Enterprising Batswana used wood ash to rid livestock of ticks
The firewood-ash midden at the entrance of a cattle kraal in the bye-gone era wasn’t exactly a plunge dip tank…
Category: Historic Botswana
From glass beads to the Pula: A history of Botswana’s currency
The BWP (the Botswana pula) is one of the strongest and most stable currencies in Africa. Despite this, its value…
As Botswana celebrates its 54th year of Independence – a look at the country’s key events over the years
On this day 54 years ago, the Republic of Botswana gained its independence from Britain. Before its independence in 1966,…
Botswana: a remarkable achievement, thanks to capitalism
Today, Botswana is not only prosperous but also relatively free. It offers its inhabitants the highest degree of freedom on…
Botswana’s queen-led Okavango Delta tribe few know about
The Culture Botswana 2.0 Facebook page is amazing at educating Batswana and the rest of the world about our people…
Memories of 1960s Maun: a boat regatta in the Swamps
The attached video is of some self-organised entertainment for the Maun resident’s, a boat regatta in the Swamps. There was…
Memories of 1960s Botswana: Leaving Paradise
On the way home for one holiday, we were close to the border on the South African side when we…
Challenges of life in 1960s Maun
There were many other challenges to living in Maun, probably best summed up by the neighbour who came around with…
Policing 1960s Botswana – a very different matter to Britain
My parents are British and were living in Yorkshire. My father was a policeman and my mother a school teacher.…
No story about Ngamiland is complete without a snake or crocodile story
The images attached are of snakes that were found in the garden; there is a long fat one and a…
Tale of two ladies and a VW Beetle who tried and failed to brave the rough terrain of 1960s Francistown-Maun highway
The images in this article are of a vehicle that the police had to recover while we were in Maun,…
Do you remember a time when Maun’s popular hangout spot, Backpackers had resident cheetahs?
This week, Ian Brooks, a resident of Maun for a time the 1960s, shares with us a memory of a…
Frantic San gentleman braves days’ journey on foot through a route fraught with danger to seek medical assistance for sick wife
The photograph is of a San gentleman. My father won an award for this photograph; he chose to develop it…
Travelling on 1960s Maun – Francistown highway was not for the faint of heart!
The video clip above shows a stretch of the legendary Maun to Francistown highway in the 1960s. The stretch from…
Memories of Maun village life as it was in 1960s Botswana
This week we bring you images and a video depicting various scenes in and around Maun in 1960s Botswana. All…
Camping under the open skies of Tsodilo Hills, where the lions roamed free – early 1960s
The images above (taken by my father, Donald Brooks) are of the ‘Bushmen’ paintings at the Tsodilo Hills. These images…
The ‘old’ Maun Bridge as it was in the early 1960s
The pictures featured are of the construction of the ‘old’ Maun bridge. I’m sure you will recognise it from the…
Policing Bechuanaland Protectorate
As we continue the memories of Bechuanaland Protectorate series recounted by Ian Brooks, this article and photos showcase some of…
Botswana: Why Masisi held on and how voters rejected ethnic politics
We did not expect this result. Analysts had given the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), led by Mokgweetsi Masisi less…
Memories of a time gone by – The 1960s Botswana series
Exciting times for YourBotswana and our valued readers! A friend of Botswana has reached out to us to share his…
Botswana’s 5th President, Dr MEK Masisi is inaugurated
On Friday, November 1, Batswana were glued to tv screens up and down the country as the 5th President of…
HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, BDP wins Botswana 2019 General election
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has comfortably won what was expected to be a tightly contested general election. Following this week’s much-anticipated…
Botswana Police Service celebrates 135 years
President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi yesterday joined members of the Botswana Police Service (BPS) and the nation to celebrate achievements made…
Memories of early days in 1950 Ghanzi
The following are recollections of the Midgley family first arriving in Ghanzi in September, 1950. The author was seven years…
Memories of Botswana and an enduring friendship with one Isaac Motsusi
Isaac came to work for my family in Francistown when he will have been a mere teenager, in 1949 (mainly…
Re-living memories of 1947 Francistown
We were all so excited at our lovely new car, the blue Nash Ambassador. It cost £641. The number plate…