Culture of Botswana
Encyclopedia
Besides referring to the language of the dominant people groups in Botswana
, Setswana is the adjective used to describe the rich cultural traditions of the Batswana - whether construed as members of the Setswana ethnic groups or of all citizens of Botswana.
, a series of ten popular mystery novels by Alexander McCall Smith
. Their protagonist, Precious Ramotswe, lives in Gaborone. The first novel in the series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, appeared in 1998 in the UK (and 2001 in the US). The light-hearted books are appreciated for their human interest and local colour. A BBC Television
series adaption of the same name
has been shot with a pilot appearing on 23 March 2008 in the United Kingdom
, and the full series starting on 15 March 2009.
, who served as a Peace Corps
director in Botswana from 1978 to 1983, uses the country as the setting of all of his published books, which generally focus on the expatriate community.
(born 1959) is a judge, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana. She came from a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind. Her mother could not read English, and in most cases decision-making was done by men. She went on to become a lawyer with much of her education being done in the West. Her Western education caused a mixture of respect and suspicion.
As a lawyer she earned acclaim most for her stances on women's rights. She was the plaintiff in a case that allowed the children of women by foreign nationals to be considered Batswana. The tradition and law before this stated nationality only descended from the father. She later became Botswana's first female High Court judge.
As a novelist she has had three books. These books often concern the issues concerning the struggle between Western and traditional values. They also involve her interest in gender issues and her nation's poverty.
is a writer well-known in Southern Africa. In 1964 she fled the apartheid regime in South Africa to live in and wrote about Botswana. She lived there from 1964 (when it was still the Bechuanaland Protectorate) until her death at the age of 49 in 1986. She lived in Serowe
, and her most famous books, When Rain Clouds Gather, Maru, and A Question of Power are set there.
and resulting struggles of Sir Seretse Khama
and Lady Ruth Williams Khama
.
A collection of humorous true short stories, "Whatever You Do, Don't Run" (released in the United Kingdom and South Africa as "Don't Run, Whatever You Do"), contains many stories from Botswana written by a safari guide, Peter Allison.
are noted for their skill at crafting basket
s from Mokola Palm and local dye
s. The baskets are generally woven into three types: large, lidded baskets used for storage, large, open baskets for carrying objects on the head or for winnowing threshed grain, and smaller plates for winnowing pounded grain. The artistry of these baskets is being steadily enhanced through color use and improved designs as they are increasingly produced for commercial use.
Other notable artistic communities include Thamaga Pottery and Oodi Weavers, both located in the southeastern part of Botswana
.
The oldest paintings from both Botswana and South Africa
depict hunting, both animal and human
figures, and were made by the Khoisan (Kung San!/Bushmen
) over 20,000 years ago within the Kalahari desert.
s; it also makes heavy use of string instruments. Tswana folk music has got instruments such as Setinkane, Segankure/Segaba and for the last few decades, a guitar
has been celebrated as a versatile music instrument for Tswana music. The guitar was originally played in a manner similar to Segaba but with a better rhythm due to plucking, almost completely replacing the violin-like Segaba until such prodigies of Segaba as Ratsie Setlhako re-popularised Segaba in the 80s with the help of radio. In the absence of instruments a clapping rhythm is used in music with the typical chant and answer manner of singing. The absence of drumming is predominant and is peculiar of an African tribe.
, though it has little resemblance to the African American genre of that name. There has been a push in recent years to focus on revitalizing the Botswana music industry instead of purchasing foreign releases. Most popular music in Botswana still comes from South Africa, United States, Europe or elsewhere in Africa. Gumba-gumba is a form of modernized Zulu and Tswana music, mixed with traditional jazz; the word gumba comes from township slang for party.
crews include The Wizards, a long-standing crew that fuses hip hop with ragga
and R&B. The television show Strictly Hip Hop, hosted by Draztik and Slim (both of the Cashless Society Crew and co-founders of Unreleased Records), has done much for the Botswana scene. The record label Phat Boy is also very important.
has taken a strong following in Botswana and has produced highly acclaimed musicians such as Frank Lesokwane of Franco and Afro Musica
, Jeff Matheatau, Chris Manto 7 and Alfredo Mos and Les Africa sounds. It has a slower Rhythm than the original type and predictably tends to get a rapid rhythm in the middle of the song. It is still not as hectic as its parent Afro Rhumba. Unlike Rhumba, Kwasa Kwasa has a simple leg routine, focusing more on an erotic movement of hips and buttocks.
