By Thomas Sibanda
There is a general misconception that King Mzilikazi and is Ndebele people were the first Nguni group to traverse and settle in what is now modern-day Zimbabwe. However, this is not accurate.
The evolution of the Ndebele can be divided into 2 phases: 1.1820-1840 was dominated by migration and wars. 2. 1841-1893 saw the Ndebele evolving to a new full-fledged settled heterogeneous state in present day Matabeleland & parts of Midlands in Zimbabwe.
During the political revolutions that rocked Nguniland commonly referred to as mfecane there are various Nguni and Sotho-Tswana groups that migrated north and traversed through the Zimbabwean plateau.
These Nguni and Sotho-Tswana groups included the Sotho of Mpanga, the Sotho of Sebetwane, the Nguni of Ngwana Maseko, the Nguni of Zwangendaba, the Nguni of Nxaba, the Shangani of Soshangane and the Swati of Nyamazana.
This coincided with the nearing of the collapse of the Rozvi/Lozwi empire due to power struggles and weak leadership. The group led by Zwangendaba is accused of destroying the structures and settlements at Great Zimbabwe.
These groups earned the name ‘madviti’/plunderers/usurpers from the local Shona people groups who were affected by the raids and destruction of their settlements and traditional shrines like the great stone structures in Masvingo.
Soshangane also invaded the Zimbabwean plateau and established the Gasa/Gaza empire which stretched from the Limpopo River in southern Mozambique up to the Zambezi River in the north. Soshangane invaded the Rozvi in Chipinge area thus accelerating the state collapse.
Soshangane established his capital in the highlands of the middle Save River in the Zimbabwean plateau in the 1830s. The capital was later moved by his grandson Ngungunyane Mdungazwe Nxumalo to Mozambique. The Gasa/Gaza empire was overthrown by the Portuguese in 1897.
Zwangendaba continued with his trek until he settled in Tanzania in Mapupo, near Ufipa where he consolidated his status as the king of all the Ngoni located accross Southern Africa.
After leaving a trail of destruction to the Rozvi/Lozwi Empire, Sebetwane moved to present day western Zambia where he established his Barotseland kingdom.
Queen Nyamazana Dlamini who was Zwangendaba’s niece defeated the last Rozvi/Lozwi king Mambo Chirisamhuru marking the epilogue of the Rozvi/Lozwi empire in the 1830s.
She thereafter gathered her Swati people and remnants of the Nguni and Sotho Tswana groups that remained under her leadership to establish her authority over the new territory she had taken over.
When the Ndebele under Mzilikazi arrived around 1840 they settled in the southwestern parts of modern-day Zimbabwe close to where Falcon College is located.
Mzilikazi met with Queen Nyamazana and the two agreed to coexist in peace in the territory. Mzilikazi then made a second proposal to strengthen their ties by marrying Queen Nyamazana. She accepted his offer, merged her people with his and handed Mzilikazi authority as King.
Mzilikazi used the policy of raiding the surrounding Shona, Tswana (Botswana) and Lozi (Zambia) groups who refused to pay tribute to him. This was his strategy of building his kingdom and enforcing his authority and political control of the new territory that he occupied.
SOURCES:
Zimbabwe’s Cultural Heritage: Phathisa Nyathi – Building friendships between the Shona and Ndebele of Zimbabwe
Cyprian Muchemwa (PhD Thesis /Durban University of Technology) – Lexicographical Practice and Lexicological Research: The Case of Shangani in Zimbabwe
Peniah Mabaso, -Re-thinking the Colonial Encounter in Zimbabwe in the Early 20th Century.
Prof. S J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni – The Ngoni of Malawi (A History Revisited)
Sunduzwayo Madise -Becoming Zimbabwe. A History from the Pre-colonial Period to 2008: Brian Raftopoulos, A. S. Mlambo -The Ndebele Nation: Reflections on Hegemony, Memory and Historiography: Prof. S. J Ndlovu – Gatsheni
HERITABLE HISTOLOGY
Here is a brief untold story of Mawewe Langa who was King Gaza II after succeeding his Father King Manukuza Soshangane in 1859.
A propaganda wrangle over succeession sparked into a war between Mawewe and Mzila’s Houses.
Mawewe’s mother was a Swazi and an officially recognised principal wife and queen while Mzila’s mother had much relationship with the majority Tsonga people in the New Gaza empire.
Take note that the War of succeession was fought in two phase. The 1st from 1860-1861.. in which Mzila won after supported by Albansin Juao a Portuguese who had made home among the Tsonga community.
The deposed King Mawewe retreated to his Swazi uncles.. and sought military support to resume the war.
