Celebrating birthdays on Botswana Day

ISAAC PINIELO
Correspondent | Monday October 4, 2010 00:00

It is not uncommon for some people born on this day to even organise combined parties for exceptional celebrations.  Some radio stations are even known to dedicate some airtime to these lucky people born on Botswana Day.  New born babies born on this day often receive congratulatory gifts.  Even the naming of such children often denotes that they were born on Independence Day.

Most of them have names like Boipuso, a Setswana word for independence, and for parents with female children Mma-Botswana is usually the preferred name, it means Miss-Botswana.

It is not surprising that Unami Mobiyana of Sebina village is enthralled by the fact that she celebrates her birthday on the same day that her motherland is celebrating its independence.

'It's great for me to have been born on the same day my country attained independence. It shows that somewhere somehow God loves me.  He gave me the grace and I feel blessed,' said 25-year-old Mobiyana.

For 22-year-old Kagiso Motlhalamme, a third-year student at ABM University College, sharing a birthday with his country means that he also progresses with it.  He added that he is fascinated by the fact that he celebrates his birthday at a time when most people are also celebrating.

'It's a very pleasant coincidence.  On this day I make sure that I celebrate to the fullest and not let anything hurt me because it is a day that symbolises what Botswana stands for,' said a proud Motlhalamme who resides at Riverside North, Francistown.

Mmabotswana Kerebotse (37) of Bluetown said when it comes to Independence Day, she gets excited by the fact that most people will be in a festive mood.

'The majority of people you meet on this day are often in a jovial mood, contrary to when you celebrate your birthday on other days,' she professed.

Botswana gained her independence from British colonialism on September 30 1966.  This was the highest turning point for the country as it signified the birth of a nation.  This is why each year there are countrywide commemorations of this day.

September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 92 days remaining until the end of the year.  The astrological sign of people born on this day is Libra, which is the seventh sign in the Zodiac.  In astrology, Libra is considered a 'masculine', positive (extrovert) sign.  It is also considered an air sign and is one of four cardinal signs.  Libra is ruled by the planet Venus.