Bafokeng get their name from a period of living in a region with a lot of dew (phoka). They called themselves “Ba-Phokeng” (those who live in a place of dew). Ba-Phokeng over time then evolved to Bafokeng. However, they still use ‘phoka’ as a term of endearment when they call each other. For the most part, many Bafokeng venerate the rabbit (‘mutla) – except perhaps those who come from “Masaleng-a- Phokeng” i.e. Phokeng (at/or near Rustenburg in South Africa). These Bafokeng from Masaleng-a- Phokeng venerate the tamed crocodile (koena), which is represented in their emblem as a closed-mouth crocodile. It is worth mentioning that, at one point, all Bafokeng in fact venerated the tamed crocodile.

i)

Mofokeng oa ha Manti,
Oa Khaeeane Phokeng,
Jang kapele Manti ke eo
A tl’o re jella.

ii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Matlaokoane,
Oa ba Mahlatsi ba futa haholo,
Ba futa ba boella sejaneng.

iii)

Mofokeng oa Mokhali oa Motlalane,
Malemane malema-tsela,
Malema-thite-ka-mmoho-e-sale,
Ba se ke ba e phophotha.

iv)

Mofokeng oa Morareli’a Phole,
Motho oa Maotoana-finyela,
Motho oa maoto,
Maoto a kaalo ka linaleli.

v)

Mofokeng oa ma-Maotoana finyela,
Oa ma-Morareli’a Phohole,
Oa Maotoana a kaa ka linaleli,
A kaa ka joang ba Tšaane,
A kaa ka joang ba molelengoane,
Ba khom’a Mpiletsa, ngoan’a ‘Mope,
Tšoana Makara; ba ma-Manti’a ‘Mope.
Sakana-lenyane la ‘Mope le ikatise.
Lihlola-pula ke lihlola-monono.
Motho oabo Marareli’a Phohole,
Rarollang babo Mare lithapong,
Le bao re setseng,
Ha e le molato oa khomo le ka o bolela.

vi)

Mofokeng oa ma-Maotoana,
Maotoana a kaalo ka linaleli.
Ma-Maja-litsebe-tsa-mmutla-o-le-tala,
Oa ‘Mantsane Molelengoane.

vii)

Mofokeng oa Maotoana-finyela
Maotoana a kaalo ka linaleli,
Ma-Morareli’a Phole!
Lona ba ha Makara le leshano,
Maja-mmutla-o-le-tala
Ba o tšehle litsebe.

viii)

Mofokeng oa ha Manti’a ‘Mope,
Molemane molema-mohaila,
Malema feela a se ke a phophotha!
A khomo nkhate ea ‘Masebothoane,
Khomo e hatile Mochaoane mono;
Ea hata o monnyane oa leotoana.
Oa tebetebe reketla Ramakhobole
Tsoetse li oele
Li oele ka matsoele le ka lifuba!
Oabo Kholu, morotoli.

ix)

Mofokeng oa Mare-a-Tsikoane,
Motho oa ma-Naleli-e-nyenyane
Mor’a Mallane.

x)

Mofokeng oa Mokhali oa Motlalane,
Malemane, malema-tsela,
Malema-tšimo-ka-mmoho
A se ke a phophotha!
Theosa moluoane Ramaliele.

xi)

Mofokeng oa ma-Ntsukunyane,
Oa Kata’a Sefiri,
Bakhoele-bakhoejana
Ba titima mabitleng.
Ha le e-ja lipolokoe le ba time!

xii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Ntsukunyane’a Kata’a Sefiri,
Bakhoejana ba titima mabitleng,
Ba batolotsana le ba bathamahana!
Oa ma-Mare rarollang babo Mare lithapong.
Lija-mmutla-o-le-tala,
Le se’na le o roba senoko thoahla!
Fokoletsang bakhoele lipolokoe,
Ha ba ata ba tla re bolaea.

xiii)

Mofokeng oa ha Tšele
Oa Lekotoane,
Motho oa ‘Mamulane’a Motlatla,
A tšela noka e tletse tsoete!

xiv)