Hence the war began from 1862 to 1864.. whereby the elders of Mawewe and Mzila houses intervened.
There was negotiated a Peace Agreement Acoord… to share the kingdom administration.
There was established two main Army Brigades.. one of Mawewe’s party led by his son Wela. AND another brigade of Mzila’s party led by his son Mdungazvwe.
Thereby, Mzila remained as the paramount chief… and Mawewe was a Chief with his territory in the northern province with capital at what is called Gaza township in Chipinge these present years. His son Wela went and made a military camp in present day Chimanimani and called it “Chaimiti” a name formely used by his Grandfather in Biyeni.. Wela assumed the name GANYANA for his brigade, which meant Dogs of War or Millitary Dogs.. referring to Wilddogs that fight to conquer. On the side of Mzila his son went and made millitary camp at Masapa, east of Mt Selinda where his father Mzila had camped before. This Mdungazve feeling to express might power assumed the name GUGUNYANA for his brigade. That was end of the 2nd war and Peace Agreement Accord, by 1868.
The House of Mawewe never made true peace… in 1879 Mawewe instructed his son now Ganyana to go and Wed his Sister to King Lobengula in Matabeleland. The marriage party had Ten Gazaish women.. Xwalile Ganyana’s sister proposed to be the new royal principal Ndebele Queen with her auntie as her matron since she was still a teenager and with eight maids.
The marriage party had about 6. to 700 people including escort warriors and singers etc.
🙄 The news of the marriage to King Lobengula was heard by King Mzila.. and Mzila instructed his son to make a plan to ambush the leaders of the marriage party on their way back home.
Chief Mawewe himself was among the marriage delegation.. and on his way back home he was assassinated by Gugunyana’s warriors, thus in December 1879.
Later on in 1885 Mzila disappesred fearing Ganyana that he may revenge and get assistance from King Lobengula his new Brot her in law. However, public news went public that the King had died… soon Gugunyana (now called Ngungunyana) declared himself King of Gaza… thus after assassinating one called MAFEMANI, the legal heir.. and soon a succession wrangle rose again from 1885 that saw Ngungunyana migrating to old Chaimiti near Maputo.. about 500 kms away from CHIPINGE. Thus running away from Ganyana. There existed Gaza north province under rule of Ganyana and the southern province under Ngungunyana.
However.. by 1891 the overseas colonial settlement governments partitioned Gazaland and Ganyana’s territory fell under Rhodesia BSAC
and Ngungunyana’s territory fell under the Portuguese PEA.
EXTRA news:-
King Lobengula was conquered by the BSAC in early December 1893, by late December 1895.. Ngungunyana was conquered by the Portuguese..
In Manicaland Gaza North province, the BSAC forces bothered Ganyana very much and he resisted colonial rule that he and his family and relatives moved away from the area.. which then was renamed Melsetter under Rhodesia government.
By 1894-1896 Ganyana frequently patroned Matabeleland to visit her sisters abandoned by King Lobengula. During the visits he mobilised the Ndebele warriors with help of Lobengula’s relatives and iNdunas of the people.. especially the new generation believed in Rebelling against the few Colonial settlers scattered in mining areas. On 20 March 1896… the real Rebellion guns were heard in Matabeleland and Ganyana was the ring leader of the 1st Chimurenga/ Umvukela.
The story of Ganyana was well documented by F C Selous in his Book “Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia”. Ganyana ignited the 1st Chimurenga as he was grieved by his dethrownment in Gazaland north… later Melsetter.
■■■■ I stop here for today bt may continue to give more high lights on Mawewe’s descendants still in ZIMBABWE.
😎 As of me… I am a descendant of Ganyana >Mawewe >Manukuza III Soshangane. ■■■■
#yoz.manukuza iv.
CONTINUED:-
I am back to mention that, most historians however, have avoided or omitted to document appropriate histology of King Mawewe Gaza II, for unknown reasons. Whereas by God’s grace and program, the descendants of King Mawewe Gaza II came yo be called by various names like :- Dlamin.. Jamain.. amaLanga.. maSwazi… but actually we exist as the SIGAUKE GAZA Clan… in Southern Africa, also we are the Gazanians or Gazaish… the legitimate royal Gaza dynasty of King Soshangane Manukuza III. (Our ancestry history records us as the true Manyika tribe.. these Manukuza royal ancestor name originate from old NHUNGUZA ruins found in Mashonaland Central DANDE catchment area of past years… where one Mwenemutapa known as Mavura Mhande adopted the name, to be called “Nhunguza” in Zezuru.. just to mention a brief story.. before their descendants migrated to Natal in South Africa around 1690 AD… and there became to be known as the NDWANDWE after Dande roots name). ⏰⏰⏰