Moshupa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moshupa is a village in the Southern District of Botswana with a population of about 18,000. The people of Moshupa are called the Bakgatla-ba-ga Mmanaana. They are a split from the Bakgatla in Mochudi and the whole group originates from the Transvaal region in South Africa where they are said to have split. Moshupa is characterised by unique and gigantic mountain outcrops which often leave visitors in wonder. The giant rocks( some up to 50 metres in radius) are so balanced on top of each other that even the villagers themselves wonder why they do not fall. They are believed to fall only when the village chief is dying, as an omen. The tribal chief of Moshupa is Kgosi Kgabosetso Mosielele and as is customary in Botswana the salutation 'kgosi' is the title used before the chiefs name.
There are six primary schools in Moshupa namely, Bakoko, Bakgatla, Kebonyekgotla, Kgabosetso, Kgabophuti and Mosielele Primary schools. The Three junior secondary schools are Baitirile, Diratsame and Mmanaana Junior Secondary School and the only one senior secondary school(or high school) is called Moshupa. Lately a few day-care centers and an orphanage has been added tho the educational system. There is also a vocational training center(Moshupa Brigade) offering trade courses and secretarial/accounts/business courses with some evening classes.
The health system consists of three clinics with a doctor coming on particular times of the week by appointment. Two of them can take births and short time inpatients. They do have highly specialised and experienced nurses and they refer major cases to the Kanye hospital or the Thamaga Hospital. There are plans to build a hospital in Moshupa.
One of the latest additions to Moshupa has been a Detention Center for young offenders to the west.
There are three seasonal rivers crossing Moshupa and they are Mosope, Hatshelatladi(Gatsalatladi), Monnamme and to some extent Selokolela in the north. The main river Mosope is said to be the host of a legendary Kgwanyape (dragon) which almost all the villagers swear it exists, with the old ones saying it was put there by the first kgosi as a talisman for the village. None of the villagers would dare cross the Mosope river at night especially where it joins the Phuting/kgosing mountain for fear of this kgwanyape(sometimes called Bushi, Seriri, Noga ya metsi). This place, called lefikeng, or just 'hikeng' has a phenomenal rock outcrop curiously balanced upon the rocky river banks with a phenomenal pond underneath it that hardly ever dries. Although the villagers avoid this place as much as they can, local white tourists and teachers prefer to hang around it a lot, only to confirm the locals belief that the 'Kgwanyape' turns into a white lady and sunbathes during the day.
Moshupa is divided into wards or kgotlas, as is typical of any Botswana village. They are Kgosing, Nakedi, Phuting, Kgope, Nkaikela, Mmamohuhumedi, Rungwana, Modimele, Jerusalem(part of Phuting),Mokakaneng, Mogaung, Maburung, Dibotong, Lepapeng, Ntle ga majwe,Maunatlala, and many other emerging as the village grows. They all have a sub-chief or Kgosana.
The settlement into Mushupa was the final settlement of the Bakgatla-ba-Mmanaana during the Mfeqane/Difaqane wars. It may have been chosen Because if its mountainous nature for defence or because of the presence of a seasonal water source(Mosope river).In the early 20th century problems with the Bngwaketse chief Bathoeng the second and his need to collect a two shilling hut tax led to a split up of the village with the chief leaving to live in Thamaga in 1934 under the Kwena territory. The main royal family was hence based in Thamaga and some of the Moshupa chiefs came from Thamaga such as the late Kgosi Diratsame Gobuamang the second.
Moshupa is often considered a village full of witches, witchdoctors and and other practitioners of the African occult. There is a considerable number of Traditional Herbalists who are popular even in the neighbouring villages. There is a high number of unconfirmed stories about mysterious events happening in Moshupa although the inhabitants themselves often hear it from people who do not even live in Moshupa.
Despite the belief in Traditional African beliefs, there is a high number of Christians in Moshupa, hence the high number of churches. The most popular are the U.C.C.S.A (originated from the London Missionary Society), The Seventh Day Adventist, Assemblies of God, The Roman Catholic, Z.C.C., I.P.C. and many other Afro-Christian cults.
