The Sotho, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (/bæˈsuːtuː/), are a Bantu nation native to Southern Africa. This nation of Sotho speakers is said to have originated from the north of Southern Africa, present-day Bostwana, making their way down as various tribes settled in different parts of the region. Some groups settled in the west, while others settled in the east and further south. The estimated Basotho population is over 25 million across Southern Africa. Bosotho population includes Batswana (Western – Sotho), Bapedi (Northern Sotho), BaSotho (Southern Sotho), Bapulana (Eastern Sotho), and BaKololo (Basotho in Zambia and Zimbabwe).
South Africa has over 5 million Tswana-speaking people and 4,723,000 Sotho-speaking people. Botswana has over 2 million Batswana and Lesotho also has around 2 million Basotho. Bapedi population is over 6 million. BaKololo population is over 3 million in Zambia. Bapulana’s population is over 1 million.
Lesotho, a small country in the far eastern mountainous region within South Africa holds the majority of the Basotho people as a national group today. It is also a nation made up of people from different Tswana-speaking tribes such as Hurutshi, Koena, Rolong, Bakgatla, and Bafokeng who lived together in the Freestate area of South Africa before uniting under King Moshoeshoe (a Mokoena) in the 19th century to form the nation of Lesotho.
The Basotho people are also spread across some parts of Zambia, Botswana, Limpopo, North West province, Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Lesotho, and Mpumalanga.
The Mfecane Tribal Wars
Northern Sotho (Bapedi), Southern Sotho (Basotho), Bapulana, BaKololo, and Batswana are from the same womb. Batswana, Bapedi, and Southern Sotho were called Basotho before Mfecane tribal wars divided them.
The term referring to the tribal wars ‘Mfecane’ is of Zulu origin, but the Sesotho also termed the wars Difaqane or Lifaqane all meaning “crushing, scattering, forced dispersal, forced migration. This period was characterized by widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous ethnic communities in Southern Africa between 1815 and 1840.
As King Shaka created the militaristic Zulu Kingdom in the territory between the Tugela River and Pongola River, his forces caused a wave of warfare and disruption to sweep other peoples. It is said that King Shaka attacked Black tribes only and he didn’t attack or kill White settlers.
This was the prelude of the Mfecane, which spread from there. The movement of people caused many tribes to try to dominate those in new territories, leading to widespread warfare; consolidation of other groups, such as the Matebele, the Mfengu, and the Makololo; and the creation of states such as modern Lesotho.
Although the Mfecane caused a decrease in the population of South Africa. The number of people who died, as a result, remains unknown with estimates citing a death toll of over 2 million.
Basotho were scattered and divided by the Mfecane tribal war. Basotho from North West and Botswana were called Batswana after the Mfecane war. Basotho from Limpompo were Bapedi and Bakone. Basotho from Free State and Lesotho are still called Basotho.
Culture and Traditions
The blanket is not part of the original Basotho Traditional attire. Batswana kept the traditional attire of Basotho (clothes made of animal skin). Southern Basotho rejected their traditional attire due to the cold weather in Lesotho and they adopted the traditional attire of Bashoeshoe from King Bashoeshoe who used to wear blankets made of cotton.
Southern Basotho adopted the practices of Moshoeshoe after the Mfecane war, but they kept the language and the family name ‘Basotho’. Southern Basotho joined the Catholic Church under the instruction of their new King resulting in the rejection of secret traditional practices which went underground due to the demands of conversion to Christianity.
The Bapedi kept an esoteric or secret tradition unique to the Basotho tribes, the traditional practices which became subject to accusations of witchcraft. Mysterious stories, proverbs, and secrets of the tradition are still kept by the Bapulana from Mpumalanga, BaKololo from Zimbabwe, the Basotho from Limpompo, Botswana, and Zambia to-date.
The Sotho-Tswana Offshoot
The Kololo or Makololo are a subgroup of the Sotho-Tswana people native to Southern Africa. In the early 19th century, they were displaced by the Zulu, migrating north to Barotseland and Zambia. They conquered the territory of the Luyana people and imposed their own language. The combination of Luyana and Kololo languages gave rise to the current Lozi language spoken by the Lozi people, descendants of the Luyana and nearby tribes. In 1864, the Kololo kingdom was overthrown and some chiefs moved to Chikwawa District, Malawi, with the colonial explorer Sir David Livingstone.
LIST OF BASOTHO-TSWANA CLANS
1. Batlhaping (Tlhapi- Rolong)
2. Babirwa (buffalo)
3. Batabe (Tshipi)
4. Bafokeng (Mmutla/ Kwena- Bakwena)
5. Bafula (Kolobe)
6. Bagananwa (Tshwene- Hurutshi)
7. Bahlakoana (Koena- Bakwena)
8. Bahurutshe (Tshwene)
9. Bakgaga (Kwena- Bakwena/ Bakgalaka)
10. Baboalongwe (Nare)
11. Bangologa (Rolong/ Hurutshi)
12. Baphaleng
13. Bashaga (Tlhapi- Rolong)
14. Bakgatla (Kgabo- Hurutshi)
15. Bakhurutshe (Tshwene/Phofu- Hurutshi)
16. Bakone
17. Bakubung (Kubu)
18. Bakoena (Koena- Hurutshi)
19. Bamalete (Nare)
20. Banareng (Nare- Hurutshi)
21. Bangwaketse (Kwena- Bakwena)
22. Bangwato (Phuti- Bakwena)
23. Bapai (Tshwene- Hurutshi)
24. Bapedi (Noko- Kgatla)
25. Baphalane (Kwena- Bakwena)
26. Baphiri (Phiri- Hurutshi)
27. Baphuthing (Phuti- Bakwena)
28. Bapo (Kwena- Bakwena)
29. Barokologadi (Noko)
30. Batlharo (Tshwene -Hurutshi)
31. Batswapong (hare/kgope -Bapedi)
32. Makgolokwe (Phuthi)
33. Makhoakhoa
34. Makololo (Kwena- Bafokeng)
35. Mapulana (Tau- Rolong)
36. Barolong (Tholo- Hurutshi)
37. Basia (Katse- Kgatla)
38. Batau (Tau)
39. Bataung (Tau- Hurutshi)
40. Batawana (Phuti- Ngwato)
41. Batlhako (Tlou)
42. Batlhaping (Tlhapi- Rolong)
43. Batlhware (Tshwene- Hurutshi)
44. Batlokoa (Wild cat- Kgatla)
45. Batloung (Tlou- Hurutshi)
46. Batsatsing (Letsatsi)
47. Batšoeneng (Tshwene- Hurutshi)
48. Bakopa (Kwena- Bakwena)
49. Bakutswe (Kwena- Rolong)
50. Bahwaduba (Nare- Bakgalaka)
51. Baroka ba Lebole (Phuti- Kgalaka)
52. Baroka (Tlou)
53. Bantwane (Kwena)
54. Bakaa (Tshipi- Rolong)
55. Bakgwatheng- (Tshwene- Hurutshi)
Excerpt from the book ‘The Recoil: 2 Days of Haunting Past’, written by Bothata Kennedy Silase.
