Basarwa in Botswana: The Role of Perceptions and Name Giving by other Population Groups in Enduring Poverty

Abstract

This article is concerned with the way in which perceptions and name giving contribute to the socio-economic circumstances of a named group. The understanding of the Basarwa as a people in Botswana as well as how they have been perceived in history by “new invadersâ€â€”including Christians—is used as an example. This article explores the influence of the attitudes or perceptions of “invaders†on the original inhabitants of the sub-continent. It is difficult to address the topic of the Basarwa with any amount of certainty due to insufficient records, more particularly due to lack of any records written from the perspective of the Basarwa themselves. This article shows that perceptions about the Basarwa as well as the names given to them by “invaders†play a defining role in the enduring poverty of the Basarwa people in Botswana.