Some artists have attempted to speed it up and made it more Danceable to breakdance with great success. Artist Vee
is one of them and his version is known as Kwaito Kwasa, from a combination of Kwaito music with a Kwasa Kwasa rhythm and guitar.
as a genre in Botswana has been a slow one. The music has however started to gain some momentum, partly due to the youth's exposure to mainstream media like MTV
, Channel O
and the internet. The native Batswana have since showed appreciation for this genre. Ever since the year 2000, a lot of bands have been formed. Most these have played locally and a few have toured southern Africa. The rock culture is now evidently recognised, with bands coming together to fight AIDS under a tour titled Rock Against AIDS. [1]
Notable bands include:
Wrust - one album (Soulless Machine)
Metal Orizon - one album (Miopic Illusion)
Nosey Road - several albums
Stealth
Stane
Skinflint
tik
the rise of the child
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Setswana is the adjective used to describe the rich cultural traditions of the Batswana - whether construed as members of the Setswana ethnic groups or of all citizens of Botswana.
Alexander McCall Smith
Botswana forms the setting for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of twelve novels by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective...
, a series of ten popular mystery novels by Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...
. Their protagonist, Precious Ramotswe, lives in Gaborone. The first novel in the series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, appeared in 1998 in the UK (and 2001 in the US). The light-hearted books are appreciated for their human interest and local colour. A BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
series adaption of the same name
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (TV series)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a television comedy-drama series, produced by the BBC in conjunction with HBO, and based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. The novels focus on the story of a detective agency opened by Mma Ramotswe and her courtship with the mechanic Mr....
has been shot with a pilot appearing on 23 March 2008 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the full series starting on 15 March 2009.
Norman Rush
Norman RushNorman Rush
Norman Rush is an American novelist whose introspective novels and short stories are set in Botswana in the 1980s. He is the son of Roger and Leslie Rush...
, who served as a Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
director in Botswana from 1978 to 1983, uses the country as the setting of all of his published books, which generally focus on the expatriate community.
Unity Dow
Unity DowUnity Dow
Unity Dow is a judge, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana. She came from a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind...
(born 1959) is a judge, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana. She came from a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind. Her mother could not read English, and in most cases decision-making was done by men. She went on to become a lawyer with much of her education being done in the West. Her Western education caused a mixture of respect and suspicion.
As a lawyer she earned acclaim most for her stances on women's rights. She was the plaintiff in a case that allowed the children of women by foreign nationals to be considered Batswana. The tradition and law before this stated nationality only descended from the father. She later became Botswana's first female High Court judge.
As a novelist she has had three books. These books often concern the issues concerning the struggle between Western and traditional values. They also involve her interest in gender issues and her nation's poverty.
Bessie Head
Bessie HeadBessie Head
Bessie Emery Head is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer.-Biography:Bessie Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the child of a wealthy white South African woman and a black servant when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa...
is a writer well-known in Southern Africa. In 1964 she fled the apartheid regime in South Africa to live in and wrote about Botswana. She lived there from 1964 (when it was still the Bechuanaland Protectorate) until her death at the age of 49 in 1986. She lived in Serowe
Serowe
Serowe was famed as Botswana's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents...
, and her most famous books, When Rain Clouds Gather, Maru, and A Question of Power are set there.
