The Xangana (Shangaan, Changana) people of the south-eastern lowveld of Zimbabwe, and into adjoining South Africa and Mozambique, are the proud owners of strong traditions, and a unique and vibrant social culture.
So watch this space for the Mahenye Cultural Fair 2024…
Traditions are celebrated, such as handmade clay pots..
stunning hut paintings..
Changana people celebrate their culture in various ways. such as dance.
General cultural information:
Xichangana is correct term if referring to the language. Hlengwe Is the dialect spoken in our Area – Chief Mahenye’s village.
Machangana as a plural form of muchangana, referring to the people.
Various cultural festivals have been hosted over the years by the Chiefs surrounding Gonarezhou National Park…
One major festival was called “The Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair” – this was the flyer for 2016
Here below is some history of the smaller festivals that have been held in Zimbabwe. They all embrace the same wonderful culture, proudly supported by the Mahenye Charitable Trust, Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, Malilangwe Trust and Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
MaChangana (Shangaan) Cultural and Arts Festival (MCAF)
Mahenye lady drummer, photo by Lin Barrie
The MaChangana Chiefs of the south east lowveld and custodians of the MaChangana culture have appointed a committee to organise the MaChangana Culture and Arts Festival (MCAF).
This festival is held yearly in different areas around Gonarezhou National Park, which is part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, (GLTFCA).
The committee includes Headmen, Kraal heads, Local MP’s, Councillors, members of the MaChangana Promotion Association and select women from each of the Chiefs councils.
The MaChangana Culture and Arts Festival, 2010, was held at Chief Sengwe’s Village
The MaChangana Culture and Arts Festival, 2011, was held at Chief Tshovani’s Village.
The MaChangana Culture and Arts Festival, 2012, was held at Chief Mahenye’s Village.
The MaChangana Culture and Arts Festival, 2013, was held at Chief Gudo’s Village.
Dance teams from Mozambique have travelled to Mahenye to share their talent with the Zimbabwean dancers, a wonderful continuance of cultural heritage..
The purpose is to maintain the traditions and culture of the MaChangana people, to promote this unique culture amongst the youth and to ensure that this heritage be passed on to future generations.
The MaChangana people are proud of their hunter/gatherer culture which recognises the importance of respecting the environment. They have long depended on sustainably utilising the natural resources which are to be found in this diverse and remote part of Zimbabwe.
This Culture and Arts Festival promotes the history of early settlements and recording of historical events.
Further, it promotes the rich and diverse traditions of the MaChangana people, which include dress and beadware, food and traditional hunting methods , music and dancing, poetry and story telling (Karengano and Tsekelelo ), home building and wall decorations, Saila (annual fish drives), male initiation to adulthood (Ngomeni), and female initiation to adulthood (Khomba).
dress and beadware:
“Chibabela” skirts are deeply gathered and beaded skirts, worn under bright wraps and displayed when dancing or for special occasions.
These skirts sway and flare out when dancing to create an exuberant and mesmerising effect. They are made from traditional striped, woven “Salempore” fabric and glass seed beads.
Men and women wear earrings, but this is less common amongst the men than in the past.
A strong tradition of using glass seed beads for decorating skirts and for necklaces is still maintained.
Glass seed beads are treasured for decorating items of everyday use, such as snuff boxes and containers made from hollowed out wild gourds and squashes.
food and traditional hunting methods:
Food is locally produced, maize and sorghum being staple crops.
Grains are winnowed in traditional baskets (tsere) and hand-hewn pestle and mortars.
winnowing basket treated with Kuhlu (trichelia emetica) bark…
Basket from Lala palm and grass, using Nyii dye
Traditional beer is brewed from sorghum.
Well-shaped, very large clay pots are skilfully made for storing beer and water, and for cooking every day meals.They are constructed from clay soil and earth-fired under piles of bark or brush….
Multi-coloured goats, chickens and domesticated guinea fowls and also the occasional contented wandering pigs, are to be seen around every homestead.
Herds of spectacular Nguni-type cattle, the pride and joy of their owners, wander the banks of the Save River at Mahenye. Small, neat animals, they are are acclimatised to resist tick borne diseases and tsetse fly, and survive easily in this often-arid environment.
Delicious and potent palm wine is made by tapping the growing tip of Hyphaene palms (Lala palms), and fermenting the clear sap obtained. Fresh clear sap tastes delicious-somewhere between cucumber and coconut!
Traditional hunting methods are revered, with the constrution of well-crafted, multiple barbed fishing spears, fish traps and bows and arrows. Below is a hut painting depicting hunting in the GLTFCA !
music and dancing:
Many different, exuberant dances are performed, with names such as Muchongoyo, Chokoto, Marula, Chinyambele and Chigubu. Men wearing grass, cowrie shell and porcupine quill headresses and armbands, are often adorned with wild animal skins or goat skin skirts, and wear gourd leg rattles. Ladies wear the traditional Chibabela skirts, with mutiple strands of twisted beads wrapped around their hips and adorning their necks. Wire bracelets adorn their bare ankles. A kudu horn is treasured as a lead musical intrument, as are wood and skin drums. Musical wind and string intruments such as Tingoma, Chizembe, Chitende are still made. Ladies enjoy the piercing sound of tin whistles to lead their dance troops.
poetry and story telling (Karengano and Tsekelelo):
A vibrant tradition of oral story telling survives, with engaging and amusing, often dramatic and semi-tragic animal and human characters as the protagonists. I call it Changana rap! Chanting and repetition engage the listeners, who frequently and enthusiastically respond with known chorus lines.
home building and wall decorations:
Changana huts are built square, with deep shady verandahs and decorative wall paintings created by the womenfolk. They use organic materials to paint with-silt from rivers for black pigment, red earth for the rich rust pigment and white ash from burnt leadwood trees for the white pigment. Hut floors are smooth mixtures of mud and cow dung. Wooden doors are commonly used these days, but in the past incredibly resilient and long lasting doors were constructed from cross-laid Phragmites reeds, bound securely with plaits made from Lala palm fronds. True works of art.
Saila (annual fish drive):
In October 2011, the two local traditional Chiefs, Tshovani and Mahenye organized a Saila (a traditional and a sustainable method of harvesting fish). Some years ago, using traditional tools such as fish traps, nets and interlaced reed screens, these fish drives used to be done annually based around the great rivers of the Gonarezhou Park, the Save and the Runde rivers, and all the fish harvested were shared equally among the two chiefs and their people. In an effort to try and restore the glory of the Changana tradition, the current Changana chiefs received National Parks permission to continue this valued tradition. Stakeholders were informed and invited, including National Parks. This function was also supported by Parks since they supplied food and fuel.
