The Tswana State

The Tswana State

There is little on the early history of the Tswana people.

All Tswana ruling lineages are traced to one of the founding ancestors, named Morolong, Masilo and Mokgatla. Morolong appears to have lived in the western Witwatersrand area around the 13^th and the 14^th Centuries. Masilo appears to have lived in the northern Witwatersrand around the 14^th to the 15^th Centuries. Mokgatla appears to have lived in the north eastern Witwatersrand area around the 15^th to the 16^th Centuries.

The family of Morolong were iron smiths- the family of Masilo lived between the grassland and bushveld suitable for extensive cattle grazing, while, - the family of Mokgatla lived around likely trade routes across the bushveld to the escarpment and the coast

The early baRolong - followers of Morolong - moved west towards the Kalahari by about 1500 AD, possibly by the rise of the lineage of Masilo. Oral tradition on the Tswana disagree as to exactly who was father or brother, son of a senior wife

Legends and common traditions suggest that Kwena, Ngwato and Ngwaketse, the three sons of Masilo, a great Sotho chief of the mid 17^th Century gave their names to the three main tribes of modem Botswana.

Oral tradition suggests that the Bangwaketse settled in ·the Kanye, Bamagwato around Shoshong and the Bakwena in the neighborhood of Molepolole.

If there is uncertainty about the early history of the Tswana, there is no doubt that the Botswana region suffered the shattering experience of invasion from a series of refugee groups escaping from the M'fecane at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

The followers of Ma 'Nthatsi, led by her son Sekonyela left a scar as they marched to the north west of the country. They created chaos as they pushed westwards across the Vaal River.

Other refugee bands included the Hlubi, Ngwane and the Tlokwa; the Phuting after crossing the Vaal north destroyed the Hurutshe capital Kaditshwene.

The Fokeng joined forces with other groups under the leadership of Sebitwane who moved away westwards in search of new lands in the Tswana land (the Fokeng were later called the Kololo).

The capital of the Tlapin Dithakong with rich herds of cattle was target for wandering bands especially the Fokeng, Phuring and the Hlakone .

News for the advance of the Tlokwa under Sekonyela and starvation drove many Tswana bands down into the Ditbakong. The Tlapins were unable to protect themselves and asked for help of Missionaries.

Moffat J.S.R., a Missionary persuaded the Griquas to join forces and fight the coming invasion, but on 26^th June 1823 the half starving invaders were defeated by mobile Griquas on horsebacks.

Mzilikazi of the Ndebele was an opponent of the Tswana than the Tlokwa. They were under pressure from raiding of Zulu regiments. The Ndebele were in search of secure places to settle.

The effect of their movement through Tswanaland was general devastation, large areas depopulated, towns set on fire and especially the Bakwena almost exterminated, never to regain their early prominence.

When the Ndebele moved northwards towards Rhodesia or what is now Zimbabwe in the north route, the Tswana got some peace.

During the second half of the Nineteenth Century, what is now Botswana was dominated by Chief Khama III of Bamangwato people. Khama III recognized the growing white interest in the area, and is comparable to the great Moshoeshoe of the Sotho people.