The basotho hut of the lesotho landscape in south africa. Basotho definition is a bantuspeaking people of lesotho. Bangodi ba dipalekgutshwe tsena ha ba ngola ba etse hloko dintlha tsa bohlokwa tsa phedisano tse kang ditokelo tsa botho, bong, bodumedi le bomorabe. The first general elections saw the ruling basotho national party thrown out in favor of the basotho congress party, with civil strife and political infighting continuing until a military coup in 1985. What makes the basotho blankets unique is the layout of the design, the various symbols used, the bold colour combinations and the characteristic pinstripe.
A history of fashion in headwear dover fashion and. Master of philosophy in indigenous studies faculty of social science, university of tromso norway, spring 2009. The basotho have inhabited the region since around the fifth century and so, they are closely related to other bantu peoples of the region. It serves as both a cultural icon of lesotho and part of the everyday. Kora and the griqua bandits also raided the kingdom, but were ambushed by the basotho, who seized their guns and horses. Qiloane is mother mountain to the father mountain the protector of our nation thaba bosiu this means the night mountain. However, its origins can be traced back to the european traders and missionaries as far back as the 1800s. The historical significance of a sotho hat is that it is shaped like qiloane mountain.
The main goal of the pages under sub wikis section is to provide over time a compilation of praise poems odes of the basotho clans, lithoko tsa liboko tsa basotho. Know about origin of basotho and other african bantu people. En dan bosko, social organizational aspects of religious change among basotho, new york university, 1983, 356 p. The basotho hut african hut, vernacular architecture.
History of the basuto, ancient and modern world digital library. The book includes genealogies going back to 1450, a history of the basotho people from their origins to 1833 when the missionaries arrived, and an account of the rise of moshoeshoe i circa 17861870, the founder and first paramount chief of the sotho people. Please place your orders with the curator stephen gill of morija museum shop see contact page. Its conical shape is seen everywhere in the kingdom, and is the recognized symbol of the country.
The basis of this compilation is derived from the work done by prof. Puo e sebedisitsweng mona ke e mathemalodi empa e totobatsang ka moo batjha ba kajeno. The basotho hat, a conical woven hat with a distinctive topknot, is a symbol of lesothos unification. By the early 1990s, an estimated 100,000 basotho worked in south africas mines, and many others were part of south africas urban work force throughout the country. Basotho hat maseru, lesotho shopping lonely planet. Northern sotho the heterogeneous northern sotho are often referred to as the pedi or bapedi, because the pedi make up the largest of their constituent groups. Jan 23, 2012 wikis basotho clans according to history, basotho originate from two major clans. Badges of the brave pays tribute to regiments from the british empire and the basotho soldiers who served in world war 2. The basotho have a distinguishable traditional attire which includes the conical hat men and women usually wear different form of hats known as the mokorotlo, which has a decorated knob at the top. Below is a highlevel hierarchy capturing some of the basotho clans elaborated from this piece of history. The basotho actually appealed to great britain in the mid1800s for help and protection during civil unrest. This design is of their traditional hat called basotho hat. Subsequently, power was firmly placed in the hands of king moshoeshoe ii, who soon lost favor with the military and was forced to flee into exile.
The level of cultural prominence which these hats have obtained illustrates the process by which clothing achieves. History of the basotho the emergence of basotho as a nation occurred around 1818 when king moshoeshoe 17861870 formed alliances with an amalgam of clans and chiefdoms of southern sotho people who occupied the area which is presently the northern and eastern free state and western lesotho from about 1400 ad. This paper will trace the physical and cultural evolution of the hat, as part of the emergence of a national identity in lesotho during the twentieth century. A short history of lesotho from the late stone age until the. If you ever make it to maseru the capital city of lesotho, this book is available at the basotho hat gift shop and the shield gift shop. The basotho hat craft center maseru tourist information center and shop basotho hat, kingsway is a government run craft store which stocks locally made crafts.
