Mochudi

Mochudi
—  Village  —
View of Mochudi in August 2007
Mochudi Location of Mochudi in Botswana
Coordinates: 24°25′S 26°09′E / 24.417°S 26.15°E / -24.417; 26.15
Country	Botswana
District	Kgatleng District
Settled	1871
Elevation	938 m (3,077 ft)
Population
- Total	39,700
Time zone	GMT +2

Mochudi is one of the larger villages in Botswana with a population of around 40,000. It is situated in the Bakgatla tribal region, in Kgatleng District, about 37 km (23 mi) northeast of Gaborone. The village lies several kilometres from the main Gaborone–Francistown road, and can be found by taking the turning at Pilane.

Mochudi was settled by the Tswana people in 1871.

Tourism

The tourist destinations of note inside Mochudi are the Phuthadikabo Museum at the top of the hill, which contains old photographs and historical texts relating to Mochudi and the history of the Bakgatla people. It is housed in a building that was originally the first school of Mochudi, as is evident from the outside appearance. Nearby is the hulk of the first tractor owned by a Motswana and huge footprints that legend says belongs to "Matsieng", a giant and ancestor of the Tswana, who led his people and the animals from the centre of the earth to inhabit the world.[1]

Mochudi is known for its traditional painted houses and still has a traditional kgotla (tribal meeting place).

More information about the Bakgatla people can be found in David Suggs' ethnography entitled "A Bagful of Locusts and the Baboon Woman: Constructions of Gender, Change, and Continuity in Botswana."

External links

Africa portal

• Botswana Tourism homepage [2]

Coordinates: 24°25′S 26°09′E / 24.417°S 26.15°E / -24.417; 26.15