For the Saila, a team of about sixty men is selected to begin the Saila preparations, i.e. cutting of the reeds and making the screens. Screens are constructed from Phragmites river reeds and hand-made string rolled laboriously from the leaves of the Lala palm. A suitable pool is also located in the Runde River and on the day of the Saila, the Chief attends and a certain old man enters the pool first and walks across twice, with traditional medicine in his hands, to dissuade any crocodiles from attacking people. He then commands the team to get into the pool and started pushing the reed screens. On occasions during the event, a crocodile is likely to bump into the screens but that does not deter the team. It takes about four hours to push the Saila screen through the selected pool.
The harvest can be low and in 2011 only about 35 kg of fish was harvested, but the elders seemed well satisfied with the proceedings. The species with the highest number caught was tiger fish and the following fish species were identified after the whole process.
Mbela, (Imberi)
Lulu, (Manyame labeo)
Ndungulu, (Purple labeo)
Khaiji, (Mozambique tilapia)
Ndhaka, (Black tilapia)
Mbungu, (Red breasted tilapia)
Muvanga, (Tiger Fish}
male initiation to adulthood (Ngomeni):
Circumcision as a rite in the passage to adulthood has always been a potent force in Changana culture. Before being considered an adult, uncircumcised Changana men and boys are obliged to spend a month in isolation from their families at remote, secret bush camps, undergoing strict instruction and tuition as to the ways of adulthood. After the actual act of circumcision, each initiate spends time recovering from the operation and taking further instruction while in the bush. At last the great day arrives when all preparations for the final “passing out” of the initiates are in place and the Ngomeni is held at certain Chiefs’ villages as appropriate. Initiates dress all in white, with beaded headresses and shorn, ochred heads. They carry striped pairs of ceremonial sticks which they have each made while out in the bush. Led by the ‘professors’ and protectors they have studied under in the bush, they gather in regimental lines outside the Chief’s village, heads downcast in supplication and wait…
Excited and nervous mothers and families gather in anticipation, dressed traditionally in Chibabela skirts and carrying sleeping mats made from reeds for their initiate sons and brothers to sit upon, since during the final ceremony initiates may not let any part of their bodies touch the earth.
Now the initiates shuffle forward, heads down, into the Chief’s presence, accompanied by the ecstatic and chanting mothers who lay mats for them as the long lines snake into place and the initiates are seated before the Chief and headmen. They beat their striped sticks in time, an eerie and powerful sound….
The colourful women dance troupe of the host village perform a stamping, jumping dance in front of the initiates and the Chief. The ceremony is long, exhausting and many young initiates droop in the heat, to be offered water from gourds by their protectors. At last the initiates stand, considered to be adult men now! As they exit the ceremonial ground, their families fall into place beside them, dancing and singing with joy and escorting them home, enveloped in clouds of happy dust, to their individual villages where the festivities will continue unabated for days.
female initiation to adulthood (Khomba):
Much as Changana men undergo certain rites of passage to be considered adult, so do Changana women, but circumcision is never part of the ceremony. The girls undergo a month of strict isolation from village life, with teachers to guide them, and are instructed in the ways of child-bearing, traditional dancing, home-building, food preparation and culture that adult women are required to know.
When they pass out, they are said to have undergone Khomba, and wear red caps with pins adorning the rims, which passers-by are expected to contribute to by donating more pins. Great ceremony is observed, as this episode in the lives of the women of the community is a highly regarded ritual.
The use of kaolin clay face paint during komba is seen here…
For a fascinating story on Changana Totems, read:
https://wildlifeandwilddogs.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/of-giant-snails-and-tradition-fire-and-totems/
Credits: photographs are by Lin Barrie
wine and wild dogs 
Nice blog and photos, thanks for sharing. I do love the music and the singing. I adds the beauty of Zimbabwe. I wish I could live there.
They are two separate groups, Tsonga originate where is now Mozambique and Machangana are Ngunis which were led by Soshangana to go and swallow Tsongas. You have to be careful when you ask that question, Tsonga will agree with me but Mochangana will try to decorate it.
Lost nation,some call themselves machangana,Vatsonga or Vatsonga machangana,Comfused nation and identity problem.But the reality is tht machangana are ngunis of soshangana nxumalo.So it is amazing when Vahlengwe n many others belongs to Nxumalo Surname/family.Vatsonga in particular in Zim. Moz n swazi ar lost.
That is not true Mr. Gobleman. The only unfortunate part is that it depends who tell our history, and mostly our history is told by people with distort information.
Here is the truth. Tsonga is a collection of all the related sub-languages or dialects such as Rhonga, Hlengwe, Tswa, Copi (Chopi), Ndau, Ngoni and other smaller ones. This language was formalised by the Swiss Mission such as Henry Phillip Junod Senior and later Junior before the Berlin Conference in 1884.
Before SoShangani, there were two kings of all Tsonga group called Gwambe, and later Dzavani. These kings were from the Great Zimbabwe empire and later under Mapungubwe But these kings and the Tsonga kingdom dis-integrated over time. Then SoShangani came around 1820’s and started unifying all the Tsonga sub-groups under Gaza Empire across what is known today as S.A, Zim, Moza, Swaziland & Zambia. This is where the history gets distorted.
Now that Ive summarized basics, Tsonga its the language and Shangaan refers to the kingdom/empire of all Tsonga sub-groups. The ruler is thus SoShangani who is yes Nguni. SoShangani’s surname is Nxumalo/Ndwandwe/Mkhatswa.
However, Tsonga is official recognised in South Africa as both language and people whereas Moza, Zim and Swaziland still regard Shangaan/Shangani as both language and the people. Confusion is now removed.
Tsonga and Shangani are not 2 separate groups. Tsonga is a language and Shangani merely refers to the kingdom/empire of all the Tsonga sub-groups as ruled by SoShangani.
We ended-up adopting Shangaan as paying homage to SoShangani our king bcoz he unified all the Tsonga sub-groups into one kingdom. It is also not true that Nguni were not part of Tsonga until SoShangani. The fact that both Shaka and SoShangani wanted to co-opt Tsonga sub-groups into their kingdoms, its bcoz they knew that Tsonga were also Nguni. Actually, the Tembe, Makwakwa and other Tsonga paramount chiefdoms occupied what is known today as Northern Kwazulu-Natal before the Mfecane wars and later Shaka’s time. These groups of Tsonga origin still inhabits those areas even today, including the Nkomati and Save/Sabie rivers and Drakensberg mountains.