However, they have a deep reverence and a strong relationship with. In precolonial times, the basotho people worshiped the balimo, the ancestor spirits. The hats shape is believed to have been inspired by the conical qiloane mountain. This is a conicalshaped hat made out of a grass named moseha. A similarly shaped hat has been identified among the descendants of the cape malays, former slaves from the east indies, and it is believed that the sotho may have adopted the mokorotlo through exposure to these slaves. The majority of this head gear is made out of straw and leaves while a few are made from animal skins.
The conical basotho hat has changed over the centuries. The construction and maintenance of society through narratives mantsi teboho pitso thesis submitted for the degree. When you visit lesotho and come across any craft market, the first thing you will notice is a conical shaped hat, the basotho hat or mokorotlo. Traditionally young girls would be dressed in a neckpiece made out of clay beads known as sefaha sa letsopa and a dress made out of clay beads known as thethana ea banana. Overall, i would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this unique, diverse, and beautiful country. Renepaul gosselin, basotho people at work, book of photography 2009 r 300. Jul 01, 2015 basotho heritage blankets, despite being largely unavailable outside of africa for their 100yearplus existence, are of such quality and have such a colorful, storied history that they are easily. It is now a fully sovereign state and is a member of the united nations, the commonwealth of nations, the african union, and the southern african development community sadc. A fascinating article on the history of basotho heritage blankets of the kingdom of lesotho the aranda basotho blanket has a deep cultural significance and history.
Sotho people enjoy meats from chicken, lamb, and cow. A similarly shaped hat has been identified among the descendants of the cape malays, former slaves from the east indies, and it is believed that the sotho may have adopted the mokorotlo through exposure to these slaves the mokorotlo is the object which was used to cast rulings in customary courts, similar to the symbolism of a gavel. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. Nowadays the basotho tribal blanket seanamarena is such a common sight in lesotho, that tourists tend to assume that it was a local invention. Short stories from sotho writers, including thabiso. E loketse babadi ba ditoropong, metseng le mapolasing. Book sellers will enjoy a 30% discount on all materials purchased. The basotho blanket is also often worn over the shoulders or the waist. Mokorotlo and national identity in lesotho the conical grass hat known as mokorotlo is considered to be part of the national dress of lesotho. Basotho, local traditions and culture in lesotho how. History of the basuto, ancient and modern world digital. T t raditionally the basotho had different ways of dressing, depending on the age of an individual and or the occasion.
Buyers from lesotho may purchase books at the museum, or we can arrange to post or deliver books to maseru for an additional cost. Feb 25, 2016 did you know the traditional basotho hat is called a mokorotlo. This major study of migrant labour in lesotho, concentrating on the period between 1980 and 1940, considers the position of basotho migrant workers in south africa, lesothos dependency on migrant labour, and the social and cultural consequences on communities, when men are sent away to work. The construction and maintenance of society through narratives by. The basotho hut is slowly, but surely, being nudged out of the lesotho landscape in south africa by modern construction. All these facts only prove that the sotho people have a very rich culture from their ancestors up to this present time. An article by scott rosenberg of the history department at knox college in galeburg il, usa on the basotho hat is as follows. They believed that the spirits had power to punish those who disobeyed laws and the customs of society, and that the balimo can bring misfortune and illness to the community if one disobeys the spirits.
Basotho blanket history it is generally accepted that the traditional basotho blanket is a local invention but its origins can be traced back to european traders and more specifically to a single incident that happened in 1860 when a trader, mr howel, presented a woollen blanket to king moshoeshoe i as a gift. Souvenir shop in berlin street shop selling souvenir memorabilia royal wedding bus station souvenir shop at pyrgos town in. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. The history of the basotho traditional blanket the. A memoir, 2009 reflections of the former personal secretary of prime minister leabua jonathan r 150. The collection includes badges of the brave, crest, crown, spitfire, malekable flame, skin the traditional leopard skin and pelo ea morena heart of the king. A scenic land of tall mountains and narrow valleys, lesotho owes a long history of political autonomy to the mountains that surround it and protect it from encroachment. With a roof of strong grass that lasts 20 to 30 years it keeps the inside cool during summer and traps heat during winter without a drop of water seeping through. More expensive than elsewhere in lesotho, but convenient and well stocked with two floors of quality crafts from across the country. Aug 11, 2015 basotho are also known for their mokorotlo conical hat. Its a fine piece of craftmanship, made out of grass. The basotho were never colonized like many other african tribes had been, including the ibo. It depicts a mountaintop, conical and topknotted, which is visible from the fortress and tomb of moshoeshoe i pronounced moshwayshway near masaru. Most basotho still lead rural lifestyle with scattered picturesque villages and clusters of huts located high in lying areas and on the midlevels well away from the deep river valleys and potential flood zones.
