Africa at the Internet Archive: Bantu Nomads (Botswana)

Starting Week 24 today, I thought I would focus on tales from southern Africa, starting with Among the Bantu Nomads: A record of forty years spent among the Bechuana by John Tom Brown, just a click away at the Internet Archive, originally published in 1925 and reprinted in 1969.

There are 21 stories in the book, collected between 1885 and 1924 when the author was living in Botswana among the Bechuana, or Tswana people. The stories are in the chapter entitled "Mythology and Folklore," beginning on p. 162 of the book. You will also find chapters on tribal names, totems, kinship, family life, marriage, burial customs, religious beliefs and ceremonies, along with historical information about Bechuanaland, which became the Republic of Botswana when it won its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966.

There is also a chapter of Proverbs beginning on p. 197. Thankfully, he includes the original Setswana language text together with the proverbs: 

So, if you are looking for folktales or for proverbs (I'm always looking for both!), you will find some good ones here. :-)

Among the Bantu Nomads

by John Tom Brown