Tradition says that Koena III, who gave his name to a numerous posterity, was a son of Malope and a younger brother of Mohurutse. Their grandfather Masilo I was a representative of the powerful tribe of the Bahurutse, who were a branch of the Barolong and separated from them in Botswana somewhere about the thirteenth or fourteenth century.

Koena had three known sons: first, Khabo, father of Masilo II (Mosito), who was the father of Mochudi and Napo; second, Ngwato, who formed the tribe of Bamangwato, and third, Ngwaketsi, who was the first chief of Bamangwaketsi.

(Mochudi's lineage in Botswana says there are four generations between Koena and Khabo. Khabo II son of Tebele son of Khabo I son of Malope II son of Phokotsea II son of Koena III. This version is most probably the accurate one because of two factors:

1. Mochudi's house is senior to that of Napo

2. Junior lineages tend to compress generations in order to highlight the connection to the main lineages and as a result of how history was recorded, the short lineages survived and became the dominant versions).

Mochudi, son of Mosito, lived near Molepolole, and ruled over the main branch of the Bakoena.

Napo, the younger brother of Mochudi, being unwilling, as he said, to live like a reed overshadowed by a tree, left his elder brother and migrated south about the end of the fifteenth century. He crossed the Lekoa (Vaal River) with his immediate following in search of new country, and after wandering about for some time, settled down near some Bafokeng, who were living south of the Vaal and east of the Namahadi (Elands River), where there is an isolated, round, flat-topped hill, known today by the name Tafelkop. This is the hill known to Basotho as Ntsuanatsatsi.

It was here that Napo married a daughter of the Bafokeng chief who became mother of Motebang. He had other famous sons-viz. Lisema, who became the father of the Bahlakoana, and Molapo, the father of Makhoakhoa tribe. Molemo was the father of Tsolo and Tsoloane, the former the father of the Bamolibeli and the latter of the Bamonaheng. After sometime, Motebang and his son Molemo, left Ntsuanatsatsi where Napo is buried. They crossed the Vaal and settled in what is now the district of Heidelberg, but then it was called Tebang. Motebang and his son Molemo, and Molemo's sons died there. About a generation later after this, the tribe left that neighborhood. They crossed the Vaal under the leadership of Tsotelo, son of Tsolo, and Monaheng, alias Kali, son of Tsoloane, leaving nothing behind them but the graves of their people, among others those of Motebang, Molemo, Tsolo, Tsoloane, Molapo, Masheane and Kherehloa.

They did not return to Ntsuanatsatsi, but stayed for a time with the Bafokeng of Mangole, who were residing where the town of Bethlehem now stands.

There they separated: Tsotelo remaining with Mangole, while Monaheng and his people passed on to Futhane near Fourieburg, where he found the Bafokeng of Komane. Monaheng, being a man of ability, soon began to exercise much influence over Komane, whose daughter he married. After the death of Mangole, Tsotelo moved to join Monaheng at Futhane and placed himself under his protection. This is how the BaModibeli became the subjects of their juniors, the BaMonaheng. Monaheng placed his elder  brother at Lethale (Kaffir Kop). From this time forward the prestige and power of Monaheng grew exceedingly.

Monaheng's descendants come from the following six sons:

• Ntsane - Bamantsane
• Motloheloa - Bamasekake who are named after his son, Sekake
• Motloang - Bamokoteli (Moshoeshoe is a descendant)
• Mokoteli - Bamokoteli
• Mokheseng - Bamonaheng
• Monyane - Bamonaheng

Monaheng was originally called Kali. He was called Monaheng in commemoration of a transaction with a Bushman chief. The Bushman said to Kali, " U mphe matakoane Mosuto oa ka me ke tla u nea monaheng oaka o motle".

He had twin sons by his first wife before he left Tebang where his ancestor Motebang lived for some generations. According to a Bakoena custom practiced at that time, one of the twins was supposed to have been killed. Kali refused to comply with that practice and decided to keep both sons. To pacify or to escape the notice of the evil spirits who might thereby be offended he gave his sons names of contempt. The elder was called Mokheseng ("scorn him") and the younger, Monyane ("one of no account"). They exercised most influence and authority during Monaheng's life and more so after his death.

These twins had very different personalities and temperaments. Mokheseng was a happy, reckless individual and a brave warrior. Monyane, on the other hand, was more reserved, more regular in his life, but ambitious. Monaheng predeceased his favourite, Mokheseng, and when he (Monaheng) died it was Monyane who became the paramount chief of Bakoena in Lesotho. 

Monyane was succeeded by his eldest son Nkopane. Nkopane had several other names,viz. Nkotsoane, diminutive of Nkopane; Moorosi, given him by his father; and Mathunya, a name which he took while in the circumcision lodge. 

Nkopane had five wives, who bore him a number of children. The first was the daughter of Mahoete. She had two sons, Pulumo and Lecholocholo. The second was Sesilane, a daughter of the royal house of the Bakoena . By her he had four sons, viz.Nkoko, Malia (alias Rahlaoli), Lekhetho, and Mankoe. There was also Morake and Morapetsane by the third; Pshoabane (Chobane) and others by the fourth; and Seobi by the fifth.

Nkopane's direct descendants and those of his younger brothers, viz. Mohlomi a Matsie, Foleng and Makhetha are known as Bakoena ba Nkopane.

The direct lineage from Mogale to Chobane is as follows:

1. Mogale
2. Mhete
3. Melora
4. Masilo I
5. Malope 
6. Koena (separated from the Bahurutse and became the first paramount chief of Bakoena)
7. Phokotsea
8. Malope
9. Khabo I
10. Tebele
11. Khabo II (younger brother of Mogopa II - Bakoena ba Mogopa)
12. Masilo II (Mosito)
13. Napo
14. Motebang
15. Molemo
16. Tsoloane
17. Monaheng- 1st Paramount Chief of Bakoena in Lesotho
18. Monyane - 2nd Paramount Chief of Bakoena in Lesotho
19. Nkopane- 3rd Paramount Chief of Bakoena in Lesotho (the paramountcy moved sideways after his death to his brother Mohlomi a Matsie who 'gave' it to Lepoqo) 
20. Chobane

Re Bakoena ba Nkopane oa Mathunya. Motho a ka thunya dikhomo le batho, a thunya likonyela le morapama. Motho ea phatsitsoeng ka lerato, a ntano sesetsoa ka tlhompho le boikokobetso. E! Ke bolela joalo ngoan'a pelo ea setsoha lemaobane. Re ana ka sebata Koena, se dula metsing, ntho ea ho hlaha e bona dichaba ha le chabile le le hodimo le chesa letsatsi.

Ha re thella re re,

“Ke Mokoena oa Nkopane oa Mathunya, maila ho ngoatheloa, motho a sa jeng se ngoathane sa maobane. Maja polokoe kaofela. O sa jeng motshehare, o jang ha meriti e thea. Ho thea e moholo ea diotloana.”