18/08/2022
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. 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 population is over 1 million. Long before Mfecane war Basotho had a great Kingdom in Southern Africa, Basotho had a good relationship with Masarwa (also known as Bushman).
Lesotho is 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 19th century to form the nation of Lesotho.
The land of Basotho includes Some parts of Zambia, Botswana, Limpompo, North West province, Northern Cape, Free State, Guateng, Lesotho, & Mpumalanga.
Northern Sotho (Bapedi), Southern Sotho (Basotho), Bapulana, BaKololo & Batswana are from the same womb. Batswana, Bapedi and Southern Sotho were called Basotho before Mfecane or Difecane war (Tribal Wars). We were divided by the Tribal wars. Mosotho means a black person.
Mfecane (IsiZulu), also known by the Sesotho name Difaqane or Lifaqane (all meaning "crushing, scattering, forced dispersal, forced migration), was a period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous ethnic communities in southern Africa during the period between 1815 and about 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 to other peoples. It is said that King Shaka attacked black tribes only and he didn't attack or kill white people.
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 the modern Lesotho.
Although the Mfecane caused a decrease in the population South Africa. How many people died as a result of all the conflict is unknown but the death toll estimates cited are over 2 million.
Basotho were scattered and divided after Mfecane war. Basotho from North West and Botswana were called Batswana after Mfecane war. Basotho from Limpompo were Bapedi and Bakone. Basotho from Free State and Lesotho are still called Basotho. Batswana kept the traditional attire of Basotho (clothes made of animal skin).
Southern Basotho rejected their traditional attire due to cold weather in Lesotho and they adopted the traditional attire of Bashoeshoe,(Bashoeshoe wear blanket made in cotton).
Bapedi kept the Esoteric (Secret) Tradition of Basotho. Some say our Esoteric Tradition is witchcraft but the less said about the critics of our Esoteric Tradition, the better. most mysterious stories, proverbs and secrets of the Tradition are kept by Basotho from Limpompo, Botswana and Zambia.
Southern Basotho adopted the tradition of Moshoeshoe after Mfecane war, but they kept the language and the family name "Basotho". However they abounded the Secret Esoteric Tradition...Blanket is not part of Basotho Traditional attire. And they joined Catholic Church under the instruction of King Moshoeshoe. Esoteric Tradition of Southern Basotho went underground due to circumstances. The Traditional attire ya Basotho ke Tshega (Traditional attire of Basotho is made of Animal cloth or skin)
Bapulana from Mpumalanga and BaKololo kept the Esoteric Tradition of Sotho...
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, 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 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)
The Basotho nation whose ancestors have lived in Southern Africa since around the fifth century. The Basotho nation emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho–Tswana origin that had dispersed across Southern Africa. The ancestors of the Basotho people entered the area south of the Limpopo River in several migrations. In time, they became dispersed over the vast interior plateau between the eastern escarpment and the arid western regions and formed four subgroups Tswana, North Sotho, South Sotho and East Sotho.
Those who settled in the western regions preferred to be called Batswana (Tswana) while those living in the southern regions called themselves Basotho. The Sothos living in the northern areas also preferred the name Basotho but were sometimes referred to as Pedi.
Most Basotho today live in South Africa, as the area of the Orange Free State was originally part of Moshoeshoe's nation (now Lesotho).
Pastoralist Bantu-speaking peoples settled in the territory of modern South Africa by about 500 CE, displacing the aboriginal inhabitants of Southern Africa.
The separation from the Tswana is assumed to have taken place by the 14th century. The first historical references to the Basotho date to the 19th century. By that time, a series of Basotho kingdoms covered the southern portion of the plateau (Free State Province and parts of Gauteng). Basotho society was highly decentralized and organized on the basis of kraals, or extended clans, each of which ruled by a chief, Chiefdoms were united into loose confederations
In the 1820s, refugees from the Zulu expansion under Shaka, came into contact with the Basotho people residing on the highveld. In 1823, those pressures caused one group of Basotho, the Kololo, to migrate north, past the Okavango Swamp and across the Zambezi into Barotseland, now part of Zambia. In 1845, the Kololo conquered Barotseland.
Basotho are divided into several clans. Each clan has an animal totem that not only guides it but in many respects defines the qualities/characters of members of that clan. Understanding these clans allows not only to celebrate the diversity of the nation and its individuals but provides a basis of respecting people for who they are and how they can contribute in the community.
Basotho must unite again. As it was in the beginning, so it shall be in the end. Let us fix our broken home.
