ORIGINATION OF BABIRWA

Babirwa people have moved from place to place before they finally settled in their present settlements permanently. It is hoped that this might shed light on Babirwa people of present day Botswana. The region called Bobirwa is the area which lies between the Shashe River Tuli Block and a north-South line approximately 28 0 15 ' E. The area compasses the villages’ of Bobonong, Gobajango,Mabolwe, Lentswe-Ie-Moriti, Mathathane, Molaladau, Mothabaneng, Semolale and Tsetsebjwe

Babirwa originated in Nareng which lies in the south of Bolobedi in Letswalo country around Phalaborwa. Babirwa people present at Nareng date back to between 1510 and 1599. Babirwa moved from Nareng under their chief, Tshukudu, to the Blauwberg area in the former Transvaal. It was while they were at Blauwberg that they started breaking up around the 1820s. The group that left Blauwberg headed for Zimbabwe under the leadership of Dauyatswala and his brother Makhure (a). This group was not welcomed in Mambo's country.

The two brothers decided to leave the place to seek refuge somewhere else. At the last moment Makhure refused to go with Dauyatswala. Dauyatswala together with his followers moved back to the Transvaal. Makhure was given a piece of land in Zimbabwe to live with his followers. They lived for a while before they were attacked by the Ndebele of Mzilikazi, who was running away from Shaka's rule, in 1837 .They fled to the present day Botswana led by Sekoba, one of Makhure's sons. Sekoba was accompanied by his brothers Makala, Mbalane and Bolamba who in most traditions is mentioned alongside Sekoba as the leader of the group. Among the group were also Sekoba's uncles, Serumola, Legong, Mphago and Maunatlala. It is not clear from the sources whether these men were full brothers or half brothers of Makhure. This group broke up with Sekoba and his follSome sources claim that Sekoba' s group settled first at Gubadwe Hill near Gobajango and that is where Babirwa began spreading over the area which is today called Bobirwa, including the Tuli Block. Babirwa did not live under the authority of Sekoba for long. They broke from Sekoba and lived ill scattered, isolated settlements. Only those who were loyal to Sekoba remained with him. Sekoba's group went to settle at Majweng Hills. Bolamba and his followers settled at Zembefonyi near the present day Lentswe-le-Moriti. Maunatlala settled his people in Lepoko1e Hills in the northern part of Bobonong. Serumola moved his people and settled at Lephale Hills in the Tuli Block and Makala settled East of Mapungubwe. The people of Kgwatalala and Mbalane settled on the hill called Lekhubu-la-Mbalane in the vicinity of the present day Semolale. In their settlements Babirwa were continually attacked by the Ndebe1e forces raiding and looting their cattle. In the 1860s Khama sent his newly formed age-regiment of Mafolosa and Matshosa to Bobirwa. These age-regiments were to group Babirwa in one place(centralization). Because of the attacks and resentment of Khama' s rule, Babirwa migrated to the Transvaal and joined other Babirwa people there. They stayed in the Transvaal until 1894 when they were attacked by the Boers, where eupon Babirwa returned to their settlements in Botswana. Sekoba' s group, who were by then led by his son Madikwe, settled at Majweng Hills in the north-eastern part of the present day Bobonong.

CULTURE OF BABIRWA

Tradition is also deeply embedded as elderly people here still hold on to their traditional way of life. Mabolwe people still have a strong bond with South African who live on the other side of the border. To them, South Africa is closer to them compared to other parts of Botswana and this is evidenced by the culture that they share. Babirwa are believed to originate from South Africa where most of their relatives still live thereby enhancing continuous trips for social purposes. Most of their means of survival are centered in South Africa, for instance, medical help. Mabolwe people just like other Babirwa still speak sebirwa language which sounds more like a mixture of Sepedi, Sesotho and Venda both in South Africa to give a clear indication that they originate there.
The dance, food and traditional clothing is exactly similar to their South African counterpart. Here culture is mostly evidenced by the commitment and devotion of the village elders who defied all odds to establish a traditional troupe named BDF X1. Due to the name some people think the group is related to Major Bright’s boys or Matshwenyego Fisher’s platoon, but they only possess a special link to President Ian Khama. Having been formed in 1978 as Mabolwe Traditional Troupe, the group discarded the brand in 1979 to label itself BDF X1. The name was derived from the celebrations in which Khama was installed as the paramount chief of Bangwato in Serowe in 1979 where it was hired to perform. Even today the group has stuck to the name that it has now become well known in Bobirwa, a thing that usually sparks confusion whenever they are called on stage to perform. However, the strategic name often draws a huge audience and attracts a lot of cash prizes when they perform. The name is simply a tribute to Khama when he parted ways with the Botswana Defence Force and the group still nurtures and respects the day they performed for him in 1979.
The group consists of 40 elderly women all in their late 50s. Alongside the ZEBRAS troupe from Mathathane, BDF X1 provides the most cherished form of entertainment, not only in Bobirwa but throughout the country. Their movements are determined by the occasion for which they are hired to perform, be it a wedding celebration, or even sometimes political rallies. In 2004, the group spent a month in China where they had been selected to perform and display Setswana culture. The group leader stressed that it broadened their horizons. “To be honest, everybody was impressed by our performance and we left behind a good image of our country. We are now flexible, even if BDF X1 football club could invite us to interact with them after the league, we are okay.” BDF X1 has also been to Zimbabwe. As old as they are Falala Ngala maintains that the time they spend at rehearsals does not in any way overstretch their schedules. “We have adjusted well to doing our personal things and going for practice.” She adds that the spirit of cooperation, commitment and a thirst to keep their culture alive is the only force behind the group’s 27 years success. However, the traditional singing is often put on hold during ploughing season as it is against the Sebirwa culture to beat drums at a time when rain is needed most. During such seasons they only prepare if they had been hired to perform somewhere outside the area. During practices, every one of them strictly abides by the command from the leader. The songs they emphasize on are the ones used to pray for the rain, ploughing season and those that were sung during night outs. Members believes that they mostly sing songs that convey a useful meaning to listeners combined with beautiful dance techniques

The youth have found it difficult to join the troupe as they often fail to withstand the intense cultural practices maintained by the group. The group does not only keep the culture through dance but also conducts initiation on young girls and gives them advice on how to handle their husbands once they are married. “We do not allow a situation where a girl can have more than one man and there is no revenge if a man is playing around. Re ba ruta gore monona ha tshwarwe madeudeu.” Currently the group survives from the little they raise from performances and weave their own dance gear that includes beads and matlhowa. They even go as far as South Africa to fetch indigenous tree fruits that they use in dance gear. However they have expressed worry that the money is too little for the 40 of them to share. They appealed to the general public to donate anything that could help them survive in their endeavor to maintain Sebirwa cultural practices. “Even a roll of material to make a uniform is more than welcome because our uniform is now torn and we are not working yet we have a passion for our tradition.” BDF X1 troupe’s main concern is that they have been the backbone of the Bobirwa Trade Fair since its inception but they say the government has done nothing so far to acknowledge their presence. “We are desperately in need of donors and the government has turned a deaf ear to us at also appeal to the audience.