CULTURE

Culture: it refers to the way of life of a particular group of people within a given area.

Culture is dynamic as it keeps on changing. It changes as it gets passed from one generation to the other.

The change in culture takes place through its various elements as people interact with other groups and new
technology being introduced.

Cultural diversity: it means the cultural variety and cultural differences that exists in communities or in the
globe OR Having different cultures in a place.

Culture in the world differs significantly. People speak different languages, wear different clothes. This brings
about differences in our way of life.

BASIC ELEMENTS/ASPECTS OF CULTURE

These are elements of culture that are inherent in every cultural group. Cultural elements can be categorised
into two; material and non-material. Material culture refers to the physical elements of culture that can be
seen r touched e.g. pottery, dress, technology food, tools, etc. non-material culture refers to those elements
that cannot be touched e.g. beliefs, ideas, customs, religion, language, etc.

Material elements

Dress
Particular clothes or attire worn by people.
Technology
This refers to the tools and equipment that people use for production. Technology includes the
knowledge and experience that people use in their daily lives. It has changed from Stone Age to Iron
Age and to modern technology. The change in technology has massive (great) influence in the change
of other elements of culture.

Food
Anything edible that can be absorbed by the body without causing any harm. Many cultures have
traditional type of food and staple food. With the use of modern technologies and trade, many
cultures have acquired new foodstuffs and added them to their nutrition. Traditional food includes
delele for Bakalanga, tswii for the Batawana and Bambukushu, o’ngondivi for the Herero etc.

Tools
Equipment used by people. E.g. knob kerries, bows and arrows etc.
Architecture
The style and design of a building or buildings or the art and practice of planning and designing
buildings.

Non-material

Language
This is an inborn character that human beings use as a tool of communication. It can be spoken or
written. Language is usually used to express feelings and ideas as well as to share knowledge and
experience.

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 Religion
A set of beliefs adhered to by members of a community, involving symbols and ritual practices in
which members of a community engage in.
Customs
These are the practices and traditions of a society. Examples of customs include ceremonies to name
a new baby, initiation ceremonies such as bogwera and bojale, paying bogadi for marriage etc.
Norms
Rules of conduct which specify appropriate behaviour. It can prescriber a particular behaviour or
forbid it.
values
Ideas held by humans, individuals or a group about what is desirable, proper, good or bad.

Importance of culture

Cultural identity and pride

The differences in culture give each group its unique cultural identity. By accepting and practicing the
culture of particular group, individuals develop a sense of pride and belonging to that group.

Socialisation
Through socialisation culture cultivates norms and values of the society. Culture teaches children
acceptable behaviour so that they become responsible members of the society. Practically every
society in its belief system has a set of morals which provide guidelines about acceptable and
unacceptable behaviour.

Enhances unity and cooperation

People that have a common culture have a better understanding of each other and this can promote
cooperation and mutual relations between such people.

Teaches life skills

Through formal and informal education culture empowers people with technical skills such as
woodcarving, sculpturing, hunting, blacksmithing and other works of craft that people can use to
earn a living.

Promotes tourism
Traditional cultural activities, artefacts and places of historical interest are a major attraction to
tourists. Culture based tourism contributes significantly to the overall revenue generated by the
tourism industry in Botswana. People from abroad can be attracted by historical sites, architecture,
traditional dancing and the traditional way of life.

THE CULTURAL CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE INDEPENDENCE

Economic changes

Language
Due to adoption of western education and interaction of people of various cultures some Batswana
have adopted foreign languages such as English. Some people no longer speak their indigenous

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 languages. Even Setswana language has some words mostly borrowed from English and Afrikaans.
E.g. terekere, Sontaga, oura, buka, etc.

Food
Batswana used to eat food they produced for themselves and veld products such as phane, thepe,
and moretlwa. Nowadays they eat imported food like rice, macaroni, cucumber, etc.

