Lesotho Edition
Regional/Cultural Day
Mokete oa Pula
Lesotho is a country of farmers and herders, and rain is the difference between life and death. The mokete oa pula is a traditional ceremony where the community gathers to pray for rain during the growing season. The chief leads the prayers, the women sing molimo songs, and the men sacrifice a goat or sheep. The ceremony is held at a sacred spot near the village, and the blood of the animal is offered to the ancestors. Lesotho's rainfall is erratic, and droughts are common. The Basotho have a saying: "Pula e a bokwa" (rain must be requested).
