Kwena clan


The Bakwena or Bakoena are a large Sotho-Tswana clan in Southern Africa of the southern Bantu group. They can be found in different parts of southern Africa such as Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa and Eswatini. "Kwena" is a Sotho/Tswana/Sepedi word meaning "crocodile", the crocodile is also their totem.

Genealogy and history

Earliest ancestor of the Kwena clan, Kwena, was a grandson of Masilo I, the King of Bahurutse clan around 1360 CE. Kwena and his followers settled at Tebang, now called Heidelberg. Around 1500 CE, Bakwena started spreading in the region, from the Lekwa River to Kalahari until settling at Ntsoanatsatsi with the Bafokeng around 1580 CE.

Early leaders

  • Kwena
  • Phokotsea
  • Kgabo I
  • Tebele

Basotho line

  • first leader was Kgosi Napo.
  • Napo begot and was succeeded by his son Motebang
  • Motebang begot and was succeeded by his son Molemo
  • Molemo begot and was succeeded by his son Tsoloane le Tsolo
  • Tsholoane begot and was succeeded by his son Monaheng
  • Monaheng begot and was succeeded by his son Motloang
  • Motloang begot and was succeeded by his son Peete
  • Doc Mokoteli begot and was succeeded by his son Mokhachane
  • Mokhachane begot and was succeeded by his son Moshoeshoe
and it continues to the royal line of Lesotho.

Batswana line

Kgabo II led a small group of Bakwena and crossed the Madikwe River and founded a tribe on the lands of the Bakgatla tribe which they drove away, modern day Botswana. As the result of a split, several tribes like the Ngwato and Ngwaketse.