Bamalete, or baMalete, is the traditional name of a Southern African Tswana tribe of Nguni

Nguni people

-History:The ancient history of the Nguni people is wrapped up in their oral history. According to legend they were a people who migrated from Egypt to the Great Lakes region of sub-equatorial Central/East Africa...

 descent, who tend to prefer the modern name Balete

In Botswana

Botswana

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

, where they occupy a permanent territory since circa 1780, officially recognized as a tribal reserve in 1909, they are the only one of eight major tribes that do not belong to the related Tswana people. They still have a traditional Paramount Chief, equally styled Kgôsikgolo. Today, BaMalete have settled in Southern Botswana villages including Ramotswa, Gabane

Gabane

Gabane is a village in Kweneng District of Botswana. It is located 15 km west of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. The population was 10,399 in 2001 census, making it the fourth largest settlement in Kweneng....

, Otse

Otse

Otse is a village in South-East District of Botswana. It is located 60 km south of Gaborone, along the Gabarone–Lobatse road and close to the border with South Africa. This village is home to the Balete people who are related to those in Ramotswa, Gabane and Mogobane. The population was...

 and Mogobane

Mogobane

Mogobane is a village in South-East District of Botswana. It is located 55 km south of Gaborone and 40 km east of Kanye. The village is designed along Mogobane dam...

.

List of chiefs

.... - .... Pôwê I a Marumo

.... - 1805 Mokgôjwe a Pôwê (acting)

1805 - 1830 Pôwê II a Mokgôjwe (d. c.1830)

1830 - 1886 Mokgôsi I a Pôwê

1886 - 1896 Ikaneng a Mokgôsi

1896 - 1906 Mokgôsi II a Ikaneng

1906 - 1917 Baitlotle a Ikaneng (acting)

1917 - 1937 Seboko I a Mokgôsi

1937 - 1945 Ketswerebothata a Mokgôsi (acting)

1945 - 1966 Mokgôsi III a Seboko

1966 - 1996 Kelemogile a Seboko (Kelemogile Mokgosi) acting

1996 - 2001 Seboko II a Mokgôsi

2001 - 2002 Tumelo a Seboko (acting)

2002 - Mosadi a Mokgôsi (female)

Leboko la Balete (The Balete Poem)

Matebele a mantsho aga

ma masodi-a mphela(mazulu a mampela)

A ga selala le namane letlhakoleng

di robaroba matlhakola

dia robile di satla go a lala

namane tse di naka di diobe

ere faere "gou!"di be dire "goo"

kgodumo...o e tshabele mogotlhong

more wa nare ga o lebalebelwe;

mutlwa gao tswane le lenaka, o

ka tlhomolwa.

mogatsa mmolaya nare o ya a batla seantlo

a sale gale. Barwa taola tsa mere

Barwa motlhana o tlhokile motsei

o jelwe ke magakabe le manong

Barwa kgodumo ya leselesele

Sources and references

World Statesmen website on political and administrative entities