The People: Who’s WhoAll of the citizens of Botswana are collectively referred to as Batswana (plural form) or Motswana (singular form), and can be grouped into two broad categories: the Setswana-speaking people and the non-Setswana-speakers. Over 60 percent of the population traces their heritage to one of the Setswana-speaking groups:
The Bangwato, who constitute the largest of the Setswana-speaking groups, come from Serowe.
The Bakgatla, Bakwena, Barolong and Bangwaketse come from the southern regions around Gaborone, Kanye and Molepolole.
The Batawana, who broke away from the Bangwato, settled further north around the southern edges of the Okavango.
The Babirwa come from the Tuli Block.
The Batswapong come from the eastern regions around Selebi Phikwe.
The Bakgalagadi, who are one of the oldest groups, live in the central regions of the Kalahari around Ghanzi and Kang.
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The major non-Setswana speaking groups:The Bakalanga, largest group in the country, live around Francistown.
The Basarwa, who were the earliest inhabitants of Botswana, live throughout the Central Kalahari and in the west.
The Banoka, who are often referred to as the River Bushmen, traditionally were those who lived in the Okavango Delta. There are few true Banoka surviving today.
The Baherero, who came from Namibia, have settled in towns such as Sehitwa and Toteng, along the western edges of the Okavango Delta, and in Maun.
The Bayei live along the Panhandle in the northern regions of the Okavango Delta.
The Mbukushu live along the Panhandle and in villages at Etsha 6 and Etsha 13.
The Basubiya live in the north-east in Kasane and along the Chobe River.
Europeans and Asians, who began arriving in the early 19th century, have settled mostly in the urban areas and the Okavango Delta. The Ghanzi district was settled by a group of Afrikaans-speakers from South Africa. |
 Intshupeleng Letsatsi is from Etsha 13. |
 Because of their high protein and fat content, reproductive termites are a sought-after food source in the rural areas. They leave their mounds after the first rains and are collected with the aid of lanterns and candles, which attract the insects in their thousands. |
 Person Mothanka, who lives in the village of Nxamaseri, on his wedding day. |
 Strong-willed and resourceful, the people of Botswana are the backbone of their country. |
More modernVillage life and the kgotla
In the past, with the exception of the semi-nomadic Bushmen, most other groups lived pastoral lifestyles in permanent settlements. Traditionally, these villages were located (for defensive reasons) in hilly regions, or around reliable water sources where grazing conditions were best.
Homesteads, which consisted of circular huts, built with reeds or mud, had grass roofs and were usually surrounded by a pole or reed fence. Communal eating places and smaller huts built for storage purposes were situated in the centre of the village. Every family was entitled to land, where agricultural fields were planted, and a cattle post for keeping livestock. |
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The village heads or chiefs (kgosi) were responsible for looking after the affairs of the community. The kgotla, or traditional meeting place, was the most significant spot within any village. Recognised by all as a place of respect, it was always to be found in the middle of the village or under the largest tree.
This is where all social, judicial and political affairs of the community were discussed and dealt with. Today, while most of the homesteads in the rural villages are built using modern fabricated materials of some sort, the kgotla and cattle posts remain integral to the stability of these communities.
Botswana 30 life and soul 6 Maize porridge (papa to the locals) and boiled fish are the staple foods in and around the Okavango Delta. |
CattleCattle, and to a lesser extent goats and sheep, have always played an important social and economic role within Batswana society. Animal husbandry was central to the survival and success of most groups, other than the Basarwa and Bayei. Cattle in particular were kept, not only for food and clothing, but also as a measure of wealth.
The larger their herd’s size the greater the influence an individual or family had within the community. Cattle were also traditionally used as the primary means of exchange. Disputes and punishments handed down by the kgotla were settled with payments of cattle, and men paying their bogadi (bride price) would deliver cattle to the woman’s family. Cattle still retain a prominent place in rural Botswana, and for many the herd remains the preferred store of wealth. |
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