We normally do not hear much abt these Tsonga groups in Kwazulu-Natal bcoz they are wrongly regarded as Zulus, of which apartheid is to blame. In conclusion, Tsonga are Bantu and their language is classified as Niger-Congo origin. Both Bantu people and Niger-Congo languages also include Nguni speakers. Thus, Nguni are part of Tsonga as a people. In Tsonga we call Nguni as Ngoni. Those who believe in African Religion also know that within Tsonga people, we mainly have Ngoni, Ndau and Copi ancestral spirits.
Those who disregard SoShangani and his great contribution to the unity of all Tsonga sub-groups are just nothing foolish and ignorant to HISTORY. We must give credit that SoShangani did to unite Tsonga groups under immense reality of fighting both the Portuguese, British and Dutch infiltration and colonial rule.
SoShangani did not fight for the unification of any other kingdom or nation but for the Tsonga. After Gwambe and Dzavani fall, no one fought fiercely and reclaimed the Tsonga kingdom until SoShangani did. Why do we blame him that he was Nguni, where were the Copi, Rhonga, Tswa, etc. to reclaim the greatness of Tsonga people??? If SoShangani and his subsequent inheritors did not fight for our independence, we would have been assimilated by other groups close to our geographical locality. But because SoShangani was so great and fiercely respected as the Lion of Gaza, no one waged any war against the Tsonga across the horizon including the Zulus themselves.
What I’ve seen within the Tsongas of rejecting one of their own like SoShangani and Nghunghunyani, who fought for their course and independence Ive never seen with any other group. Ive to say this is utterly stupidness to reject your own king and ruler, who fought to keep the kingdom intact against all odds. Ive never seen the Zulus rejecting Shaka with all his atrocities, the Ndebele never reject Mzilikazi, the BaPedi never reject Sekhukhune, and the Venda never reject Dimbanyika nor Mphephu as their kings.
Then, what is wrong with the us (Tsonga), I ask??? Something is truly wrong with us. As my surname is Mhlongo (popularly known as Hlongo in Moza), I am a true Rhonga of the Dzonga Paramount Chiefdom which was in existence and independent in Mozambique before its ruins in the 1820s, and I will not be foolish nor ignorant that there is also the Mhlongo’s of Nguni within the Zulu, Ndebele and Swati, and I recognize them as brothers.
thats true Mr Gobleman. almost all of us here in Zimbabwe we originate from Mozambique. we are not shangani true speaking. these writers have made gravy mistakes. we are given a mistaken identity. ia m Chauke and am Hlengwe not Shangna
very true.
what is the difference between these people and tsonga of south africa
NO difference. i am part of the community. its only that the borders demacate us
They are two separate groups, Tsonga originate where is now Mozambique and Machangana are Ngunis which were led by Soshangana to go and swallow Tsongas. You have to be careful when you ask that question, Tsonga will agree with me but Mochangana will try to decorate it.
There is no difference my brother. South Africa officially refers to Tsonga as both language & people, then the word Shangani becomes informal because its not an official name.
However, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe recognise Machangani and Xichangani as both the people and language.
Tsonga is thus a language and Shangaan is tribute to the kingdom or empire of those Tsonga people united under SoShangani’s rule in the Gaza Empire.
Doint say zimbabwe recognise. Thats robbery. I am Tsonga from Zimbabwe from the Cawuke clan of Hlengwe tribe. I am not shangani and we are not proud of being called by another oerson ‘s grandafather. Far from it. Its a gimmick by amashona and ndebeles to divide abd rule us easily . uts a political strategy rather than linguitsic and histrocal reality. Ignorance and misrepresanration shouldnt be treated as acceptance . never. These boundaries are nothing but mere politicised lines to rob Vatsonga of a great nation. Viva Vutsonga. Viva uhuru. Tsongaland nchii ya Watu wazuri. Khanimambo!
Dont say zimbabwe recognise. Thats robbery. I am Tsonga from Zimbabwe from the Cawuke clan of Hlengwe tribe. I am not shangani and we are not proud of being called by another oerson ‘s grandafather. Far from it. Its a gimmick by amashona and ndebeles to divide abd rule us easily . uts a political strategy rather than linguitsic and histrocal reality. Ignorance and misrepresanration shouldnt be treated as acceptance . never. These boundaries are nothing but mere politicised lines to rob Vatsonga of a great nation. Viva Vutsonga. Viva uhuru. Tsongaland nchii ya Watu wazuri. Khanimambo!
Tsonga and Shangani are not 2 separate groups. Tsonga is a language and Shangani merely refers to the kingdom/empire of all the Tsonga sub-groups as ruled by SoShangani.
We ended-up adopting Shangaan as paying homage to SoShangani our king bcoz he unified all the Tsonga sub-groups into one kingdom. There are also earlier kings of the Tsonga groups such as Gwambe and later Dzavani, who were from the Great Zimbabwe Empires and later Mapungubwe.
there is no difference . we are one and we are a Tsonga Nation
Soshangane didnot rule all Vatsonga. Si we cant claim that all subgrups of Vatsonga are referred to as Shangani because he once ruled a fraction of Vatsonga, vandzawu, manyika etc. Which implies all become machangana! 12th to 18th century Vatsonga were there before soshangane passed thru their land. Soshangane is a baby if we compare him with tge likes of Xinyori, Matsena, etc4
I am thrilled to be educated on this grandeur of our vanishing heritage. I witnessed a spectacular
festival in Chiredzi. I was so impressed as a writer that I spent additional three days under Chief
July Chilonga. We need to record this treasure before it disappears. It needs to be introduced in schools and books be introduced in libraries. We have established a movement , Huvo ya Vatsonga ya Mfuwo ya Dzonga wa Afrika. Chiefs Tshovani and Chilonga visited us here in Pretoria
and we visited them in Chiredzi. I personally would like to attend the chief Mahenye festival-particularly to witness the fishing festival and other activities. A hi khomaneni, va ka hina!
Risimati Mathonsi risimathonsi@gmail.com or visit me at http://www.watu-wazuri.co.za.
A hi yeni emahlweni hi hlayisa mfuwo ni ndzhavuko wa hina machangana. Swa tsakisa leswi.
Very well done Manthonsi. Let us continue to educate our people especially other Machangani bcoz they are stil ignorant and lack vast knowledge about ourselves.
The moment a Tsonga/Shangani person gets confused and start defining who is Tsonga and who is Shangani then we have a BIG problem, and we wonder what do u seek to achieve??? Ive never heard the other African groups getting confused by categorizing language and their kingdoms.
we dont necessarily need to gain anything, but we must put records straight. our history was distorted. why do we want to act as if Vahlengwe a va exist here in Zimbabwe. there is no need to equate shangani to Tsonga. n’wana na mutswari a va ringani. tinyimba ta ku hambana makes up VATSONGA, i.e Vahlengwe, Vahlave, Vabila, Van’wanati, Vadzonga, Vahlanganu, Vakhalanga, Machangana. not forgetting Vatshwa ni Varhonga. there is no problem in knowing your lineage.
