Who the Balete are
Wikipedia describes the Balete as a southern African ethnic group that has occupied a permanent territory in Botswana since about 1780, recognised as a reserve in 1909, still led by a king, the kgosikgolo. Its villages include Ramotswa, Gabane, Otse, Metsimotlhabe, Mogobane and Modipane in southern Botswana, and Lekgophung in North West Province in South Africa. The article says the Balete are the only one of eight major tribes that is not part of the Tswana, yet its Sotho-Tswana navigation box lists them under the Tswana; it does not explain the contradiction. We have not found a source that settles how the Balete place themselves.
Chiefs as Wikipedia lists them
The list begins with Phatle (Wa ko Tlhogo ya Tlou), named in Ditirafalo tsa merafe ya Batswana as the first chief, then Malete, Maphalaole, Mongatane, Maio, Kgomo, Mokgwe, Marumo and Powe I. The dated entries are Mokgojwe a Powe (acting, 1805), Powe II a Mokgojwe (1805 to 1830), Mokgosi I a Powe (1830 to 1886), Ikaneng a Mokgosi (1886 to 1896), Mokgosi II a Ikaneng (1896 to 1906), Baitlotle a Ikaneng (acting, 1906 to 1917), Seboko I a Mokgosi (1917 to 1937), Ketswerebothata a Mokgosi (acting, 1937 to 1945), Mokgosi III a Seboko (1945 to 1966), Kelemogile a Seboko (acting, 1966 to 1996), Seboko II a Mokgosi (1996 to 2001), Tumelo a Seboko (acting, 2001 to 2002) and Mosadi Seboko (2002 to present). We have not checked the dates; the list’s sources are one Setswana-language book and a website.
Bogwera in 2012
The article says that on 1 September 2012 the Balete revived Bogwera, their male initiation tradition, under Mosadi Seboko, described as their first female paramount chief, that initiates included five councillors from the South East District Council, and that the new regiment was named Matsosa ngwao (“cultural revivers”). It cites the Sunday Standard for this; the citation is flagged as using a deprecated archive service. It also includes a traditional poem, Leboko la Balete, which we have not reproduced because we have not been able to check its source or text or ask permission. Mosadi Seboko is a living leader, and this page says nothing more about her than these lines.
What we have not read
We have not read Ditirafalo tsa merafe ya Batswana, the Sunday Standard report or any history of the Balete by Schapera or others. The page at the plain title “Balete” is a disambiguation page, so this page follows the article titled Balete people. We found no account from the Balete themselves on a page we could open.
Izithakazelo (direto) and totem
We found no confirmed totem for the Balete, and we are not printing the poem on Wikipedia, so we are printing no praises. If you belong to the Balete and recite your direto, we would like to record them, with your permission and credited to you.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Balete people (cites Ditirafalo tsa merafe ya Batswana and the Sunday Standard)
Do you belong to the Balete? Tell us your praises and what elders say about the history, and we will add it, credited to you. Share what you know or WhatsApp 065 138 8213.