Mofokeng oa Tšele’a Lekotoane,
Oa boli le bokopa, le tsoa tšela,
Le tla le litetsoanyana!
Motho oa ma-Mnamulane’a Motlatla!
Ba ho ja ‘mutla o le tala,
Ba o ja le litsebe!
Lekoeekoee ke la’ng ka ha Tšele?
Ho suhuoa kobo marapo,
Ho sehoe ho roaloe maotong le matsohong,
Ha e sa le ba ha Tšele, e se e le ba ha Tšeana!

xv)

Mofokeng oa ma-Tšeele oa Lekotoane,
Oa ha ‘Maleboli-le-tetemisa-litetsoana
Le ntse le re:
“Lengoaangoaa ke la’ng?
Ke la’ng baneng ba Tšeele?”

xvi)

Mofokeng oa ma-Tšeele
Motho oa Lekotoane,
Oa lekoeekoee ke la’ng ho ba Tšeele,
Ho behoa marapo
Ho roaloa maotong le matsohong.
Ke motho oa ‘Mamulane-a-motlatla,
Matsoa-Kubetu nokeng ea Tšeele.

xvii)

Mofokeng oa ha Makara,
Motho oa Manti’a ‘Mope!
Ngoan’a holiotsoana le letšoana Makara,
Ha le lume feela, le hlola pula.
Mahlola-pula ke monono, Makara,
Motho oa ma-Maotoana-finyela,
Motho oa ma-Morareli’a Phole.

xviii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Maotoana-finyela
Oa maotoana a kaa ka linaleli,
A tšoana le joang ba molelengoane.
O thebe e ntšo moloi’a lithebe
Oa mohats’a Nkaki le Mahanyapa.
A! Makara pula o e rutoa ke mang?
O e rutoa ke mosali oa hae,
O e rutoa ke ‘Malesekele.

xix)

Mofokeng oa Maotoana-finyela!
Oa ma-Morareli’a Phohole,
Oa maotoana a kaa ka linaleli,
A kaa ka joang ba molelengoane.
Ba khom’a Mpiletsa, ngoan’a ‘Mope,
Tšoana Makara;
Ba ma-Manti a ‘Mope.
Sakana-lenyane ke lihlola-monono.
Motho oabo Morareli’a Phohole,
Rarollang babo Mare lithapong,
Le bao re setseng!
Ha e le molato oa khomo, le ka o bolela.

xx)

Mofokeng oa ha Mahase,
Oa ha Rampeoane,
A hase likhomo,
A hase le batho,
A hase le lipulungoana naheng.
Ba ha Mahooana eka likepolana,
Eka linku li nyolosa mokhoabong.
Batho ba ha Mangole,
Batho ba ha ‘Makhomo-li-matha-le-bosiu-Shapuoe,
Ha li e-n’o tsoha li le maphoka,
Ebe eke li ka fehleloa moratha.

xxi)

Mofokeng oa Mahooana,
Motho oabo Tlalane,
E n’e siile likhomo sehlabeng,
Motheta-polokoana-ea-mabele.

xxii)

Mofokeng oa ha Mahooana,
Motho oabo Tlalane!
Tsebe-chitjanyana motho oa ma-Pule,
Teleka li-mmamoroeroe,
Ba ha Mahooana eka likepolana,
Eka linku linyolosa mokhoabong.

xxiii)

Mofokeng!
Lehooana labo Tlalane!
Mahooana eka likepolane,
E ka linku li nyoloha mokhoabong.
Motho oa Khabele’a Mahooana,
Oa Khabele’a Tsatsi, ngoan’a Molikeng;
Motho oa Mahase oa hasa, Rampeoane,
A hasa likhomo, a hasa le batho.
Ngoan’a Mangole le Mangojane,
Oa Mahatany’a bo-Mochona,
Seoehlaasana se kamora’ Thithisi’a lithebe.

xxiv)

Mofokeng Mokomana!
Ke le motho oa ma-Mare!
Rarollang babo Mare lithapong,
E ka ba molato oa motho,
E ka ba oa khomo, le o bolele.
Mokalakale, Molip’a Komane,
An’a tsofala, likhomo ra li hloka.
Mohloai Komane o hloaea likhomo
A hloaee le batho.
Mokopu o motolotsana, Kokami,
Ha oa rara, oa fihla hole-hole.

xxv)

