Funeral rituals of the Tswana people in South Africa
Pink - South Africa / Blue - Botswana
Introduction
The Batswana (The People of Tswana) is one of the eleven linguistic groups in South Africa. They belong to the Sotho group of Africans who originally came from West and Central Africa and settled in South Africa ± 200–500 CE (A.D.). Opposed to them are the Nguni group – inter alia the Zulu, Xhosa and Swazi people, who migrated from the Great Lakes region of Central/South-East Africa ± 000-1400 CE (A.D.). (White Europeans settled in South Africa since 1652 (A.D.))
The pink/lilac colour (North-West) in the map below shows the region(s) where the majority of the Batswana in South Africa live. North of this colour is a country called Botswana, the motherland of another 1,7 million Batswana.
South Africa: Languages
Eleven Linguistic Groups in South Africa (Census 2011)
Funeral Service of the late Joseph Dumako
Population statistics (Census 2014)
Africans - 43 333 700 (80,2%)
Coloured - 4 771 500 (8,8%)
Indian/Asian - 1 341 900 (2,5%)
White - 4 554 800 (8,4%)
Total population - 54 002 000
Source:
http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0302/P03022014.pdf
Funeral Rituals of the Tswana People
Living in the North West province of South Africa, I am especially interested in the traditions of the Batswana.
My friends who are not living in South Africa must keep in mind that the majority of Africans still live in townships - the towns that were formed during the Apartheids regime (1948-1994) for Africans, next to towns that were formed for only-whites. However, many Africans, and in the North West Province mostly Batswana, are now living in the suburbs of the previous-for-only-white towns and cities. Peacefully, I must emphasize. Until a traditional African funeral knocks all Whites in the vicinity into a state of confusion.
The cause of CONFUSION is IGNORANCE, and the behavior of a confused person is unpredictable and more often negative than positive.
Yes, it is a shame: Africans in South Africa know the ins and outs of Western traditions, while too many Westerners have no idea why and how Africans practice theirs.
This hub is about the funeral traditions of the Batswana. Except for a few minor differences, the funeral rituals of all African groups in South Africa are more or less the same.
What happens when a Motswana dies?
When a member of the Batswana (a Motswana) dies, their body goes to the funeral parlor of their choice. During my travels through Lesotho and Botswana, and through poor towns in South Africa, I have noticed that funeral parlors are the most thriving businesses. Because Africans have the highest respect for their dead, the relatives of a person who have died will leave no stone unturned to pay respect to the deceased
I have to emphasize the convictions of Africans about death with the following explanation: While Christians believe that the way to God the Creator is through Jesus Christ and/or the Virgin Mary, and while Muslims believe the true medium is Mohammed, all Africans believe that their ancestors are in direct contact with God. The Batswana’s name for God is Modimo. Even while the majority of Africans were Christianized since the arrival of Western Culture, they still believe that their deceased beloveds are where they belong – at Home with Modimo. Just like Christians believe that their deceased beloveds are in Heaven with God.
The deceased awaits their burial in the funeral parlor sometimes for almost two weeks, as relatives have to come from far and near to participate in the pre-burial proceedings. The burial is usually on a Saturday or Sunday, but when somebody dies on a Tuesday or later in the week, the first coming Saturday/Sunday will not be chosen for the burial. Pre-burial proceedings start at least five days before the burial.
Funeral Parlour
What to do with all the funeral goers?
During the pre-burial proceedings, relatives gather at the home of the deceased. They eat and drink and talk (quite loudly), as always. No television or radio will be turned on, but singing is allowed. (Africans in South Africa love singing and dancing. They have, even more than the Welshmen, strong and beautiful voices and a natural talent to sing harmony.) Yes, Africans talk loud. “Where there is whispering, there is lying,” is not merely a proverb, but a rule in their culture.
They drink coffee, tea and cold drinks. Ginger tea is a favourite among the Batswana. Alcoholic drinks are not to be taken at the home of the deceased. Slipping away to have an alcoholic drink elsewhere, is a clear sign of disrespect.
Every evening a religious sermon is held by the clergyman of the deceased at the home of the deceased. On the last evening, when the deceased spends their last night in their room at home, the sermon is longer. In the past this last sermon could last the entire night.
