Tlôkwa tribe facts for kids

The Batlôkwa (also known as Batlokoa or Badogwa) are a group of people living in Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa. They are followers of Tlôkwa kings and members of clans who identify as Tlôkwa. Most Batlôkwa clans trace their royal family lines back to Kgwadi, who was the son of King Tabane and the founder of the Batlôkwa nation. The Tlôkwa people used to have the Tlokwe-cat as their special animal symbol, called a totem. However, this cat is now extinct because it was hunted too much for its fur, which was used by clan chiefs.

Who are the Batlôkwa?

The Batlôkwa kingdom is part of the larger Bakgatla group, which belongs to the Tswana peoples who speak Bantu languages. These groups are often called 'Sotho-Tswana' because they share many language and cultural features. For example, they speak similar dialects that people can understand easily.

What makes Sotho-Tswana groups special?

They have several unique traditions. One is totemism, where each group has a special animal symbol. They also prefer to marry certain cousins, though the Batlôkwa are different as they prefer marrying their paternal cousins. Their homes were usually round huts with cone-shaped thatch roofs, supported by wooden poles.

Other shared customs include wearing animal skin cloaks called mekgatlha. They also lived in large, close-knit villages, bigger than those of the 'Nguni' peoples. In areas with less grass or trees, they often built structures using stone.

How did new groups form?

The history of the Basotho and Batswana people shows a lot of breaking away and forming new groups. When there were disagreements, sometimes about who should be king, a part of the clan would leave. They would follow a relative of the king who was unhappy and settle somewhere else. Often, the new group would take the name of the leader who led them away.

Where did the Batswana come from?

Traditions of the Batswana people suggest they came from the north. Their move south was part of big migrations of Bantu-speaking people during the Iron Age. It is thought that the Sotho-Tswana groups separated from other Bantu-speaking peoples near the Great Lakes in East Africa. Then, they moved south along the western part of what is now Zimbabwe.

A Look at Batlôkwa History

After the death of a leader named Masilo, there was a problem with who would rule next. This led to the creation of the Hurutshe and Kwena clans. The Batlôkwa say they come from the Hurutshe clan and trace their early family line back to Mokgatla, who founded the BaKgatla, and Tabane.

Tabane had a son named Matlaisane with his main wife. He also had five sons with his junior wife: Diale, Kgetsi, Kgwadi (who became the founder of the Batlôkwa), Matsibolo, and Mosia. Each of these sons later left to form their own groups: Bapedi, Makgolokwe, Batlôkwa, Maphuthing, and Basia.

Many generations later, from Kgwadi's line, came Mokotjo. Chief Mokotjo, who was the father of Sekonyela, died young. Because Sekonyela was still a child, his mother, Manthatisi, became the temporary ruler.

Kgosi-kgolo Tsotetsi: An Early King

Kgosi-kgolo Tsotetsi (around 1735) was a very important king of the Batlokwa ba Mokgalong, which was a main branch of the Batlokwa. He became king after his father, Kgosi Seboloka, died young. Tsotetsi also died at a young age, but he had six sons with his main wife, Kgosihadi 'Mamohlahlwe. These sons were Mohlahlwe (Lebaka), Tsibela, Selemane, Leloka, Sethati, and Thai.

When Tsotetsi died, his son Mohlahlwe was still too young to rule. So, the Batlokwa people agreed that Queen Mamohlahlwe would rule for her son Lebaka. This made her the first queen to act as a temporary ruler for the Batlokwa nation. Queen Mamohlahlwe received a lot of help from her late husband's brothers, Kganye and Motonosi. These chiefs helped greatly until Queen Mamohlahlwe handed power over to her son Lebaka, who then became the main king of Batlokwa.

Queen Manthatisi: A Powerful Leader

Queen Mantatisi (around 1781–1836) was one of the most famous and respected women leaders of the early 1800s. During a time of wars and movements of people in southern Africa, the Tlôkwa people became known as the Mantatees, named after Manthatisi, in books about exploration and history.

Manthatisi was the daughter of Chief Mothaba of the Basia people, who were related to the Batlokwa. She was described as a tall and beautiful woman. She married Mokotjo, the chief of the nearby Batlôkwa, in a marriage that joined important families. She is said to have had four sons with him. Mokotjo died when their son Sekonyela was too young to be chief, so Manthatisi ruled in his place.

After Mokotjo's death, the Batlôkwa ba Mokotleng faced attacks from the amaHlubi people, who were leaving their homes. Manthatisi, as the temporary ruler for her son Sekonyela, led the Tlôkwa people into the Caledon valley. They drove out other Sotho communities living there. Her troops took the crops and cattle of the people they attacked, causing a lot of damage.

Her military power reached as far as central modern-day Botswana. At the peak of her power, her army was thought to have forty thousand fighters. However, she eventually faced defeats, starting in Bechuanaland in January 1823.

