Bangwaketse History

The Bangwaketse (also known as the BaNgwaketse, or Ngwaketse) are one of the eight principal tribes in the African nation of Botswana, and are ethnic Tswana.

The autonomous history of the dynasty begins with the life of its namesake, Ngwaketse, who was a junior son of a Mokwena monarch named Malope. The line of decent from the original Malope to his current namesake is free of serious dispute. Kgosi Malope is the son of Seepapitso, who was the son of Bathoen of Seepapitso of Bathoen of Gaseitsiwe of Tshosa of Makaba of Moleta of Mongala of Makaba of Khutwane of Leema of Seepapitso, born of Ngwaketse of Malope.

Counting back the generations, the above genealogy suggests that Ngwaketse was probably born sometime in the late 16th century.

They are sometime referred to as:

Batho ba ga Maila a bobela;

Batho ba ga matshaba le kgomo matlogela temo e le sefolela;

Ba ga heyana a heya;

Batho ba ga phešana ya moswagadi e e tshwarwang ka lesoko le phela;

Batho ba ga Mokgalo o thebe;

Batho ba ga setlhong ga se huparelwe

For generations the heirs of Ngwaketse have survived, often against the odds, to exert a lasting influence in the development not only of Botswana, but also the surrounding region.