578:, and it is similar to Selobedu. There is a thin line between Sebirwa, SeGubu, Setlhokwa, Selobedu, and other Northern Sotho dialects that use "apa" (talk) and "boswa" for "pap" (maize porridge stable food) because these languages are related languages with Venda words as common denominators, and speakers of these share surnames like Malema, Mafela, Moedi, Mahomela, and Mokoena. Your surname tells who you are, but many Basothos lost their identity when the Ndebeles forced them to use totems as surnames. That is why today, some Sothos use Ndlovu, Nyathi, Sibanda, Moyo, Dube, and Mdlongwa surnames instead of their surnames, which patriarchs still use even though it is not in their identity document, but many Northern Sotho patriarchs still use their South African surnames like Maphala, Malema, Sephuma, Mafela, Phalantwa, Molwantwa, Sephuma, Sephodi, Makgalema, Moedi, Sehata,Tjibula, Makushu, Mahumela, Madumetja, Makhura, Makwati, Maimela, Manamela, Pheta, Mokone, Mokwena, Marishane.
52:
59:
299:, Batlokwa, Babirwa, etc., and others ended up in intermarriage with other tribes they moved next to and mingled with like Swatis, Vendas, Tsongas, and Ngunis. In some places, these Northern Basotho's Sotho was diluted by the influence of the tribes they found in the area, they moved into and lived alongside.
380:
The
Bobirwa Sub-district has an average annual rainfall of300 to 400 millimetres (12 to 16 in). Soils are mainly loams to sandy clay loams. Bobirwa is the lowest part of Botswana, varying from 590 to 886 metres (1,936 to 2,907 ft) above sea level. It is intersected by a network of channels
420:
Agricultural activities have heavily degraded the sub-district and made it susceptible to drought. Large areas in and around the villages are bare earth caused by clearing grasses to keep snakes and insects away. Overgrazing by sheep, goats, donkeys, and cattle is another cause. A study showed a
256:. Families moved away from each other in Ntswanatsatsi. They started clans using a totem as a symbol of their clan (like the crocodile (Kwena), which Moshoshoe's ancestors used), and different families moved in different directions within the precolonial South Africa under different leadership.
427:
In 2011, it was reported that the government had approved the establishment of service centers in
Tsetsebjwe, Mathathane, and Gobojango, as well as other large infrastructure development projects such as road improvements, bridges, and electrification. This followed rapid economic growth in the
570:, respectively, with Zimbabwean roots from this migration of the returnees. Some Basothos in Zimbabwe are still in touch with their ancestors' relatives in both South Africa and Botswana. The Sotho of Zimbabwe, which is similar to the Sesotho that is spoken in
345:, Lehomo, Raphahlelo, Raseokgo (Sebola), Phooko, Ramalepe, Boikanyo, Selema, Morerwa (Murerwa), Makgatho, Maruatona, Monekwe (Monengwe), Madema Morebeng (Phosa) and many more. The word Bobirwa, therefore, means the land of (Babirwa) Ba-Birwa people.
313:
After the scattering of the
Basothos from their cradle, different Basotho dialects from different locations within present-day South Africa emerged, and the Babirwa people were one of those who emerged, coming out of Nareng in the Letswalo area near
336:
The
Babirwa in South Africa reside north of the Bochum area, north of Polokwane. There are more than 40 Babirwa surnames in South Africa, which include Sebone, Malema, Makhura, Makwati, Makhurane, Maphala, Nare, Tau, Tlou-Serope, Mmamadi,
749:
455:, in the villages of Gungwe, Ntalale, Tlhakadiyawa, Kafusi, Mawaza, Mafukung, and surrounding villages. When Babirwa moved into the area that is today known as Gwanda, it was inhabited by Jahunda (
348:
A large number of
Babirwa left the northern South African shore. It ended up living in what is today called the Bobirwa Sub District, which is an administrative region in eastern
245:(c. 1786–11 March 1870) to Mokhachane of the Bamokoteli clan, a sub clan of Bakwena. Moshoeshoe reunited the remaining smaller and weaker clans of Basothos in the area under his
757:
486:
Not all
Basotho in Zimbabwe are Babirwa. The Sothos found under Beit Bridge district to Manama and surrounding areas are not Babirwa. These are descendants of
546:
speakers, and they adopted the Sotho spoken in
Zimbabwe because of association and marriage. Some of the descendants of those people did go back to
506:
or the Odi river (Limpopo) to
Bokgalaka. These groups of Basotho traveled in groups, usually related. They came from different areas of the then-
318:
under the leadership of
Tshukudu between 1510 and 1599. Babirwa moved from Nareng under their leader, They trekked further North and settled in
823:
828:
310:
near the
Zimbabwean border along the Shashe river and with its dialect spoken on the other side of the border of Botswana in Zimbabwe.
