Moshoeshoe I between 1893 and 1906 and Mangoaela’s Lithoko tsa marena a Basotho (translates ‘Praise poems of Basotho chiefs’ which started as a series from the 21 November 1919 till 10 June 1921. With the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley and gold in South Africa in 1866 and 1886 respectively, many mining companies allowed for the migration of Basotho men in order to create a larger labour force. It was during this time that a new form of poetry called difela tsa ditsamayahana simply known as difela emerged and was recited throughout their journeys to the mines and back to their villages. These journeys were usually by foot and took several weeks, it was during these weeks that Basotho men composed new poems and chanted them throughout their travels. The contents of ‘difela’ mostly consist of stories of economic hardship, exploitation and usually had strong political comments. Difela are most often egocentric and reflect the male migrant existential self-understanding as a contemporary hero. ‘Difela’ often saw themselves as ordinary people who were confronted by the dangers of new territory while ‘exiled’ from home and family. Difela are vastly different from Dithoka and the latter are primarily declaratory in delivery while Difela are said in a soft, chant-like fashion. Diboko are like ‘family-odes’ and have existed since the beginning of know Basotho history. This form of poetry allows for different families and clans to be able to distinguish themselves from other groups. Every Sotho child is expected to learn the praise poems of their families and be able to confidently recite them during festivities of initiation. Praise poetry is also incorporated into sotho children's games. Women and poetry Women’s ‘difela’ performances occurred for the first time in illegal shebeens or taverns. In this setting, the women, brew and sell beer to migrants at home on leave during the diamond and gold boom. The women would entertain the miners with poetry, song, dance and sexual companionship. These ‘bar women’ are known as matekatse, translated ‘to wonder about’ or ‘odd job’. Thus the ‘shebeen songs’ of independent women are also ‘songs of affliction’ in which the women speak of their loves, trials and tribulations as women. The Basotho women poets thus resemble the African-American female blues vocalists who also had artistic talent and were considered socially deviant at the time. Basotho men still deny the existence of female poets as traditionally, women were