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Tau ya Maleboho Clan — History & Meaning
Pedi clan · Sepedi
Totem Tau (lion) - hence the name 'Tau ya Maleboho', the lion of Maleboho/Malebogo; the BaHananwa are a Batau (lion-totem) people.
History & origin
Tau ya Maleboho refers to the BaHananwa (also Gananwa) people of the Blouberg ('Blue Mountains') area in northern Limpopo, ruled by the Leboho/Malebogo (Maleboho) royal house. The BaHananwa descend from the Setswana-speaking BaHurutshe, who migrated southward and, after moving through present-day Botswana and the North-West, settled at Blouberg, where the mosate (royal capital) of the Leboho rulers was established. From the early nineteenth century the BaHananwa were a leading social and political force in the region. Their best-known episode is the resistance of Kgoshi Kgalusi Leboho (known to the Boers as 'Maleboho/Malebogo'), who acted independently around Blouberg and refused to pay taxes to the South African Republic (ZAR). In 1894 the ZAR State Artillery and Boer commandos besieged the BaHananwa; after roughly a three-month siege Kgalusi and his royal entourage were captured and imprisoned. Following the British capture of Pretoria in 1900 he was released and allowed to return to Blouberg. The community, in the Blouberg/Capricorn area, continues to commemorate this Maleboho/Malebogo history.
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Leboho, Lebogo, Malebogo, Maleboho, Hananwa, Gananwa, Kgalusi.
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.