80:
498:
because they were displaced and were forced to leave in fear of their lives and crossed either the Motloutse river to present-day
51:
475:. Other group of Babirwa left Bobirwa with other Transvaal migrants again and joined their relatives who left Transvaal for
424:
In addition to livestock, the sub-district is home to abundant wildlife. In 2000, there was a herd of around 200 elephants.
302:
Some of the Northern Basotho have a common denominator of "apa" (meaning talk) with Vendas; I mean, Balovedu, BaGubu, and
421:
substantial reduction in natural land cover between 1970 and 2010, combined with a significant increase in population.
460:
353:
123:
439:, which forced livestock to travel long distances to find grazing and water, making them vulnerable to rustlers.
794:
467:, South Africa, by way of Southern Botswana, running away from the Boers in Transvaal after running away from
774:
586:
464:
190:
people populated the land. Moshoshoe didn't find the Basotho nation, but put together a nation made up of
626:
264:
195:
292:
252:
Moshoeshoe, his Bakwena clan, and the other Basotho clans originate from Ntswanatsatsi in present-day
630:
167:
614:
459:) speaking people and a group of Ndebele who moved southward from the northern side of precolonial
260:
495:
428:
previous three years. The local people could now shop and bank in Bobonong, rather than travel to
249:
clan leadership during Shaka's wars of difaqane after the rest of the Basothos had left the area.
551:
507:
491:
211:
206:. The Basotho nation cut the Basotho people in the nation off from the rest of other Basothos in
527:
503:
476:
319:
535:
288:
207:
303:
163:
606:
456:
452:
598:
590:
550:
as early as the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s, and 80s and reunite with their relatives in
472:
191:
360:
is the largest town and the sub-district headquarters. The sub-district is bounded by
817:
575:
543:
511:
429:
369:
547:
539:
386:
365:
253:
238:
215:
183:
171:
435:
In 2012, there was a sharp increase in stock theft. This may have been caused by
678:
676:
594:
555:
487:
242:
390:
382:
315:
295:
which in turn gave birth to different Northern clans with their dialects like
95:
82:
531:
519:
398:
655:
597:, Phalaborwa, Pulana, Tshwapong, Kutswe, Phahladira, Pai, Kopa, Kubu, etc.
341:(Lehong), Mangale, Taueatswala, Molefe, Mogano, Jibula (Tjibula) (Muhanu),
618:
610:
515:
499:
480:
448:
410:
394:
361:
357:
349:
331:
327:
307:
272:
268:
223:
219:
159:
133:
194:-speaking people from different Sotho-speaking clans within present-day
622:
602:
563:
436:
432:. The new centers were expected to improve access to services further.
414:
406:
342:
323:
284:
280:
246:
227:
203:
199:
187:
656:"Drought impact mitigation and prevention in the Limpopo River Basin"
589:
or Birwa, the language spoken by the Babirwa people, is a dialect of
571:
523:
402:
338:
296:
276:
231:
287:
in South Africa. They became patriarchs of the founding fathers of
567:
559:
468:
706:
694:
682:
463:
which they invaded under their leader Mzilikazi, who came from
795:"Massive infrastructural projects underway in Bobirwa"
263:
others spread around Ntswanatsatsi to the present-day
617:, a small number of people in Matebeland Province of
605:. The two others are Western Sotho (better known as
144:
139:
129:
119:
111:
23:
748:Botswana College of Agriculture (4 August 2004).
259:Some settled on the Western side of present-day
494:who have been displaced off their lands by the
381:that drain into the Limpopo. Villages include
593:, along with Bididi, Lobedu, Kgaga, Hananwa,
8:
237:Basotho people present in the region before
20:
18:Sub-district in Central District, Botswana
750:"BOTSWANA REPORT Contract No. 4500010375"
730:
574:and the surrounding area, is a corrupted
718:
647:
202:, which the British erroneously called
138:
110:
75:
44:
36:
372:forms the boundary with South Africa.
601:is one of three Sesotho subgroups of
538:, Ga Makgato, etc.; others were from
143:
128:
118:
7:
793:Modikwa, Onalenna (9 January 2009).
707:Botswana College of Agriculture 2004
695:Botswana College of Agriculture 2004
683:Botswana College of Agriculture 2004
775:"Stocktheft on the rise in Bobirwa"
773:Mazwiduma, Takongwa (8 June 2012).
629:, and Vaal). The Basotho came from
306:of Bobirwa in the southern part of
267:and Lesotho; others to present-day
14:
158:Subdistrict is a jurisdiction in
283:others moved to the present-day
166:(Ba-Birwa) people who came from
57:
50:
186:and his nation of Lesotho, the
58:
621:and Southern Sotho (spoken in
451:is found in the south-west of
1:
609:, which is largely spoken in
824:Populated places in Botswana
829:Central District (Botswana)
754:UNESCO Crosscutting Project
461:Matabeleland South Province
845:
291:which also gave birth to
162:. It is populated by the
76:
45:
37:
30:
554:. Today, there are many
413:, Zanzibar, Moletemane,
40:“Bokhujejwa ba langana”
522:around Moletse areas,
368:to the southeast. The
271:others to present-day
96:21.97043°S 28.423335°E
479:, what Sothos called
417:and Lentswelemoriti.
364:to the northeast and
562:-speaking people in
101:-21.97043; 28.423335
615:North West Province
518:. Others came from
261:North West Province
92: /
552:Northern Transvaal
508:Northern Transvaal
492:Northern Transvaal
145: • kgosi
760:on 4 January 2016
208:Orange Free State
152:
151:
836:
809:
807:
805:
789:
787:
785:
769:
767:
765:
756:. Archived from
734:
728:
722:
716:
710:
704:
698:
697:, pp. 9–10.
692:
686:
680:
671:
670:
668:
666:
652:
542:and others were
354:Central District
293:Northern Basotho
124:Central District
107:
106:
104:
103:
102:
97:
93:
90:
89:
88:
85:
61:
60:
54:
21:
844:
843:
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838:
837:
835:
834:
833:
814:
813:
812:
803:
801:
792:
783:
781:
772:
763:
761:
747:
738:
737:
729:
725:
717:
713:
705:
701:
693:
689:
685:, pp. 5–7.
681:
674:
664:
662:
654:
653:
649:
639:
584:
514:today known as
457:Kalanga dialect
453:Gwanda District
447:The Babirwa in
445:
378:
322:in present day
214:in present-day
180:
170:in present-day
100:
98:
94:
91:
86:
83:
81:
79:
78:
72:
71:
70:
69:
68:
67:
66:
62:
41:
33:
26:
19:
12:
11:
5:
842:
840:
832:
831:
826:
816:
815:
811:
810:
790:
770:
744:
736:
735:
731:Mazwiduma 2012
723:
711:
699:
687:
672:
646:
645:
638:
635:
599:Northern Sotho
591:Northern Sotho
583:
580:
444:
441:
377:
374:
352:, part of the
326:and others in
179:
176:
150:
149:
146:
142:
141:
137:
136:
131:
127:
126:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
74:
73:
64:
63:
56:
55:
49:
48:
47:
46:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
31:
28:
27:
24:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
841:
830:
827:
825:
822:
821:
819:
800:
796:
791:
780:
776:
771:
759:
755:
751:
746:
745:
743:
742:
732:
727:
724:
720:
715:
712:
709:, p. 12.