Mushupa has a variety of ethnic groups that were incorporated into the village as it grew. To the south there is mostly people of the Bangwaketse ancestry, to the west it is claimed they may have a Kgalagadi(Tlharo, Ngologa and San) ancestry while the inhabitants of Phuting are said to be of a Ngwato ancestry hence the name, 'Phuting', from, the animal, phuti(African duiker), a Ngwato tribe totem.
There is a considerable number of people of an Afrikaans ancestry in the Maburung kgotla who can trace their roots to South Africa(Cape Colony) and the 17 century Holland. The most popular of them are the Stegling and the Ludick family. The have a strong tradition of Ironsmithing which was at its peak during the times of the wooden ox drawn cart or the 'kgothokgotho'. They still speak Afrikaans, a language similar to post medieval Dutch. They are sometimes referred to as 'Maburu'(the use of the word is sometimes considered derogatory). The word comes from the Dutch word, 'Boers' meaning 'Farmers' from the strong farming culture of the first Cape Colony settlers from Holland. Almost all Nguni(Xhosa, Swati, Zulu) and Sotho-Tswana tribes use the same word.
There is also a number of business people of Middle eastern and Indian origin who had lived there for so long that they had become Batswana although they still live as a small tight community. Prominent Businessman and former member of parliament, Mr Satar Dada has roots in the Moshupa Arabic people.
The areas around Moshupa consist of farmland that combines field crop farming and cattle farming and is almost always overgrazed and may be in danger of desertification. There is also a large number of Poultry farmers clustered in one place who supply the local market. Poultry is considered a lucrative business in Moshupa. There is also a vegetable farm on a swampy wetland along the river where you can get fresh spinach. tomatoes and other common vegetables. Vegetables still have to be imported into local supermarkets because Moshupa is still too arid for a large farming project.
Moshupa does not have a major shopping center but a cluster of shops around the main road, all which act as supermarkets and sell anything from lingerie to food to building materials and furniture. They literally sell anything they can. A Local bakery supplies bread to all the vendors and schools in Moshupa. There is also a high number of hair saloons that booms around Christmas time. They all specialise in afrostyles and some of them are highly equipped and qualified. There are also a few metalsmiths who specialise in welding and supplying local tomb crates(good business). Trade services such as plumbing are supplied by individuals, some of whom are very unqualified and can do shoddy jobs. Almost every man in Moshupa claims to be an expert in some trade, especially bricklaying and electrical installation.
Like many other Botswana villages, the developments in the village are controlled by a group of volunteers and the local municipality called the Village Development Committee. They usually deal with minor projects that do not require expert consultancy such as government housing (VDC housing) and the management of landscaping projects in the whole village.
There are as few as four and as many as seven political parties dominant in Moshupa with the reigning one as Botswana Democratic Party(BDP, Domkrag) though there is a considerable support for the Botswana Congress Party and The Botswana National Front and the Botswana Alliance Movement.
The member of parliament for Moshupa is called Hon, Maitlhoko G. Mooka. He is an expert in Demography and Statistics from university education in Egypt and he works under the Botswana Democratic Party(BDP)banner.
The name Moshupa means Naked and is said to have originated from a lone man found in the place when the people first settled there, although it has not been confirmed whether it is after the man's name or due to the legend that he was always naked.
Moshupa is still not considered a tourist destination and thus does not have visitor accommodation or provisions for tourists. There is a large number of bars and Liquor shops but nothing in the form of clubs although they do offer entertainment not dissimilar to clubs. Some have barbeque facilities. A motel is in Kanye, thirty minutes drive from Moshupa. Workers in the nature of Peace corps and volunteers can have accommodation organised through the V.D.C. housing which is highly subsidised and cheap.
Moshupa should actually be spelt and pronounced Mosopa and has the name Moshupa because the first documenters were British and would not pronounce and write it well.
An extensive in-depth history of Moshupa was made by one Dr Jeff Ramsay, a historian who now works as press secretary to the office of the President. The information can be accessed at The Botswana National Archives by request. Some researches have also been done by the University of Botswana history and geology department about Moshupa and can be accessed at the University Library. It also is another thrase for a spitroast with 3 men
