There aren't many nations whose national costume is a blanket. The Basotho blanket, which is typically adorned with bright colors and intricate designs, is a familiar sight throughout the Lesotho kingdom. The Basotho use the blanket as a practical means of keeping warm, but it is also a sign of social and cultural rank.

There aren't many nations whose national costume is a blanket.

The Basotho blanket, which is typically adorned with bright colors and intricate designs, is a familiar sight throughout the Lesotho kingdom. The Basotho use the blanket as a practical means of keeping warm, but it is also a sign of social and cultural rank.

Their nearly-whole wool construction makes them ideal winter wear. The wool balaclava (which exposes only the eyes) and the gumboots are other trademarks.

It is believed that the Basotho, or Sotho speakers, migrated from northern Southern Africa. The Basotho migrated southward as other tribes established themselves in other regions. 

Different communities established themselves in different parts of the country, with some moving westward and others eastward and further south. These many peoples are now commonly referred to as Batswana, BaPedi, and Basotho. The Basotho form social groups and establish individual identities in accordance with the clans to which they belong, such as the Bataung, Basia, Bafokeng, Makgolokoe, Bakuena, and many more. Bakuena make up the bulk of Lesotho's royal dynasty.