This study is an analysis of Raditladi’s poetry with special emphasis on three aspects, namely, social, cultural and the historical perspectives. Raditladi blends indigenous African and Western influenced themes and forms to portray the common and shared ethos, beliefs and practices of the Batswana. He depicts artistic and edifying mechanisms of his people’s culture in remarkable styles. In addition to containing history and historical figures, his poetry also addresses social issues that are of particular significance to Africans who for so long have negotiated and navigated a world of contrasting social norms and values. For example, Selelo sa morati or a ‘A Lover’s Lament’ highlights the tensions and conflict between traditional, Batswana versus modern, Western practices of love and marriage. The poem also raises the deep-seated problem of tribalism, and by extension, racism. In the poem, an attempt to harmonise contrasting ways of living, loving and composing poetry, that resonates with contemporary Africans, and their quest for social change is a recurrent preoccupation. Many modern Batswanas continue to attempt to harmonise their cultural values and norms with what they feel to be useful and relevant from so the called modern norms and values. It is a journey beset with fearful odds. Raditladi’s poetry speaks to these everyday struggles we call life in the post-colonial and post-apartheid setting. An important aspect of Batswana cultural identity that emerges from a reading of Raditladi’s collection Sefalana sa Menate is the frequency of allusion to the significance of cattle. Thes significance that is manifested in considerable number of the poetic allusions or metaphors suggest a common view of cattle as nurture, sustenance, comfort, and possession of wealthy. Traditionally, cattle provided for the everyday needs of the Batswana, and in fiction as in real life, represent wealth and well-being. A strong relationship exists between cattle and the Batswana sensibilities. This strong identification with cattle by those who through countless generations have been shepherds is evidenced in cattle allusions carried forward in language, proverbs and poetry. Historical figures and events are conveyed through poetic aestheticism. These historical events constitute: • Leadership Lessons from the House of Kgama • Teaching Batswana Poetry: an African paradigm • South Africans in European Wars: Re-writing History and setting the record straight Raditladi’s work is based on life, lived as firsthand in the communal experiences of milking and caring for cattle as a child and this is viewed in the Batswana society as providing the foundation for understanding the Batswana sensibilities. There is a gap in in Setswana literary criticism regarding a critical exploration of the three themes mentioned above been analyzed.It is hoped that this research study will go a long way to address this gap / African languages / D Litt. et Phil.

This study is an analysis of Raditladi’s poetry with special emphasis on three aspects, namely, social, cultural and the historical perspectives. Raditladi blends indigenous African and Western influenced themes and forms to portray the common and shared ethos, beliefs and practices of the Batswana. He depicts artistic and edifying mechanisms of his people’s culture in remarkable styles. In addition to containing history and historical figures, his poetry also addresses social issues that are of particular significance to Africans who for so long have negotiated and navigated a world of contrasting social norms and values. For example, Selelo sa morati or a ‘A Lover’s Lament’ highlights the tensions and conflict between traditional, Batswana versus modern, Western practices of love and marriage. The poem also raises the deep-seated problem of tribalism, and by extension, racism. In the poem, an attempt to harmonise contrasting ways of living, loving and composing poetry, that resonates with contemporary Africans, and their quest for social change is a recurrent preoccupation. Many modern Batswanas continue to attempt to harmonise their cultural values and norms with what they feel to be useful and relevant from so the called modern norms and values. It is a journey beset with fearful odds. Raditladi’s poetry speaks to these everyday struggles we call life in the post-colonial and post-apartheid setting. An important aspect of Batswana cultural identity that emerges from a reading of Raditladi’s collection Sefalana sa Menate is the frequency of allusion to the significance of cattle. Thes significance that is manifested in considerable number of the poetic allusions or metaphors suggest a common view of cattle as nurture, sustenance, comfort, and possession of wealthy. Traditionally, cattle provided for the everyday needs of the Batswana, and in fiction as in real life, represent wealth and well-being. A strong relationship exists between cattle and the Batswana sensibilities. This strong identification with cattle by those who through countless generations have been shepherds is evidenced in cattle allusions carried forward in language, proverbs and poetry. Historical figures and events are conveyed through poetic aestheticism. These historical events constitute: • Leadership Lessons from the House of Kgama • Teaching Batswana Poetry: an African paradigm • South Africans in European Wars: Re-writing History and setting the record straight Raditladi’s work is based on life, lived as firsthand in the communal experiences of milking and caring for cattle as a child and this is viewed in the Batswana society as providing the foundation for understanding the Batswana sensibilities. There is a gap in in Setswana literary criticism regarding a critical exploration of the three themes mentioned above been analyzed.It is hoped that this research study will go a long way to address this gap / African languages / D Litt. et Phil.