Relatives who live in the vicinity, leave after the sermon to sleep in their own homes. For the rest a tent has to be erected. This tent could be an enormous marques tent that blocks the street in front of the house, forcing neighbors to change their route from A-Z. Even in winter, the people sleep on the ground, wrapped in their favorite blanket.
A tent has to be erected for all relatives to sleep in
Porridge made with grounded mealies (Mieliepap) Picture: freshlyfamous
Mabele porridge, made with grounded sorghum
Samp (pounded mealies) in this picture fried with with bully beef
The funeral goers have to eat!
All food is cooked in large cast iron pots on open fire.
During the week beef, mutton or chicken, bought at a butchery, is served with a variety of staple food -
- Mealie pap – a stiff porridge made of maize meal (grounded mealies),
- Sour porridge (Ting) - a soft porridge made with grounded sorghum and allowed to go sour,
- Samp - (pounded mealies),
- Pot-bread - bread baked inside a cast iron pot in/on a smoldering fire,
- Bread - bought at a bakery.
Vegetables -
A vegetable stew made of cabbage, potatoes and onions is very popular among the Batswana, while the Shangaan people love to replace the cabbage with spinach. A great variety of nutritious weed can be used in the place of spinach. These kind of stews give flavor to the staple food.
Desserts, cake, or any kind of sweets are seldom if ever on the menu. Wealthy families may offer their guests fresh fruit, like bananas, apples and oranges, after the meal.
Food on the day of the burial
Friday afternoon, or Saturday afternoon - if the burial is on the Sunday - a cow is slaughtered for this special occasion. The meat is cooked in salted water in cast iron pots on open fires. No spices and herbs will be added.
The cooking of this meat has to begin at about 3:00AM, as the burial will be in the morning at about 8:00AM. Naturally nobody sleeps during the last night before the burial. (The Nguni people may start later, as their burials are normally scheduled for the afternoon.) .
Slaughtering the cow at the home of the deceased while the deceased is at home in their room, is important, as the spirit of the cow is believed to protect the family against evil spirits. The men do the slaughtering and cutting of the meat, while the women wash and cook the meat.
If the deceased is a man the cow has to be a male; if the deceased is a woman the cow has to be a female.
In the past the deceased was buried in the hide of the cow, but nowadays the hide may be used to cover the corpse inside the casket, or it may be sold.
When the funeral goers return from the grave, before any food is served, they have to wash their hands in a mixture of cold water and grated aloe.
The room of the deceased
On the first day after a person has died, all the furniture is taken out of their room. Only a mattress stays on the floor. All the clothes of the deceased are lumped together in a bed sheet and placed in the corner of the room, next to a burning candle.
The mattress is for the woman who has to keep the spirit of the deceased company. This woman is always an elderly member of the family - a sister of the deceased, or the oldest daughter - if the daughter is considered to be old enough for this important task. This woman may only leave the room to go to the toilet. Her food and water are served in the room. She choses two dresses to wear during her stay in the room. On the day of the burial she wears a black or navy dress with a matching kerchief that covers her entire head. She is the one who demonstrates the grief of the entire family.
On the day before the burial the deceased is brought home to spend their last hours in their room, inside their casket. All members of the family get the opportunity to spend some time with the deceased. The woman on the mattress remains a silent presence.
The Burial
After a religious sermon in the church of the deceased, the burial takes place in the local cemetery. In the process to the grave, women cry loud and persistently. Whether the loud crying was originally meant to invite all ancestors to attend the burial, or to scare away all evil spirits, is no longer clear.
Cremation is not a likely option. If one or another reason has left the relatives with no other choice, a special cleansing ritual will have to be performed to ensure a happy and peaceful life in the world of the ancestors. In the far past, before Western laws had put and end to this, people were buried next to their homes, or, depending on their position, next to the cattle kraal of the clan.
There may be a lot of crying, singing and dancing at the grave,
The Bathing
After the burial most of the relatives leave. Only the core family stays at the home of the deceased until after another important ritual.
The morning after the burial, before sunrise, the hair of the spouse of the deceased is cut or only trimmed. The heads of the children are shaved. Then each member, from the oldest to the youngest, stand in line, naked, to be bathed in a basin big enough to stand in. In the basin is cold water mixed with the slaughtered cow’s gall, the contents of its intestine and the itching substance of a wild plant known as Sebabetswana. After the bath clothes have to be put on without drying the skins, and no bathing is allowed for the rest of the day.
