African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

RIDDLES: SESOTHO RIDDLES
The Basotho are the people of the Lesotho Kingdom, which is centered in the country of
Lesotho. Their name derives originally from a Swazi word, which was later adopted by
King Mos-hoeshoe I as the unifying political term for his emerging kingdom. Sesotho
refers to the language and any customs of the Basotho.
This essay is a discussion of Sesotho riddles, focusing on their source, meaning,
performance, structure, and function. Sesotho riddles are games based on offering puzzles
and guessing their solutions. The game is normally played by two teams of children; one
team proposes the riddles, while the other attempts to answer them. Sesotho riddles exist
as a distinct and self-sustaining genre.
In some societies, the riddle consists of a question and answer; this, however, is not
the case with Sesotho riddles. The first part of the riddle is always a statement. However,
some riddles are interrogative in form. In such cases, the proponent requires not an
answer but a solution to the proposition made.
Like proverbs, Sesotho riddles draw upon daily activities common within society. The
observation of the life of familiar animals and plants is very important for the creation of
riddles. Their different characteristics, features, and behaviors contribute significantly to
the creation of most of the riddles. It is not only plant and animal life that is the source of
riddles, but also the natural environment, material culture, and some parts of the body.
New riddles are also being created from the observation of modern material culture and
the new technology.
Sesotho riddles are normally played in the evening, and around the fire, especially in
the winter when it is cold. The young members of the family are normally all present. An
older member present does not take part, but may arbitrate if there is a misunderstanding
among players. Since riddling is a competitive game, at the end of each game there is
always a winning and a losing team.
The first part of the riddle is poetic; the rhythm is sustained by several poetic devices.
These devices, which contribute to the poetic nature of riddles, include contrast,
reduplication, ideophones, personification, repetition, and parallelism, among others.
There are short and long Sesotho riddles. The first part of the riddle, which is the puzzle
or the proposition, may be two words, phrases, and simple or complex sentences. The
solution, which is the second part of the riddle, may also be one word, a phrase or a
sentence. The following examples illustrate the various stylistic devices employed.
Contrast: Ke eloa, ke enoa.
He is there, he is here.
Solution: A road
African Americans 795
Alliteration: Kahqa, khiqi, khopo tsa Satane.
Tightly, closed ribs of Satan.