Tshekedi Khama was right to oppose Seretse�s marriage (Part 2)

Richard Moleofe | Friday July 31, 2015 15:49

” It must be understood from Seretse’s own admission that he knew from the onset that his marriage to a white woman would be a violation on the very culture and traditions of his people.

Seretse knew very well that he had not only violated his immediate family, the royal court, but he had also gone against the principles of his tribe. A chief is an asset of the tribe and by going against the wishes of the tribe, he had become a liability.

Before Tshekedi could even have a say in the choice of a bride for his nephew, Seretse had already delivered an admission of guilt through the text in his letter to Tshekedi. It was obvious that Seretse had prior knowledge that his marriage to a white woman would drive a wedge between him and his people and on this he worked against time to achieve this before anyone could counter his actions.

Tshekedi’s reaction to this action had already been calculated by his nephew because it was well anticipated. The uncleís rage over the matter was simply indicative of the tribeís anger and disappointment. All other action carried by Tshekedi in reaction to Seretse’s marriage was premised on the tribe’s response.

Tshekedi had sleepless nights over this whole affair. He immediately contacted the British Residence Commissioner in an attempt to block the marriage. The matter was escalated all the way to London in an attempt to block Seretse’s marriage to a white woman. The uncle went as far as instituting legal action against his nephew and all this was done based on the fact that the tribe was in a state of dire disapproval of the heir apparent’s actions. The British government ignored the pleas of the tribe echoed by the regent because according to them, Seretse was within his democratic rights for the choice of a bride.

It was only after Seretse arrived in the Ngwato tribal territory that he garnered some support from a certain section of the tribe. It was Seretse’s humility that earned him further votes. The other factor that drove Seretse’s campaign to be allowed to bring a white woman to the tribe as a queen was the fact that his uncle had earned a good number of enemies during his stay in power. Some people were finding this to be a convenient excuse to depose Tshekedi from the throne.

According to tribal history records, only one out of fifteen members of royalty approved of Seretse’s marriage in a meeting preceding that of the tribe. The odds against Seretse seemed to be overwhelming at the time. The gripe with these royals was that they needed to have a say on who will become their queen. Seretse knew very well that he had transgressed all tribal customs of getting a wife.

Though the colour of her skin formed the basis for their rejection of Seretse’s spouse, the starting point was on the preservation of culture and customary practices. Even in the current era, Bangwato are still practicing their primitive customs of finding a bride for a son. Other tribes are equally keeping this practice in place.

From my opening statement I made it very clear that Tshekedi had always looked forward to handing the baton to Seretse. Tshekedi’s main contention on the marriage was the protection and the preservation of culture. If this marriage was allowed to happen, it would only help to erode the imperatives of culture.

At that time I realized that two competing paradigms of argument were raised around the issue. Seretse had the right to enjoy all democratic sensibilities that Britain offered and that came in indulging in a cross-cultural marriage. On the other hand, Tshekedi argued that if this was allowed to go on, that would spell the end of the Ngwato royalty as they knew it at the time.

It was with sadness that during the public meetings some tribesmen resorted to using derogatory terms against the future offsprings of Seretse and Ruth. These unprintable utterances were directed at gaining popular support for Tshekedi’s views. Tshekedi’s final threat was that he would find refuge in the neighbouring Kwena tribal territory if Seretse brought the white woman to Gammangwato. He stood true to his words as he finally settled with his followers in Rametsana.

Truth be told! It may only have been the tactics that Tshekedi employed in his opposition to the marriage that seem to have brought his downfall. But his line of argument that served to preserve the Ngwato royalty in its rawest form was absolutely right. Chieftaincy in Gammangwato has been compromised by this marriage and it will never be the same again.

Seretse’s children are a result of two divergent cultural practices. This alone has tilted Seretse’s offspring’s world view; the window with which we view the world. Seretse’s children have adopted a Western cultural perspective because of their upbringing. Their white mother could not have achieved schooling them into the Setswana culture which was as foreign as anything to Ruth. The primary role of a queen is to raise princes and princesses and among which a king would emerge in future. Her critical role revolves around issues of customs and traditions. Something a Westerner would never fulfil.

In as much as I am not opposed to cross-cultural marriages, I believe that in the case of royalty this must be avoided. I personally have a white brother-in-law and that is not a big issue because we are not royalty. Our differences which currently exist in abundance are not predicated on culture and customs but rather on differences of personalities. Therefore I do not harbour any resentment against white people. If those in the lineage of power may chose spouses oblivious to the fact that the chief is the custodian of tribal customs and traditions, then we may as well stop calling ourselves tribes.

Batswana are still very much sensitive to this fact. When electing their ward chiefs, they are always alive to those fine lines that define the roots of our people. When these headmen are chosen, the government’s prerequisite is for any citizen in possession of a national identity card. But the public that elects would not entertain a Motswana of Asian origin as their ward chief because he will not understand the orientation of their culture.

Here is a living example. Within my electoral constituency there is a certain Mr Li Xan Feng from China. He has been in this country for many years and this has earned him a national identity card and that means he is a citizen of this country in every sense of the word. The people of Ledumadumane would not entertain his candidature for a ward chief. This is regardless of the fact that he has allowed himself to be assimilated into our culture. He speaks fair Setswana but yet he does not measure up to the task of royalty because he is not indigenous to the land.

Because Seretse’s sons have perpetually pursued white women, Serowe which is the seat of power for Bagammangwato will never have a paramount chief in the true sense. Furthermore, Seretse’s eldest son Ian has preferred celibacy and this on its own has faded the hopes of the tribe on ever getting a black African queen. This is exactly what Tshekedi wanted to prevent from happening to the tribe. And he was absolutely right!

 

*Richard Moleofe is a Retired Military

Officer (Distinguished Service Medal)