Sotho calendar


Notes:
The Sesotho language has traditional names for the months of the familiar Gregorian calendar. The names reflect a deep connection that the Basotho people traditionally have with the natural world and the importance of agriculture.
Although the month names are often not used by the general public, they are regularly used in news broadcasts and other media and are more common than English imports.
Additionally, the names of the seasons and the days of the week are regularly used by all speakers.

Months

The names of the months indicate special natural and agricultural events which traditionally happened during the period. Being cattle breeders who lived in the semi-arid regions of southern Africa, a deep understanding of agriculture and the natural world was essential for the survival of the Basotho people.
The year begins roughly in the month of August, when the seeds are planted in anticipation of the next month's explosion of life.
  1. – from the verb as the barren fields are ploughed and prepared in anticipation of the next months explosion of life.
  2. – the grass grows and the cows grow fat on it. They produce so much milk that the expression is used.
  3. – this is a shortening of the compound noun meaning "The flower shoots of the boophone disticha plant", and it said that this is the time when the flower starts producing shoots.
  4. – many wildebeest deliver their young in this month, and the name is a diminutive of .
  5. – large numbers of a species of small grasshopper are found at this time. Since cattle start producing less milk in this period, it is said that the cows are being milked by the grasshoppers.
  6. – the crops begin to grow large and bird-scarers set up camp in their fields. They erect small structures and
  7. – the sorghum plants release a white substance signaling the emergence of the ears of corn. As the ears of corn emerge, it is said that the are being wiped off, and this name is a shortening of .
  8. – the sorghum grains are visible and birds start eating them. The name is a compound noun from
  9. – there are large numbers of a certain species of grasshopper known as. Herd boys make fires at night and eat roasted maize with. This gave rise to the proverb ; the name comes from the first word in this proverb .
  10. – the sorghum grains have become hard – too hard for the birds to eat them. It is said that the plants are laughing at the birds, and the name is a contraction of .
  11. – this is the beginning of Winter, and all plants seem to die and many wild animals leave on migrations. It is said that Nature is holding back on life. The name means "a small holding back" and is a diminutive of the name of the following month.
  12. – everything seems completely dead and lifeless. Nature is holding back completely.

    Seasons

Like many other sub-Saharan African societies who historically lived in tropical regions, Sesotho-speaking people generally recognise only two seasons. However, names do exist for all four of the traditional western European seasons. The year begins in approximately August or September, when the crops are planted.
  1. – from the verb as the crops are planted at the beginning of this period. This is also the most common name for "year."
  2. – more often than not this name is used for both the spring and the summer.
  3. – from the ancient Proto-Bantu root *-ginja. This noun is often used without the class prefix.
  4. – from the ancient and widespread Proto-Bantu root *-tîka. More often than not this name is used to denote both autumn and winter.

    Weekdays

The concept of dividing the month into four seven-day weeks is a recent European innovation. The week begins on Monday.
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