearby delta she does not have a permanent contract and doesn't know what will happen when her contract runs out. gloria's 1st task every morning is to stock up on office supplies and make coffee she's the secretary and odd job woman in a small construction firm. fit

. for me thank. god i have a feeling that i do feel for her thanks. thank you thank you 2 thank you thank you thank you. thank you the dry season here in the north hope botswana lasts between 6 and 9 months and for the boss and his staff the

dry season means the work season tourism tends to center on the 4 month rainy season beginning in december when the delta and its wildlife blossom. the proportion of women managers is continually rising in botswana gloria believes in the potential of women and is keen to indulge in her role as a queen of heavy metal. lineage as well into this with less like it really like sleek missile and have bases allow it hole when i did days like as like bad my ideal as they. think it is that they think that. gloria's office job enables her to make ends meet but her labor of love is the molly rockers association a metal heads club where she can be an organizer and where she can let off a bit of steam.

for fans the world over heavy metal is an escape from the daily routine regardless . age group or profession but in botswana a country where the metal fans also face accusations of satanism that takes a lot of courage and confidence to be a rock. gloria's 9 year old son and wires finds the club a little off. when his mom's rocker buddies are in town he prefers his books to all the blue pop. that it hanging out if the model and then told them that you know i think we should form an association and they told me that you know we tried filming it to me just didn't wait because some people would put in that side and put in those that is

there but we can you know those people those people in just that it's with 5 people and then that us can follow and that's what we did so. as is as we started with going to help you know these are fellow brothers who is disabled and they. make you. like helping cleaning the. hanging out together and people is that it is it that annoyed the association or the meal can lead to if it weren't for the kings of the soon to know their more rock alter egos constitute freedom during the week they're pretty much trained to their desks the majority of the metal heads here have 9 to 5 office jobs working for the government. and when they looked at that a model like we. like full couple vs when they came back as they'll see the

same model and like they haven't done anything that i've done anything with. but like they haven't changed even the these guys that plays in baz you know and then i say we should start something the association. that will help. the ben members that will help them as is not all. cutting phenols. easy way being. like even up to come sailing or even going to test you know how it affected as you know and they all those things. and that that i think that sell like that is how how how i think these decisions will be employed and for the. moment.

i'm. gloria and the other members of our club are eager to improve the image of metal hats in their town and they also do volunteer community work together such as picking up litter in the neighborhood. in botswana wearing black leather and listening to metal is often considered satanist their clothing and imposing appearance are often met with fear and suspicion another thing the association wants to change but gloria herself has far more ambitious plans for the club she wants to see its members learning to help themselves and each other and. tomorrow the metal heads from moaned will be traveling across the country to make their presence felt at a wedding. that. gloria is also organizing the group's trip to the rock simper festival. with.

little. butts when it is a land of profound contrasts. as also applies to its natural terrain the column hurry desert is a drive savannah. its northern section of the okavango delta is prone to repeated flooding at the same time droughts and desertification pose major ecological problems the country is considered relatively progressive but cattle are prized to this day as a highly profitable investment and the metal scene is likewise an enigma but swan it is one of the few african countries where percussion is not celebrated in the local folk music but it's in this very country where drums play a huge role in a particular music scene and that apparent contradiction is a major factor in the popularity of heavy metal among monreal. france's town of the

2nd biggest city in botswana is 6 hours away from our own and that's where queen ludo marina lives within the scene she's seen as the introverted but beautiful rock . back in her father's home she's a carpenter fashioning wooden baby cribs it's a job that enables her to take care of her 9 year old daughter while also going against the grain of traditional gender roles. fish fish. fish. for. a woman but someone should be an example an example to all as kids i'm not kidding yourself yeah i'll mention be that so

that's included within if there may be no keeps the if it made to get that. all men should be empowering yeah we should be available. now. doing this kind of. makes me feel. powerful. it makes me feel good because i'm doing what i love. i'm doing something that a lot of people least expected me to do so a a pretty much enjoy surprising people. when it comes to them finding out that i do this because even when i go to buy the materials at the shops that i would isn't a. sue who exploit who does this is my 1st time to see a lady under section. she builds groups and bookshelves she discovered her

love of design while at college and the courage to try out the masculine enterprise of carpentry is something she owes to her experience as a more rock. and they could at times maybe be an example to motivate and this to keep on moving we've always as a man in your life. although one man is important in her life her father. didn't even look that great of toys that were teased out of some size so photo is definitely here that she was giving him for patio. and i said my way she just wanted to eat she pointed to some places don't need milam now it is very

