History

Ndebele Migration(Journey from Nguniland to Western Zimbabwe)

Groups which fought with the Ndebele during their journey

Zulu
Kololo
Pedi
Griqua
Tswana
Sotho
Kora
Korana
Khoisan
Boers
Tlokwa
Hurutshe
Hapin
San
Taung
Kabokwene

Ndebele settlements during the journey

Ekepumuleni- the place of rest.
Mhlahlandela
Endinaneni
Enkuqini
Egabeni
Gibixhegu.
Inyati.

Problems faced by the Ndebele during the journey

Attacks by other groups
Attacks by wild animals
Hunger and stavation
Death caused by diseases eg malaria.
Tsetse caused sleeping sickness
Nagana killed livestock
Shortage of pastures for livestock
Loss of women and livestock to other groups.
They crossed mountaneous areas eg drakensburg.
DIfferent groups joined and there was language barrier.
The Ndebele fought whites who had better weapons eg guns.
Trade was disturbed.
Agric was disturbed
Succsession disputes as Mzilikazi’s son Nkulumane was installed to be King.
Mzilikazi killed Nkulumane and the Indunas who were responsible.
They crossed flooded rivers.

Q: Describe the Ndebele migration from Nguniland to western Zimbabwe

Mzilikazi was a chief of the Khumalo. The Khumalo were under the rule of Tshaka.
In 1821, Mzilikazi raided the Sotho and kept the booty.
He cut the plumes of the messengers sent by Tshaka to collect the booty.It was a sign of disobedience.
Tshaka sent a small army to defeat the Khumalo and the army was defeated.
Mzilikazi decided to leave before Tshaka sent a bigger army.
He left with about 300 followers.
They crossed the drakernsburg and reached Sotho.
Mzilikazi, estabilished a settlement called Ekepumuleni.
The Sotho gave the Ndebele a nickname Matebele meaning men of long shields.
The Ndebele raided the Sotho for livestock grain and women.
Mzilikazi was forced to leave Ekupumuleni because of three problems-Zulu attacks,-Drought,-Lack of pastures.
He moved into the Transvaal and estabilished settlements like Mhlahlandela,Egabeni.
The Ndebele were attacked by the Zulu,Griquas,Boers,Kora,Khoisan Mzilikazi met Robert Moffat and the two became friends.
The Ndebele estabilished a settlement called Mosega in the Transvaal.
They were defeated by the combined force in 1837- Boers,Griquas,Kra,Zulu etc.
Mzilikazi decide to leave Mosega.
He divided his people into two.
- The main group was led by Induna Gondwane Ndiweni.It included old people, Children , wives livestock and Mzilikazi’s sons Nkulumane and Lobengula.
  The group followed a shorter route.
  It crossed Makloutse river and the Shashe.
  The group settled at Gibixhegu near the Matopo hills.
- The small group was led by Mzilikazi himself. It moved from Mosega in a westward direction through the territory of the Ngwato.
Mzilikazi moved Northwards following the Kololo.
He then moved Southward to meet the main group.
Mzilikazi heard about the installation of Nkulumane .He rushed to Gibixhegu.
Ndiweni and other Indunas were responsible for the installation of Nkulumane.
What happened to Nkulumane was not clear, Some historians say that he was Killed while others say that he fled Southwards.
Mzilikazi estabilished his capital at Inyati near Morden Bulawayo.
Mzilikazi married Nyamazana, a Ngoni leader who had broken away fromZwangendaba.
The local Shona people offered less resistance and easily fell under Mzlikazi’s control.

Q: To what extent did settlements in the western Zimbabwe bring security to them

The Ndebele settled in the Rozvi country where there was little resistance.
Mzilikazi married Nyamazana who had killed the Rozvi King Chirisamhuru 2.
The neighbouring tswana were weak.
They were far away from enermies like Boers ,Griqua, Pedi and Zulu.
Favourable climate-Sunshine.
Fertile soils.
Availability of resourcws eg game.
Free from flies.
Good pastures.
Mineral wealth eg Gold.
Trade with the portuguese and Arabs.
The area was sparsely populated.
The Rozvi resisted Ndebele rule- some moved away.
Shona chiefdoms in the east resisted.
Boers of the Transvaal raided the Ndebele.
The area was affected by drought.
The Ndebele were attacked by Ngwato of Khama.
Finally the Ndebele were defeated by the BSAC.

Q: To what extent did war with other groups united the Ndebele

1. Unity was a result of war

The Ndebele created a strong army for defense.
The army protected their property.
Army raided other groups for property.
Army raided other groups for livestock.
The fear of Zulu attacks united the Ndebele.
The Ndebele realised the importance of guns.
The Ndebele estabilished a strong Nation.

2. Unity was a result of other factors

Intermarriage united people.
The inxala ceremony brought the whole nation together.
Mafisa system(loan cattle.)
The groups faced hardships together eg the cold weather , drought etc.
Religion united people.
The worshiped one God.,br> There was fear of Mzilikazi.. he was a strict and no non- sense ruler.
He was also loved by his people because he was generous.
The regiments of the Ndebele brought unity.
MZilikazi used zule tactics and weapons.
Defeated groups were absorbed and forced to speak Isindebele.
Mzilikazi appointed his relatives to be chiefs.
He died in 1868.

Ndebele Military system

Army was divide into regiments.
The Ndebele army was led by commanders called Indunas.
The army was divided into regiment towns.
Each regiment was given a name eg Ingubu,Zwangendaba,Empande,Insukamini,Sijeba,Amaweni etc.
Soldiers were allowed to marry.
The King had his regiment.
The amabhuto had many responsibilities….protected the state and the king.
Raiding-it brought young men, women, livestock.
Protecting foreign trade.
Hunting Elephants-ivory.
Collected tribute and agric works.
They were about 200 000.
Weapons- Assegais, bows and arrows,shields,knobkerries, battle axe..
Women were used in the army as prostitutes.
Method of wars–cow horn formation, smoke signals,use of spies.
The king was the commander in chief of the army.
The king consulted Umphakati and the Izinkulu before war.
Chants and war cries were used to create fear among the enemies.
The King distributed the booty to loyal and brave men.
Defeated groups near the Ndebele center were absorbed into regiment.

Ndebele-Shona relations

The general view was that the relationship was that of master and servant.(Ndebele -Shona respectively). This is inaccurate or a myth.Colonial historians wrote that the Ndebele always raided the Shona, were warlike and blood thirsty.

Why was the myth accepted

- - Missionaries who failed to spread christianity in Matebeleland wrote negative reports about the Ndebele.
  - They wanted their mother countries to destroy the Ndebele religion and political system first.
  - These missionaries include John Moffat,Cd Helm and Carnagie.
  - Rhodes wanted to justify the colonisation , The colonisers wanted to be seen as the saviours of the Shona.
  - Lobengula wanted to be seen as a great King . He claimed total control over all shona in the east.He exagerated his power and influence.
  - The Shona exegerated the effects of the Ndebele raids.

The truth about Ndebele-Shona relations

- - The Ndebele had total control of the Shona who lived with a radius of about 8 kms from the center.
  - The Shonas who were absorbed into the Ndebele became the hole-changed names,married enhla and Zansi,Customs like piercing ears,recieved loan cattle,they spoke sindebele.
  - The Shona religius beliefs were accepted.
  - The Ndebele used Shona middle men.
  - Shona traded with Ndebele.
  - Shona people away from Ndebele center were actually free.
  - Some Shona fought on the side of the Ndebele against BSAC in the anglo-Ndebele war.

Internal problems of the Ndebele

- - Senior Indunas were bribed by Rhodes – Losthe and Sikombo.
  - There was succession disputes after death of Mzilikazi in 1868.
  - Some Indunas wanted Lobengula to succsess Mzilikazi.
  - Others claimed Nkulumane was alive.
  - A man came from S A claiming to be Nkulumane. His name was Kanda.
  - Civil war broke out inthe Ndebele state.
  - Finally, Lobengula was installed as king in 1870 after the death of Mzilikazi in 1868.
  - Droughts affect the area caused by low rainfall.
  - Outbreak of diseases eg rinderpest killed cattle.
  - Resistance from the Shona.

External problems of the Ndebele

- - Attacks by the Boers of the Transvaal.
  - Shona chiefs attacked the Ndebele.
  - Attacks by the Ngwato led by Khama.
  - Attacks by the Lozi of Zambia.
  - The coming in and out of concession seekers disturbed the Ndebele state.
  - Missionaries said people were equals .
  - They used tricks to obtain agreements eg bribes.
  - Lobengula had sleepless nights because of whites who wanted treaties.
  - Christians were against raiding.