Peter Becker wrote about this time: "Meanwhile Mmanthatisi was approaching with forty thousand men, women and children. It was January 1823, the time of the year crops were ripening and food was usually plentiful. But the Wild Cat People were compelled to live frugally, for so great had been the chaos brought about by difaqane/difetlwane in general and the taking of things by Mmanthatisi, Mpangazita and Matiwane in particular that entire tribes had vanished from their settlements even before they had tilled their fields in preparation for planting. Indeed, the Central Plateau swarmed with hungry people and small, detached parties of bandits. Apart from roots, bulbs and berries, there was little food to be found in the veld, certainly not enough to feed so large a group as that of Mmanthatisi."

However, one of the most successful Botswana chiefs, Makaba of the Bangwaketsi, decided not to give up to Mmanthatisi without a fight. Becker described this in detail: "Meanwhile, the old Chief had decided not to surrender to Mmanthatisi without a fight. He called up every available warrior, guarded every pass leading to his capital, and with his famous cleverness, prepared traps into which he planned to lead his attackers.

"Since her flight from the Harrismith district Mmanthatisi had managed to push aside all opposition in the areas she crossed. But now, in the hot bushveld of Botswana, she would face an enemy whose fighting forces were as many as, and also better fed than, those of the Wild Cat People. The front part of Mmanthatisi's army walked into hidden traps; large groups of men fell headfirst into hidden pits and died under showers of barbed spears. A battle broke out, and hundreds of the attackers were killed. Before the situation could turn into a complete defeat, Mmanthatisi suddenly pulled her armies back and retreated with her large group to the east. So Makaba became the first "Sotho" chief to push back the powerful BaTlokwa (Wild Cat) Army, and even today he is called the 'Man of Conquest.'"

Because Manthatisi was so well known, all Sotho-Tswana raiders became known as “boo-Mmanthatisi,” or “Mantatee Horde” by the English. She was also called the “Destroyer of Nations.” British Forces near Aliwal North eventually stopped her from entering the Cape Colony. Manthatisi finally settled her people on the Marabeng Mountains.

After Manthatisi's son Sekonyela grew up, he took control of the baTlôkwa's social groups and military.

Kgosi Sekonyela: A Rival to Moshoeshoe

Kgosi Sekonyela was born in 1804 near Harrismith by the Wilge River. His mother sent him away from the Tlôkwa to keep him safe from political rivals. He rejoined the Tlôkwa in 1824, after his mother had led the Batlôkwa during the early wars. During the social and political chaos in the present Free State and Lesotho regions, Sekonyela continued to build the Tlôkwa into a strong military power. When the worst part of the wars ended in the early 1830s, he settled on naturally protected mountains near the Caledon River.

Kgosi Sekonyela's main rival for control of northern Lesotho was Moshoeshoe, who founded the Basotho kingdom. For twenty years, the two rivals attacked each other and tried to gain followers from the many groups of refugees in the region. Moshoeshoe, who was a much better diplomat, slowly gained more supporters than Sekonyela. In November 1853, Moshoeshoe attacked and defeated Batlôkwa ba Mokotleng. Sekonyela fled to Winburg for safety. After this defeat, Sekonyela's people scattered. Some fled to Lesotho and joined Moshoeshoe's state, while others went to the Eastern Cape. A large part also fled north to the present Tshwane region in Gauteng.

Sekonyela later got land in the Herschel district of the Eastern Cape, where he died in 1856. People often say that Kgosi Sekonyela's downfall was due to his own flaws. His love of war made his neighbors dislike him, and his harsh treatment made his own people unhappy. On the other hand, Moshoeshoe became powerful because he loved peace and was kind.

Where the Batlôkwa Live Today

Batlôkwa clans live in Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa. We don't know exactly how many Batlôkwa there are because no full count has been done.

Batlôkwa in South Africa

In South Africa, many Batlôkwa are found in six provinces: North West, Gauteng, Limpopo, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape.

In the North West, the Batlôkwa settled in a region called Tlôkwe near Potchefstroom. They are also found in Molatedi Village, Letlhakeng-Montsana Village, and Tlokweng Village. They speak Setswana, which is part of the Sotho–Tswana language group. They arrived in this area in the 1820s and are not part of the Batlôkwa who were led by Chief Sekonyela, as they had separated earlier. There are also scattered groups of Batlôkwa throughout the North West Province.

In the Limpopo province, they live in a place called boTlôkwa, north of Polokwane. Here, the Batlôkwa speak Northern Sotho. They arrived in this region after separating from the Batlôkwa who had fled to the Tshwane region after Sekonyela's defeat by Moshoeshoe. The main Tlôkwa clans in this area are the Batlôkwa Ba Ga Machaka and Ramokgopa. These two groups separated due to a disagreement over chieftaincy, with Ramokgopa eventually settling in the eastern regions called Mokomene, in Limpopo. Another group under Kgosi Manthata was moved to Mohodi near Senwabarwana in 1977, also because of chieftaincy disagreements with Batlôkwa ba Mphakane under Kgosi Machaka.

