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Botswana Culture


The culture and heritage of modern day Botswana is a blend of Tswana and English origins. While English is spoken around the country, traditional religion, rites of passage ceremonies and medicinal beliefs are still widespread in more remote areas. It’s estimated that half the population practises Christianity, with the Zion Christian Church the most popular.

The San Bushmen are certainly the most well known of Botswana’s ethnic groups. Considered the oldest known people on earth, they have been living a hunter-gatherer existence in the Kalahari for over 30 000 years. Sadly, the San have become marginalised by more dominant tribes and confined to settlements and cattle posts deep within the Kalahari.
 

San mysticism however, is still very much alive and represents the most intriguing of Botswana’s cultures. Traditional medicine, tracking, hunting, gathering of wild foods, folklore, storytelling and trance dances are still practised. It is possible to arrange guided expeditions to remote community tourism ventures to visit Bushmen settlements. Tsodilo Hills in particular, is the best area to view San rock art galleries. It is an extremely poignant and moving experience.
 

One of the most fascinating myths from Botswana concerns Bushmen shamans and their alleged ability to ‘shape-change’. Legend has it that powerful healers are able to transcend into animals thereby taking their appearance, in order to placate evil spirits. This is normally achieved during a trance dance when the healer achieves a very deep meditative state. This belief, while largely scoffed at in urban society, is still very prominent in remoter outback regions.
 

Although the collective term for the population of Botswana is Batswana, it’s estimated that between 70 and 90% of people belong to the Tswana ethnic group. Their origins stem from Bantu pastoralist who settled around water-points within the Kalahari and developed a highly complex tribal system. In the southeast there is a smaller ethnic identity known as the Kgalagadi. Groups of Tswapong, Birwa and Kalanga groups are found mostly in the east-central regions, while baYei, Hambukush, Mbanderu, Subiya and Herero are located on the Okavango in Chobe River systems. Isolated communities of San or Basarwa occur in the west-central Kalahari settlements or cattle posts.
 

Local Customs

You will probably notice in Botswana the habit of locals of clapping their hands or cupping one hand under the opposite elbow whilst receiving an item or a gift. This is considered a polite form of respect and is much appreciated if done in return.
 

Batswana people, particularly guides and trackers, are generally very softly spoken. Out of respect, they may avoid significant eye contact, which at first may appear rude to a Westerner. This is not the case! Eye contact in African cultures generally denotes disrespect to elders, often seen as wanting to challenge them or their authority.
 

The phrase ga gona mathatha (no problem) is very widely used in Botswana’s tourism and hospitality industry. With a beaming smile and gentle demeanor, one certainly gets an impression that any request, no matter how bizarre, is absolutely no problem!