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Bakgatla Clan — History & Meaning
Sotho clan · Sesotho
Totem Monkey / vervet (Setswana/Sesotho: kgabo)
History & origin
The Bakgatla are a major Sotho-Tswana clan whose totem is the kgabo (monkey); tradition holds the monkey saved the clan during a river crossing while fleeing enemies, fixing it as the totem. They descend from chief Tabane and the Bafokeng princess Mathulare, whose sons founded several clans (the Basia under Mosia, and the Batlokwa branch under Kgwadi/Motlokwa, derive from this stock). The Bakgatla split into divisions including the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela (the senior, royal line centred at Mochudi in south-east Botswana), Bakgatla-ba-Mmanaana, Bakgatla ba Mmakau and Bakgatla ba Motsha, all sharing the kgabo totem. They straddle Botswana and South Africa (North West).
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Kgatla, Tabane, Mathulare, Kgafela, Pilane.
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.