These areas have produced important people such as:

• Collins Ramusi
• Tumelo Mokoena
• Tlou wa Raophala
• Hugh Masekela
• Gwen Ramokgopa
• Kgosiyentsho Ramokgopa
• Matome Zakea Seima, a writer, publisher, and lawyer
• Kgalamadi Ramusi
• Babsy Selela
• Mamphela Ramphele, Lehotlo Moshokoa, Caiphus Semenya

In the Sesotho language group, the Batlôkwa are mainly found in the Eastern Free State region. This is their traditional area, with five distinct Batlôkwa branches:

• Batlôkwa ba Mokgalong (Tsotetsi)
• Batlôkwa ba Mota
• Batlôkwa ba Morakadu
• Batlôkwa ba Makalakeng
• Batlôkwa ba Nasatse Patso
• Batlôkwa ba Lehana
• Batlôkwa ba Masene

These Batlôkwa branches still share similar cultural and language features. Batlokwa ba Mokgalong, also known as Batlokwa ba Tsotetsi, trace their family line back to Modungwane, also known as Molefe, who is the ancestor of all Batlokwa branches. Batlokwa ba Mokgalong are recognized by the Free State House of Traditional Leaders. They are still working to get back their land, which was taken by colonialists.

In KwaZulu-Natal, Batlokwa are found in the Nqutu Municipal Area in a place called Maseseng, Mokgalong. This place is named after Chief Lesesa, who settled there in the late 1800s. The British had asked King Leteka of the Batlokwa ba Mokgalong for help in the form of warriors. Leteka sent his younger brother, Prince Lesesa, with his warriors. They joined the Batlokwa ba Mota, who had already settled in the Nqutu area with the Hlubi people. Together, they won the battle and captured King Cetshwayo of the Zulus. In return, the British signed an agreement allowing Batlokwa to live in the area. Lesesa also played a key role in the fight to get land back from the colonialists. In 1905, he, Josiah Tshangana Gumede (around 1867-1946), and King Moloi of the Makgolokwe Tribe went to England to ask the British Government to return land taken from them before the Anglo-Boer War.

In the Eastern Cape, Batlôkwa are found in the Herschel and Mount Fletcher areas, under Chief Kakudi and Lehana, respectively.

Batlôkwa in Lesotho

In Lesotho, the Batlôkwa are one of the three main Sotho-Tswana clans who speak Sesotho. Their current leader is Kgosi Ntjaqetho Sekonyela of Tlokoeng, Mokhotlong District.

Batlôkwa in Botswana

Batlôkwa arrived in Botswana in 1887. They settled in Moshwaneng on the Notwane River. They were led by Kgosinkwe Gaborone from the Tshwane area in South Africa. This move happened after a split with another Tlôkwa clan that went to settle north of Polokwane-Pietersburg. The land they settled on was given to them by Kgosi Sechele after they accepted the rule of the Bakwena. The capital city of Botswana, Gaborone, is named after Kgosinkwe Gaborone.

The Batlôkwa in Botswana are special because their totem (animal symbol) is the thakadu (ant-bear). They chose this totem after they were in the wilderness, thirsty and hungry. They found water in many holes dug by the thakadu. Since then, they decided that no one should harm the ant-bear, and it must be protected.

During this time, Mmakgosi was expecting a child. After drinking water from one of the dug holes, she gave birth to a son named Marakadu. She said Marakadu was named after the thakadu, their savior. Since then, Batlôkwa agreed to change their totem from the leopard (nkwe) to the thakadu, which is why they are known as dithakadu today.

Batlôkwa Culture and Traditions

The Batlôkwa share similar customs and traditions with other Sotho-Tswana clans. Depending on where they live, they usually speak one of three languages: Setswana, Sesotho, or Northern Sotho. Most often, they speak Setswana. These three languages are largely similar enough for people to understand each other.

Like most African people, the Batlôkwa are adapting to a world where more people live in cities. In rural areas, traditional culture is still very important in daily life. Customary law still plays a big role, and they have a unique tradition of marrying their paternal cousins. In the urban areas of each region, which are diverse and have many different cultures, Western cultural norms are more common.

Leboko la Batlokwa (Batlokwa Poem)

Ke mafifitswana a go rekwa ka kgomo Mafeta kgomo a je motho Ba ga Mmanakana-a-Mosima Ba ga Mmanakana-di-ganong Ba ga mosi mmolaya moapei Moapeelwana a sale a lela Ba ga Nkwenyana-a-Nkwe o apereng? Nkwe ke apere tau

See also

In Spanish: Batlokwa para niños