Baby and I are doing research on Setswana culture. It’s part of her school project for the month, as it’s Heritage Month.
She’s thrilled to discover some interesting bits of old culture about the Batswana people. “Our culture is over a 1000 years old!” she exclaimed, putting up a hand for a high-five.
I think it's going to be a very interesting journey for both of us, because there's so much for her to learn.
Today, she found out that Batswana folded the arms and legs of a dead person in a squatting position and are buried that way ( see pic on the side).
I also introduced her to Sol Plaatjie (1876-1932) - journalist, editor, linguist ( translated the Bible into Setswana), first general secretary of the ANC. He founded at least 3 African language newspapers. "
2 comments:
Hey there - love the blog by the way:-)
Remember I used to be part of the Ga-Ditshwene Expedition group in Mafikeng when I was still in high school? It was most awesome to discover that the iron age was upon the Batswana people way before it was professed by popular literature. I think Baby might like to know that (we'll have a chat in December when you come down for Christmas:-)
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I think the link about the burial method of Batswana was interesting but I think some of the staff was not well researched. Batlhaping are Barolong to start with, the relation between them and the Khoisan people is just that they cross each other’s way in the nineteenth century but it is hard to say that they are cultural related. It is even difficult to answer where Barolong broke away from other Batswana and how they relate beside the dialect. And to again say that Tswana means "from the same" or "together" is difficult to explain. If you say to other “re a tswana “ it means that we are separating or leaving each other. Go tswa means to get or go out. There is difference between tswana and tshwana ( which means look the same). So as much as the story is interesting I believe it only gives you basis to research more about Batswana. Let this not discourage you from digging feather as I hope somebody may contradict me.
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