Kwena tribe
Template:Short description The Bakwena or Bakoena ("those who venerate the crocodile") are a large Sotho-Tswana clan in Southern Africa of the southern Bantu group. They can be found in different parts of southern Africa such as Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa and Eswatini. "Kwena" is a Sotho/Tswana/Sepedi word meaning "crocodile", the crocodile is also their totem (seboko).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Genealogy and history
Earliest ancestor of the Kwena clan, Kwena, was a grandson of Masilo I, the King of Bahurutse clan around 1360 CE. Kwena and his followers settled at Tebang, now called Heidelberg.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Around 1500 CE, Bakwena started spreading in the region, from the Lekwa River to Kalahari (Botswana) until settling at Ntsoanatsatsi (mythical origin land of the Sotho-Tswana people) with the Bafokeng around 1580 CE.
Early leaders
- Kwena (dates unknown)Template:Sfn
- Phokotsea (dates unknown)Template:Sfn
- Kgabo I (late 17th century)Template:Sfn
- Tebele (late 17th or early 18th century)Template:Sfn
Basotho line
- first leader was Kgosi Napo.
- Napo begot and was succeeded by his son Motebang
- Motebang begot and was succeeded by his son Molemo
- Molemo begot and was succeeded by his son Tsoloane le Tsolo
- Tsholoane begot and was succeeded by his son Monaheng
- Monaheng begot and was succeeded by his son Motloang
- Motloang begot and was succeeded by his son Peete
- Doc Mokoteli begot and was succeeded by his son Mokhachane
- Mokhachane begot and was succeeded by his son Moshoeshoe
and it continues to the royal line of Lesotho.
Batswana line
Kgabo II led a small group of Bakwena and crossed the Madikwe River and founded a tribe on the lands of the Bakgatla tribe (whose totem was the blue monkey) which they drove away, modern day Botswana. As the result of a split, several tribes like the Ngwato and Ngwaketse.Template:Sfn
- Kgabo II (until c. 1740)Template:Sfn
- Motshodi (c. 1740 – c. 1770)Template:Sfn
- Motswasele I (c. 1770 – c. 1785)Template:Sfn
- Seitlhamo (late 18th century)Template:Sfn
- Legwale (late 18th century)Template:Sfn
- Maleke (early 19th century; regent)Template:Sfn
- Tshosa (early 19th century; regent)Template:Sfn
- Motswasele II (c. 1807–1821)Template:Sfn
- Sechele I (c. 1829–1892)Template:Sfn
- Sebele I (1892–1911)Template:Sfn
- Sechele II (1911–1918)Template:Sfn
- Sebele II (1918–1931)Template:Sfn
- Kgari Sechele II (1931–1962)Template:Sfn
- Neale Sechele (1963–1970)Template:Sfn
- Bonewamang Padi Sechele (1970–1978; appointed as the Tribal Authority)Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
- Mack Sechele (1978–1986; regent)Template:Sfn
- Moithali Sechele II (1986–1996; regent)Template:Sfn
- Kgosikwena Sebele (1996–2002; regent)
- Kgari Sechele III (2002–present)