Ovaherero Mbanderu of Pilane reminisce

02 Oct 2024

As part of the 58th Independence celebrations, the residents of Pilane were on Monday given an account of the Ovaherero and Mbanderu tribes history.

Relating the oral history of the Ovaherero and Mbanderu of Pilane, Aniki Kamatui said other than learning from the elders, her knowledge relating to the history was empowered by the fact that she was at one point an employee of Phuthadikobo Museum in Mochudi under the tutelage of a great historian, Sandy Grant.

Taking the gathering through the migration route of Ovaherero and the Mbanderu from Namibia fleeing the German subjugation in Namibia, Kamatui said some of the tribes’ members moved to South Africa.

She said their movement continued, with some crossing into Botswana, some finding refuge in South Africa.

“We have relatives in South Africa,” she said.

Moving to Botswana, Kamatui said the two tribes initially temporarily settled in Kanye.

Despite moving from place to place seeking refuge, Kamatui said the Ovaherero and Mbanderu were pastoralists, therefore their journey was a difficult undertaking as it involved driving livestock herds.

However, Kamatui said their stay in Kanye was short lived, as they were found to be encroaching the land that was heavily occupied by another tribe, the Bangwaketse.

Therefore, the search for a permanent place of refuge continued, breaking into many groups, with some moving to Ghanzi, Maun, Mahalapye and Pilane. Kamatui said the group that was destined for Pilane made its first stop at Mogobane.

By nature, Kamatui said, the Mbanderu and Ovaherero people were not used to mixing with other tribes, even when in a location where there were other tribes.

They would rather occupy a piece of land on the outskirts of such a settlement. Migrating from Mogobane, she said some settled at Gabane, some moved to Dikgatlhong near Lentsweletau, while the group that finally settled at Pilane moved to Mochudi, where they were welcomed by Kgosi Molefi of Bakgatla. While in Mochudi, Kamatui said the tribes first occupied Ra-Molefe ward.

As the village grew and with the Bakgatla tribe getting closer to where they had settled, they moved further to the outside of the village settling at Matamoreng, then Legotlhong where they ploughed and kept their cattle.

Finally, she said the tribes settled west of Mochudi, using the railway line as a border between them and Bakgatla. She said construction and tarring of the A1 road forced the two tribes to move further west of the railway line, to the current location of Pilane.

After realising that the population of Pilane had reasonably grown, Kamatui said Kgosi Linchwe assigned Norman Molomo to be the headman of arbitration in Pilane. She said back then there was no structure at the kgotla save for a giant moloto tree.

Originally, she said, the location of Pilane kgotla was the residence of one Kontubane (Ra Segametsi) adding that the piece of land adjacent to the kgotla, now occupied by the school, was his ploughing field. Kamatui said after Molomo left, Kgosi Linchwe sent someone to address the residents asking them to look for someone from the two tribes who would lead the village.

The consultative meeting resulted in the current Kgosi Zacchious Kaeparura being appointed as headman of the village in 2000.

Even though the village was originally started by the Ovaherero and Mbanderu, Kamatui said Pilane had grown tremendously and was now home to various tribes.

She said there was no truth in that the Ovaherero and Mbanderu were banished from Mochudi, as there had never been any animosity between the two tribes and their custodians, the Bakgatla-ba-ga- Kgafela. ENDS

Source : BOPA

Author : Moshe Galeragwe

Location : GABORONE

Event : INTERVIEW

Date : 02 Oct 2024