Culture & Etiquette

1. Kgotla

   Kgotla (village assembly place and customary court)

   Usage

   A meeting place in the middle of a village, often under a tree, led by the chief (kgosi), where community matters and disputes are discussed. Anyone may speak

   Grammar Note

   A basic word in both the dictionary (Matumo) and Setswana Wikipedia, and borrowed into Botswana English. The plural is dikgotla

2. Ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo

   The great fight is the one of the mouth (settle things by talking)

   Usage

   A proverb expressing the spirit of the kgotla: disputes are settled by talking, not by force. Often quoted at assemblies

   Grammar Note

   Listed as a proverb in the dictionary (Matumo) and quoted in the Kgotla article of Setswana Wikipedia. Kgolo is the form agreeing with ntwa (class 9)

3. Kgosi

   Kgosi (chief, king)

   Usage

   The chief who leads a village or tribe. Address him respectfully as Kgosi. The plural is dikgosi

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary (Matumo) gives chief; king. In Setswana Wikipedia it also stands before personal names, as in Kgosi Gaborone

4. Ntlo ya Dikgosi

   House of Chiefs (advisory body of chiefs)

   Usage

   An advisory body of chiefs from across the country, near parliament in Gaborone. It links tradition and modern politics

   Grammar Note

   Setswana Wikipedia describes the Ntlo ya Dikgosi as an advisory body of parliament (lekgotla la bogakolodi). Ntlo is "house", here meaning chamber

5. Morafe

   Morafe (tribe, nation)

   Usage

   A group of people under one chief. It means tribe or nation, and Botswana has several principal tribes

   Grammar Note

   A mo- class noun in the dictionary (Matumo) with the plural merafe. Very frequent in Setswana Wikipedia

6. Batswana

   Batswana (the Tswana people, citizens of Botswana)

   Usage

   The people who speak Setswana, and citizens of Botswana. One person is a Motswana, the language is Setswana and the country is Botswana

   Grammar Note

   The prefix changes: Motswana (one person), Batswana (people), Setswana (language, culture), Botswana (country). The person prefixes are mo-/ba-

7. Setswana

   Setswana (the language and the Tswana way)

   Usage

   The name of the Tswana language, and also Tswana customs and culture. Contrasted with Sekgoa, English

   Grammar Note

   The se- class marks languages and "the way of". It is a dictionary headword, and Setswana Wikipedia also uses it adjectivally, as in koko ya setswana (free-range chicken)

8. Botho

   Botho (humanity, good character)

   Usage

   A value much prized in Botswana that means courtesy and care toward others. It is also stated as a national principle

   Grammar Note

   Setswana Wikipedia calls botho the character of a person and explains that a person needs botho to be a person. It is a bo- class noun

9. Motho ke motho ka batho

   A person is a person through other people

   Usage

   A proverb expressing mutual dependence. Used to explain the idea of botho

   Grammar Note

   This wording appears in the Setswana Wikipedia explanations of botho and ubuntu. The plural of motho is batho

10. Ngwao

    Ngwao (culture, heritage)

    Usage

    The word for culture and heritage. Often seen in museum and cultural event notices

    Grammar Note

    Very frequent in Setswana Wikipedia. Ngwao ya Setswana means Tswana culture

11. Pula!

    Pula! (rain, blessing: the Botswana cheer)

    Usage

    The word for rain and blessing, the most precious thing in a dry land. In Botswana it is used as a cheer and a toast, and it is also the name of the currency

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary (Matumo) has pula, "rain". Setswana Wikipedia says rain plays a big role in the traditional beliefs of this Kalahari country. A class 9 noun

12. Bogadi

    Bogadi (marriage gift, traditionally cattle)

    Usage

    A gift from the groom's side to the bride's family at marriage, traditionally cattle. It is understood as thanks for raising the bride

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary (Matumo) has bogadi with a sense of cattle. Setswana Wikipedia explains it as a gift of thanks and not a purchase of the daughter

13. Lenyalo

    Lenyalo (wedding)

    Usage

    A wedding. Many relatives and neighbours come together, and seswaa and setampa are served

    Grammar Note

    A le- class noun formed from nyala, "marry". Frequent in the dictionary and Wikipedia. Wedding dishes are seswaa and setampa (Setswana Wikipedia)

14. Phitlho

    Phitlho (funeral)

    Usage

    A funeral. An important event where the community gathers and seswaa is served

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary (Matumo) has phitlho. Setswana Wikipedia says seswaa is served at diphitlho (funerals) and manyalo (weddings). The plural is diphitlho

15. Moletlo

    Moletlo (party, celebration)

    Usage

    A gathering with song, dance and food. It covers weddings, festivals and other happy events

