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Motho ke motho ka batho
Setswana proverb · Setswana
Literally: “A person is a person through (other) people.”
Meaning: Our humanity is realised through our relationships with and treatment of others; we become fully human in community.
Background
The Setswana expression of the southern African philosophy of botho/ubuntu. It is one of the best-known African proverbs internationally, cited in ethics, politics, and reconciliation discourse. In Botswana 'botho' is an officially espoused national value.
How it is used
Invoked to call for compassion, hospitality, mutual respect, and social responsibility, and to remind someone that selfish or cruel behaviour diminishes their own humanity.