Dress
In the past Batswana wore clothes made from animal skins. Boys wore ‘ditshega’ and girls wore
‘makgabe’. Today people wear skirts, shirts, trousers and dresses made from cotton. Most of these
clothes are imported from other countries.

Changes in economic activities

A large number of Batswana have abandoned their traditional economic lifestyle of hunting and
gathering, fishing and farming. They are now employed in the public and private sectors where they
earn income. In spite of the adoption of western forms of living, people still catch fish using the
traditional means.

Technology
Technology has changed drastically (a lot) and modern machines are more common than the use of
drought power in the agricultural sector and transport sector. People now use modern forms of
transport such as cars, buses, and aeroplanes instead of donkeys, and horse-this is the case in towns
and cities. However, many people in rural areas still use donkey carts, horses as modes of transport.

Trade
In trade, money has assumed center stage i.e. it has become an important commodity for trade. In
the past people used barter trade (exchange of goods for others).

Social changes

Practices/customs
Traditional practices such as rain making, festivals like Dikgafela have vanished (disappeared). People
have adopted westernized cultures.

Religion/beliefs
Traditional African Religion has largely been replaced by Christianity, Islam and other foreign
religions.

Forms of cooperation
Traditional forms of cooperation like mafisa, letsema, majako and others have largely been
abandoned.

Education/schooling
Initiation schools have been replaced with modern academic schools and institutions. However, there
are still some groups who still go for initiation e.g. the Bakgatla.

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 Entertainment
Traditionally Batswana entertained themselves by dancing and storytelling around the fireplace,
poetry and drama. In modern times people entertain themselves by watching television, going to
clubs, cinemas, bars, etc.

Family systems
There has been transformation at family level. The extended family has been replaced by the
promotion of nuclear family and both husbands and wives are heads of the family.
Role and status of women in the society
The role or status of women in the society has also changed. Roles are no longer divided on the basis
of sex but rather on abilities and educational qualification.

Socialization
There are also changes in the socialization process. Both men and women are now treated as equal
partners. Women can now make decisions. There is some level of equality between the sexes. In
spite of these changes, women are still subjected to discrimination especially in rural areas.

Security/defence
Traditionally men were protectors of the community through mephato. Today national security is a
task of special unit-BDF where both men and women are represented.

Transport
In the past (before 1966), the most dominant mode of transport was ox-drawn sledges, donkeys and
horses. These were used for both transporting goods and people from one place to the other. Today
people use cars, aeroplanes, bicycles and buses as a mode of transport. This is as a result of the
influence of European and American cultures.

Political changes

Leadership
Prior to independence, the chiefs were at the fore front of the community’s leadership. Nowadays
more power is in the hands of political representatives. Cabinet ministers, MPs, and councilors are
elected. This has replaced the traditional hereditary nature of leadership. Today chieftaincy remains
ceremonial.

The kgotla as a judicial unit

The traditional kgotla is no longer the focus of judiciary; the kgotla no longer handle major cases such
as murder, rape, treason, etc. they are being handled by modern law courts such as the magistrates,
high courts etc. this signifies a shift in adjudication.

Allocation of land
Traditionally, land was allocated by the kgosi. Today the land boards have been established with very
little involvement of traditional leaders as Dikgosi.

Community service
Before independence, the age regiments (mephato) were used to provide community services such
as maintaining law and order as well as for defence purposes. This is now the responsibility of the
police and the army.

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CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARDS NON-VERBAL ASPECTS OF CULTURE

Culture is dynamic, this means that it is changing overtime. The meeting of two or more different cultural
groups results in cultural changes. This is called acculturation. Due to globalisation and interaction with other
cultural groups some of the Tswana cultural values and norms are no longer practiced. Certain non-verbal
aspects of Tswana culture that promote the concept of Botho are no longer practiced. Examples of such
behaviours include the following;

 Kneeling and/or clapping of hands when greeting elderly people.

