Tswana

Tswana, also known as Batswana or Setswana speakers, refers to a Bantu-speaking ethnic group of Southern Africa and to the language they speak. The Tswana are part of the Sotho-Tswana group within the larger Bantu language family. Setswana is the most widely spoken language in Botswana and is one of the official languages of South Africa, where it is used in education and media in the North West and Limpopo provinces.

Geographically, the Tswana concentration is centered in Botswana, where they form the largest ethnic population and have historically organized into several chiefdoms. Subgroups include the Bakwena, Bangwato, Bangwaketse and Batawana, among others, each with its own chieftaincy and customary practices.

Historically, the Tswana trace origins to Bantu-speaking communities that settled across the region before the 19th century. In that century, Tswana states developed powerful polities under regional chiefs, and interactions with European traders and missionaries intensified. In the late 19th century the area came under the Bechuanaland Protectorate of the British, and in 1966 the country gained independence as Botswana. Seretse Khama, the first president, led the early postcolonial state alongside a tradition of stable governance.

Culturally, Tswana society emphasizes cattle keeping and farming, and social organization through chieftaincies and customary law. It has a rich tradition of oral literature, music and beadwork. Modern Tswana communities blend traditional practices with Christianity and, in urban areas, access education and media in Setswana and other languages.