Lekgalong la Mantsopa (

03/03/2022

https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/entity/CgsI846_-7-jjfzdARAB/photos?g2lb=4718388%2C2503771%2C4401769%2C4640247%2C4723328%2C4649665%2C2502548%2C2503781%2C4704212%2C4721883%2C4258168%2C4726606%2C4685655%2C4722900%2C4306835%2C4647135%2C4284970&hl=en-ZA&gl=za&ssta=1&ap=aAE&rp=EPOOv_u_o4383QEQwujz3_H38-ZBEIXHiefBkf-BUhCx2_3B-t6fs6UBEJD-wqGJtuKqLxDOxcvX4dmEl6gBENiD4uPX6qWXURCpqbik-Kv9l54BELHOkL3E6tKD1wEQ_urLmur_td8zOAJAAEgCyAEBmgICCAA&ictx=1&sa=X&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&ts=CAESABogCgIaABIaEhQKBwjmDxADGA8SBwjmDxADGBAYATICEAAqBAoAGgA&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwjYgsvxqan2AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQDA

02/02/2022

Thuto

14/01/2022

14/01/2022

le ea madikelong

14/01/2022

Thabeng tsela mane

14/01/2022

25/11/2021

Ha Mantsopa

05/08/2020

IN HONOUR OF BASOTHO NEW YEAR

Did you know that Phato (August) marks the beginning of the NEW YEAR for BaSotho?

BaSotho, like other BaNtu cultures, trace their genesis to the cosmos. They originate from Mokgubu wa Kganare (The Galactic Core). One of their most valued stars are TOSAMASIU (Sirius) and SELEMELA (The Pleiades).

BaSotho astronomers known as BaCholoko used to read the star SELEMELA, which is actually a cluster of stars. It would appear in the sky around a couple of months before the beginning of the BaSotho NEW YEAR.

MoCholoko (singular for BaCholoko) describes the one who is pursuing or practicing the doctoral knowledge of medicine, cosmology, philosophy and various forms of logic. The majority of the axioms, philosophical constructs, cosmic knowledge and numerical logic among BaSotho comes to us via BaCholoko who lived long time ago. Today such cosmologists are pretty much extinct.

Bacholoko looked at SELEMELA which would inform them about the season in the NEW YEAR, whether it would be a wet or dry year. That would then have an influence on what the people were going to grow.

When the sun rises on the NEW YEAR in Phato (August) it is also the beginning of the academic year in the ancient BaSotho education system.

During the celebrations at the start of the NEW YEAR, Bacholoko communicate with balimo (amathongo); paying tribute to Molimo (the creator) and thanking balimo for the success of their previous years.

BaSotho always do that, pay tribute to the previous year and pave way for a NEW YEAR with more crops and a fruitful year.

Celebrations last up to three weeks from the 1st of Phato (August). When they have the big celebration around 29 Phato different BaSotho groups come together. They wear traditional attires and bring different kinds of seeds for blessings and exchange using calabashes.

- Ngaka Nthabiseng Gogo Lobovu

Camagwini, Leseli, P**a, Thokozani

04/08/2020