"A nation without a past is a lost nation,
and a people without a past is a people without a soul."
Sir Seretse Khama, 1921 - 1980,
first President of the Republic of Botswana.
Traditional Bechuana Governance
The Bechuanas were among the most advanced nations of Africa. Their strong military and political organizations were shown in the formation of powerful native "kingdoms" and the extensive migratory movements of the tribes, though they were peaceable in disposition and skillful agriculturists. The system of governmcnt among the Bechuanas would be termed in Europe local government. Six or seven leading tribes ruled Bechuanaland, all the smaller clans being vassals of one or other of them. For mutual protection, and also, perhaps chiefly, as a means of maintaining the autocratic authority of the ruling chief, the smaller tribes were with few exceptions gathered together as segments of the central town under the eye of the ruler.
All important matters are decided in the public assembly of the freemen of the town, but matters are previously arranged between the chiefs and headmen. The Bechuana system of chief in kgotla — which is in theory a representative gathering of all the males of the tribe — is rather unwieldy to shoulder the increasing responsibilities of local government. All the tribes would benefit by the formation under the chief, as a constitutional ruler, of small representative councils to assist in the conduct of day-to-day business, such as the running of the native treasuries and assisting the chief in his functions.
The government of the Bechuana was strictly monarchical in principle. Among most of the tribes the moreno-o-mogulo is the head chief, with whom were associated two tunas or nobles, who are called his eyes and his arms, and are the chief officers of the council. He exercised supreme authority, was invested with the power of life and death, judges offenders, and enforces the laws. His dignity was hereditary in the direct line, by order of primogeniture. The brothers and other relations were invested with subordinate functions, but they never interfere with the exercise of absolute authority on the part of the head chief.
The morena generally married the daughters of the underchiefs to strengthen his power, increase his influence, and thus secure the allegiance of the tribes. The inferior chiefs of the village communities also had two tunas attached to their service as counsellors. They are the principal proprietors of the land, of which they frequently give the possessory title to dependants, on condition of rendering service and fealty to their lord. The dependants, in their turn, assigned certain tracts of land for cultivation to tenants belonging to the class of the poor, and marked out the limits of districts set apart for pasturage during the season. The under-chiefs claimed the exclusive ownership of the reeds that grow in the marshes, which are used in the construction of huts, and no one is allowed to cut them without their express permission; and from each cutting a bundle, or more if needed, must be delivered to the master of the fief. The dependant was bound to ohey his superior, he must be faithful in the charge that may be intrusted to him, he must render the service that may be required, he must prepare the skins for the kobos of his superior, tend his flocks, cultivate his fields, gather his crops, and be always ready to act as his messenger and carrier.
In return for these services the chief was the patron of his dependant, he adjusted all difficulties, settled all disputes that may arise between his client and his neighbors without demanding any fees or other compensation; he presented to him, from time to time, a sheepskin cloak, a quarter of a beef, and when in a generous mood he would make him the owner of two or three head of cattle, and in the summer season he will allow him the use of the milk of two or three cows. A dependant was, however, not permanently bound to a chief, for he may quit his service and make choice of another liege lord, whenever he was urged by his judgment or commanded by his interest to do so. The chiefs had each a separate domain where they fixed their residence, and all their relations and dependants built their huts around that of their superior lord.
The local chiefs no less than the head chiefs were, in a manner, independent of each other, though the inferiors may hold their lands by virtue of a grant made to them by a superior. But it was only policy and common interest that caused them to act in concert, and fear is a more powerful force of union than mutual respect. The head chief called together in council the local chiefs and the principal men of property whenever questions of peace and war and other important matters have to be discussed and decided.
Class distinction existed among the Bechuana; the kosies or underchiefs are the aristocratic and governing class. These local chiefs are generally rich, and had it in their power to increase their wealth. The poor and the servile class called muchunk or molalah1 were absolutely placed in the power of the rich, on whom they are entirely dependent for support, and the articles supplied to them for sustenance are scanty and precarious. They are entitled to retain a portion of the milk furnished by the herds under their charge, and for their meat supply they are mostly dependent on the game they may be lucky enough to kill in the chase. Custom even requires that the breast of the animal killed by the hunter should be set apart as the legitimate portion which of right belongs to the chief; and it is said that a contravention of this customary law would be punished as a capital crime.
The aristocratic kosies would not even permit, except as an extraordinary favor, that their dependants or servants should themselves be proprietors of cattle, and if by some accident or a stroke of good fortune they became owners of a cow, it might be taken from them by their master, under the pretext that the muehunks and balalah have no need of cattle of any kind, for it is their duty to take care of the herds of their superiors, who supply them with as much milk and food as is necessary for their support. The balalah are those Bechuana tribes who had been conquered in war; and having lost their independence, they had been reduced to absolute subjection, and they are known by the common tribal name of Bakalahari. Many of them have, in a measure, emancipated themselves from abject servitude, by having the privilege granted to them to leave the towns where the chiefs and kosiet had their residence, and they took up their permanent abode in the country, where they guard the herds and flocks of their superiors. They were looked upon as such faithful guardians of the domestic animals intrusted to them that no head of cattle was killed without previously asking their permission. Their master never visited the cattle station without bringing some presents of tobacco or wild hemp for smoking, or a clasp knife or a few beads; and during his stay he takes possession of the tribute offered to him by his vassals.
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