The bathing is done by the oldest brother of the deceased. Three months later he has to return to repeat this ritual, but then the gall and intestines of a sheep or a goat will be used instead of a cow's. The meat are to be cooked and eaten as usual.
The purpose of both rituals is to keep evil spirits away from the core family while they mourn the death of the deceased.
The clothes and belongings of the deceased
The morning after the funeral, after the bathing, the clothes, blanket(s) and all the belongings of the deceased are dumped in cold water mixed with grated aloe. The wet clothes are thrown on the bare ground and all members of the core family may chose what they want.
The personal crockery of the deceased, as well as their favorite blanket, automatically go to the oldest brother of the deceased. With this he also receives money – R500, R1000, or R1500, to buy the goat/sheep for the second bathing.
Are rituals senseless?
When we learn about the rituals practiced by other cultures, we tend to classify them as ridiculous. Yet, our own rituals, whether religious, social (etiquette), or personal, seem to be just as ridiculous.
Like policies and procedures, rituals were created to satisfy our primordial human need of order, routine and discipline.
“This is what rituals are for. We do spiritual ceremonies as human beings in order to create a safe resting place for our most complicated feelings of joy or trauma, so that we don't have to haul those feelings around with us forever, weighing us down. We all need such places of ritual safekeeping. And I do believe that if your culture or tradition doesn't have the specific ritual you are craving, then you are absolutely permitted to make up a ceremony of your own devising, fixing your own broken-down emotional systems with all the do-it-yourself resourcefulness of a generous plumber/poet.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
Funeral Service of the late Joseph Dumako
Joseph Dumako
Joseph Dumako was a well-known musician and composer in South Africa. Gospel music was his favourite genre. He was involved in the forming of gospel choirs during the 1980's and 1990's. He died in July 2011.
More about Zulu traditions in South Africa by Sirius Centauri
- When Culture and Civilization Collide: South Africa’s So – called Outdated Traditions
A futuristic look at ancient advance. Journeying back to godhead even as African tradition shatters under the weight of civilization. Documenting 3 traditions that still uphold the concept of Ubuntu.
© 2015 Martie Coetser
Comments
nono on September 07, 2019:
please help: my grandmother passed away while i was living with her, sleepng with her in the same room I was still young. the bathing ritual wasnt done to me and I didnt ask why since I was very young. Can that affect me?
Engela on February 09, 2018:
HI I would like to know if it is correct that Tswana men, when in mourning, can't wear all black for a year. they must wear another colour with black. So if all black is a requirement from an employee this can create an issue?
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on August 13, 2017:
Rex, thank you so much for your delightful comment. I find the distinct rituals of the different peoples in South Africa extremely interesting. The primary motive and intention are always the same, while the practise of the rituals depends on a variety of beliefs and perceptions. I think you will like all my hubs about South Africa. I know the country has lost its value to the world (since the Spice Route between the West and the East is no longer relevant), but I would love the world to know as much as possible - in order to balance negative publicity which is always so eagerly provided by the media. Thanks again for your encouraging comment.
Rex Mwape on August 13, 2017:
I agree that different cultures in Africa have different types of rituals in regards to the dead. In some cultures, alcoholic drinks are disallowed while others, like were I come from, alcohol is drank at funerals. Alcohol for some helps them to celebrate and remember the good moments the had with the deceased person. I do equally agree that the day of the funeral has to put treated with respect. This custom is also done were I come from. Finally, the love the way you educated the people who live outside Africa, about the history of the different tribes and the general population of Africa. I have enjoyed article in that it has also educated me in some way. Thanks a lot Martie
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on September 14, 2015:
Hi Svetlana, I'm happy to hear you've joined a writing class, and curious to see the results. Monkeys are quite clever, though chimpanzees are considered to be the cleverest after humans in the primate family. The gorilla is the dumbest as far as I can remember. But we are wandering from the subject!
Religious leaders have surpassed themselves in the art of rituals. It is easy to captive the thoughts and imagination of humans by making them perform rituals. In the process all kinds of brainwashing techniques can be administered, as you know any action we perform by intensifying it with rituals meets our spiritual need to be more important and special than any other creature.
