The Notion of God in the Basotho Culture

Basotho idioms and proverbs are scripture

Growing up almost everyone around me was Catholic, but the majority of the people were still involved in the Catholic Church as well as traditional practices. It tis these rituals that I want to  talk about. These rituals I feel have shaped me and persist in me through the greatest storms.

In fact I have come to realise that there is no difference between the tribal rituals of the Basotho culture and a Biblical or some other scripture. I will tell you why in a minute.

In my culture we believe that helping each other is part of who we are, hence the proverb, "Matsoho a a hlatsoana,"which means, palms clean or wash one another.

The greatest visual in this belief is that of a man travelling late in the evening. As he passes through a village, someone sees him carrying luggage and often times a walking stick. Walking sticks are carried mostly as a form of adornment plus for fighting in case self defences becomes necessary. Whoever sees the traveller asks how far he is going and offers him a place to put up for the night. There are a few people whom I could offer a place for the night but this story which is a reality in my country has returned to my life in the US as an allegory.