Mofokeng Mokomana!
Oa ma-Morareli’a Phohole!
Rarollang babo Mare lithapong.
Ba rarehile ke ho ja hlooho ea khomo;
Ba jele hlooho ea khomo e le baena.

xxvi)

Mofokeng Mokomana!
Mofokeng oa ma-Rakubu,
Oa Molip’a Komane!
Mokaalakale rea eletsa,
Re hloka likhomo,
Beng ba tsona ba re fa marath’a lilepe.
Maja-mmutla-o-le-tala!
Mokaalakale o se k’a tsofala.
Khomo li bona seoli, li hahele,
Li bone seoli li re ke sakeng.

xxvii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Hlono ea phoma,
E phometse ba ma-Mangoejane!
Lemphane la matlapa ha le ribolloe.
Ba sa rueng khomo e khoabana!

xxviii)

Mofokeng Mophohole!
Oa ma-Mare’a Tsike!
Ngoan’a Mare o ila nama, Motsapi,
O ila nama e kopane le phieo,
E kopane le mokokotlo, Motsapi!
Ke oabo Mare moshemane,
Ea sa beseng morarana.

xxix)

Mofokeng Mophohole
Oa ma-Khotholisane!
Oa Napo oa Phohole,
Oa lenepa-hlooho, leqobisa-mmele!
Ha ea thunya pulumo’a Matšasa,
E b’eke sekokotane, Raliopelo!
Ba maotoana a kaa ka linaleli,
Ba maotoana finyella likhopong!
Ke babo Tseki le Tsekinyane.

xxx)

Mofokeng oa ma-Lijane’a Tlopo!
Oa ma-Khunoan’a Lijane!
Oa ma-Masisitlo, Maleleka!
Khomo ha e fete motse’a Lijane,
E ka o feta ho iloe masimong,
Ho iloe ho khitla lehola.

xxxi)

Mofokeng oa ha Lijane!
Motho oa ha Pulumo ea hlaba,
E hlabile ntjana e rolonyana!
Beng ba lintja ba setse bal la,
Ba setse ba itlhakola menyepetsi!
Selepe se mali, se malobolobo.

xxxii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Pulungoan’a Phahla,
Oa ma-Khomo-ha-e-tsoale-bosiu,
Ha e tsoala bosiu e a hlola.
E ka khona e tsoale motšeare
Bashanyana ba e shebile,
Banana ba e hlabele meluluetsane.

xxxiii)

Mofokeng oa Mohaila-Tsepa,
Oak homo nkhate, oa ma-Sebothoana!
Khomo e balile Moshao monoana
O monnyane oa leotoana.
Motho oa ma-Mmope
Otsoetse a teleteletsa,
A b’a ‘n’a sunya le mahaheng.
Motho oa ma-Maotoana-finyela,
Oa maotoana a kaa ka linaleli,
A kaa ka joang ba molelengoane.
Ngoana, mpitsetse Sebili kamoo!

xxxiv)

Mofokeng oa ha Molise!
Motho oa ha ma-Semonoko!
Senoa, nkho ea mafura a lefehlo, se e qete.
Ba ha Malekele
Ba lekellang tlalo la khomo lele metsi
Ba re baa le suba.
Maja-mmutla-o-le-tala.
Ba o tšohla litsebe.

xxxv)

Mofokeng oa ma-Morareli’a Phole!
Oa ma-Selai sa Matšasa!
Motho oa ma-Mphu’a Phatlane!
Tutubalang e moholo a koenye;
E moholo o koenya bokoilitane.
Batho ba maja-mmutla-o-le-tala.

xxxvi)

Mofokeng oa maoto-mane!
Oa Mahlaku!
Oa Makhasane, Rasehlomeng!
Motho oa ‘Mamoliehi,
Oa mahlaba-poli-ka-nokaneng.

xxxvii)

Mofokeng Molalatsi!
Motho oa ma-Semona-monoa,
Eo e-reng ha a bona khom’a motho
A re: “Mh! Eka eka e ka be e le ea ka!”

xxxviii)

Mofokeng oa Tšoana
Oa Tšoana-Kholokoane-ea-Mmamakhabane,
La ikholoka la ipeha khorong;
La re: jang-jang kapele
Manti ke eo a e-tla,
Ke batho ba ha Sefali sa ha Kotoee!