I'm sending you pictures of elephants, because I know you identify with them. I believe you have a special album for them.
Take care, dear Svetlana!
kallini2010 from Toronto, Canada on September 12, 2015:
Hi, Martie. I couldn't help it
"...hoping that if they wait long enough, they just might die in time to avoid being publicly humiliated by a monkey."
Humiliated by a monkey, don't you just love that?
The fact that animals have their rituals - mating dances and such - only proves your point and I agree - we want/should/must/it is nice to - mark special occasions and what is more special than birth - wedding - death?
There are ceremonies for coming-of-age and celebrations/tributes to Sun/Moon/Other Heavenly Bodies passing/shining/disappearing. Rituals are the drama/theater that is so needed. That's where Church has an upper hand with its "Palaces" ready-to-use and it's-in the manual rituals?
But leaving it all aside - we are in agreement here, elephants - yes, I will write about them, but later when I have enough information to make it interesting. Now, I've joined a writing class and there are other priorities as well. In the meanwhile, I keep paying attention when there is something new about them. I saw an elephant who learned how to dive. Don't ask me how he does it, I decided not to be surprised by elephants' talents.
You are always in my thoughts as well. Take care,
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on September 11, 2015:
Hi Kallini, sorry you had to wait 25 hours for a reply. Gosh, time flies! Please, get me that quote of Daniel Gilbert. You know I love quotes. I believe it is good to know all the many theories of specialists in all fields, but we should realize that the truth is only an opinion of an individual or a group of people with a specific perspective. Elephant are most certainly a very interesting specie, and although they don't walk in the streets of South Africa, they are all over in nature reserves. As far as I know there are no elephants in America and Canada except in zoos? Now why don't you write a hub about elephants and your thoughts about them? Thanks for the visit, Svetlana. You're always somewhere in my thoughts :)
kallini2010 from Toronto, Canada on September 10, 2015:
Martie - to entertain - not to contradict -
if I find Daniel Gilbert's quote about "no other species..." I'll share it with you.
- it's hilarious.
The gist of it, every time a well-intended psychologist announces that no other species..., some other species prove him wrong and even worse, that false generalization secures that poor psycholist a firm position in EVERY psychology book. One way to be famous.
Back to the core:
Being prompted to learn more about elephants, I have discovered that elephants have a ritual for their dead. Moreover, they come back to elephants that were killed. To say that I was surprised is to say nothing.
Let me make my space in the annals of history - no other species believe that ... here I have to think and do what passes for thinking.
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on September 10, 2015:
Hi, Augustine! I believe the highlighting of birth, birthdays, marriage, death, etc. with extra-ordinary rituals is a typical and unique human tendency. Of course, those rituals become tradition, which people find difficult to change. Thanks for the visit. Take care :)
Augustine A Zavala from Texas on September 06, 2015:
Fascinating treatise on funeral rituals in South Africa!
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on July 08, 2015:
Dear Alicia, always good to see you in my corner. I, too, love learning about other countries and cultures. Fascinating!
Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on July 07, 2015:
This hub is fascinating and very informative, Martie. I love learning about South Africa and its culture by reading your hubs.
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on June 21, 2015:
True. Audrey, humans are all the same. Only their language, believes and traditions differ. Thank you :)
Audrey Howitt from California on June 18, 2015:
Articles like this just make me want to get my travel gear and set out! So very interesting how different we all are and yet, how much the same--
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on June 04, 2015:
Hi, Flourish! Thanks for reading and commenting. I do believe that some of the rituals will change as the norms and standards of all people change in the course of time :)
Elaina Baker from USA on May 31, 2015:
You are quite the anthropologist with this detailed cultural description of the Tswana people's funeral rituals. I learned so much and was very interested throughout. They do have quite a sendoff for their people!
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on May 28, 2015:
My dearest always exploring, how wonderful to see you! I was getting quite concerned about you, being offline for so long.