Dear Madlome,
No matter how much you fight, the name Shangaan is here to stay with us forever, as well as the name Tsonga and it doesn’t matter.
Set the record straight by telling the story, the history, not by trying to make everyone use the names and words that you prefer. Mum or mom, it’s still the same thing.
Its very intresting well done machanghana.
Ahiyeni phambini hihlayisa xinto xahina.Magaaazaaa!MACHANGANA
i am very much thankful to those who preserve good African Culture like the Machanghana male and female rites of passage. As an African do not know how i can partake in those wonderful ceremonies. can someone help me find the right way to go about it.
shangani people like me we are very serious about our culture so from i would like to carry on by being intresting i our culture.Culture is very important to us as mutsonga waxiviri 100% tsonga
lovely, that’s were I belong-Maparadze
Awesome. very interesting authentic presentation of a culture which should be preserved.thank you for putting this together which provides a record to educate people who visit this site.
Festivals such as this of the Machangana Culture are a key component of a diversified tourism experience and should be encouraged.A tourism circuit involving festivals around Zimbabwe would be greatly interesting and would help to understand the different traditions.Is this something which can promoted?
Can some one with in-depth knowledge, please tell us how did these people end up in Zimbabwe since other Shanganian are here in South Africa ?
I think because of the mfecane wars, some of the nguni tribes escaped towards north and some settled in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia
Berlin Conference of 1884 that divided Africa into the countries as we know them is the main reason/result why we have Shangaans in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabweans, Zambia, Swaziland and Malawi.
The Gaza Empire of SoShangani stretched along all those countries before the Berlin conference. We must also know that SoShangani merely intergrated or reclaimed the people of Gwambe and Dzavani kingdoms that took place in earlier times in the Great Zimbabwe and later Mapungubwe.
A file has been shared via Link sharing:
https://s.amsu.ng/YhJ7UbAvUFEN
(expires: 07 May 2018)
Dr. Mhlongo
would you please share any link, any books that would help me to learn more about my culture, the fact that I know nothing about my culture it feels like I’m a lost soul. Please help with anything you have.
JL Ubisi
lubisijo@eskom.co.za
Hi John
I am pleased by your first step 2 know your history, n thank you 4 the eagerness 2 learn. Please go to http://www.pinterest.com and search Gaza Empire, Tsonga People.
It will lead to many exciting and detailed info about our people, history, geographical stretch of the Gaza Empire and culture of what is known as Tsonga or Shangani nation in different SADC countries.
Machangana never change and fear their realigian and they are proud of their language
Yes this is a nice culture of machangana,mahlengwe or matsonga. Am one of them in the Mahenye village. I wonder if this traditional culture is not subjected to delay our brains in the world’s new advancement in technology.The komba system doesnt match with the world we are living today. The only thing which is great in our machangana villages is the way we deal with wild animals,thats an excellent part of our life as machangana.
ahiti nyungubyiseni matsonga, machanghana, mahlengwe yakahina himfuwo na ndzavuko, I proud of it i’m from chief MAHENYE’s village
I don’t have a comment but its a question
Is Mhlongo and Nhlongo the same? If if not how so. Can I also have the praises ( izithakazelo) for Nhlongo people in Mozambique Gaza gidyane. I’m struggling to get them
Thank you
Yes Mhlongo and Nhlongo is the same thing sesi Rose. Our surname has the same origin across Tsonga, Zulu, Swati and Ndebele. That is why its a great taboo to marry each even if we differ by tribe or clan.
together we can move our culture forward. ni mina wa ka njombo eka chief tshovani
all this happening behind my back yard…proud to be a Zimbabwean
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Despite the grandeur, rationality and an overt manifestation of a people who pave for a tangible right to existentialism amidst a poverty of resources, I still feel that the Zimbabwean Vatsonga should identify themselves, not with Soshangana Manukosi, (the Nguni Invader), but with the Tsonga ethnonym if they are really serious about becoming what they aspire to be. Identifying themselves with an antique political oppressor can only perpetuate their ethnic undermining in a country where they have just constitutionally (and still largely in principle and not in practice) ceased being labeled minorities, marginalised etc. Please search back and locate yourself historically before you look into your future. Mavito ya na xiave lexikulu eka ku nyika ntshuxeko na ntshikelelo erixakeni. U nga va loyi a tshuxekeke kambe wa ha rhwele ndzhwalo wa Soshangana, sweswo swi ta endla leswaku na tinxaka timbe ti ku vona a ri loyi a ha tshikeleriweke.
I rest my case
F.Mavivi
Tsonga and Shangani are not 2 separate groups. Tsonga is a language and Shangani merely refers to the kingdom/empire of all the Tsonga sub-groups as ruled by SoShangani.
We ended-up adopting Shangaan as paying homage to SoShangani our king bcoz he unified all the Tsonga sub-groups into one kingdom. There are also earlier kings of the Tsonga groups such as Gwambe and later Dzavani, who were from the Great Zimbabwe Empires and later Mapungubwe.
here were not ruled by Soshangani. so why we shld we be called by that name. its derogatory to us. our ancestors are Vahlengwe, Vahlave, Van’wanati, Valambya, Valoyi,Vadzambala etc mainly in Zimbabwean soils. EZimbabwe vakokwa wa hina va fikile khale soshangani a nga si beburiwa otherwise. Tsonga is the umbrella which encompasses na machanga va kona ku katsa na mhina Vahlengwe ni van’wana
My name is Benjamin Xotiwani Khosa. Our father told us that we originated from South Africa,into Swaziland,into Mozambique at a place known as Bileni.However our father gave us confusing details about our totem.He said we do not have a totem.Certain things which happened while he was alive point out to these animals;Antbear(Sambani,Hweru,Gwerekwete)Engish name uknown(Gwizo,Mahelana)Is there someone older than me who can shed some light on the above?
Benjamin, don’t crack ur head over nothing and confusion, but Im happy ur seeking knowledge and correct info. Tsonga people a.k.a Shangaans covered vast areas of Southern Africa and they still do even today, such as South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, Malawi and Zimbabwe. However, we are categorized differently in SADC, but we are one and the same people.
As for our origin,Tsonga people are Bantu people and their language originates from the Niger-Congo category. We are where we are today due to migration that happened over thousands of years.
Tsonga and Shangani are not 2 separate groups. Tsonga is a language and Shangani merely refers to the kingdom/empire of all the Tsonga sub-groups as ruled by SoShangani.