Susan Williams
British author and historian Susan Williams' book, Colour Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation, tells the story of the interracial marriageInterracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
and resulting struggles of Sir Seretse Khama
Seretse Khama
Sir Seretse Khama, KBE was a statesman from Botswana. Born into one of the more powerful of the royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated abroad in neighbouring South Africa and in the United Kingdom, he returned home—with a popular but controversial...
and Lady Ruth Williams Khama
Ruth Williams Khama
Ruth Williams Khama, Lady Khama was the wife of Botswana's first president Sir Seretse Khama, the Paramount Chief of its Bamangwato tribe. Lady Khama was a former WAAF ambulance driver from Blackheath, London. She met the then Prince Seretse Khama while he was attending law school in England and...
.
A collection of humorous true short stories, "Whatever You Do, Don't Run" (released in the United Kingdom and South Africa as "Don't Run, Whatever You Do"), contains many stories from Botswana written by a safari guide, Peter Allison.
Michael Stanley
In 2008 a mystery novel ("A Carrion Death") by Michael Stanley introduced Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. The memorable Kubu lives in Gabarone. The novel is a police procedural which also provides an excellent introduction to today's Botswana.Other writers
- Galesiti Baruti
- Caitlin DaviesCaitlin DaviesCaitlin Davies is an English author. Her parents are Margaret Forster and Hunter Davies, both well-known writers.Although born in England, Davies has been associated with Botswana since 1990 when she met her husband, Ron, while studying for a Masters in English at Clark University, USA...
, born in Britain - Unity DowUnity DowUnity Dow is a judge, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana. She came from a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind...
- Bessie HeadBessie HeadBessie Emery Head is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer.-Biography:Bessie Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the child of a wealthy white South African woman and a black servant when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa...
, born in South Africa - Moteane MelamuMoteane MelamuMoteane Melamu is a writer and academic from Botswana. He is a professor at the University of Botswana.-Bibliography:*Children of the Twilight by Moteane Melamu ISBN 0-86543-678-9*Living and Partly Living by Moteane Melamu ISBN 1-86867-059-7...
- Barolong SeboniBarolong SeboniBarolong Seboni is a poet and academic from Botswana. He received his BA from the University of Botswana and his Master's Degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has translated Botswana proverbs into English...
, poet - Andrew SesinyiAndrew SesinyiAndrew Sesinyi is the Motswana author of Love on the Rocks . He also worked in the media administration of Botswana. -External links:**...
- Mositi Torontle
Visual arts
In the northern part of Botswana, the Wayeyi and Hambukushu women in the villages of Etsha and GumareGumare
Gumare or Gomare is a rural village located in the North-West District of Botswana, near the Okavango Delta. The population of Gumare was 6,067 in 2001 census.Four separate government institutions manage Ngamiland District:# District Council;...
are noted for their skill at crafting basket
Basket
A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibres, which can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehair, baleen, or metal wire can be used. Baskets are...
s from Mokola Palm and local dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
s. The baskets are generally woven into three types: large, lidded baskets used for storage, large, open baskets for carrying objects on the head or for winnowing threshed grain, and smaller plates for winnowing pounded grain. The artistry of these baskets is being steadily enhanced through color use and improved designs as they are increasingly produced for commercial use.
Other notable artistic communities include Thamaga Pottery and Oodi Weavers, both located in the southeastern part of Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
.
The oldest paintings from both Botswana and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
depict hunting, both animal and human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
figures, and were made by the Khoisan (Kung San!/Bushmen
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
) over 20,000 years ago within the Kalahari desert.
Music
Botswana is made up of numerous ethnic groups, though the Batswana are the most numerous. Music is an omnipresent part of Botswana culture, and include popular and folk forms. Church choirs are common across the country. Music education is an integral part of the educational system. Children of all ages are taught traditional songs and dances.Folk music
Tswana music is mostly vocal and performed without drumDrum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s; it also makes heavy use of string instruments. Tswana folk music has got instruments such as Setinkane, Segankure/Segaba and for the last few decades, a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
has been celebrated as a versatile music instrument for Tswana music. The guitar was originally played in a manner similar to Segaba but with a better rhythm due to plucking, almost completely replacing the violin-like Segaba until such prodigies of Segaba as Ratsie Setlhako re-popularised Segaba in the 80s with the help of radio. In the absence of instruments a clapping rhythm is used in music with the typical chant and answer manner of singing. The absence of drumming is predominant and is peculiar of an African tribe.
