Sotho epic poetry, sotho history and criticism poetry. It depicts the growing influence and legacy of certain chiefs like mohlomi, the upheaval of the. One of the most successful southern african leaders of the 19th century, moshoeshoe combined aggressive. They are basotho 3 when spoken, u and o both have the same sound. E ne le ha muso oa kolone british cape govt o sa tsoa fuoa matla a ho tsamaisa puso le ho beha maemo leihlo naheng ea moshoeshoe kamora ho feta hoa hae. The appendix includes chapters on religion, hunting, witchcraft, law and social order, and basotho character and manners. History of the basotho the emergence of basotho as a nation occurred around 1818 when king moshoeshoe 17861870 formed alliances with an amalgam of clans and chiefdoms of southern sotho people who occupied the area which is presently the northern and eastern free state and western lesotho from about 1400 ad. Culture of lesotho history, people, clothing, women. He obtained a d phil in history in 1986 from the university of the free state, and in 1979 was appointed as a historian and head of the history department of the national museum, where he still works. Take a cultural voyage into the heart of the basotho nation. A historical and linguistic analysis mthobeli guma university of the western cape, south africa abstract names are more than a word or words by which a person, animal, place or thing is known.
Gumas novels from the 1960s to the 1990s from an african perspective. They are native to modern lesotho and south africa. This major study of migrant labour in lesotho, concentrating on the period between 1980 and 1940, considers the position of basotho migrant workers in south africa, lesothos dependency on migrant labour, and the social and cultural consequences. The museum introduces visitors to the south sotho basotho nation, from its inception through its history till their present day existence. This book contains a major research into, and deep investigation of basotho language oral poetry in lesotho at the beginning of the twentyfirst century. Ellenberger spent more than 45 years collecting the oral traditions of the basotho also known as sotho people. In these, a clear history, philosophy and the origins of each tribal group can be found. Puo e sebedisitsweng mona ke e mathemalodi empa e totobatsang ka moo batjha ba kajeno ba pepesang maikutlo a bona. A scenic land of tall mountains and narrow valleys, lesotho owes a long history of political autonomy to the mountains that surround it and protect it from encroachment.
Religious symbols of the basotho download ebook pdf. The basotho pony represents the best form of transport in the mountains, and donkeys are often used as pack animals. Stories of origin of the sotho people of qwaqwa munin. When wars swept southern africa during the late 1700s and early 1800s and wiped out large numbers of the population, remnants of the various nations fled into the highlands of what is now lesotho. Kora and the griqua bandits also raided the kingdom, but were ambushed by the basotho, who seized their guns and horses. Therefore, u you and o heshe must be distinguished based on context. Moshoeshoe, also spelled mshweshwe, moshweshwe, or moshesh, original name lepoqo, born c. The traditional basotho hat called mokorotlo is the best known of a fine range of grassworks made in lesotho. Guided tours of the museum are conducted daily, seven days a week. A history of indigenouslyowned business in postcolonial. Lesotho history background education, africa, south. Although the plains, plateaus and mountains of lesotho have been occupied over countless millennia, the history of the country itself is eventful, but comparatively brief. The book includes genealogies going back to 1450, a history of the basotho people from their origins to 1833 when the missionaries arrived. The basotho people trace their history back to the 1800s when the unrest caused in.
The basotho largely relied on agriculture and animal husbandry for their food supply. Basotho definition is a bantuspeaking people of lesotho. Click download or read online button to get religious symbols of the basotho book now. The study reveals that the religious connotation of the ritual practices lies in how people seek transcendental meaning to life through the ritual practices. Ion the first place the use of the word makhoiloke is derogatory. Increasingly, the united states has become a favorite destination for lesothos exports. They authors must have got the information they used to write their books from basotho as well as from their own observations of how the basoto live or lived in the past.
Click download or read online button to get lithoko tsa marena a basotho book now. During the same year the southern african customs union provided 86% of lesothos imports, asia. Boys were taught endurance and courage while girls were taught how to take care of the young ones. The classical form, the dithoko, which was inspired by tribal wars or battles fought by the basotho, is explored fully, but the absence of wars, and urbanisation with the economic and social.
The construction and maintenance of society through narratives mantsi teboho pitso thesis submitted for the degree. Pakeng tsa khoeli tsa mphalane le pulungoana ka 1880 3yrs ago, ho ila ropoha merusu metseng e kampong ea maseru le mathoko a eona, mafeteng, tejatejaneng j. The section dealing with makholokoe does not give this tribe adequate coverage both in terms of genealogy and ancient but also with respect to contemporary history. Liboko refers to names of families, clans or totems. Most families will have some cattle, and oxen are used to plough the sloping mountain fields. The book includes genealogies going back to 1450, a history of the basotho people from their origins to 1833 when the missionaries arrived, and an account of the rise of moshoeshoe i circa 17861870, the founder and first paramount chief of the sotho people. Sotho people conducted an initiation school, which was a rite of passage. The cultural meaning of names among basotho of southern africa. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Men and boys would tend to the animals and their wellbeing while women worked the fields and collected water from springs.