We ended-up adopting Shangaan as paying homage to SoShangani our king bcoz he unified all the Tsonga sub-groups into one kingdom. There are also earlier kings of the Tsonga groups such as Gwambe and later Dzavani, who were from the Great Zimbabwe Empires and later Mapungubwe.
The only unfortunate part is that it depends who tell our history, and mostly our history is told by people with distort information.
Here is the truth. Tsonga is a collection of all the related sub-languages or dialects such as Rhonga, Hlengwe, Tswa, Copi (Chopi), Ndau, Ngoni and other smaller ones. This language was formalised by the Swiss Mission such as Henry Phillip Junod Senior and later Junior before the Berlin Conference in 1884.
Before SoShangani, there were two kings of all Tsonga group called Gwambe, and later Dzavani. These kings were from the Great Zimbabwe empire and later under Mapungubwe But these kings and the Tsonga kingdom dis-integrated over time. Then SoShangani came around 1820’s and started unifying all the Tsonga sub-groups under Gaza Empire across what is known today as S.A, Zim, Moza, Swaziland & Zambia. This is where the history gets distorted.
Now that Ive summarized basics, Tsonga its the language and Shangaan refers to the kingdom/empire of all Tsonga sub-groups. The ruler is thus SoShangani who is yes Nguni. SoShangani’s surname is Nxumalo/Ndwandwe/Mkhatswa.
However, Tsonga is official recognised in South Africa as both language and people whereas Moza, Zim and Swaziland still regard Shangaan/Shangani as both language and the people. Confusion is now removed.
even in Zimbabwe the name shangani is an imposition over us dr Mhlongo. i will deny to be called by someone s grandfather’ s name. i am not a Mkhatswa, na ala mina. dont confuse people further by saying he united us . when his kingdom disintegrated what happened also. we still maintain our traditional leadership as Vahlengwe here in Zimbabwe since time immemorial. a hi n’wi tivi Soshangani ka misava leyi.
Thats great am one of them though now settled in Karanga speaking area am love to be Shangaan
Proud to be a Muchangana, vito ra ku china va ri imina Hathlani
Proudly Mutsonga
My home, we used to visit Mahenye when i was stayin in Maparadze
I like my xangani culture
Proudly mutsonga saluting flying our cultural flag high.
proud to keep the culture vibrant ,am a Xangani origin but i never been at the area , only my father new more.
Self-recognition and pride as Muchangani/Shangaan its all that matters. Hiding our true identity is the most injustice that we as individuals can perpetuate to our people and history.
It doesnt matter that much where one resides or geographical location, bcoz we know very well that history is not on our side, and there is no way we could have controlled that.
Thank you
There’s more that needs to be revised. We’re not Machangana but Vatsonga. We need to know the Vahlengwe land boundaries. We need to know all the Vahlengwe chiefs.
Our culture has not been properly written etc
The is nothing wrong 2 call yourself Tsonga or Shangani or use both interchangeably. Tsonga is our languange, Shangani refers to our kingdom/empire that united all Tsonga sub-groups. So Tsonga and Shangani cant be split.
After the fall of Gwambe and later Dzavani kingdoms who ruled over all Tsonga groups in Southern Africa, SoShangani revived that unity before the Berlin conference that African countries as we know them today. The Tsonga/Shangani became the victims of the split, bcoz we ended up in different countries like South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Swaziland.
Hanyani speak for yourself! You are confused on Tsonga/Shangaan, but we are not confused at all. Tsonga is our collective language, and Shangaan is paying tribute to our kingdom/empire. And there is also nothing wrong in recognizing Tsonga as both language and people in South Africa whereas Zimbabwe recognize Xichangani/Machangani as both language and people.
Why do we waste precious energy and time on useles things like boundaries, bcoz we know those boundaries were distorted and destroyed by the Berlin conference.
What is more important now & the future is to support initiatives like the GLCTF & MCAF in Zimbabwe and other initiatives in SADC Countries to market and uplift our history, culture, tradition and tourism as TSONGA/SHANGANI PEOPLE. We must support each other, anyone and everyone whether Black or White who uplift our people, culture, tradition, tourism and so forth. Thus chasing pertinent issues will never bring us development and self-determination. Thus we need to change our mindset & attitudes towards what is beneficial to us and what is holding us backwards.
A file has been shared via Link sharing:
https://s.amsu.ng/YhJ7UbAvUFEN
(expires: 07 May 2018).
Please check the boundries or geographical stretch of Gaza Empire and the different Tsonga sub-groups by 1854 as captured by H.A Junod of the Swiss Missionary.
a well expagorated xangan culture,,,,,proud to be mutsonga ,,,by Muzendami Hasani Joseph from Chilonga, Vhelemu, Mungoni now @ UZ
Thank you
Inkomu (thank you) to the wildlife&wilddogs team for such a wonderful blog about my people. Please continue to tell our stories. I’m a Shangaan in South Africa, and do not mind the confusion that you may come across due to lack of knowledge by different people in S.A, Mozambique & Swaziland or even Zambia and Malawi.
The Shangaans use different official names in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa.
In South Africa our official name is Tsonga. However, these are one an the same people. In essence, Tsonga refers to the language of the people, and Shangaan refers to the kingdom/empire of the people united by SoShangani. Bravo again for this beautiful blog.
Thank you!
As for me and my family, we support the wildlifeandwilddogs.com, GLCTF and MCAF. Continue the good work in marketing and uplifting the Machangani culture, tradition, tourism and places to the world. Not many people would know about this if it was not for your CONTRIBUTION.
Keep-up the good work, and know that some of us appreciate greatly your work and we are also forever indebted to your work. This is a true spirit of being an African, when u acknowledge and tell the stories of others without any racial or tribal lines. Like our forebearers in the Great Zimbabwe, Ashanti of Ghana, Berbers of the Sahara Desert, Kingdom of Timbuktu, Kingdom of Mapungubwe, Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Ethiopia, and Gaza Kingdom, who understood the beuty of cultural diversity and the contribution of sub-groups with a kingdom, WE SALUTE YOU.
We are planning as a family to travel and join our Zimbabwean Shangaans in their annual cultural fair as we do with the other Tsonga groups in Giyani, Malamulele, Bushbuckridge, Mokopane, Tzaneen, Tembe/Richardsbay/Pongola areas in KZN, Mozambique (Bileni Masia, Maputo, Gaza Province).
this page helped me a lot as a father and a husband i was straggling about what im going to teach my son when he grows up because my father was never around to teach me about my culture.
Na khensa (thank you) Jabu for your positive response boti wa mina.
