Houses of the Dikgosi (I) Sechele and Khama III
Source : Freelancer
Author : Sandy Grant
Location : Gaborone
Event : Column
Since Kgosi Sechele in Molepolole broke convention in 1866 by having a modern European style house built for him, Batswana Chiefs have frequently wanted for themselves, if not always everybody else, the best and often the most up to date homes. Fortunately there is sufficient information available there about their houses which covers a periodof nearly 150 years.
From this we are able to put together some sort of a record of the way that these houses changed. If Sechele I was undoubtedly the forerunner, paying 1,800 ostrich feathers, which was the agreed equivalent of £300, for his prestigious two bed roomed house, it might have been expected that the more prosperous of the other Dikgosi, perhaps Gaseitsiwe (1846-89) or Bathoen (1889-1910) in Kanye or the two Ngwato Chiefs, Sekgoma (variously kgosi until 1875) and Khama III (1875-1923) would have built something similar for themselves.
In the event, the next European style house was built in 1871/72 for Kgamanyane in Mochudi when the Bakgatla first settled there. It still exists. This was a modest rectangular building which was, then, probably thatched. It was replicated by Kgosi Linchwe 1 when he moved away from the kgotla and settled on Phuthadikobo Hill. This very unpretentious house, similar in style and date to Kgosi Ikaneng’s house inRamotswa, was demolished in 1964.
Fortunately two photos have survived which show that the wish for change did vary from one Kgosi to another. Isaac Schapera, for instance, took a photo in 1938 of an attractive home which he was told had been Bathoen’s (1889-1910) It consisted of three, small inter- connected rectangular thatched buildings, the larger one in the one in in the centre being flanked by the other two.
In contrast, a little known but extraordinarily important photo in the National Museum’s collection shows Khama’s very traditional lelapa in Old Palapye in 1896. Behind a high, curving decorated, perimeter lelapa wall can be seen six large, old style rondavels reflecting a pattern still favoured by the Bangwato today. The implication is obvious.
Khama had no intention of abandoning the circular for the rectangular. Probably the same can be said for Kgafela who in 1904/5 built a new home for himself andhis new wife, Seingwaeng at Sethubong, Mochudi. His lelapa comprised, not least, a number of giant rondavels, one of which still survives and, remarkably, is still in use.
The photo of Khama’s lelapa serves to demonstrate not only the character differences between Sechele and himself but helps to draw out the differences between Old Palapyeand Old Molepolole, even though those two capitals were more or less co-terminous.
If Sechele’s house was the wonder of its age, it is notable that his Kwena capital never prompted the sort of reaction of the Cape Argus’s correspondent in 1890 who observed, ‘We often speak of Kimberley and Johannesburg, as the Americans used to speak of Chicago, as wonderful cities for their age. In my opinion. King Khame’s Bechuana city…is a city not one whit less wonderful than either. Palapye the Wondrous I christen it…20 square miles of ground holding some 30,000 inhabitants; yet less than fifteen months ago there was no place such as Palapye in existence!
At once we are presented with a fascinating contrast. On the one hand, Sechele’s was still very much a 19th century Tswana capital even though his modern/European house looked towards the next century. On the other hand, Khama’s Old Palapye was an entirely new version of the old Tswana capital and belonged more to the 20th than 19th century. Yet his own entirely traditional home remained very much what it must have been in Shoshong - a thoroughly 19th century home.
A powerful factor influencing Tswana Chiefs in their preferences and choice of housing must have been their realisation that their way of life was fast changing and that their homes had to meet new needs. A powerful factor would always have been symbolism and status but once they began to want tables, chairs and beds, and to keep records on paper, the nature and shape of their houses was bound to change, if only from round to rectangular.
A long lasting feature of traditional Tswana life has been that its Chiefs have been always been accessible to their people. Reflecting this central feature of Tswana life was the physical lay- out of Tswana towns with the Chief’s home in the centre being situated adjacent both to his kgotla and to his cattle kraal – political and economic power being brought tightly together. Bit by bit this characteristic feature has been whittled away real leaders who are not afraid to pass our knowledge to others.
The first change came when the Chiefs realized that they could no longer lead their communities from their homes, and needed to have separate offices in their dikgotla. The first to take this step were probably Sechele in old Molepolole and Seepapitso in Kanye, and then, later, similar change occurred in Serowe, and Mochudi .
The next change came when the Chiefs began to build new homes for themselves which were distant from the kgotla. Today, it is possible that only in Serowe is a working Chief still living in proximity to the kgotla.The third change concerned the kgotla cattle kraals which are now rarely used and are effectively abandoned. The traditional linkage between traditional political and economic power has therefore been broken – demonstrated most obviously in recent years in Mochudi where the old kraal (lesaka) has been taken apart.
Nevertheless, the physical remains of that old pattern - which are still visible in all the old major tribal centres - provide a clear physical demonstration of the way that power was traditionally structured and has now passed elsewhere.On the other hand, the leobo of many of the tribal dikgotla, both major and minor, have been re-juvenated and are today handsome and attractive structures.
It must be a matter of conjecture whether this spectacular upgrading reflects the new found powers of the Chiefs or the newly achieved powers of the local communities.
Teaser:
Since Kgosi Sechele in Molepolole broke convention in 1866 by having a modern European style house built for him, Batswana Chiefs have frequently wanted for themselves, if not always everybody else, the best and often the most up to date homes. Fortunately there is sufficient information available there about their houses ...