 Bending on knees when giving something to an elderly person.
 Not finger pointing an elderly person.
 Greeting every elderly person one meets.
 Removing one’s hat or cap when talking to an elderly person.
 Surrendering a seat to an elderly person.
 Shaving of heads when family member has passed away.
 Administration of punishment of a wrongdoer by any elderly person.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CULTURAL IDENTITY AND PRESERVATION

Cultural identity it means the way of life that are unique to the group of people that make them to be
different from others. People who belong to that group identify themselves by these ways of life. For example,
the customs a person follows when getting married is part of cultural identity. If you come from a culture that
pays bogadi, then this will be part of the marriage negotiations.

Cultural identity is important for the following reasons;

It gives us a sense of belonging

When we identify ourselves according to a particular culture, it helps us to be able to identify
ourselves with certain traditional customs. Culture is part of who we are or our identity, for example
the languages we speak, the traditional foods we eat and the customs, norms and values.

It helps us to know our origin

We can learn from the way people lived in the past as cultural knowledge is based on thousands of
years’ experience. This helps us understand our origins better and appreciate who we are.

Culture teaches us the norms and values of our society

These norms and values form the core of societies. They help us to be better citizens of our
communities as they encourage acceptable behaviour.
It also helps people to know their past history as well as the changes that have occurred.
Help us to uphold our culture and be able to pass it from one generation to the next.

THE NEED FOR CULTURAL TOLERANCE, SPACE, APPRECIATION AND LIBERTY IN BOTSWANA

Cultural tolerance: this means accepting and respecting other cultures that are different from our own.

Cultural space: it refers to a physical area to which people can express or practice their cultures without
interference.

People should be able to give respect not only to their culture but respect those different from theirs.

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 People should be given cultural space: this means that every cultural group should be given
opportunity to preserve and identify themselves with a particular culture, territory or geographical
location. E.g. people should be allowed to preserve sacred places or features that relate to their
cultures and believes e.g. Domboshaba for Bakalanga, Tsodilo Hills for Basarwa and Logaga la ga
Kobokwe for Bakwena.

People should be able to give respect not only to their culture but respect those different from theirs.
This helps in bringing about peace. People tend to live in peaceful co-existence with others thus
promoting peace.
No one should see their culture as being better than those of others. This is so because all cultures are
equally important and therefore worth preserving. No one culture is better than the other.
No one culture should suppress other culture. Everyone should be accorded the opportunity to speak
their native languages. This will ensure the preservation of such a language. People should not be
made to feel bad in any way when they use their language. This will help in preserving the diverse
cultures of Botswana.

Cultural liberty: this means that every cultural group should be given freedom to express their cultural
traditions and practices without hindrance.

People should be given freedom of association and belief. This will go a mile in preserving our cultural
heritage (the elements of culture that are considered important and valuable to preserve and pass on
to the future generations), and ensuring that they do not become extinct.
People should be free to adopt and identify with a culture of their choice. This enhances/strengthens
unity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING AND WRITING IN ANY LANGUAGE

It promotes its existence

The use of any language through speaking or writing promotes its existence. It helps to preserve the
language as it will be passed from one generation to another.

It triggers interest to know more about other people’s cultures

Any information that is written in a particular language becomes more interesting and easier to
understand for the people who speak the language.

It promotes cultural tolerance

The more a particular language is written or spoken, the more people will get used to it thereby
resulting in cultural tolerance through accepting other people’s languages.

Language unites people

Written or spoken language is a way of advertising the language i.e. it gets k own. Therefore language
acts as a unifying factor between different people hence promoting nation building.

Written language helps in the documentation and preservation of people’s culture

This further helps in transmitting the information from one generation to the next. In the modern
world, the most highly understood history and culture of any group is one that is written about. For
instance, English culture or western cultures are amongst the well documented and understood
cultures in the world.