good. woods would do it. with all of his things as. i had that thought. is a 2nd generation moroc her father nayana lani sexton was a leather clad metal head back in the 1980 s. outfits are admired by her fellow queens. i'd go for the stale. more such also. made a little kid. and then i also can go for the because look to leave a have a lot of hoops to jump in here that unlimited amount and then 'd there's also the call girl look i can also go with it. it just depends on my mood i feel if i have to wore

a hoarseness to fear to. look if i had laid a bake and go for the bakers look better then if i had to show something at profit to. look. she's not yet sure exactly which i doubt that she'll be wearing for the rock summer festival that's something she'll decide together with her friend queen clora. what's wanted is a large but sparsely populated country that also means ample space for the millions of counts and on peeps. distances between cities are seemingly endless and contact within the more rock scene relies heavily on social media every couple of months the festivals dotted around the country provide a chance for virtual friends to connect in real life it takes ludo around 7 hours on the bus to travel from frances town to flora in all deep. when it rains here

mother nature pushes the pause button for a couple of hours and suddenly the streets are empty. the village of audi is only a 40 minute drive from the capital governor own but it seems like a world away the village appears almost deserted. queen flora lives together with her extended. family her mother her sisters and brothers and her son she knows everyone in the community but above all everyone knows her because being a moron makes her stand out. and . the villagers are wary and skeptical toward new developments queen flora was

14 when she 1st heard of radio station playing the music that has given her life a new rhythm she says self-confident and outgoing woman. the more rocks are a close knit society it takes a lot of courage to join their exclusive ranks. i didn't really get to meet her she is dating was the 1st reality and so me forever to life was. such that to have a different deal with the network is that. it's not exactly that you think the record is that it still is not the it's a good deal more interesting you know you believe you got what it is that they think of where did they. say that it wasn't. heavy metal fans around the world

are used to negative stereotyping in botswana however those prejudices are so extreme that pastors at what are called fire churches rant and rail against the rockers some have even proposed members be subjected to an exorcism. has a traditional lifestyle surrounded by her family her mother deplore among is the sole breadwinner. flora and her mother also feel responsible for the children of their relatives today they're looking after her cousins baby. plays may cause it and. you know if you can it it gave you still it did make the belly it really. feels for a kid getting to see it is it is just a new place the stinky's will look at this will consider the tennis world it is going.

to be queen new don't has now reached after a 7 hour bus journey she's come to the village to prepare for the heavy metal festival which floor. in a few hours time the 2 queens will be welcoming the kings of the scene and their parade in florence leave it. to. me. to tuck into facebook that we've never met before but give us a go team that to me says it is easy. to get to connect with a bush is a bad test and statists mensch easy. nobleman's the little things cause it. to stay then he

designed this i've come to the slate includes the aliens in the hospital may need a place they gave this to me to take to cubicin a quote it's mason a ship built. in at least it needs to be said that they needed the lead it didn't matter in their 1st ever meeting as a fascinating one in the 2 metal queens are different in demeanor but do find similarities in the chain scene still in. every way and they have all. david field. has. this small a it she's good because the a fish you have the instinct is this that it may have some things that i should say. this is a the stated that he or she will. say

they pass the time while waiting perfecting their outfits you can never spend too much time on your look a sizeable metal head group will be arriving soon to pick them up and take them to the festival these meetings are rare occasions and are celebrated in more rock fashion. people feel. this need he says laughing and laughing. and that is that it is that time yet they have and they have a machine. so well all the expats seeing it all photo day seeing tirades. at about incidents we should immediately used to sing with this piece i must tell us that all of. that symbolism is very important to the model it's expressed in both rituals and in their attire and

accessories. if. the moroc are late the rain has brought the village to a standstill rendering the main road impassable for a few hours. late. then suddenly they arrived the heavy metal queens and came. the rough greeting is a symbol that developed after violence became a concern at gatherings the greeting is a demonstration that they come in peace and

a symbol of the camaraderie in the group. wow. this is the 1st time newdow has met most of the other members in real life flora does know them personally but hasn't seen them for 2 years her then boyfriend gave her an ultimatum forcing her to choose between him and the local church congregation for the rockers. the chaps hats and other cowboy accessories all make sense but the cowbells that some of them are up wear are meant to commemorate a time when runaway slaves were forced to wear them the more rock where the bells

to honor them and as a reference to cowboy culture. good. enough and a. good. look at it and. then it's time for the parade a core ritual of any gathering and the chance for the more rock to take center stage. was. they struck down the road as if on a fashion show. the runway showing themselves from their best and loudest sound more of consciously leads the parade past the church tent.

