The Bamangwato (more correctly BagammaNgwato, and also referred to as the BaNgwato or Ngwato) is one of the eight "principal" Tswana chieftaincies of Botswana.
Sir Seretse Khama's paternal forebears, the chiefs of the Bamangwato, had built several prior capitals including Shoshong and Phalatswe, also known as Old Palapye.
(Before the advent of colonial administration and fixed infrastructure, it was common for a tribal town to move when the local environment degraded.
The Sengwato language caused excitement in linguistic circles in 1998 when scholars realized that it contained a unique f-s sound.
His son, Ian Khama, is Botswana's fourth President and the tribe's de facto paramount chief.