MaPulana

Like most Sotho-Tswana groups, MaPulana believe in Badimo (ancestors). When they perform their ancestral worship (go phasa badimo) they face the direction of Shakwaneng, which is towards the east. There is no single god but all the ancestors or spirits are venerated. To appease the spirits you occasionally need to make sacrifices. During the sacrifices traditional beer is made and an animal (goat/chicken/cow) has to be a slaughtered. Some blood of the slaughtered animal together with some beer is poured on the legandelo (sacrificial platform) as offering to the spirits. The senior most member of the clan present at the sacrifice calls out the names of the ancestors according to hierarchy accompanied by the clapping of hands of the other members of the clan. The Mmalo (Coral) tree is usually planted on the sacrificial platform.

Traditional medicine has been and still is a specialty of Mapulana. This could be attributed to the rich sub tropical climate of Mapulaneng making herbs to grow in abundance. Traditional medicine is dispensed by Dingaka (traditional doctors). To become a traditional doctor one has to undergo rigorous and lengthy training under a Gobela (Guru). A traditional doctor-in-training is called a letwasane (Sangoma).Rainmaking was also Mapulana's specialty

Mapulana initiate their youth into womanhood and manhood. The initiation school (koma) is held in winter. The practices of initiation schools are marked by secrecy. Boys who have undergone initiation together will belong to the same mphato/moroto (regiment). An elaborate system is in place to distinguish a regiment from another based on when the regiment was initiated. The uninitiated cannot "visit" an initiation school when it is in session. The names of Mephato ya badika are Matuba, Mangana, Magakwa, Madingwane, Mankwe, Maakwa, .Madisha, Makgola, Madikwa, Manala, Magolopo. As can be expected women do not have regiments.

Mapulana have a class system, known as Dikgoro (Clans lit. "kraals"). There are those who come from Kgorong e kgolo (higher clan) or Kgorong ea nyana (lower clan). Those from Kgorong e kgolo are of royal blood or are born from the senior wife and are expected to be dikata-pele (leaders) during initiation ceremonies. This system is also used in the go loma maraka (festival of first harvest) and during the planting season.

The primary Clanships of the MaPulana are bagaMashego, bagaMalele, bagaMogane, bagaChilwane, bagaNonyane, . Both Mashego and Malele are chiefs in the Bushbuckridge area, Chilwane is the chief in the Acornhoek and Pilgrem's Rest area and Mogane and Nonyane in the Graskop and Sabie area.Legendary King of Bapedi ba Mapulana of is buried in Mmadiokane (Manaledi )Village Botswana after relocating from Mmalebogo with his clan of Ba ga Mogoma of his uncle Kgosi Disikalala.

A boy's family used to identify a family from which a boy was supposed to marry. The boy then wooed the girl who meets his fancy in that chosen family. In some cases the boy identified his own girl. For all purposes, the marriage was arranged as the families gave their blessings behind the scenes. The boy's family negotiated on dikgomo tsa bogadi which had to be paid to the girl's family. Polygamy was practiced. The first wife and her offspring held a higher status. The inheritance passed through the first wife before being passed to the junior wife and her offspring.

When children are born ba ya relela (they get the name of their ancestor). When somebody's name is Thadishe, for instance, he may well be Thadishe the 6th. The paternal grandmothers and aunts know which name to grant a child. This was usually done after consulting with the Ngaka who will tell them who is being reincarnated by the child's birth. When a baby is sleepless or sickly, he/she is pointed to the moon by his grandmother or aunt. The grandmother will chant out: mogwera wa go ke yela, gola o reme diphate,o tshware lerumo or lwe dintwa! (There is your friend/ Your friend is the moon, grow and cut trees (for wood), grow, pick up the spears and fight wars!) In essence, grow and be strong.

Leruo (livestock) and mashemo (land under cultivation) used to distinguish a rich man from a poor man. Land belonged to all the residents of an area and the Chief allocated the cultivation space. Grazing land was communal. The land tenure system of Mapulana was that land could not be bought or sold. Dipholwane (game) was hunted for food, medicinal or ceremonial purposes.

The calendar of Mapulana works in lunar months, with the dawning of the full moon being the first day of the month. In SePulane the word kgwedi (moon) also means month. The shape and brightness of the moon can be read to determine when rains are going to fall. The year starts when the first rains start in September or when plants start to bloom. Therefore, September is the New Year.

The New Year heralds the start of planting season for crops that yield the staple foods of Mapulana. Planting used to be done according to the family's seniority, dikgoro tse kgolo starting first and others junior clans follow. Mabele (maize and millet) get planted first, dintlu (jugobeans) last. Other crops like Mjumbula(cassava), mathape(colocasia), matlapala etc. being planted at any time of the year.

When plants are ready for harvesting, the elder of a clan will pick a small selection of the harvest. He or she will call out the names of the ancestors and dedicate the harvest to them. Every member of that clan will be made to nibble from the small pickings. This will be the festival of the first harvest. It is strongly forbidden to eat any picking unless these processes called go loma(to nibble) was done.