I thought you’d like this Board on Pinterest… https://pin.it/qtvqcie7z5rmhd
Yu’re writing wrong things about our culture i hate it, let the Xangani people write this, you’re giving people wrong info
Hello Mr Baloyi -please do write us an article if you feel we are incorrect in some respects- we would love to publish your view as well if you can give us a thoughtful article on the culture the way you see it- most appreciated
we cant interchange a dialect or a subgroup with the mother Language or group. to say shangani is interchangeable with Tsonga is a misplaced conclusion. its very premature.
Write the things that you know, I will write what I know, then case is closed! I would like to see what you’ve published, I assume it is definitely peer reviewed by insects 🤔😅😅.
This reply above is directed to Ashton Baloyi in response to him hating what we are writing. We are not in this blog to nurse people’s egos.
Nhlamulo Wiseman Chauke from Malamulele. I would love to have a conversation with you Dr Mhlongo. My email number is: nwchauke5@gmail.com
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Hi All,
I am sorry to be joining your interesting conversation somewhat late. Several months late in fact. My grandfather Bayiseni was a Nguni Shangani married to a Ndau woman. My father’s name was Mathongonyana which was also my grandfather’s name. My Grandfather and father spoke Zulu and Ndau. I have a ndebele mother and so I speak Ndebele. Spent years in Harare and so I speak Shona too. I am an applied mathematician but history is a serious hobby of mine. My grandfather identified himself as Nguni under Ngungunyane and his ears were pierced in the same way as my maternal grandmother whose father came from zululand, not with Mzilikazi but with the pioneer column and then settled with the Matebele.
I find some of the information here interesting but perhaps not entirely accurate.Dr Musa Mhlongo seems very knowledgeable but perhaps more in touch with his Tsonga side than the Nguni side. Musa is Nguni isn’t it? I think it is reaching too far to say that Shangaan is interchangeable with Tsonga. Many post SoshanganeTsonga have Nguni blood haven’t they? So why is the Tsonga side stronger than the Nguni side?
Jabulani Nkosi are Nguni names aren’t they? What about that side?
Soshangane may have been an invader in the 19th century, what about the Nguni blood in you? The Nguni words in your language and words.I don’t know Tsonga but I could work out some words.
Are the Nguni Shangani regarded as enemies in our midst.? I am happy to add to this discussion if you will let me. Let’s discuss
Mathongonyana was my great grandfather’s name I meant to say. My grandfather wasBayiseni
Good literature, we are learning a lot about who we are.It’s so inspiring. I’m one of the descendants of the Shanganis who settled among the Shona groups..You know what? Culture identity crisis…
As a people, we are not united but as a culture, you cannot mistake the commonalities. Does it really matter whether you are Tsonga or Tshangani, Shangaan, Changani? What matters is your totem. What matters is that you are a part of the nation that was disintegrated by colonial borders. Most of us are now a result of many intermarriages between tribes but at the end, our totem never changes and we are a part of the Shangani tribe. Our ancestral spirits only communicate to us in Xtshangani or Tsonga. Let us not be driven apart by petty issues I think the festivals are a great thing but the key initiative is for us to start claiming our wealth and our kingdom so our people stop living in poverty. To me, that is more important because if we claim our wealth we build our nation and our culture. Mr Gobleman stop trying to be a fundi on matters you have no idea about!
I want to disagree with Mr Gobleman when saying that Soshangane went to what is Mozambique today and was there to swallow the Vatsonga people. Soshangane ran away after a defeat by Shaka Zulu and ran away to Tsongaland. I am a proudly Tsonga from South Africa. I want to ask a question to those who today mock and disregard and label Soshangane as invaders to Vatsonga tell us , who was the paramount chief of Vatsonga and what was their kingdom called. I know that Soshangane was Nguni who defeated the Tsonga chiefs and created the Gaza Empire . Those who did not loved to live on that kingdom runaway to what is South Africa and Zimbabwe today. We must acknowledge that Soshangane never ruled all the Vatsonga in his kingdom. I see Shangani as my people and recorgnise them as subgroup clan under the Tsonga nation. We have Vatsonga in South Africa who are carrying Nguni surnames and recorgnise themselves as Tsonga’s. Let me tell you something, the identity of a group of people is created by politician. Vatsonga/ Machangani United from SA, Moz and Zim. Let us continue celebrating our culture. Soshangane contribution in the Tsonga history will not be overlooked. We Vatsonga must be ashamed of ourselves to disown our own King Nghunghunyane Nxumalo to lead us. Nghunyane was born from Muzila whose mother was Tsonga and father being Nguni, so he has a Tsonga/Nguni blood in himself and belong to us. I want to challenge the Vatsonga in South Africa about the name of the Tsonga king who united us. Let us put it simple, Xitsonga was formalized as a language and SA government recorgnise us as Vatsonga. In Zim and Moz are recorginesd as Shangani from king Soshangane and is fine like that. When I see a Shangani from Zim or Moz are see a brother and sister. Let us unite and leave politics for those who are fighting for Vatsonga/Machangani kingship. Vatsonga in South Africa are not united and the other tribes take that advantage to divide us more by making a difference between Shangani and Tsonga, we are one let us unite as Vatsonga/Machangani and we will see results from this as we are many in the Southern Africa. You go to SA, Moz orZim will always meet a Shangani and is home. VaVhenda are very clever, you will never hear them disregarding their king Ramabulana. The first people in the place today called Venda were Vhangona, and later came the Singo clan to the Vhangona land and conquered them. It later became Venda and the Vhangona see the Singo clans as same as them even though were invaders. Soshangane invades Vatsonga yes and conquered them. All people who are called Zulu’s today take the name from their King Shaka Zulu. This people who are called Zulu’’s were people of different clans like Mthethwa, Ndwandwe and many who were united by Shaka Zulu.
its not fine for us in Zimbabwe to be called Machangana as a whole since we are not soshangane ‘s descendents. mostly we have Vahlengwe contributing a greater number to the total Vatsonga population in Zimbabwe
Tsongaland is beyond today’s democratic states. We’ve Tsonga in four neighboring countries viz:
– Eswatini
– Mozambique
– South Africa and
Zimbabwe
What we need to know is that Africa was haphazardly subdivided by colonialists. In Europe countries are mostly tribal subdivided. You’ll always have some minority groups but with one dominant one e.g.
– Eswatini
– Botswana &
– Lesotho.
Malawi & Zambia are also slightly exceptions where chewa dominates. My point is Soshangane colonized these areas of VaTsonga hence the adoption of Amashangane literally meaning the people of Soshangane. The Lesotho nationals are also nicknamed bashoeshoe to mean descendants of Moshoeshe; a name that they refuse to be called by. We also have the bangwato of Botswana . We used to have Rhodesia and Rhodesians a name derived from Cecil Rhodes. No Zimbabwean would today agree to be called by that colonial name.
It therefore remains an insult to call a Tsonga i Shangani No. We know who we are e.g.
