Neil Parsons, National Coat of Arms, and Introduction of the Pula Currency in Botswana, 1975–1976

Abstract

When the government of Botswana introduced the country's Pula currency in 1976 there had been significant involvement of the public in coming up with the name for the currency. A public debate also took place regarding which national symbols were to appear in the new currency. While these issues are fairly well known in the history of Botswana, no attention has been given to a brief but important debate raised by the historian Neil Parsons in early 1975 about the inappropriateness of the shield that appears in the national coat of arms, and was most likely to appear in the new currency. Parsons argued that the shield was of Zulu origin and not Tswana, and he was supported by the president of the opposition Botswana National Front (BNF) and former chief of the Bangwaketse, Bathoen Gaseitsiwe. This paper brings to light and assesses Parsons' debate.