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary (Matumo) glosses it as feast. A mo- class noun with the plural meletlo. Very frequent in Setswana Wikipedia

16. Setapa

    Setapa (stamping dance of the Bangwaketse)

    Usage

    The traditional music and dance of the Bangwaketse around Kanye. Dancers stamp the ground to the singing, in animal-skin costumes

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia explains setapa as coming from go tapa-tapa, "to stamp repeatedly on the ground". The plural is ditapa

17. Dikhwaere

    Dikhwaere (choirs and choral music)

    Usage

    Tswana choral music that combines singing and dance. Performed at year-end in fields and open spaces, and a category in the President's Day arts competitions

    Grammar Note

    Khwaere is a loan from English choir and dikhwaere its plural (Setswana Wikipedia). The Bakgatla ba Kgafela folk music Dikopelo is on the UNESCO intangible heritage list

18. Tlatlana

    Tlatlana (woven basket)

    Usage

    Woven baskets, a traditional Botswana craft made mainly around Maun and popular as souvenirs

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia says the Setswana tlatlana is woven from river reeds (lotlhaka lwa noka). Evidence is limited and the dictionary has no headword

19. Mokoro

    Mokoro (dugout canoe)

    Usage

    The dugout canoe poled along channels of the Okavango Delta. A guide stands at the back and passengers sit low

    Grammar Note

    Mokoro is a dictionary word and the plural is mekoro. The large Kazungula ferry was also called a mokoro (Setswana Wikipedia)

20. Letsema

    Letsema (communal work)

    Usage

    The tradition of working together on fields and tasks. The word is also used as a name for farming support efforts

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary (Matumo) has letsema, plural matsema. In Setswana Wikipedia it is also used in company and programme names

21. Ipelegeng

    Ipelegeng (self-reliance; the public works programme)

    Usage

    A word meaning "carry your own load", and the name of a government public works programme such as road cleaning. It is also written on Botswana coins

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia explains ipelegeng as go rwala bokete jwa gago ("carry your own load") and go itshetsa ("support oneself"). The prefix i- is reflexive

22. Dingaka tsa setso

    Traditional doctors and healers

    Usage

    Traditional healers who help people with herbs and divination. Many people consult them, but diagnosis and treatment are also available at clinics and hospitals

    Grammar Note

    Dingaka is the plural of ngaka. The dictionary (Matumo) also has ngaka ya sedupe (diviner). The form dingaka tsa setso occurs in Setswana Wikipedia

23. Seretse Khama

    Seretse Khama (first president of Botswana)

    Usage

    The first president, who led Botswana to independence in 1966. His name is used for the airport and other places

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia says he led the independence movement and founded the Botswana Democratic Party. He was a grandson of Khama III

24. Bangwato

    The Bangwato

    Usage

    One of the largest tribes of Botswana, centred on Serowe. The chiefly family is the Khama line

    Grammar Note

    Ba- is the plural person prefix, and one person is a Mongwato. Setswana Wikipedia calls Serowe the great village of the Bangwato

25. Bakwena

    The Bakwena

    Usage

    A tribe centred on Molepolole. The totem is the crocodile (kwena), and the name comes from it

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia explains Bakwena as "those who sing the kwena (crocodile)" (ba ba binang kwena). Kwena is "crocodile" in the dictionary. One person is a Mokwena

26. Bangwaketse

    The Bangwaketse

    Usage

    A tribe centred on Kanye, home of the setapa dance

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia calls Setapa the traditional music of the Bangwaketse. One person is a Mongwaketse

27. Bakgatla

    The Bakgatla

    Usage

    A tribe centred on Mochudi, living in both Botswana and South Africa, known for the folk music Dikopelo

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia distinguishes the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela from the Bakgatla ba ga Mmanaana. One person is a Mokgatla

28. Batawana

    The Batawana

    Usage

    A tribe centred on Maun, living in the Okavango region

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia says the Batawana hold the royal seat of Maun. One person is a Motawana

29. Batlokwa

    The Batlokwa

    Usage

    A tribe around Gaborone centred on Tlokweng. The capital is named after Gaborone, a chief of this tribe

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia names Gaborone as a chief of the Batlokwa. One person is a Motlokwa

30. Balete

    The Balete

    Usage

    A tribe south of Gaborone centred on Ramotswa

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia calls Ramotswa the great village of the Balete. One person is a Molete

31. Bakalanga

    The Bakalanga

    Usage

    A people of the north-east around Francistown with their own language, Ikalanga, which is different from Setswana

    Grammar Note

    Setswana Wikipedia says the Bakalanga make a dish called tophi with bogobe and madila and brew beer from millet (lebelele). One person is a Mokalanga

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