Styles
- Borankana
- Chesa
- Huru
- Mokomoto
- Ndazola
- Phathisi
- Selete
- Setapa
- Stibikoko
- Tsutsube
Folk musicians
- Culture Spears
- Dikakapa
- George Swabi
- Jonny Kobedi
- Kwataeshele
- Machesa Traditional Troupe
- MatsiengMatsiengMatsieng is a Setswana traditional music trio formed in 2005 in Gaborone Botswana. They burst in to the scene with their 2005 festive season album, Semakaleng...
- Mokorwana
- Ratsie Setlhako
- Shirley
- Shumba Ratshega
- Speech Madimabe
- Stampore
- Stikasola
Popular music
Like many African countries, much of the popular music there is called jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, though it has little resemblance to the African American genre of that name. There has been a push in recent years to focus on revitalizing the Botswana music industry instead of purchasing foreign releases. Most popular music in Botswana still comes from South Africa, United States, Europe or elsewhere in Africa. Gumba-gumba is a form of modernized Zulu and Tswana music, mixed with traditional jazz; the word gumba comes from township slang for party.
Hip hop
Botswana hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
crews include The Wizards, a long-standing crew that fuses hip hop with ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
and R&B. The television show Strictly Hip Hop, hosted by Draztik and Slim (both of the Cashless Society Crew and co-founders of Unreleased Records), has done much for the Botswana scene. The record label Phat Boy is also very important.
Kwasa Kwasa
An African version of Rhumba popularised in Central AfricaCentral Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
has taken a strong following in Botswana and has produced highly acclaimed musicians such as Frank Lesokwane of Franco and Afro Musica
Franco and Afro Musica
Franco and Afro Musica is a twelve piece Gabanean kwasa kwasa band founded by Frank "Franco" Lesokwane.As is the norm in the Rhumba circles for artists to go by more than one names, Lesokwane also goes by a plethora of names like Stango, Lepako and Chakala...
, Jeff Matheatau, Chris Manto 7 and Alfredo Mos and Les Africa sounds. It has a slower Rhythm than the original type and predictably tends to get a rapid rhythm in the middle of the song. It is still not as hectic as its parent Afro Rhumba. Unlike Rhumba, Kwasa Kwasa has a simple leg routine, focusing more on an erotic movement of hips and buttocks.
Some artists have attempted to speed it up and made it more Danceable to breakdance with great success. Artist Vee
VEE
VEE or Vee may refer to:* "Vee", common English pronunciation of V, the twenty-second letter in the Latin alphabet* VEE, Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis virus, a mosquito-borne viral horse pathogen...
is one of them and his version is known as Kwaito Kwasa, from a combination of Kwaito music with a Kwasa Kwasa rhythm and guitar.
Rock
The development of rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
as a genre in Botswana has been a slow one. The music has however started to gain some momentum, partly due to the youth's exposure to mainstream media like MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Channel O
Channel O
Channel O is a South African-based music channel which first started transmission in the early nineties. Its main concept is African music in Africa and the diaspora. Over the years, this music channel has made household names of its presenters such as Mimi, Nonhle, KB, Miss Candy.Channel O can be...
and the internet. The native Batswana have since showed appreciation for this genre. Ever since the year 2000, a lot of bands have been formed. Most these have played locally and a few have toured southern Africa. The rock culture is now evidently recognised, with bands coming together to fight AIDS under a tour titled Rock Against AIDS. [1]
Notable bands include:
Wrust - one album (Soulless Machine)
Metal Orizon - one album (Miopic Illusion)
Nosey Road - several albums
Stealth
Stane
Skinflint
tik
the rise of the child
Music institutions
The National Music Eisteddfod is held annually in Selebi-Phikwe [2].See also
- Religion in BotswanaReligion in BotswanaAn estimated 70 percent of Botswanan citizens identify themselves as Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa make up the majority of Christians...