{{Short description|Southern African ethnic group}} The '''Balete people''' are a Southern African ethnic group.
In [[Botswana]] they have occupied a permanent territory since around 1780, officially recognized as a civilisation reserve in 1909. They are the only one of eight major tribes that do not belong to the related [[Tswana people]]. They still have a traditional King, or ''[[Kgosi]]kgolo''. Balete are settled in Southern Botswana villages that include [[Ramotswa]], [[Gabane]], [[Otse]], [[Metsimotlhabe]], [[Mogobane]] and [[Modipane]], as well as [[Lekgophung]] in the North West Province, South Africa.
==List of chiefs/Kings== {{further|List of rulers of Balete (baMalete)}}
Phatlê (Wa ko Tlhôgô ya Tlou)<ref>Ditirafalo tsa merafe ya Batswana</ref>
Malete
Maphalaolê
Mongatane
Maio
Kgomo
Mokgwê
Marumô Pôwê I a Marumo
1805 Mokgôjwe a Pôwê (acting)
1805–1830 Pôwê II a Mokgôjwe (died c. 1830)
1830–1886 Mokgôsi I a Pôwê
1886–1896 Ikaneng a Mokgôsi
1896–1906 Mokgôsi II {{Proper name|a Ikaneng}}
1906–1917 Baitlotle {{Proper name|a Ikaneng}} (acting)
1917–1937 Seboko I a Mokgôsi
1937–1945 Ketswerebothata a Mokgôsi (acting)
1945–1966 Mokgôsi III a Seboko
1966–1996 Kelemogile a Seboko (Kelemogile Mokgosi) acting
1996–2001 Seboko II a Mokgôsi
2001–2002 Tumelo a Seboko (acting)
2002–present [[Mosadi Seboko]]
==Leboko la Balete (The Balete Poem)==
{{Transliteration|tn|italic=no|Matebele a mantsho aga <br /> ma masodi-a mphela (a mazulu a mphela)<br /> A ga selala le namane letlhakoleng<br /> di robaroba matlhakola<br /> dia robile di satla go a lala<br /> namane tse di naka di diobe<br /> ere faere "gou!"di be dire "goo"<br /> kgodumo...o e tshabele mogotlhong<br /> more wa nare ga o lebalebelwe;<br /> mutlwa gao tswane le lenaka, o<br /> ka tlhomolwa.<br /> mogatsa mmolaya nare o ya a batla seantlo <br /> a sale gale. Barwa taola tsa mere<br /> Barwa motlhana o tlhokile motsei<br /> o jelwe ke magakabe le manong<br /> Barwa kgodumo ya leselesele}}
September 1, 2012 saw the beginning of a new era for the Balete tribe, as it revived its dormant tradition of male initiation, [[Bogwera]], under the guidance of its first ever female Paramount Chief Mosadi Seboko. Among initiates were five councilors from the South East District Council – two from the Botswana Congress Party, another two from the ruling Botswana Democratic party and one from the Botswana Movement for Democracy. The naming of the new regiment ‘Matsosa ngwao’ (Cultural revivers) by Kgosi Seboko coincided with the annual national cultural day celebrations. The event attracted members of the diplomatic corps from Mozambique, Nigeria, the United States of America, the UK and the Chinese Women's Association.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaystandard.info/article.php?NewsID=14965&GroupID=1 | title=Sunday Standard - Online Edition | access-date=2021-12-04 | archive-date=2013-02-18 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218160036/http://www.sundaystandard.info/article.php?NewsID=14965&GroupID=1 | url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
==Sources and references== [https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Botswana_native.html World Statesmen website on political and administrative entities]
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Ethnic groups in South Africa}} [[Category:Sotho-Tswana peoples in South Africa]]