The Rolong, or Barolong, are a prominent Tswana ethnic group native to Botswana and South Africa. Their origins trace back to the 1100s when the Tswana people were migrating south from the Great Lakes region. The name "Rolong" derives from their first kgosi (chief), Morolong, who lived around 1270–1280. The name Morolong is believed to stem from the ancient word "rola," meaning metal forging and hammering, indicating the tribe's deep-rooted connection to metalworking.
Among the diverse ethnic groups of Botswana, the Batswapong stand as one of the three significant Ngwato minorities, alongside the Batalaote (Bakalanga) and Babirwa. Their story is deeply intertwined with the hills that dot their homeland's landscape, reflected in their very name—Tswapong, derived from Letswapo, a Sengwato word meaning "foot of a hill."
In the t
wilight of the 19th century, as the winds of colonialism swept across Africa, one woman stood as a stronghold of resistance against the tide of British rule. This is the story of Lozikeyi Dlodlo, the indomitable queen of the Ndebele people, whose fierce determination and political brilliance would leave a mark on the history of Zimbabwe.
Krotoa, also known as Eva van Meerhof, was a Khoekhoe woman who lived in the 17th century at the Cape of Good Hope, which is modern-day Cape Town, South Africa. She played a significant role in the early interactions between the Dutch colonists and the indigenous Khoekhoe people.
Sub-Saharan Africans were among the world's pioneers in the working of metal. As early as 1000 AD, Nguni-speaking peoples had spread ironworking techniques across much of southern Africa as they migrated from the Great Lakes region.