The word “Motswako” literally translates to “Mixture”. On the surface, the term simply speaks to the fact that the genre’s crafted from wordsmiths marrying Setswana and a second language (usually English, but not always) to create a new form of expression that speaks to predominantly Tswana speaking people. To go beyond the surface though is to truly begin to appreciate the many layers the genre’s identity, as its name represents.
For many Batswana the act of naming a thing – anything – is a delicate affair. One mustn’t…
