![[Botswana Coat of Arms]](..\images\b\bw).gif)
Last modified: 2017-05-21 by bruce berry
Keywords: botswana | zebras: 2 | pula |
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this site, reported by Dov
Gutterman, Coat of Arms were
adopted on
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also:
The shape of the shield is rather strange, as it is a shape used in
The supporters are two zebra (Equus zebra), which are common among the
wildlife in
The motto
Source: Ralf Hartemink's
website.
Jarig Bakker,
Both the currency and
national motto of
Stuart A. Notholt,
I have read that the shield of the arms of Botswana--of
the same type as those of Kenya,
Tanzania and Uganda--is not really appropriate for
that country. Why is that?
Juan Jose Morales, 18 Mar 2008
The information I have (taken from Pedersen [ped70]) seems to
indicate that the arms are quite appropriate? According to Pedersen the three
cogwheels represent co-operation between the tribes and the country's industry.
The ox head symbolizes cattle breeding and the stem of millet stands for
agriculture; the elephant's tusk and the supporters are for the fauna of the
country while the motto "Pula" means "rain" and is also a greeting.
Again, according to Pedersen the Zebras were chosen for two reasons: Firstly
because they were not the totem of any of the country's tribes (and therefore
politically neutral), and secondly
because their black and white colouring symbolizes the inhabitants of the state
as one people.
The blue barrulets wavy obviously symbolize water, but Pedersen is silent on the
subject of which river (if any) they represent? The shape of the shield is
patently African, as are its charges and the supporters, so it is difficult at
first glance to see quite how they could be inappropriate?
Christopher Southworth, 18 Mar 2008
The shield bearing the Botswana arms is similar to a
Zulu shield, but the Tswana aren't Zulu. The shield
commonly used for Tswana heraldry is much smaller and has large gaps on either
side, a bit like two letters C that are placed with their arcs facing each
other. It's not actually a war shield, but used for practice in stock fighting,
I believe.
The shields of the Tswana are somewhat similar to those of the related Basotho.
A specimen of their shields can be seen in the previous
Lesotho flag.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 18 Mar 2008
To add my bit to previous answers, the Tswana forms part
of the overall Sotho language group including Setswana, Pedi (North Sotho) and
the Sotho of Lesotho (South Sotho). The languages are
distinct but related and they have similar cultural practices. They are quite
distinct from the Nguni nations which includes the Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Tsonga
and Ndebele, who all also speak distinct but related languages.
While the Zulus and all the other related warrior nations and even non-related
nations all the way up the East African coast, used oval shields as can be seen
for example on the Swazi, Kenyan and
former KwaZulu flags, the Sotho-related nations used
different shaped shield, as was for example shown on the
former Lesotho flag, but they were not of a standard pattern. There is,
however, a connection with the oval shield, but whether this inspired the oval
shield on the Borswana Arms, I cannot say.
The connection came from the Ndebele who under the
chieftainship of Mzilikazi, one of Shaka Zulu's generals who fell out with his
king about the number of cattle raided from the Swazi that should be the king's
portion, then removed himself and his Khumalo clan from Zululand and fled all
the way to what is today the North West Province of
South Africa. Here he set about creating his own empire by
subjugating the surrounding Tswana and Barolong tribes, until he made the
mistake of attacking the incoming Voortrekkers, and was
then driven out of the area into what is now Matabeleland in present day
Zimbabwe, establishing a settlement near modern-day
Bulawayo. It might be that the Ndebele, who were an
offshoot of the Zulus, have left a permanent imprint on the Tswana as far as the
shield shape is concerned.
Andries Burgers, 19 Mar 2008
Although I am not an Africanist, could the lines
symbolising water on the arms of Botswana be an oblique reference to the
Okavango Delta, which is one of the world's greatest natural heritage sites, and
located in the north of the country?
Ron Lahav, 19 Mar 2008
The Okavango River starts in the Angolan highlands and has
its delta in the North west of Botswana, which is a World
Heritage Site. It is the only major river as far as I know whose delta ends
in the middle of a continent and not the sea. Apart from diamonds, the tourist
potential of the Okavango Delta is the greatest national asset of that nation.
It is the only African nation which has a record of consistent economic growth
since independence, which has never been involved in war and has been a
functioning democracy ever since its creation. Pula means rain, the word
is a greeting as well as blessing and the Botswana currency is also called the
Pula (BWP).
Andries Burgers, 20 Mar 2008
According to Talocci 's "Guide to Flags of the World"
(1982) [tal82]:
"The vital importance of rain is symbolized by the water sign and the word
pula (meaning "rain"), which is also used as a greeting". Therefore
the blue and white wavy lines in the Botswana Arms do not represent any river.
Martin Grieve, 20 Mar 2008