This dissertation focuses on the praise poem, Chief Molefi K. Pilane which appears in the following texts namely Boka Sentle (1970) which is a collection of poems by Seboni and Lekhela and Praise Poems of Tswana Chiefs (1965) by Schapera. The poem by Seboni and Lekhela discusses some of the events which are to a larger extent discussed in Schapera's poem, known as Molefi Kgafela. This is the reason why the investigation highlights specifically Schapera's poem which is broadly elaborated. The message of this poem focuses on the implementation of law and order within the Community. Although it is one of the oldest traditional praise poems, no detailed investigation has been made with regard to this poem except for a few comments by Schapera. The aim of this investigation is to focus on three levels of text. The topic concept is indicated in line 7 - 12 which highlights on the theme of this poem. There are however other extracts from the poem that are used as examples. This. investigation also focuses on the narratological model, which states that a text work has three levels namely content, plot and style. The concepts, narrative poetry, epic, ode, ballad, sonnet and praise poem also receive attention. Content is also examined. When the content is summarised to the minimum then one refers to the topic. Topic is therefore important in literary work. The four elements of the plot structure namely exposition, development, climax and denouement are discussed. Techniques employed in exposition are viewpoint, conversation, symbolism and apostrophe. These techniques focus on the message carried by this poem. Repetition is used more often in the development stage of this literary work to emphasise lack of law and order in Molefi's Community. The techniques, namely apostrophe and conversation, are employed in the climax. They are also of value as they highlight the message of the poem. Techniques employed in the denouement are elision, synecdoche and exaggeration. Their importance is shown to be their relevance to the message of the poem. The following elements, are also examined: characters, events, time and place. The characters in the plot are described in relation to specific functions which reveal both -their good and bad behaviour. Their importance is explained to be due to their responsibility with regard to the continuation of events. The events are described in such a way that the conflict between the antagonist and the protagonist is revealed and time and place are discussed to highlight the events of the poem. The third level of this literary work deals with style and meter. Style highlights the author's mood and intention. The mood in this poem is related to the advice given to Molefi with regard to good leadership. Meter is discussed on the basis of two rules namely the rule of division and the rule of symmetrical harmony. The rule of division deals with metrical devices known as pause and caesura while the law of symmetrical harmony is concerned with the number of syllables, the number of penultimate summits and repetition. In the poem, Molefi Kgafela there are stanzas and words which have similar meanings. The poem, though being a traditional poem, is characterised by a modem instrument, which is writing by using meter. Meter is therefore important in this literary work. / Dissertation (MA (Setswana))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / African Languages / unrestricted

In the Apartheid South Africa, repression and the heightening of the Blacks' struggle for political emancipation, prompted artists to challenge the system through their music, oral poetry and writing. Most produced works of protest in English to reach a wider audience. This led to the general misconception that literatures in the indigenous languages of South Africa were insensitive to the issues of those times. This study seeks firstly to put to rest such misconception by proving that there is Commitment in these literatures as exemplified in the poetry of S.F. Motlhake. Motlhake not only expresses protest against the political system of the time, but also questions some religious and socio-cultural practices and institutions among his people. The study also examines his selected works as genuine poetry, which does not sacrifice art on the altar of propaganda. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

In the Apartheid South Africa, repression and the heightening of the Blacks' struggle for political emancipation, prompted artists to challenge the system through their music, oral poetry and writing. Most produced works of protest in English to reach a wider audience. This led to the general misconception that literatures in the indigenous languages of South Africa were insensitive to the issues of those times. This study seeks firstly to put to rest such misconception by proving that there is Commitment in these literatures as exemplified in the poetry of S.F. Motlhake. Motlhake not only expresses protest against the political system of the time, but also questions some religious and socio-cultural practices and institutions among his people. The study also examines his selected works as genuine poetry, which does not sacrifice art on the altar of propaganda. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)