This annotated, bilingual volume presents letters written by Batswana to the Setswana newspaper *Mahoko a Becwana* between 1883 and 1896. Rescuing these vital primary sources from obscurity, the collection gives voice to educated Tswana elite and chiefs during a pivotal time. Their candid correspondence provides an essential window into late pre-colonial southern Africa, illuminating public debate, complex political negotiations with colonial powers, and the profound impact of mission work and cultural change. A crucial record of African agency.