Our ministry is focused on the Basotho tribe. Qwa Qwa is considered the tribal home of the Basotho (pronounced “ba-soo-too”) people in South Africa. They are a peaceful and laid-back people; they are warm, friendly, and welcoming, favoring hospitality and relationships above everything else.

Village Life
Traditionally, each village is run by a chief, who is almost always a male (except under unusual circumstances), and a group of tribal elders. The chief rules over all decisions pertaining to the area and the people who live there. The village chiefs collectively report to, and fall under the rule of, the paramount chief of the entire tribe or region. Today, much of the authority of the chiefs has been stripped and given to local government leaders. These government officials now handle most of the decisions pertaining to life in the villages.

Traditional Basotho homes are round or rectangular-shaped huts made of mud and dung with roofs made of thatch (grass). While these homes are still in use today, many Basotho have changed their style of housing with the changing times and trends. Typically, whole extended families live together, with four or five generations living in one small home.

Some live in shacks made of tin and other scraps of metal. Often hundreds of people will erect tin shacks in one area. In the past, these informal settlements, called squatter camps, lacked electricity and plumbing. However, the government has started recognizing these squatter camps as legitimate villages, and is now supplying them with electricity and community water taps.

The government’s rural development project includes the construction of low-income housing for the masses (called RDP houses). These basic brick homes are usually built in identical-looking rows and are provided at no or minimal cost on a first-come, first-serve waiting list basis, with water and electricity being supplied for free.

The Basotho’s diet consists mainly of mealie pap (corn meal–an African staple), vegetables, beans, and meat. They typically eat all their meals with either a spoon or their hand.

Marriage and Family
Basotho males must pay lobola to the family of the girl he wishes to marry. The original, traditional custom of lobola was set in place as a trust fund for the new couple’s children. The amount of lobola, which typically consisted of cattle, was determined by many factors, including the background of the bride. This amount was negotiated in a series of meetings between the bride and groom’s parents. They would speak to each other in poetic, symbolic terms, using metaphors to negotiate the lobola price. The lobola was paid to the bride’s uncle on her mother’s side. He kept the cattle, growing the herd year after year, so that when the couple’s children were grown, there was money for them to go to college or start their own families.

The payment of lobola showed the bride’s parents that the man was serious about his love for her and was financially secure to provide well for her. The symbolism of the man’s seriousness and ability to provide is similar to the Western tradition of purchasing an engagement ring.

Basotho culture has been Westernized and urbanized over the years, and much of the original intention and meaning for lobola has been forgotten. Today, lobola is typically paid to the father of the bride; he usually takes the cattle for himself rather than saving it for his grandchildren. Even though the purpose of lobola has shifted, its importance in Basotho culture is still very high.

Basotho believe that the community is responsible for raising a child, not just the immediate family. For this reason, there is a deep respect for elders in the community. Many people will refer to family friends and neighbors as aunts, uncles, or grandparents, even though there is no blood relation.