the procession takes them all around the village a procession that takes cues from those of the major religions it symbolizes a concentration of power. the group having flora lead the parade through her village is unprecedented and she revels in every single step along the way having a 2 year absence from the gatherings for her it's a public affirmation of her identity for 2 years her boyfriend had forbidden her from meeting them on rocks or even just donning her leathers and. flora and her music fan family are now back at her home od'ing wasn't on the

group's route to the festival but they were happy to make the detour for flora. and that after years of suspicion her mother has now come to accept floor of being a queen nonetheless the spectacle unfolding l. side her home is pretty overwhelming. going to be a meal out it is going to be. in jail i was out. and then leave here and there with it he says it was. like. oh i'm so proud of you are all of the good it would. so there was that. sound like the isolated incident and then let them out so its owner can tell that the let it out so hey listen to that and get.

a these children only know the people from their own very much the seemingly otherworldly visitors leave a lasting impression. people in botswana are moving rapidly away from their traditional roots and that reorientation to the modern world involves frequent culture clash. a a a a a. a. a a. a. florist grandmother was the 1st to lose patience she has little understanding for her granddaughter's new lifestyle. but

queen ludo sees how important it is for flora to be able to combine her 2 worlds. there i like that with all the heart it doesn't seem to mean what this small difference between it and was then it was. all close to a lot and they are the kids we are the queens but we still i am still the same since. our queen ludo loves her cowgirl role at home she's an independent single mother but here she's happy to immerse herself in this alternative wrong on another monitor. a little bit is yeah well but good luck getting that one out of. the group continues on to the rock summer festival many of them have traveled huge distances to get here. a little heavy metal festivals take place every couple of months. some of the bands

featured have made a name for themselves outside of botswana as well such as the next evening's headliners there are a skinflint. although not all brothers were going to have all that long and all the about. 2 hours further north east of queen gloria and the more up association wake up in. that one but you know it's out on the if somebody. gets the weekend she's been gearing up for 4 months of the festival in goma rome where the gloria laura and ludo will be meeting up. likewise months in planning is the wedding of their friend to live i think. that. this isn't. there yet that's. why they

go. but i doubt that we'll let. old he went out though we also. have. a few. moments later gotta leave. we are getting ready it's good to be assuaged who are coming here he is getting married saying that russell gonna study with him enjoy it with him separated they have. nobody to lay dresses and skins at us as he asked us was to send us focused so we'll have to live like a clue to. help high is a mid sized town with a population of 40000 located between francis town and gaborone the country's 2

biggest. cities as everywhere else in the world weddings are a very traditional affair in botswana persia. the groom has taken quite a risk in inviting his rocker friends but little is determined to have gloria and her friends attend his big day. his bride is not alone. it's the 1st time the association has been invited to a public event. so the rockers are eager to dress to impress in morocco style of course today they will again face those prejudices about satanism.

but still the group do initially enjoy in the open welcome from the other wedding guests who seem curious to say the least. the metal heads pay tribute to the groom. and he's happy to see his 2 worlds married in harmony.

the male moderate members preferred to look for potential partners from within the group. live for has made an exception and his bride accepts his special guests it is. not. the warm welcome extended to the rockers here is a positive sign from gloria nevertheless she leaves the festivities early in order to continue to the music festival. the king's make themselves look comfortable i'll be with you all day meanwhile the guests are all equally looking forward to the wedding feast.

from the hub hi it's only a 2 hour drive to cover her own when you're in a car at least and in a hurry straight down highway number one. gloria and her fellow metal heads love these road trips through the endless expanses of the savannah the drive means freedom in so many senses of the word gloria makes it too precious few festivals gaborone is simply too far away from mom.

despite the searing heat. $35.00 degrees celsius in the shade and humidity in excess of 90 percent the morons transform each stop on the road into an improvised mosh pit section. the rock summer festival is held every year in the capital gov on it features 3 local bands with rockers congregating from all over botswana.

the evening has a very special meaning for the 3 queens for respectively different reasons. gloria is taking the opportunity to just enjoy herself for what's cluedo combines business with pleasure managing to sell one of her custom made oceans for flora it marks a return to a life she's been missing for the last 2 years. for europeans this might look like a regular friday night in a dingy rocker bar but for these queens of heavy metal gloria ludo and flora it's the biggest event of the year. it's about seeing and being seen and living out their identity as part of a family part of a culture and as queens in

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is deja vu news live from berlin china begins events to mark the 70th anniversary of the communist takeover but will celebrations be overshadowed by the on the arrest in hong kong. also coming up turkey is accused of sending refugees back to syria against their will we need a mother desperate to find her son. and the scandal that won't go away ultimately appears in fortune germany to face compensation claims from hundreds of thousands of diesel drives.