– Vahlave
– Vahlengwe
– Vanyai +
– Vandzau etc
We are VaTsonga and please stop calling us by colonial terms. Soshangane ka Manukuzi was a Nguni and we are ngunis
It’s a lot more complicated than that! Do you not have Nguni blood also? Read the history of Soshangane and you will realise that the blood lines mingled.
Didnt they take Ndau/ Tsonga women as wives and concubines and bore children with them?
It’s as complicated as your Nguni name Khesani Madlome.
https://pin.it/5h57755c6ti3ei
https://pin.it/5h57755c6ti3ei
Muzila book extract _ Jonathan Ball.
ShoShangani book extract _ Jonathan Ball.
Nghunghunyani book extract _ Jonathan Ball.
I think this will help a lot of people in understanding some of the discussions and issues as raised by others here. Please go to
http://www.saheritagepublishers.co.za
And please read the book series on SoShangana, Muzila and Nghunghunyani. You can also order them for your own lifetime reference.
Unity VaTsonga-Machangana, aluta continua!!!
Good afternoon Team
VaTsonga are not amashangane. We cannot go for the analog, ” what’s in a name”. A name is your identity. A colonizer cannot be a hero for his/her victim. No tribe is pure, if a Tsonga lives in midst of Nguni; practice their customs and traditions he becomes of that tribe. In the Tsonga tribe we’ve the Baloyi we call vanyai of the Karanga of Rozvi Empire. We’ve the Moyana who are the Ndau.
The Tsonga nation are not united that’s our cancer
Who are the Shangani? All those people who were part of the vast Gaza empire. This includes the Nguni that came with Soshangane, Tsonga, Shongonono, Ngomane, Hlengwe, Nyai, Rhonda, Shona, Senga and Ndau groups that were part of this empire. Some Tsonga groups were outside this empire as were the other groups. It’s like asking, who are the Zimbabweans? The Gaza empire is no longer there and so a better question might be, who were the Shanganis? Who were the Romans for example.
The Modern Tsonga is a product of the Nguni and ancientTsonga. He can never fully understand himself until he embraces this fact. You are free to identify as Tsonga, however genetically you are both. The modern British embraces the Viking ancestry even though the vikings raped and took their women resulting in the birth of a group with both heritages. Embrace your Nguni heritage however it came about. The Nguni names testify of this connection.
More than this, embrace Christianity, however it came. The Christian God is the only true God
@Nhlamulo makes many good points however I must disagree that the Shangani are under the Tsonga. It was the other way around wasn’t it? That is the true history.
Embrace both the Nguni and Tsonga heritage. Nguni names testify to that fact
Though i agree with these Tsonga cultural practices, i totally disagree with an assertion that its the ither way for Vatsonga tobe called “machangana/Xangani”. To me as a Tsonga og Hlengwe clan i feel it an insult to call me (usl) Shangani. Its derogatory and it reduces us to a 19th century ethnic group which is not true. Vatsonga were there before the coming of thus soshangane to our land. He only subjugated part of Vatsonga not all if them. Assuch itsnit everyone who deserves that title. Only his descendants may be happy to be called machangana. Vatsonga nations predates this kingdom ehich came after mfecane and died a natural death. He passed thru Moz i agree but his kingdom fell and subjects resorted to their ways if life. Tgats why we have Ndau tiday as a group onits own yet they were once under his rulership. Machangana are a mere subgrup which was enculturated into Tsonga and linguistically they speak Xitsonga though with influencefrom nguni words. We have many clans which make up Vatsonga: Vahlave, van’wanati, Vabila, vahlanganu, Van’walungu, Vadzonga, Vahlengwe, Varhonga, Vatshwa, andalso machangana(oiriginal gaza nguni)
It’s perfectly fine for someone in the 21st century to identify as either Tsonga, Ndau, Mtshangani, Nguni, Shona or whatever classification they choose. To fully understand who you are, you have to embrace all of you. The Nguni influence on the Tsonga, Ndau and other ethnic groups was significant and is more recent than any great Tsonga rulers of the past. In Britain they made a series of programmes looking at what the Romans did for them. The Romans were hated and yet there is an acknowledgement of their contribution to Britain. Britain is a Roman name as is London. The English language is heavily influenced by Latin. The Romans however ruled Britain for 400 years. The Nguni didn’t get that long as the Europeans replaced them. This helped the Tsonga and Ndau centrics to redefine themselves. How do you erase the Nguni contribution?
The fact is that while some Tsongas fled from Soshangane, Mzila and Ngungunyane, the overwhelming majority of the Tsonga lived within the vast Gaza empire. Those outside of it, were also impacted by it in a big way as the arm of Gaza was long and far reaching. The bloodline was mixed which is explained by the Nguni names. The modern Ndau and Tsonga has Nguni as well as Ndau/Tsonga ancestry. Not everyone but a significant number.
To deny the Nguni influence, is to deny your existence. What did the Tsonga learn from Soshangane and his successors? Let’s just be honest! Painful history, yes, insulting definitely not! Even the Europeans were impressed by the Gaza empire. Soshangane was not the first to name a nation after himself. Rhodesia-Cecil John Rhodes, Zulu was the name of the 1st significant head of the Zulu clan that became a great nation, etc.
The fact is that the Nguni were more advanced than the Tsonga in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the Tsonga are free to redefine themselves. There must be an acknowledgement of the Nguni contribution to their progress in unifying various groups etc. Emotions aside, have you seen the map of the Gaza empire?
Dr Sithole hear me. I didnt say nguni didnt have any influence whatsoever onTsonga nation. Butwe cant let people reduceour existance to soshangane period. Acknowledgewewere there before his arrival. Namesare nothing todefine who we are .iam chauke and ihave fellow hlengwe brothers allover using nguni surnames such mlilo, mabaso, mabasa etc.Even some Ndau here use Sithole astheir.totem butthereare.some who.are ndebeleor karanga withthe same totem. Some.are even Tsonga.linguistically and.culturally. yes rhodes named our country rhodesia. Where is he andwhereis the name now?didnt hedo goodthings besides his colonisation? He did.good. he diid evil aswell.samewith soshangane.andhis gaza. Togivean rxampla ofafailed state wont help much. Vatsongaexistene predated the mzilas,nghubgunyanes, sochanganaetc.weare now free. Let us decide who.wea are. In Tsonga nation we have nguni groups who are.notrelated to soshngana. They cantbe happy tobecalled machangana worse stillwhen they wwre not under his kingdom.a failedone..we.are free.to.define. ourselves in a”free”afrika..Zimcant beused as.an ezample.to.justify.our.identity. westill befree.as Vatsonga..someoneis definingus.as a way.to separate.us.from our.kith. and.kin. We are still.Vatsonga even those inMozambique andSwaziland. Emotions aside. Thank you.
