# Balete people

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Southern African ethnic group

The **Balete people** are a Southern African ethnic group.

In [Botswana](/source/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](/source/Tswana_people). They still have a traditional King, or *[Kgosikgolo](/source/Kgosi)*. Balete are settled in Southern Botswana villages that include [Ramotswa](/source/Ramotswa), [Gabane](/source/Gabane), [Otse](/source/Otse), [Metsimotlhabe](/source/Metsimotlhabe), [Mogobane](/source/Mogobane) and [Modipane](/source/Modipane), as well as [Lekgophung](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lekgophung&action=edit&redlink=1) in the North West Province, South Africa.

## List of chiefs/Kings

Further information: [List of rulers of Balete (baMalete)](/source/List_of_rulers_of_Balete_(baMalete))

Phatlê (Wa ko Tlhôgô ya Tlou)[1]

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 a Ikaneng

1906–1917 Baitlotle 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](/source/Mosadi_Seboko)

## Leboko la Balete (The Balete Poem)

Matebele a mantsho aga ma masodi-a mphela (a mazulu a mphela) A ga selala le namane letlhakoleng di robaroba matlhakola dia robile di satla go a lala namane tse di naka di diobe ere faere "gou!"di be dire "goo" kgodumo...o e tshabele mogotlhong more wa nare ga o lebalebelwe; mutlwa gao tswane le lenaka, o ka tlhomolwa. mogatsa mmolaya nare o ya a batla seantlo a sale gale. Barwa taola tsa mere Barwa motlhana o tlhokile motsei o jelwe ke magakabe le manong 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](/source/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.[2]

## Sources and references

[World Statesmen website on political and administrative entities](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Botswana_native.html)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Ditirafalo tsa merafe ya Batswana

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Sunday Standard - Online Edition"](http://www.sundaystandard.info/article.php?NewsID=14965&GroupID=1). Retrieved 2021-12-04.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

v t e Ethnic groups in South Africa Bantus Nguni Bhaca Hlubi Ndebele Pondo Swazi Ndwandwe Xhosa Fengu Gcaleka Gqunukhwebe Gaika Mpondomise Thembu Xesibe Zulu Fingo Khumalo Sotho-Tswana Basotho/S. Sotho Bakoena Bataung Batlokwa Pedi/N. Sotho Balobedu Mabelane Tswana Balete Other Bantus Lemba Tsonga Venda Khoisan Khoekhoe Nama Strandloper San ǃKung ǂKhomani Coloureds Cape Coloureds Cape Malays Griquas Oorlams Europeans Afrikaners Boers Cape Dutch Huguenots British Dutch Germans Greeks Irish Italians Jews Afrikaner-Jews Lebanese Norwegians Poles Portuguese Roma Serbs Turks Asians Indians Memons Tamils Pakistanis Chinese Japanese Koreans Others Nigerians Somalis Zimbabweans v t e Immigration to South Africa Africa Nigerians Somalis Zimbabweans Flag of South Africa Asia Chinese Filipinos Indians Japanese Jews Koreans Lebanese Pakistanis Turks Europe Dutch Germans Greeks Italians Norwegians Poles Portuguese Serbs See also Demographics of South Africa

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Balete people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balete_people) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balete_people?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.