Chieftaincy among the Bakgatla is hereditary as it is inherited by the eldest son of the Chief's great wife. Initiation rites (bogwera for males and bojale for females) were very important agencies of socialisation among the Bakgatla. However, Christianity, colonial rule and modernity led to erosion of many cultural practices of the Bakgatla and other ethnic groups in Botswana and sub-Saharan Africa in general. For instance the Bakgatla-baga-Kgafela last practised fully-fledged initiation rites in 1902. Thereafter, a largely watered-down version was followed and later the practice was abandoned until the 1970s. In the 1970s the Bakgatla under Kgosi Linchwe II revived the initiate rites owing to social problems among the youth. This development continued until 1990 when the last initiation rites were performed. Today social problems and challenges brought by globalisation has led to Kgosi Kgafela II reviving the initiation rites, the process of which started in late May 2009.
Traditionally all adults in the Bakgatla community were divided into mephato (age-regiments) after undergoing bogwera for males and bojale for females, normally held during their adolescence. Male regiments were utilised for hunting expeditions, rounding up matimela (stray cattle), work on a Kgosi's fields, building cattle-kraals for him and other tasks. The male age-regiments functioned as a tribal army during war time. Female regiments worked in his home and his wives' fields, and also helped in the execution of tribal ceremonies. The mephato also tilled communal masotla or maphasha fields, whose produce was kept by the Kgosi for consumption by the morafe when disaster such as drought struck.
