The Kgalagadi, or Bakgalagadi, are a Sotho-Tswana ethnic group native to Botswana. They are a section of the Batswana people. The name "Bakgalagadi" means "people of the Kalahari", and the group is thought to have migrated into Botswana from the Transvaal region of South Africa in the 17th century.
The Kgalagadi of Botswana are numbering 54,500 (Peoplegroups.org, 2024)
The Bakgalagadi are a pastoralist people, and their traditional economy is based on cattle herding and agriculture. They also practice hunting and gathering. The Bakgalagadi are known for their distinctive culture and traditions, which include their unique language, music, and dance.
Bakgalagadi or Bakgalagari are a Bantu group just like the Batswana, Bakalanga and Batswapong ethnic groups. They are a section of the Batswana of Sotho-Tswana origins.
In fact Kalahari Desert and Kgalagadi District derive their names form the Bakgalagadi.
'Bakgalagadi' means people of the Kgalagadi or Kalahari.
The Bakgalagadi are divided into several sub-groups, including the Bashaga, Bangologa, Baphaleng, Bakgwatheng, Bakhena, and Balala. They are primarily concentrated in the central regions of the Kalahari Desert, in the Gantsi and Kgalagadi Districts.
The ethnic group is made of tribes that include
Their language is Sekgalagadi, which has many dialects such as Sengologa, Sebolaongwe and Sekgwatheng.
The establishment of Bakgalagadi is pinpointed to around 1400 A.D. a period of transition in most parts of Botswana and southern Africa region. They migrated from the Transvaal area in South Africa into Botswana and settled in the Kalahari Desert and Gantsi area.
The origin confirms that Bakgalagadi and all other Batswana tribes come from the same ancestral roots. To date some Bakgalagadi still remain in the Rustenburg area of South Africa. Given that Bakgalagadi live in a desert area inevitably they mainly kept livestock for farming.
Just like the Khoi and the San, Bakgalagadi migrated into Botswana and settled in the Kalahari Desert. All the three groups spread across the entire area of both Gantsi and Kgalagadi Districts.
Sources: