pitso, noun

/ˈpiːtʃʊ/
Forms:
pecho, peechoShow more Also pecho, peecho, peetcho, peetsho, peetshoe, peetso, petso, picho, pico, piet-show, piicho, pitcho, pitsho.
Plurals:
pitsos, pitsoes.
Origin:
Sotho.
Among Sotho-speakers: a traditional gathering or conference of (the leaders of) the people, usually held in the village or the chief’s meeting-place; those constituting this assembly. Also transferred sense, and figurative. Cf. indaba sense 1. See also kgotla sense 1.
1822 J. Campbell Trav. in S. Afr. Second Journey I. 264The other chief said they should come to the peetso all well powdered.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 408The piicho or assembly remained sitting in easy conversation for nearly an hour longer.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 534This council or assembly of chieftains, is called a píicho (peecho).
1824 Cape Chron. in S. Afr. Jrnl I. 77A very curious and interesting account of the debates that took place on this occasion at the Bechuana ‘Piet-show’, or Parliament, has been inserted in the newspapers both in this Colony and in Europe.
1846 R. Moffat Missionary Labours 66His power (sc. the chief’s) though very great, and in some instances despotic, is nevertheless controlled by the minor chiefs, who in their pitchos or pitshos, their parliament, or public meetings, use the greatest plainness of speech in exposing what they consider culpable or lax in his government.
1857 D. Livingstone Missionary Trav. 220There was a large halo, about 20o in diameter, round the sun; thinking that the humidity of the atmosphere, which this indicated, might betoken rain, I asked him if his experience did not lead him to the same view. ‘O no’ replied he ‘it is the Barimo (gods, or departed spirits), who have called a picho; don’t you see they have the Lord (sun) in the centre?’
a1873 J. Burrow Trav. in Wilds of Afr. (1971) 22I forgot to say anything about the Piet Show Moschesh ordered, at which Smith presented him with a medal and cloak from Government.
1892 The Jrnl 10 Sept. 3The Press special at Pietersburg wires that Magato has called a pitso of every Induna who owes allegiance to him.
1906 E. Prov. Herald 12 Apr.A large Pitso was held on Monday by the paramount chief Letsie at Matsieng.
1913 V.R. Markham S. Afr. Scene 33The Resident Commissioner and small group of British officials have their headquarters at Maseru, and here the ‘Pitso,’ or Great Council of the Basutos, meets annually, when chiefs and people confer with the Imperial authorities about all matters of government.
1925 D. Kidd Essential Kafir 261While the coast tribes usually make their chief an absolute despot, who rules by means of councillors, the mountain and inland tribes frequently exert great power over their chief by pitsoes, or public debates.
1953 P. Lanham Blanket Boy’s Moon 81There are those who will rise in the pitso of the white man, and say: ‘Why must we pay so many policemen if there is no crime?’
1968 A. Fulton Dark Side of Mercy 27The Chief had summoned the men of the clan to the Khotla and opened the pitso by telling those assembled that the season had been poor, the crops bad, the cattle infertile.
1976 West & Morris Abantu 121It was more usual for all matters of general concern to be aired at a pitso, a general meeting open to all adult men in the chiefdom and held in the kgotla of the chief.
1983 P. Warwick Black People & S. Afr. War 65At the pitso on 24 October he agreed, after weeks of opposition, to abide by the decision to collect the new rate of hut tax.
a traditional gathering or conference of (the leaders of) the people, usually held in the village or the chief’s meeting-place; those constituting this assembly. Also transferred sense, and figurative.
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18221983

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figurative or allusive
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