I hear you Dr. Chauke! The Tsonga played an important function within the Gaza Empire and they were respected as mavul’indlela(those who clear the pathway) warriors on the battle field with the main Nguni army acting the part of the calvary as well as dictating strategy. The Tsonga learnt how to fight and organise as part of a winning team. They played the same role as the Gurkhas for the British army for example. The Gaza empire would not have been as vast or as successful were it not for the Tsonga/Ndau contribution.
As great as the Nguni kings (Shaka, Mswati, Soshangane, Mzilikazi, Nxaba & Zwangendaba) were at organising and forming nations, the Europeans were better and remain a power today. Unfortunately no empire was ever formed without human carnage. None! We need to get over that as the ancients didn’t know better. We talk about human rights now.
In the 21st century, none of these Nguni kingdoms exist. There is good reason for that!
What is the way forward?
Identifying with a Tsonga chief who existed way before Soshangane is really looking backwards especially as he was not that sophisticated.
We have more knowledge and more to learn from the “kingdoms” that exist today than the ancients who were rwally not that great when you look at the Romans, Greek or the Nguni kings of the 19th century. Send your kids to school! The indians have really understoood this. Be masters of Science and Mathematics. Had Soshangane been obsessed with the past, he would not have set up a vast empire. He went beyond his ancestors and we must too.
Ancient ancestral worship religions are only of historical interest. They keep an entire nation down for millenia. Stop practicing witchcraft, develop a work ethic, and stop living in the past. Have we learnt nothing from past defeats?
I am disappointed that the Ndau (from the Nguni Abading’indawo (those looking for a place )), are embracing ancient witchcraft practices in the name of culture. That nation will never rise as long as that is the case.
I know I have spoken some hard truths and some may not be able to take it. No insult is intended. Iron sharpens iron!! It’s how you respond that determines your destiny.
The Christian God is the only true God! That is the source of real power and salvation. We know that now. Those societies that quickly realise this, prosper.
I hear you DrSitholeJB. Tsonga and Ndau were used to expand the Gaza empire..being called ‘mabulandlela” to.me its not an honour..those ppl were.at the forefront.to.save the.lives of the minority. Its.history now but referring. To the history of.our forefathers is.not “witchcraft”we have to know where we are coming from and.where we.are going. Culture and witchcraft should be separated since they are different. There.Ndau God fearing men and women. Witchcraft is everywhere mybrother..
Whatever the casei Will not submit to a king whose genealogy I don’t. Know. Xinyori.will remain my earthly king no.soshangane. I am Hlengwe, a tribe under the umbrella Tsonga ethnic group. I am.not shangani this yesterday. Baby. Long.live.VaTsonga. come to your senses and know.your roots. They don’t begin with soshangan though he.was once king to some of Vatsonga and Ndau etc
We hear each other my brother! You are free to identify with whosoever you want.
As far as genealogies go, we are all the children of Adam through Noah!
To be fair to Soshangana, he didn’t do anything different to other empire builders in the world. How else are you supposed to build an empire?
As for Mavul’indlela, no military commander worth his salt risks his highly skilled, highly trained and loyal troops by sending them to the front line. Those who did that, never set any Empires. Soshangana was an exceptional man and i am proud to be associated with his name. He wasn’t perfect ofcourse but neither is any of us. Let he who is without sin cast the 1st stone.
Above all names, i am proud to be associated with the name of Christ! Him only will i worship.
History fascinates me and for an applied mathematician, people are surprised by that. Ignorance! People think that you are either a mathematician or historian. Who told them that.
I am curious to learn about this Tsonga chief you hold in such high esteem. What makes him worthy among such a distinguished line up of Southern African greats. What is his legacy. What is his story?
Legacy is not always defined by external “wows”. When some people are not known in the outside world it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We exist in our own way.
All the years of my life in Zimbabwe l grew knowing the Shona; Ndebele and my tribe. I never knew or learnt about the Nambya. But they exist and have a history and legacy to themselves
1. THERE IS NOTHING NGUNI IN MY NAME KHESANI/KHENSANI IS 100% TSONGA, SAME APPLIES TO MADLOME ITS 100% TSONGA. CAWUKE (CHAUKE) IS 100% TSONGA. SAME APPLIES TO XIKOVELA.
REMEMBER WE ARE ALL BANTU THOSE SOUNDS ARE FOUND BOTH IN TSONGA AND NGUNI LANGUAGES-EG DL , DHL, HL, BUT THERE ARE OTHER UNIQUE SOUNDS WHICH ARE TYPICALLY TSONGA WHICH YOU WONT FIND IN NGUNI LANGUAGES EG. TLH-TLHELA, TL-TLULA, TLANGA, PY- PYOPYA, RH-RHURHA, NDH-NDHUNDHUZELA,
2. ITS NOT EVERY TSONGA WHO HAVE NGUNI BLOOD
THERE IS NOTHING BAD TO HAVE THAT BLOOD IF IT HAPPEN TO BE THERE. BUT WE SHOULDNT GENERALISE THAT SINCE THERE WERE INTERMARRIAGES THEREFORE ALL TSONGA HAVE MIXED BLOOD.
THESE ARE POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS IN MARRIAGES
TSONGA (P)-TSONGA(M)= TSONGA
TSONGA-NGUNI= TSONGA
TSONGA-NDAU= TSONGA
NDAU-NGUNI= NDAU
NGUNI-NDAU= NGUNI/NDAU DEPENDING ON WHO DOMINATES IN THE HOME
NGUNI- TSONGA= TSONGA/NGUNI DEPENDING ON WHO DOMINATS AT HOME
with me there is a high possibility that i dont have that blood if I trace my forefathers. even if it might be there there is nothing to rejoice about. the bottom line is our identity is defined by the patriachal system. my forefather was TSONGA so whether he married, sotho, nguni, kalanga, bemba, lingala, swahili etc, it doent matter I still remain TSONGA. AND I appreciate the presence of other tribes we co-exist with in the southern-african region and especially under the TSONGA nation which streches from SWaziland. SOuth Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and some pockets in Zambia and probably Malawi. we are a scattered great nation
Just humbly making the point that the intermingling of the blood complicates things a little. Embrace all the bloodlines within you. It is rather myopic to focus on just one strain.
The Europeans have advanced somewhat on this point. You hear them say, i am part German, part French and part English for example.
That is accurate!
Better to say, i identify as Tsonga but i am part this and that. Don’t be unkind to your brethren who have Nguni blood as well as Tsonga. There are many!!
Amazing information. I enjoyed this rich information of our brothers across.