Literature of Botswana

Economic challenges limit a wider production of literature in Botswana, as books are often unavailable to citizens and authors generally make little money, especially with non-English writings.

Fables have existed through oral literature since ancient times, and praise poems became a common way to recount a person's life and accomplishments.

Other authors, such as Andrew Sesinyi, Galesiti Baruti, and Mositi Torontle, explored the clash between traditional values and modernism after Botswana achieved independence.

1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith presents a more nuanced portrayal of the nation and became a central aspect of Botswana's image in the Western world.

Political separation of the Setswana-speaking populations into Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa has further limited the ability of Setswana literature to develop.

[6] Major authors who write in Setswana include Mokgomotso Mogapi, R. D. Molefhe, Matlapeng Ray Molomo, Tiroentle Pheto, Leetile Disang Raditladi, and Cedric Thobega.

[6] Because of the nation's multilingual nature and the importance of English in both the private and public sectors, language and literature have historically been taught under the same department at the University of Botswana.

[18] Some academics, such as Jean and John Comaroff, have contended that narrative did not exist in Botswana's oral tradition until it was introduced by the Western world.

In the 19th century, boys were expected to write and memorise an autobiographical praise poem, or leina, for himself as part of the bogwera coming-of-age rite.

[22] The poems are often long and complex, incorporating metaphors, literary references, and historical analogies that make them difficult to understand without prior knowledge.

[25] With a printing press that he brought to Kuruman, Moffat translated several religious works into Setswana, including the gospels, a book of hymns, lessons in Biblical scripture, and The Pilgrim's Progress.

[28] The South African writers Silas Molema and Sol Plaatje became major figures in the region's literature following World War I.

[29] Plaatje published the novel Mhudi in 1930, considering themes related to the growing colonial infrastructure in southern Africa through the setting of the 19th century Difaqane.

[31] Writers of the later colonial period include Simon Ratshosa, K. T. Motsete, and Leetile Disang Raditladi, all of whom wrote toward the idea of a unified Setswana identity.

She developed a sense of continuity centred on Serowe in both her fiction and nonfiction works, creating a reimagining of the area where social justice is affirmed.

Philosophical debate emerged around the nature of morality in Botswana, fought between adherents of pre-colonial traditions and supporters of modernist society.

[38] Changing morality in postcolonial Africa became a common theme across the continent as nations were decolonised, which gave rise to pan-African literature.

[40] Authors such as Andrew Sesinyi and Galesiti Baruti wrote critically about modern society in Botswana, contrasting it with an idealised vision of the past.

The story follows a man from a poor rural family who goes to the University of Botswana, where he meets and begins a romantic relationship with an upper class urban woman.

[44] Sesinyi's subsequent books, Rassie (1989) and Carjack (1999) also explore themes of wealth inequality and moral corruption in modern society.

[46] Caleb Nondo, a family physician, produced the pamphlet Lethal Virus (1998) that blends fictional narrative with medical information about HIV/AIDS.

[57] The government became the nation's largest publisher after independence, producing records and reports for official business as well as copies of the Botswana Daily News.

[57] The scientific journal Pula began publication in 1979 to print articles about economics, education, humanities, and social sciences in Botswana.

[62] Christian newsletters were circulated in present-day Botswana through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Molekodi wa Batswana (transl.

Newslink began publication in 1990, but an investigation by Mmegi uncovered that it was covertly run by Apartheid South Africa's National Intelligence Service.

[35] One of the earliest historical books was Three Great African Chiefs: Khamé, Sebéle and Bathoeng, published by the London Missionary Society in 1895.

[29] The London Missionary Society published a history book geared toward students, the edited volume Diňwao leha e le Dipololelo kaga Dico tsa Secwana by Reverend A. J. Wookey, in 1913.

[73] It was further developed by other adventure novelists who set their stories in Botswana, including Nicholas Monsarrat in the 1950s after his work in Johannesburg with the British diplomatic service,[74] and K. R. Butler in the 1960s.

[75] Adventure novels set in independent Botswana often take advantage of its stable democracy, distinguishing it from other African countries that are portrayed as unsafe or poorly managed by the native peoples.

[78] Norman Rush wrote multiple stories set in Botswana after he spent four years in the country as director of its Peace Corps office.