The history of the basotho traditional blanket november 1, 2010. Culture of lesotho history, people, clothing, women. Sotho is the language used by the sotho people and now it is one among the eleven languages used in south africa. Basotho heritage blankets, despite being largely unavailable outside of africa for their 100yearplus existence, are of such quality and have such a. A young basotho stands with his family and proudly shows the national flags h. This hat is a recognised symbol of lesotho and has the shape of many of the mountains seen in the country. Basotho, local traditions and culture in lesotho how africa. A mature basotho man in a traditional basotho hat and blanket at h. Ena ke pokello ya dipalekgutshwe tse ngotsweng ke batjha. Basotho culture is steeped in the rich history of beautiful blanket designs used for every occasion from birth to manhood and marriage.
Lesotho was previously the british crown colony of basutoland, but it declared independence from the united kingdom on 4 october 1966. With a roof of strong grass that lasts 20 to 30 years, it keeps the inside cool during summer and traps heat during winter without a drop of water seeping through. Sep 12, 2015 when you visit lesotho and come across any craft market, the first thing you will notice is a conical shaped hat, the basotho hat or mokorotlo. Find highquality basotho hat stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Since the neolithic period, the mountain kingdom was the domain of khoisan speaking huntergatherers. How the basotho blanket became the brand identity of a nation. Souvenir shop in the form of traditional basotho hat aka. The construction and maintenance of society through narratives. Known as the kingdom in the sky because of its lofty altitude it has the highest lowest point of any country in the world 1400m and is the only country to be entirely above m. The basotho hat is an authentic product, and a popular artifact and memorabilia that is directly identified with lesotho.
The kingdom of lesotho, where the basotho reside in, is not a british colony. H king letsies birthday parade in lesotho basotho man in hat at the kings parade. Africa lesotho the world factbook central intelligence. The conical grass hat known as mokorotlo is considered to be part of the national dress of lesotho.
The basotho hat craft center maseru trickleout africa. It has different suffixes and prefixes in a sentence construction. In 1830 or 1831 thaba bosiu was attacked by the ndebele, who were defeated, and as they retreated moshoeshoe sent them a diplomatic gift of cattle. The appendix includes chapters on religion, hunting, witchcraft, law and social. Basotho stock photos download 600 royalty free photos. This is a mostly wellresearched history of hats, however the pictures are mysteriously lacking identifying labels of the item or style shown.
Sep 05, 2000 this major study of migrant labour in lesotho, concentrating on the period between 1980 and 1940, considers the position of basotho migrant workers in south africa, lesothos dependency on migrant labour, and the social and cultural consequences on communities, when men are sent away to work. Photo about souvenir shop in the form of traditional basotho hat aka mokorotlo at maseru, lesotho. The name lesotho roughly translates to the land of the. Basotho are also known for their mokorotlo conical hat. They are native to modern lesotho and south africa. Credit cards are accepted and its a lowpressure shopping environment. Following the coming of age, a skirt would be made out of woven fibre or a cow skin skirt known as mose. The basotho hat mokorotlo is located on kingsway road in the central business district of maseru, lesotho. The blankets are made of an exceptionally high quality using only the finest wool and acrylic blend.
515 1555 1118 1209 1294 307 1548 53 1333 525 1436 59 1047 1280 484 1400 1169 1205 1329 978 203 509 1009 371 925 779 885 1476 70 780 1162 951 339 194 736