Basotho oral poetry at the beginning of the twentyfirst. History of the basuto, ancient and modern world digital library. The cultural meaning of names among basotho of southern. Ena ke pokello ya dipalekgutshwe tse ngotsweng ke batjha. E loketse babadi ba ditoropong, metseng le mapolasing. Basotho wars 1858 1868 south african history online. The basotho diet consisted of a variety of foods such as maize, millet, melons, pumpkins, peas, beans and ground nuts. Tales from the basotho by minnie postma, 1974, published for the american folklore society by the university of texas press edition, in english. The conflict between the basotho people and white settlers in what is now the free state lesotho area, consisted of three wars 1858 68. Wool is a major source of income both from memo sheep and mohair from angora goats, and you will see many herds of both deep in the. Lithoko tsa marena a basotho download ebook pdf, epub. At the end of the twentieth century these figures could alter rapidly as the hivaids crisis impacts the general population.
The section dealing with makholokoe does not give this tribe adequate coverage both in terms of genealogy and ancient but also with respect to contemporary. There is a tabu against telling tales while the sun shines, because daylight hours must be saved for work. Bangodi ba dipalekgutshwe tsena ha ba ngola ba etse hloko dintlha tsa bohlokwa tsa phedisano tse kang ditokelo tsa botho, bong, bodumedi le bomorabe. The school played the role of moulding boys and girls to their adult duties and their roles in the community. The population of lesotho, in 1998, was estimated to be 2,089,289 with a growth rate of 1. In 1830 or 1831 thaba bosiu was attacked by the ndebele, who were defeated, and as they retreated moshoeshoe sent them a diplomatic gift of cattle. Books about lesotho, the country in southern africa score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for. The basotho in the early 1800s there was a great deal of migration and upheaval in southern africa, mostly as a result of the mfecane.
History of the basuto, ancient and modern world digital. Podcast for kids nfb radio 101 sermon podcast pauping off all steak no sizzle podcast church of the oranges daily chapel spring 2012. Since the neolithic period, the mountain kingdom was the domain of khoisan speaking huntergatherers. It explains the history of the basotho people of lesotho with the british, the missionaries who brought about change in lesotho, and the constant land wars with the boers and other trekkers and tribes from south africa. The only part of basotho history that i could take in doses longer than ten pages at a time dealt with its most recent history, its time as an independent nation. The rich culture of the basotho people is traditional africa at its best, with pride and protection of the land high on the a. Short stories from sotho writers, including thabiso. Basotho s oral history can be found deep rooted in their usage of totems or family odes liboko, praise song or poems lithoko and storytelling litsomo.
En dan bosko, social organizational aspects of religious change among basotho, new york university, 1983, 356 p. His method was to gather all the information which it was still possible to obtain. There were a number of conflicts between various tribes and, as a result of the mahlatule famine, some people were even driven to cannibalism. It focuses on their individual and collective entrepreneurial initiatives as they endeavoured to play a significant role in the countrys economic development after independence. Sotho people enjoy meats from chicken, lamb, and cow. Among basotho in southern africa names and the naming process is a sociocultural interpretation of historical events.
A short history of lesotho from the late stone age until. Master of philosophy in indigenous studies faculty of social science, university of tromso norway, spring 2009. A short history of lesotho and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Interviews were used as a primary source of data collection and books. Originally published in 1912, history of the basuto remains the standard reference work concerning the origin and early history of the sotho peoples, and the settlement of lesotho from around the 16 th century by a variety of different clans. The work is largely based on oral history and therefore it is not surprising that there are inaccuracies. All these facts only prove that the sotho people have a very rich culture from their ancestors up to this present time. It also reprints outstanding books about lesotho that are no longer available, covering the key areas of history, cultural and religious practices, arts. The purpose of these three wars was the maintenance of territorial rights in the area between the caledon and orange rivers. The people of lesotho are called basotho plural and mosotho singular. Sotho culture, traditions, food, traditional attire, dance. The construction and maintenance of society through narratives by. Wikis basotho clans according to history, basotho originate from two major clans. Basotho history arts and crafts of the basotho basotho.
These tales from the basotho are for entertainment only. This study chronicles the economic history of basotho business owners in postcolonial lesotho, from 1966 to 2012. The construction and maintenance of society through narratives. This article will therefore examine some historical features of s. The basotho have inhabited the region since around the fifth century ce and are closely related to other bantu peoples of the region. Hannes johannes haasbroek was born in bothaville in the free state and completed his schooling in bethlehem. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. I do not claim that the authors of the acknowledged books do not know the history, the life, the culture, the religion of the basotho people. A short history of lesotho abebooks shop for books. The book begins to pick up in interest as we learn more about king moshoeshoe and his efforts to create a country that honors past traditions and history while moving into the future. The telling itself is the reason the story exists, for the audience is already aware of the outcome of each tale. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. Below is a highlevel hierarchy capturing some of the basotho clans elaborated from this piece of history.
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