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 WAYS OF PROMOTING TRADITIONAL CULTURE

Ways of promoting traditional culture locally

Cultural festivals
Various cultural groups should come together and organise cultural competitions where cultural
groups can showcase their heritage such as dance, poetry, artefacts etc. this will help ethnic groups
to preserve their culture.

Inclusion in the school curriculum/Education

Culture as a topic should be emphasised by the school curriculum from primary to tertiary level.
Other local languages like Hambukushu, Kalanga, Wayei, etc. should be taught in schools so that they
cannot become extinct.

Formation of cultural associations

Each ethnic group should form a cultural association which will help advertise its culture and
advocate for their rights of its people. E.g. Kamanakao-Wayei, Mbungu Wa Kathimana-Hambukushu,
SPIL-Kalanga

Encouragement of literature based on tradition

Each ethnic group should encourage its people to write poems, novels and plays in their languages so
that the coming generations can also learn their culture.

Establishment of more museums

Each ethnic group should have a museum where its culture can be preserved and appreciated by
other people. This will prevent the culture from becoming extinct.

Revival of cultural practices

People have to be encouraged to do certain practices in a traditional way. E.g. reintroduction of
bogwera nad bojale, traditional marriages and funerals as a way of preserving culture.

Curio shops
These are shops that sell traditional crafts like baskets, sculptures and paintings. Such shops should
be encouraged because they provide a suitable market for locally made crafts and this will encourage
more people to venture into business of manufacturing traditional crafts.

Trough broadcasting
Programmes based on cultures can be broadcasted o radio and television. This will arouse interest in
other people. For example-the annual dance festivals during the President’s holidays broadcasted on
Btv helps promoting Batswana cultures.

Through Story telling

Stories told by elders carry a rich traditional culture of a people. Its promotion ensures the existence
of culture.

Ways of promoting ones culture internationally

Advertising on media
Advertising on international media such as radio, magazines and television so that people in other
countries can also see what other cultural groups or nations have to offer in terms of cultural
activities and artefacts. This will also attract more tourists from abroad into the country.

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 Organising festivals
International cultural festivals and culture based competitions such as dance, poetry, sculpturing,
drama, painting etc. this will bring together different people from different cultural backgrounds to
showcase their cultural expertise on stage. Such competitions will sell different cultures to a larger
audience and inspire people to stick to their cultural roots.

Establishment of museums
A national museum could be established where all the important cultural aspects of the nation can be
displayed especially in large settlements such as urban areas. In Botswana national museums should
have been availed in important tourist destinations such as Maun and Kasane.

Exporting cultural materials to other countries

This will help market local products. An enlarged and reliable market will encourage more people to
venture into the business of manufacturing traditional artefacts.

Formation of cultural organisations

International cultural organisations will spearhead al international activities concerning cultural
groups across the world.

GENDER DISPARITIES RESULTING FROM CULTURAL PRACTICES

Gender disparities/inequality: This is when individuals are treated differently or unfairly on the bases of their
sex. OR the unequal treatment of people on the basis of their sex.

Some cultural practices discriminates against men and women, for instance women are less represented in
important decision making bodies such as councils and parliament. This is partly because in the past leadership
roles were reserved for men and not women.

Division of labour
In Setswana tradition, people have always been assigned duties on the basis of their gender.
Traditionally there were roles for men and roles for women. Household duties have always been
female duties while livestock herding was a chore for males.

Inheritance
When parents die, the eldest son has always been deemed as heirs to the estate (family property).
This gives males more economic poor and status than their female counterparts.

Marriage
Bride price ‘bogadi’is paid by males only and the woman abandoned her surname and adopted that
of the husband. Only the woman is expected to relocate to to the husband’s residence.

Bereavement
Upon death of a marital partner only women are expected to wear mourning dress (usually black or
blue) for a certain period of time and they also had to undergo certain rituals. Men are not expected
to wear any clothes that symbolise loss of a spouse.

