New Year’s Day.
January 1-2. Most people will get
together with family or friends and bring in the New Year with food and drink.
They also bring in the New Year with a lot of noise, banging pots and pans, blowing
whistles and whatever they can find. People also like to bring in the new year with friends and family, and with music and dance, food and drink. I
found a blurb that read that some Tswana peoples believe that married couples
should have sex at midnight to ensure a prosperous year. They can even file for
divorce if one partner doesn’t show up for this ritual. I wonder how many babies are born around the
end of September or early October.
Good Friday. Varies. Most Christians in Botswana will attend church
services on this day. Traditionally Good Friday is the beginning of a four-day
holiday weekend. Many people will go to
their hometowns and home villages to spend the long weekend with family and
friends.
Easter. Varies. People will usually start the day off with
special services at church. Church is usually followed by a great luncheon
filled with many types of food and drink. While there may be some of the American
commercial aspects to Easter found in Botswana (like Easter candy or the Easter
bunny), most people in Botswana do not know who the Easter bunny is or about
coloring eggs.
Easter Monday. Varies. Most businesses and all schools are closed on
this day, including the stock exchange. Most people take this day as a day of
relaxation with family.
Labour Day. May 1. This is a day in honor of labor history
and celebrates the workers of the world.
Ascension. Varies. This is the 40th day after
Easter, and in Christianity it marks the day that Jesus ascended into heaven.
The stock exchange doesn’t trade and businesses and schools are generally
closed on this day.
Sir Seretse Khama Day. July 1. Seretse Khama was born into a prominent family
in 1921 and went to England as an adult to eventually study to be a barrister.
While there, he fell in love with an English woman, and they were married in
1948. Their interracial marriage was not taken well in the era of apartheid South
Africa. After banning interracial marriage, it would make them look worse if there
was an interracial couple ruling just across the border. So, they pressured
Britain to do something about it. Being in debt from WWII, and not wanting to
lose their access to South Africa’s gold and other resources, the couple was
exiled. The couple eventually came back and slowly worked their way back in
politics once more to eventually become the first president of Botswana after
gaining independence. His son Ian Khama is the current president of Botswana. I’m
fascinated with his story, but maybe because I’m in an interracial marriage
myself. In a way, it’s amazing how far we have come, but how far we still have
to go.
President’s Day. 3rd Monday and Tuesday in July. Technically,
since 2006, President’s Day is now only a one-day holiday. However, in reality,
people still celebrate it for two days, including the Bank of Botswana and the government
itself. There are a lot of small
festivals that take place in many towns and cities, filled with vendors, food, and
music.
Botswana Day.
September 30-October 1. This is the day that commemorates Botswana’s
independence from Britain in 1966. People blow horns early in the morning and then
spend the entire day listening to speeches, watching live dance contests, music
concerts, beauty contests to crown Miss Independence, and of course eating and
drinking all day. Parades and festivities are held by local arts and culture
societies and lasts until late in the night.
Christmas Day. December 25. Batswana celebrate Christmas in
many of the Western ways we are accustomed to in the US and areas of Europe,
like decorating Christmas trees and Santa Claus. People usually stay up late on
Christmas Eve, singing carols and other devotional songs. After midnight, they
exchange gifts. On Christmas Day, many
people dress their best and attend special church services, afterwards visiting
friends and family. As with any proper holiday, there is a lot of traditional
food and a lot of drinking to be had. In some areas, the people will gather for
soccer matches in the afternoon.
Boxing Day. December 26. There are several different theories behind
Boxing Day, but it’s chiefly a holiday celebrated in former British
colonies/protectorates (except the US). In most places, Boxing Day has become a
day of shopping and deal busters. Some countries in southern Africa (like South
Africa) also call Boxing Day “The Day of Goodwill,” and I’m imagining that they
use it as a day to give back to the community as well.
Up next: Art and Literature
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