708:
703:
700:
696:
691:
688:
684:
679:
677:
673:
661:
657:
651:
648:
644:
643:
636:
634:
632:
631:Ntswanatsatsi
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
596:
592:
588:
581:
579:
577:
573:
569:
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561:
557:
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541:
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533:
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525:
521:
517:
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512:Potgietersrus
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
484:
482:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
442:
440:
438:
433:
431:
430:Selebi-Phikwe
425:
422:
418:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
393:, Kobojango,
392:
388:
384:
375:
373:
371:
370:Limpopo River
367:
363:
359:
355:
351:
346:
344:
340:
334:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
311:
309:
305:
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298:
294:
290:
286:
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278:
274:
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262:
257:
255:
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248:
244:
241:were born in
240:
235:
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201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
177:
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165:
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157:
147:
135:
132:
130:Major village
125:
122:
114:
105:
77:Coordinates:
53:
29:
22:
16:
804:17 September
802:. Retrieved
798:
784:17 September
782:. Retrieved
778:
764:17 September
762:. Retrieved
758:the original
753:
740:
739:
726:
719:Modikwa 2009
714:
702:
690:
663:. Retrieved
659:
650:
641:
640:
585:
548:South Africa
490:of the then
485:
446:
434:
426:
423:
419:
409:, Semolale,
387:Motlhabaneng
379:
366:South Africa
347:
335:
312:
301:
258:
254:South Africa
251:
236:
216:South Africa
181:
172:South Africa
155:
153:
148:Ezekiel Joel
38:Motto:
32:Sub-district
15:
534:, Ga Kibi,
488:North Sotho
443:Ethnography
376:Agriculture
243:Menkhoaneng
99: /
818:Categories
637:References
627:Free State
510:as far as
483:back then
391:Tsetsebjwe
383:Mathathane
316:Phalaborwa
265:Free State
239:Moshoeshoe
196:Free State
184:Moshoeshoe
140:Government
87:28°25′24″E
84:21°58′14″S
642:Citations
532:Zebediela
528:Taaibosch
520:Polokwane
504:Bokgalaka
477:Bokgalaka
465:Transvaal
399:Molalatau
320:Blauwberg
212:Transvaal
168:Transvaal
665:6 August
619:Zimbabwe
611:Botswana
607:Setswana
582:Language
536:Botlokwa
516:Mokopane
500:Botswana
481:Zimbabwe
449:Zimbabwe
411:Lepokole
395:Bobonong
362:Zimbabwe
358:Bobonong
350:Botswana
332:Zimbabwe
328:Botswana
308:Botswana
289:Bakgatla
273:Zimbabwe
269:Botswana
224:Zimbabwe
220:Botswana
160:Botswana
134:Bobonong
120:District
115:Botswana
741:Sources
660:fao.org
623:Lesotho
603:Basotho
587:Sebirwa
564:Limpopo
437:drought
415:Sefophe
407:Mabolwe
343:Machete
324:Limpopo
304:Babirwa
285:Gauteng
281:Namibia
247:Bakwena
228:Namibia
204:Lesotho
200:Lesotho
188:Basotho
182:Before
178:History
164:Babirwa
156:Bobirwa
112:Country
65:Bobirwa
25:Bobirwa
572:Musina
544:Tsonga
524:Bochum
403:Tobane
339:Legong
297:BaPedi
277:Zambia
232:Zambia
799:Mmegi
779:Mmegi
568:Venda
560:Venda
540:Venda
496:Boers
473:Natal
469:Shaka
192:Sotho
806:2012
786:2012
766:2012
667:2019
595:Pedi
576:Kubu
566:and
558:and
556:Pedi
330:and
275:and
230:and
210:and
198:and
154:The
613:),
502:to
471:in
820::
797:.
777:.
752:.
675:^
658:.
633:.
625:,
530:,
526:,
405:,
401:,
397:,
389:,
385:,
356:.
279:;
234:.
226:,
222:,
218:,
174:.
808:.
788:.
768:.
733:.
721:.
669:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