Setswana Sayings
There is a Setswana saying that discriminate against women. E.g. ‘’ga di ke di etelelwa pele ke
manamagadi’’. This idiom expresses the view that women are not capable of being leaders.. They
could not for example, be appointed Dikgosi. They were always ranked below men just because they
were women. The best they could do was to be married and bear children.

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 Provider in the family
Society strongly believed that men should be the main provider in the family and as such it was
common for men to seek employment while their wives stayed at home to do household chores.
Poverty in the family was mainly blamed on the husband and as a result a husband who fails to
provide for his own family lost society’s respect.

Education
In terms of schooling, priority was given to boys as there was a belief that girls would be married and
taken away from their families. Most girls were oriented to do domestic chores, like babysitting and
cooking. This reduced investment in female education as it was regarded as waste of time.

WAYS IN WHICH GENDER IMBALANCE CAN BE SOLVED

Fair/equal distribution of labour

Both boys and girls should be given or taught same tasks at an equal level without considering their
gender. This will help in changing their mind-set that certain tasks are for males or females.

Provision of equal education

The education system nowadays states that there should be no discrimination in any subject. Both
boys and girls should be given similar subjects and course without any relevance to their gender. This
helps to curb societal stereotypes of thinking that only males can do engineering, piloting, medicine
etc.

Change in legislation
Traditionally Tswana laws and customs oppressed women and it is important that all laws that are
gender discriminatory are cancelled from the constitution so that both sexes can have equal rights,
opportunities and privileges. E.g. the abolition of the Marital Power Act which gave men more power
than women in marriage.

Women empowerment
Women’s rights have to be improved. They should be encouraged to take up positions of
responsibility such as being Members of Parliament and councillors. They should also form more
organisations that will advocate for their rights such as Emang Basadi Women Against Rape etc.

Equal access to job opportunities

Women are educated as men and as such should be given the same opportunities as men. The SADC
30% gender quota has been adopted by many member states as a way of addressing gender
inequality in many countries.

THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN INFLUENCING CULTURE

Mass media is a communication-whether written, broadcast, or spoken-that reaches a large audience.

Examples of mass media include among others; TV, radio, advertising, movies etc.

Mass media influence many aspects of our lives in different forms some of which are as follows;

Promotion of language
The media may help in upholding the use of certain languages. For example some newspapers write
articles and stories in Setswana which promote and enrich the Setswana vocabulary. The use of

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 English by many printed sources of information has made English more popular. Promotion of the
language by the media may lead to the extinction of others.

Generates pride in one’s culture

Through advertising in the media people develop love and pride in their own cultures especially if the
advertising is done in local languages.

Education
Television and radio have programmes on culture such as Sedibeng, Makgabaneng, Dipina le maboko
etc. all these programmes educate the young people and foreigners about our cukltural practices
which would otherwise become extinct due to globalisation and acculturation.

Promotes unity
The media often bring together people from different cultural backgrounds to come and address
issues of cultural concern.

Media is important for storing culture

Media can also be used as storage for cultural aspects, for example, historical photographs and videos
of past activities can be stored and viewed for many generations to come.

Moral decay
The use of modern technology as a source of information like computers and television has led to
serious change in behaviour especially amongst the youth. Young people copy deviant tendencies like
the use of drugs, pornography, drug and substance abuse from T.V and the internet.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE IN PROMOTING NATIONAL PRINCIPLES (EVALUATE)

Democracy

Sayings
Many Setswana expressions promote democracy. E.g. mmua lebe o bua la gagwe. This ensures that
there is freedom of expression, mafoko a kgotla a mantle otlhe (promotes tolerance of other
people’s views, Kgosi ke Kgosi ka batho (means that a chief rules with the consent of his people) all
these proverbs prevent dictatorship.

Kgotla as an institution
The kgotla has promoted democracy because everybody was allowed to contribute in kgotla
proceedings. This strengthens democracy.
However it discriminated against women as only men were allowed to attend kgotla meetings. This
further strengthened male dominance over women.

