Identity and belonging in the Tele Bridge community: a cross-border analysis of language, culture, and intercommunity relationships

This data presents an analysis of the Tele Bridge community in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the Quthing district of Lesotho. The study explores the dynamics of identity formation and people's perceptions of the Tele Bridge border, focusing on language, culture, intercommunity relationships, and belonging. Four key insights emerge from the analysis: the centrality of language in shaping identity, the significance of cultural heritage in defining the community's unique identity, the strong brotherly bonds between communities along the border, and the influence of belonging to various groups on individual identity. The research highlights the resilience of the community's cultural practices despite the presence of a border and the spiritual connection community members feel with the area due to their ancestors' history. Respondents’ privacy was maintained by using pseudonyms instead of their identities and those of their households.