In my biology class back then in secondary school this difference in complexion has been explained within the context of the content of melanin we have. In my curiosity, that has never made sense to me, in as much as the difference might be biological, I have always thought it is anthropological and/or historical.
I am light skinned, the only one amongst my siblings, and for the past 22 years I have been the only one in the family, but three months back my eldest sister brought to this world a bundle of joy who is more lighter than I am. I have always thought light skinned Batswana, all of them resemble Basarwa, I at times feel I look like one. This is not surprising to me, and it would not to anybody who knows the history of Southern Africa- that upon arrival of the Bantu speaking groups from around Cameroon, they found the indigenous inhabitants here, the so called San people, and as nature dictates, they were interactions between the San and the Bantu, they inter-married and children were born out of this marriage. My hypothesis is therefore simple as follows 'if you are a light skinned Motswana, just know that it is your Sesarwa gene", we all have San ancestors no matter how much one might think he/she is "pure" Motswana, even the so-called royal families are more Basarwa than they are of Tswana speaking origin.