Punishment of wrong doers at the Kgotla

This form of corporal punishment encouraged discipline and rule of law.

Development

Traditional tools
Traditionally Batswana produced their own food and tools. They traded through the battery system
for things that they did not produce so as to improve their standard of living.

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 Economic forms of cooperation
Traditional forms of cooperation such as mafisa, and motshelo promoted development as they would
help poor people, for instance, through mafisa poor people could own cattle and use them for milk
and draught power.

Tswana sayings
Proverbs such as ‘’mosele wa pula o epiwa go sale gale’’ and ‘’se monate se ingwaelwa’’ encouraged
development because it made Batswana to be prepared at all times.

Clarion calls
These include motho le motho kgomo which encouraged all Batswana to contribute all they had in
the construction of The University of Botswana.

Self-reliance

Traditional forms of cooperation

Some cultural forms have encouraged self-reliance e.g. molaletsa, letsema.
Ipelegeng
Some public projects were assigned to some regiments e.g. communal hunting, digging of wells, .
Production of tools
Every culture produced its own tools and artefacts. e.g. dikika, ditlatlana, dinkgwana. These were
used to ensure food self-sufficiency other than relying on hand-outs.

Sayings
Some sayings have encouraged self-reliance e.g. mpha mpha o a lapisa… this emphasised the need to
rely on one’s efforts other than begging.

Unity

Sayings
Some sayings have promoted cooperation e.g. Moroto wa o esi ga o ele, mabogo dinku a thebana
etc. all these proverbs encouraged people to work hand in hand rather than working independently.
Forms of cooperation
Some cultural forms have encouraged cooperation e.g. motshelo people came together to do some
fundraising activities like selling beer and traditional food. Whereas in molaletsa people came
together and helped each other in activities like harvesting, weeding, thrashing, decorating mud
walls, etc.
Social gatherings
These included weddings, funerals etc. people would come together and assist each other to show
support and appreciation of each other. Such gatherings brought people together to celebrate or
mourn.

Botho

Socialisation
Through socialisation some cultural practices promoted Botho. E.g greeting elders using both hands,
bending of knees when giving something to an elderly person, helping neighbours (matlo-go-sha-
mabapi) and respecting societal symbols.

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 Punishment of wrong doers at the Kgotla
Such a practice discouraged misbehaving and other related offences.

IMPACTS OF GLOBALISATION ON LOCAL AND NATIONAL CULTURE

Globalisation is the interconnectedness and interdependence between people, regions and countries in the
world as a result of improvements in telecommunication and technology.

Local cultures-this refers to the cultures of local ethnic groups such as Batawana, Baherero, Basarwa, etc.

National culture refers to the general culture of Batswana as one nation rather than as individual ethnic
groups.

Positive impacts

Broadens cultural knowledge

Interaction of people has led to exchange of cultural knowledge and skills. E.g. Batswana have
adopted western clothes which are suitable for all types of weather.
Adoption of better lifestyles
This will include enhancement in the rights of women and children. In Tswana culture women and
children were oppressed.
Promotes tolerance
Through interaction, people are able to learn and accept other people’s way of lives hence resulting
in peace.

Negative impacts

Loss of culture
Batswana have lost some of their cultural practices e.g. initiation schools have been replaced by
formal schools and Christianity has replaced belief in ancestral gods.

Negative perspectives towards other cultures

Interaction with a dominant culture has resulted in marginalisation of some cultures as they are
regarded as primitive or old fashioned. E.g. Basarwa. Nowadays some people are shamed of speaking
their mother tongue or telling exactly where they come from because they are afraid of being
laughed at.

Cultural assimilation
Some cultures have been ‘swallowed‘ by dominant cultures or cultures of lager groups resulting in
the disappearance of weaker or less dominant cultures.

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