Botswana: Culture and Heritage

Culture in Botswana

You may have an inkling about modern Botswana after reading Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Botswana tours introduce you to the Batswana, the local people who are a fusion of cultural diversity, with over twenty different ethnic groups. Some of these groups have been fiercely holding onto their traditions and customs that have been practiced for 20,000 years, against the wave of modernity.

It is considered by some advocates that the Kalahari’s conservation laws are endangering the San people’s foraging existence.

Whilst English is the official language, Setswana is the main language, and you might hear up 26 different languages when you travel in Botswana! Many guests are fascinated by the Khoisan tongues – one of the prevalent language groups that are often known as click languages due to the incredible clicking sounds the tongues produce. A few thousand people in Botswana speak Xoo, what is considered the world’s most complex-sounding language.

To familiarize yourself with the click language, we highly recommend you watch the 1980 comedy movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Introduced by missionaries in the 19th century, the primary religion of Botswana is Christianity, but on one of our Botswana safaris you will notice that this has been merged with aspects of the indigenous belief systems.