Mmadinare
Encyclopedia
Mmadinare is a small village that is located in the central district of Botswana
, 15 kilometers from Selibe Phikwe and less than 500 km from the capital city. The village is slowly growing into a town, with a population estimate of about 13 000 (estimates from the 2004 census) people of different tribes including Bangwato, Batalaote
, Babirwa and others. The village was started in the late 1800s by a group of different tribes, somewhere from Senyawe in the far north east of the country, while others were from south Africa
in Seleka. Those from Senyawe lived near the Makome hill and occupy the Kelele and Seboo wards. Those from South Africa are presently staying at Manga and Matabi wards, where they stayed near Maretemagolo hill, according to village elders and historians.
The people of Mmadinare prefer a very quiet life and low profile lifestyle and like their customs and traditions like eating traditional food (mabele) while at the same time trying to develop into a small town without losing its past as it gets a major influence from the neighbor town of Selibe Phikwe. Mmadinare is located in the center of hills; like other villages in southern Africa
it was started during wars and hills were used as a form of protection from enemies, as they were able to see them from a distance.
There are a number of developments that are already visible in the village including a police station
, senior secondary school
and letsibogo, which are expected to help improve the economy of Mmadinare and Selibe Phikwe, a nearby town where people of this village get most of the things they need including groceries.
The area also has a high potential for tourism
and wildlife
resources, as there are lots of animals in the surrounding areas especially elephant
s that give the locals lots of trouble especially during drought
season. They go around destroying people's crops and properties and sometimes lives are lost in the process. On the accommodation side, little is there in the village, as there are not many established lodges in the village. Most visitors get their accommodation at Selibe Phikwe.
There is a big river that passes on the northern part of the village called Motloutse River, which supplies the Letsibogo dam with water, on its way to Shashe River
down further east. The river is partly depleted as a result of sand mining
by the copper
mine in Selibe Phikwe, which gets sand from the river to wash their copper ores.
One activity that the people of Mmadinare have neglected is the fishing
industry in the area, as there is a dam nearby but they do not use it to catch fish and sell them to improve their lives. The village has two junior secondary schools (Makome and Meremintsi) and one senior secondary school. There is also one primary hospital
and one clinic. There are numerous places of entertainment in the village which include camping at the dam and various bars in the village. There is an annual 10 km race that takes place in the village held on Christmas Day and is one of the main attraction of visitors to the village especially in December.
When all is said Mmadinare is a small village that is very interesting to visit at times especially in December, when the children of the village are back from town to come visit their parents, as most of the youth are working in towns like Franstown and Gaborone City.
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...
, 15 kilometers from Selibe Phikwe and less than 500 km from the capital city. The village is slowly growing into a town, with a population estimate of about 13 000 (estimates from the 2004 census) people of different tribes including Bangwato, Batalaote
Batalaote
BaTalaote are an ethnic group found in the central district of Botswana and south-western parts of Zimbabwe. They are part of a large group of ethnic groups called Bakalanga. Over the years Batalaote lost their language and adopted Kalanga for those in Zimbabwe and Sengwato, which is spoken by the...
, Babirwa and others. The village was started in the late 1800s by a group of different tribes, somewhere from Senyawe in the far north east of the country, while others were from south Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in Seleka. Those from Senyawe lived near the Makome hill and occupy the Kelele and Seboo wards. Those from South Africa are presently staying at Manga and Matabi wards, where they stayed near Maretemagolo hill, according to village elders and historians.
The people of Mmadinare prefer a very quiet life and low profile lifestyle and like their customs and traditions like eating traditional food (mabele) while at the same time trying to develop into a small town without losing its past as it gets a major influence from the neighbor town of Selibe Phikwe. Mmadinare is located in the center of hills; like other villages in southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
it was started during wars and hills were used as a form of protection from enemies, as they were able to see them from a distance.
There are a number of developments that are already visible in the village including a police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, senior secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
and letsibogo, which are expected to help improve the economy of Mmadinare and Selibe Phikwe, a nearby town where people of this village get most of the things they need including groceries.
The area also has a high potential for tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
resources, as there are lots of animals in the surrounding areas especially elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s that give the locals lots of trouble especially during drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
season. They go around destroying people's crops and properties and sometimes lives are lost in the process. On the accommodation side, little is there in the village, as there are not many established lodges in the village. Most visitors get their accommodation at Selibe Phikwe.
There is a big river that passes on the northern part of the village called Motloutse River, which supplies the Letsibogo dam with water, on its way to Shashe River
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
down further east. The river is partly depleted as a result of sand mining
Sand mining
Sand mining is a practice that is becoming an environmental issue as the demand for sand increases in industry and construction. Sand is mined from beaches and inland dunes and dredged from ocean beds and river beds. It is often used in manufacturing as an abrasive, for example, and it is used to...
by the copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mine in Selibe Phikwe, which gets sand from the river to wash their copper ores.
One activity that the people of Mmadinare have neglected is the fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
industry in the area, as there is a dam nearby but they do not use it to catch fish and sell them to improve their lives. The village has two junior secondary schools (Makome and Meremintsi) and one senior secondary school. There is also one primary hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and one clinic. There are numerous places of entertainment in the village which include camping at the dam and various bars in the village. There is an annual 10 km race that takes place in the village held on Christmas Day and is one of the main attraction of visitors to the village especially in December.
When all is said Mmadinare is a small village that is very interesting to visit at times especially in December, when the children of the village are back from town to come visit their parents, as most of the youth are working in towns like Franstown and Gaborone City.