We white people down here (Euro-Africans) also have a short visitation to the deceased - for quite a while now (3-4 decades!) at the funeral parlor and NO LONGER in the foyer of the church. Then, after the visitation, a sermon of about one hour in accordance with the religion of the family, then the burial. After the burial coffee/tea and snacks are served in the church hall, or in any public hall, or, when the number of funeral goers doesn't require a hall, at the home of the deceased or at the home of a member of the family. This minimizes the cost of a funeral. The coffee/tea/snacks are often sponsored by the church of the deceased and served by members of the congregation. (Gosh, I should regain my habit of attending church every Sunday, or else my poor children are going to...... Just thinking aloud!) But go figure: Keeping a corpse for 7 days in the fridge of a funeral parlor, transporting it to the home and then also to the church and the cemetery, and feeding an enormous family for 7 days! Fortunately we have excellent funeral insurances :)
Baie dankie, my liewe Ruby :)
Ruby Jean Richert from Southern Illinois on May 27, 2015:
This is very interesting. I learn so much from your writing about Africa. It seems that the people you write about are dedicated and faithful to their deceased loved ones. Here we have a short visitation and sermon then the burial. Cremation is becoming very popular. My sister Virgie was cremated. ( This hurt me. I don't like the idea of burning the body. ) I learned a new word, Modimo ( God )
Baie donkie.
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on May 24, 2015:
Faith, we are so overwhelmed with grief and shock during a funeral, and so sad because we have to live on, missing the deceased for the rest of our lives. "You will not cry for me, but for yourself. You will feel sorry for yourself, as you will realize that you, too, are going to die sooner or later," was some wise words I have heard from a dying man. According to Christian principles, the limelight is supposed to be on God. I think if we can manage this - contemplating the wonder of life and in particularly the wonder of life after death according to Christian beliefs, we, too, will be dancing and feasting at a funeral.
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on May 24, 2015:
Dear Genna, the challenge is to accept and respect the traditions and rituals of other cultures. Okay, it is hard to accept a tradition that is harmful to people and animals. The whites down hear have an issue with the slaughtering of an animal in a residential area, yet they eat the meat of animals who are being slaughtered daily in abattoirs. So, what really bothers them, is the fact that a cow gets slaughtered during a funeral right under their noses, for them to see and hear. I, myself, find this difficult to handle, as it confronts ME with the fact that I, too, am a meat-eater, in other words a killer of beautiful animals. Who said those animals are supposed to be devoured by humans? So what am I, I ask myself - but only, like all humans, a glorified animal compelled to kill in order to eat. It will be selfish to expect from others to consider my sensitive soul and hyper-active conscience. I will rather go somewhere where I can see beautiful flowers and things that make me FEEL like a spiritual being and not an animal-killer-meat-eater human being. Oh, and even there - where I can see/hear only divine beauty - I will probably enjoy a barbecue without contemplating the original state of the meat. Ugh, we humans!
Oh, and the noise is also disturbing. But WTH, do we perhaps whisper while we practice our rituals? The bells of Christian churches echo through the town every Sunday morning, and singing during sermons can be heard miles away. Are Christians going to end this just to please non-Christians?
Thanks for your kind comment, dear Genna :)
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on May 24, 2015:
Dear Sunshine, singing and dancing are typical characteristics of all Africans down here. They do it even while they demonstrate discontentment and anger. I believe one can use this ability of them as the topic for a paper about human behavior. Here is an interest article about the history of African dances - it is truly quite unique - http://dance.lovetoknow.com/History_of_African_Dan...
Faith Reaper from southern USA on May 23, 2015:
Oops, I see I said ..."leaving" meant living of course : ) ... Yes, I hope they have a celebration of life for me too, as Linda mentions.
Genna Eastman from Massachusetts, USA on May 23, 2015:
I was impressed to learn of the deep respect the Batswana people have for their beloved deceased, including how to behave during pre-burial. Although our cultures are different, we can learn, I think, from some of their traditions and beliefs. You have provided us with fascinating detail, Martie. As always, you take “take us there” with your words and photos. Thank you for this amazing journey.
Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on May 23, 2015:
Wow! I felt like I was at a funeral and I do not like funerals, I prefer celebrations of life. These are some intense rituals! Very interesting, I do like that dancing is part of the funeral festivities. Thanks for another learning lesson by SAA! :)
Martie Coetser (author) from South Africa on May 23, 2015:
So true, Faith! After the death of a beloved, we want to live on with the comforting knowledge that we buried them with love and respect. It is hard enough to miss them for the rest of our life, we certainly don't need regrets on top of it. Thanks for reading and commenting. Much-much appreciated :)