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Bakgatla-ba-Mocha Clan — History & Meaning
Tswana clan · Setswana
Totem Monkey/vervet (kgabo) together with fire (molelo) — 'kgabo ya molelo le phologolo'
History & origin
This refers to the Bakgatla centred on Mochudi, i.e. the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela, the principal Kgatla merafe of Botswana with their capital at Mochudi (south-east of Gaborone, ~40 km from the city). The Bakgatla as a whole broke away from the senior Bahurutshe: tradition holds that under King Malope, his son Mokgatla became the ancestor of all Bakgatla. They migrated from the Transvaal (South Africa) into Botswana, and a major section settled at Mochudi in the 19th century (a sister Kgatla group, the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela, also remained at Saulspoort/Moruleng in South Africa's North West). All Kgatla branches share the totem of the monkey and fire (kgabo ya molelo). The Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela of Mochudi are one of Botswana's eight principal Tswana tribes. (Note: 'ba-Mocha' is most plausibly a rendering of 'of Mochudi'; the canonical name is Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela.)
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Pilane, Kgafela, Linchwe, Molefe.
We publish the full diboko (clan praises) only once we can verify them against documented tradition — for this clan they are still being confirmed. If you can share an authoritative version, corrections are warmly welcomed.