Marriage and Family Custom
More than half of all couples choose to live together instead of getting married because of the costs associated with a traditional wedding. Traditional rituals typically last two or more days and include speeches, dancing, eating, and drinking. The bogadi (bride-price), which the groom's family gives to the bride's family, is negotiated between the two families when a couple gets engaged. Traditional celebrations might sometimes accompany civil weddings.
Children in Botswana may receive both a given name that serves as their pet name at home and a name that commemorates some aspect of their birth. For use in school, students frequently give themselves nicknames. In the past, the child took the father's last name; today, the child takes the father's last name. A woman is referred to as the mother of her first kid after the child is born.
Originally, the agricultural and grazing fields of the Batswana were far away and were located in vast villages. Families spent a lot of time apart since men worked at cattle posts and women worked in the masimo (fields). The Batswana were then put in danger in 1852 when Dutch colonists in South Africa started to come into the region. In 1885, the Tswana chiefs requested British protection from these foreigners, known as the Boers, and the area was made a colony of Great Britain. Many males started working in South African mines during these colonial years. Later, young people relocated to cities in search of employment, but extended family networks allowed families to stay connected.
Even if there aren't many males working in South Africa these days, the constant search for a job splits families apart. For instance, married couples who are teachers may work in different parts of the country from one another. Women continue to be primarily responsible for the family, farm, and entrepreneurial endeavors because men are so frequently away. The majority of families in rural areas are headed by women, but they also get assistance from local extended family members.
