Human beings originated in Africa and spread throughout the continent and populated the rest of the world.  DNA testing can now identify the “deep ancestry” of peoples and it is fascinating to do the simple test and discover previously unknown history.  Botswana’s history (i.e. of the people) begins at least 100,000 years ago.  The San (also known as the Kalahari Bushmen) and the Khoi peoples lived as hunter-gatherers and some still wish to do so.  Rock paintings, for example at Manyana, in the Gaborone area, show some of this history.  Tribal chiefdoms developed over hundreds, if not thousands of years and several linguistic groups can be identified in what is now Botswana:  the San (hunters); the Tswana (more than three-quarters of modern Botswana) and, amongst other groups, the Bangwato. There is a notably peaceful co-existence between the several groups of peoples, although, as mentioned elsewhere, the government is intent on displacing the San to end their hunter-gatherer lifestyles.

The 18th century trade in which many Africans were captured by European traders and sent as slaves to America and elsewhere, did not reach Botswana, as far as we can tell.  Trading posts were established to capitalise on the ivory and skin trades, often offering guns in exchange.  The result was that many of southern Botswana’s animals were lost to traders in the 18th and 19th centuries.  European missionaries arrived in the 19th centuries and, amongst others, King Khama III was converted and persuaded his people to become Christians.  There is a large London Missionary Society church in Serowe, Khama’s home village, standing as a testament to the conversions.  Today, perhaps 70% of the population would say they are Christians, supporting a dozen or more branches ranging from Methodists to Mormons.  

Before Independence

The Union of South Africa, formed in 1910 from several British colonies, sought to include Botswana but the UK continued to demur. When, in 1961, South Africa withdrew from the British Commonwealth, any idea of annexing Botswana came to an end. There had been unpleasant influence by South Africa, when in the late 1940s, the British Government was persuaded to take action over the marriage of Seretse Khama to an English woman, Ruth Williams. The practice of segregation in South Africa and Rhodesia had spilled over into Botswana and the white minority, mostly from South Africa, generally regarded black people as inferior. There were unpleasant expectations: in some places, front doors were for whites; the back door was for blacks; train carriages for whites were separate from those for black people; a hotel’s smart front door was for whites; black people were not admitted other than the servants who entered by the back door. Fortunately, this unpleasant post-war racism came to an end with independence.

An example of unpleasant and autocratic colonial actions occurred in 1933 when an Englishman was punished by Chief Tshekedi for misbehaving with Botswana girls, the UK’s Commissioner reacted strongly and disciplined the (black) chief for having the audacity to punish a (white) Englishman. It seems to have been acceptable for a white man to have improper relationships with black girls! Tshekedi was deposed but the outcry in the UK press and public, engineered by Tshekedi who remembered his father’s campaign in the UK to stop the encroachment of South Africa in the 1880s, soon made it clear that his banishment was a step too far and the Acting High Commissioner was forced to reinstate him.

After Independence

In 1964, the UK proposed independence and Botswana was very well placed to continue its democratic development.  A constitution was drawn up for a multi-party republic in which the president is both head of state and head of the government and the first national elections were held in 1966.  Seretse Khama, grandson of King Khama III, became president and was re-elected twice.  His son, Ian Khama, is the current president.  There is no doubt about the popularity of the Khama family and the elections are seen to be fair and untainted by corruption.  There are few African countries that can make this claim.

Independence for Botswana required a seat of government and offices for civil servants – previously the administration was in neighbouring South Africa.  Serowe, the home of the Khama family, was considered but thought to be too remote and Gaborone, then a village, was chosen as the capital.  Much work was required to convert a small village into a capital city with the necessary infrastructure, including our favourite market area and the President Hotel, banks and Government Enclave.  

I suggest we delete this section: There are plans to upgrade the market area (the Main Mall) and it is to be hoped that the open-air market will continue to include the leatherwork, baskets, clothing and foodstuffs that make it such an attractive venue for tourists.  The President Hotel which overlooks the Main Mall, has been consistently upgraded and improved over the years.  New, mostly enclosed, American-style shopping malls have appeared in several places in Gaborone.  We rather like the one at the Riverwalk where there is a good bookshop.  The biggest mall is at Game City.