An archaeological investigation of the Bakgatla Baga Kgafela at Mabeleapodi, Pilanesberg National Park, North West Province

Abstract

This dissertation, a collections-based study, applies a microscale approach to the study of the unanalysed material excavated from five midden features from three (Kgosing, Morêma, and Tshukudu) of the five sections that make up the 19th-century Bakgatla Baga Kgafela capital settlement, Mabeleapodi, situated in the Pilanesberg National Park, North West. Current ethnographic evidence suggests that Kgosi Pilane lived in the capital, Mabeleapodi, from AD 1830 until his death in AD 1850. As a result, it is believed that Mabeleapodi was probably abandoned in the mid-19th century soon after the death of Kgosi Pilane. However, the archaeological material indicates that Mabeleapodi was occupied from the early 1800s up until the 1860s/1870s, suggesting that the site was occupied long after the death of Kgosi Pilane, and that it may be one of the few sites in the Pilanesberg region that was occupied during and after the Difaqane period.

Tlhotlhomisi eno ke thutopatlisiso e e theilweng mo kokoanyong, e dirisa molebo wa sekale sa maekero (microscale) mo patlisisong ya matheriale o o sa lokololwang o o epilweng go tswa mo dithothobolong tse tlhano go tswa mo dikarolong tse tharo (Kgosing, Morêma, le Tshukudu) tsa tse tlhano tse e leng karolo ya bonno jwa ngwagakgolo wa bo19 jwa Bakgatla Ba ga Kgafela e leng Mabeleapodi, e e fitlhelwang mo Phakeng ya Bosetšhaba ya Pilanesberg, Bokonebophirima. Bosupi jwa ga jaana jwa etenokerafi bo bontsha gore Kgosi Pilane o ne a nna mo motsemogolong wa Mabeleapodi, go tloga ka AD1830 go fitlha a tlhokafala ka AD1850. Ka ntlha ya seo, go dumelwa gore Mabeleapodi e ne ya phuaganngwa mo bogareng jwa ngwagakgolo wa bo19 morago fela ga loso la ga Kgosi Pilane. Fela matheriale wa akheoloji o supa fa go ne go na le batho ba ba neng ba nna kwa Mabeleapodi go tloga kwa tshimologong ya bo1800 go fitlha ka bo1860/1870, e leng se se ka supang fa lefelo leo le ne le na le batho sebaka se seleele morago ga loso la ga Kgosi Pilane, le gore e ka ne e le lengwe la mafelo a se kae a a mo Pilanesberg a a neng a nna batho ka paka ya Difaqane le morago ga moo.

Hierdie verhandeling is ’n versameling-gebaseerde studie. ’n Mikroskaal-benadering is toegepas op die studie van die onontlede materiaal wat opgegrawe is van vyf puinvoorwerpe van drie (Kgosing, Morêma, en Tshukudu) van die vyf dele van die 19de-eeuse Bakgatla Baga Kgafela-hoofnedersetting, Mabeleapodi, geleë in die Pilanesberg Nasionale Park in Noordwes. Huidige etnografiese bewyse dui daarop dat Kgosi Pilane in die hoofstad, Mabeleapodi, gewoon het van 1830 nC tot sy dood in 1850 nC. Gevolglik word daar geglo dat Mabeleapodi waarskynlik midde-in die 19de eeu verlaat is, kort nadat Kgosi Pilane oorlede is. Die argaeologiese materiaal dui egter aan dat Mabeleapodi bewoon is van die vroeë 1800’s tot die 1860’s/1870’s. Dit kan beteken dat die plek lank ná die dood van Kgosi Pilane bewoon is, en dat dit een van die min plekke in die Pilanesberg-streek is wat gedurende en na afloop van die Difaqane-tydperk beset is.