xxxix)

Mofokeng oa ma-Morokonyane’a thota!
Letotomana lenyela-tlatlaneng,
Lelepeletsa-mokota-ka-lilomo.

xl)

Mofokeng oa ha ma-Tututu!
Oa ha Mosetsana!
Lepulungoana-Phahla!
Haeso khomo ha e tsoale bosiu,
E tsoala motšeare banana ba e shebile,
E bonoa ke Tsime le Bothepane.

xli)

Mofokeng oa ma-Morokonyane’a thota!
Letotomana lelula-tlatlaneng,
Lelepeletsa mmalo-ka-lilomo.

xlii)

Mofokeng oa Mantho e kholo
E a khopa, Ramotšelisi,
E khopa basali ba batho,
Ke motho oa Maletlapa-ha-le-ribolloe,
Ha o ka le ribolla, o ka bona ntho tse kholo!

xliii)

Mofokeng oa ha Khetsi’a Malekele,
Batho ban eng bal eke letlalo la khomo,
Le eso ho faloe,
La ba hlola, la koala batho ba Lijana,
Batho ba mohlano o mofubelu,
O reng tlere-tlere!

xliv)

Mofokeng,
Ngoana khomo e tšoana,
Khomo ea seema-ka-lelebe-thoteng,
Ea ‘na ea hlaba mangope ho heleha,
Ke Lemphane,
Ke ngoana khomo e tšoana,
Ke motho oa ma-Nnyoana!

xlv)

Mofokeng oa ha Lijana,
Ha ke matha lebatha le a nkhopa,
Feela batho ha ba mpona, ba ntelekisa,
Le moo ba mponang teng,
‘Me ke sa je letho la motho!

xlvi)

Mofokeng, Lemphane,
Ke mor’a Patsa,
Ke motho oa Matlapa-ha-le-ribolloe!

xlvii)

Mofokeng oa ma-Ntsukunyane,
A Kata’a Sefiri,
Re bakhoele, rona,
Re titima mabitleng!

xlviii)

Mofokeng oa Lijana,
Ke ngoana Mare,
Mare a Ntsikoe,
Le ba raretseng bana ba Mare,
Ba se na molato?
Molato oak homo o ka be o boleloa,
Re mpe re o lefe.
Le ba tlatlapelang bana baa?
Le ba otlelang?
Hobane ha ba utloe,
Molato oa bona re ka mpa ra o lefa,
Ke bana ba Pulumo,
Ba Pulumo ea Lephahla!

xlix)

Mofokeng oa Lijana,
Ke ngoana ma-Mare,
Mare a Ntsikoe,
Le ba raretseng bana ba Mare,
Ba se na molato?
Molato oak homo o ka be o boleloa,
Re mpe re o lefe.
Le se ke la mo otla,
Ha a utloe,
Ke ngoana mali a Phohole,
Ke ngoana ea kharametsoang,
Ha a kharametsoe ka bokhopo,
O kharametsoa ka tumelo!

l)

Mofokeng,
Oa ha Malejoe-ha-le-ribolloe,
Ha o ka le ribolla o tla bona kilibitla,
Mofokeng e motelele,
Thella, o oele!
Tsuu, khotlonono,
Khatla! Lomo se methati e leshome,
Mola thoteng ha bale ba khiba,
Ngope le ka tloloa ke ngoale e telele,
E khutšoane e ka robeha menotoana,
Mofokeng, qhanolla lipere li fule,
Ntoa boholo-holo ke ea hosasa,
Rona ha re sa bona tse fulang ka lisale!

li)

Mofokeng,
Ke Lehooana labo Tlalane!
Ke motho oa Mahase’a Rampeoana,
Ke hasa likhomo,
Ke hasa le batho,
Ke hasa le lipulungoana naheng,
Ke ngoana tau ea ma-Tsebela,
Nong ha le ntje, mmane a mpone,
Le tšaba ho tšoehla molomo!

lii)

Mofokeng oa ha Tšele,
Oa ma-Mmulane’a Motlatla,
Ho itsoe shoii, shoii!
Ho uoe kae?
Ho uoe ha ‘Makepile letsemeng,
Lebuli le hlaha kae?
Le hlaha motjeng,
Le bebenya litelu!