When you look at this Botswana agate, you see triumph. The Botswana agate was first discovered in 1971 in the Central district of Bobonong, Botswana. The Botswana agate is not just a rock that has gone through processes to reach its final look, but a stone that tells the history of a group of people. This agate is not an ordinary gemstone mined to improve the economy, but a stone that holds precious value in the hearts and minds of the people of Botswana.  

       

       Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, gained independence in 1966 after being under British colonial rule for 80 years. Botswana had to start from scratch due to the damage caused by colonisation. As we all know, colonization continues to impact the lives of people in different ways. Mining of the Botswana agate brought the people of Botswana together for a good cause. Even though most countries in Africa are home to ample natural resources, we have been unable to utilise the resources effectively. The colonisation of Africa created a mindset of dependence on foreign countries, hence the inability to make use of what we have. However, Botswana has been able to create a new path for herself. Mining of the agates created a spirit of self-reliance in the country. The discovery of the Botswana agate 6 years after its independence was the turning point for Botswana. Today, Botswana is a source of hope and a shining example for most African countries to overcome the challenges created by colonisation. How can a stone as small as your fist transform a country of 2.4 million people into a self-sufficient and politically independent nation? That is the beauty of the Botswana agate.

 

     Recently, the Botswana agate has amassed different meanings and uses. Also known as the ‘Stone of Change’, the Botswana agate provides light for people during their darkest or lowest moments, suggesting that there is hope always. Today, the Botswana agate is used as a source of strength to persevere just like Botswana did, to get through the toughest times of your life.  

 

         The Botswana agate is here to make us win in every aspect of our lives, whether financially, physically or spiritually, just like it led to the triumph of the negative aspects of colonisation. The agate will be remembered not only for its splendour, but the impact it has had on the people of Botswana. It acted as a medium to bring the people of Botswana together and also transform the mentality which had been created by colonisation.  The Botswana agate is not just a stone, but a blessing to us all. 

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By Emily Azaasumah Freko

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