THE NDEBELE STATE

Origins and Migration

Political, Social and Economic
Organisations.
 Origins of the Ndebele State
The Ndebele State was established by Mzilikazi of the Khumalo Clan
He took over the throne as the chief of the Khumalo in Nguniland
after the death of his father Matshobane.
Mzilikazi was a trusted Induna of Tshaka in the Zulu State. The
Khumalo were formally under Zwide of the Ndwandwe State but
joined the Zulu after the defeat of the Ndwandwe by Tshaka.
Mzilikazi was allowed to keep his regiments by Tshaka. He would be
sent on raiding expeditions by Tshaka and was to surrender raided
cattle, grain and captives.
In 1821 after a successful raid of the Sotho Mzilikazi decided to keep
the booty which angered Tshaka who sent an army to discipline
Mzilikazi.
Mzilikazi decided to gather the remnants of the state and migrate
northward far awat from Tshaka.
Monday 16 January 2017Formation of
the Ndebele State
Fill in gaps and underline your answers

The Ndebele State was established by _____ of the Khumalo Clan

He took over the throne as the chief of the Khumalo in ______ after the
death of his father _________.
Mzilikazi was a trusted Induna of _____ in the Zulu State. The Khumalo were
formally under Zwide of the ______ State but joined the Zulu after the defeat
of the ________ by Tshaka.
Mzilikazi was allowed to keep his regiments by Tshaka. He would be sent on
_______ _______ by Tshaka and was to surrender raided cattle, grain and
captives.
In _____ after a successful raid of the Sotho Mzilikazi decided to keep the
booty which angered Tshaka who sent an army to discipline Mzilikazi.
Mzilikazi decided to gather the remnants of the state and migrate northward
far away from Tshaka. He ended up in western part of ______ where he
formed the Ndebele State.
 The Ndebele Migration
Mzilikazi crossed the Drakensberg Mountains with the Khumalo group of
not more than 300 people.
They settled at Ekuphumuleni in about 1824 where they raided local
people capturing women and children in order to increase their
population. They also captured cattle for food security. Some of the tribes
they raided and incorporated were the Sotho, Tswana and Pedi.
The Sotho referred to the Khumalo as Matebele which means men of long
shields. The name Ndebele originates from the word Matebele,
The Ekuphumuleni settlement was abandoned because it was too near the
Zulu State. It was also meant to be a temporary settlement. It lacked
adequate pasture especially after the 1823 drought.
Between 1825 and 1829 Mzilikazi moved from Ekuphumuleni to Central
Transvaal and settled at Mhlahlandlela
- At Mhlahlandlela they were attacked by the Zulu sent by Dingane. The
griqua, Boers and other groups also attacked them thus the settlement was
abandoned.
From Mhlahlandlela the Ndebele settled a t Mosega and Egabeni between
1833 and 1837. they were forced to flee due to attacks by Boers, Tswanas,
Griquas and the Zulu.
Before crossing the Limpopo River the Ndebele split into two groups. One
group led by Mzilikazi took the longer route while the other group which
was larger was led by Mzilikazi’s son Nkulumane and Nduna Ndiweni
Gundwane.
The group led by Ndiweni arrived in western Zimbabwe in 1840 and
subdued the local Rozvi people.
Mzilikazi’s group arrived later after about a year and reunited with the
other group after a bitter civil war and execution of rebels who had
installed Nkulumane as king without official word of Mzilikazi’s death.
Mzilikazi established his capital at Inyathi.
1. Identify the place the Ndebele settled at during their
migration and give reasons why the places were
abandoned.
2. Explain the origins of the name Ndebele
3. Why did the Ndebele split into two groups before
crossing Limpopo river?
4. Who were the leaders of the 2 respctive groups?
5. What was the cause of the civil war when Mzilikazi re-
joined with the other group?
6. Name the Ndebele first capital and the region in which
it was established in present day Zimbabwe
Political Organisation of the Ndebele
The king was the highest person in the state and had a number of
responsibilities like being the military commander, highest judge, chief
administrator and religious leader.
The king ruled with the helpof two advisory councils, the Mphakati and
Izikhulu councils.
The Mphakati council was the advisory council made up of selected chiefs
who worked with the king in making major decisions which affected the
state. Most of this council members came from the royal family. This
council and the king also discussed foreign policy.
Second to the Mphakati was the Izikhulu Council made up of all the chiefs
in the state and elders well informed in Ndebele History, customs and
tradition. This council discussed issues before referring them to the
Mphakati for decision making.
The state was divided into districts and each district was under an Induna.
Districts made up provinces which were under an Induna Enkulu. The
Induna enkulu administered the provinces and reported directly to the
king.
Social Organisation of the Ndebele
The Ndebele society was divided into three classes; the Zansi, Enhla and Hole.
The Zansi were the original Khumalo people from Nguniland. They dominated the top
political and military positions. They made 15% of the state population.
The second class was the Enhla which was made up of the conquered and incorporated
tribes during migration before crossing Limpopo River. These included the Sotho, Pedi
and Tswana. Most of them were advisors and district chiefs. They were trusted by the
king for their loyalty. They made up 25% of the state population.
The third and last group was the Hole class which was made up of the conquered Shona
groups. These were the people the Ndebele settled among most of whom were former
Rozvi subjects. They were the bigger group in the state, they made up 60% of the state
population. The hole provided the state with warriors whose main duties were enforce
law, provide security for the state, raiding and conquered other tribes for state
expansion. Messengers, herdsmen and cultivators also came from this class.
The Ndebele practised cattle lending (Ukugalisa)
They spoke a common language which united them.
Lower class people could not rise in military ranks.
 Religious Activities
The Khumalo maintained their worship Unkulunkulu who was
a Nguni high God and ancestral spirits but they also copied
religious practices of the people they captured.
They adopted the worship of Mlimo the Sotho god and the
Mhondoro cult of the local Shona groups they absorbed.
Only the king could officiate at religious ceremonies like the
inxwala. This role by the king united all the three social
groups. In this way the powers of god and the ancestral spirits
could only be reached through the king which made his
subjects respect him as it reinforced his political power.
Chiefs could also officiate ceremonies of lesser importance.
the inxwala ceremony was an annual gathering the Khumalo
brought from Nguniland.
 The Economic System
1. Cultivation
They cuktivated crops like sorghum, millet,
maize, beans, pumpkins, sweet potatoes,
water melons, peas and groundnuts.
Land was allocated by the chief.
Both men and women participated in
cultivation. Men cleared land and fenced the
fields while women natured the crops and
harvested.
2. Livestock Keeping
They kept cattle, goats and sheep.
Cattle were a symbol of wealth and were also used in
ceremonies and rituals like inxwala and marriage.
3. Trading
The Ndebele traded with the Shona groups.
They also traded with the Europeans for goods like
guns, ammunition, cloths, blankets and beads.
They took over the Rozvi trading routes with the Arabs
and Portuguese on the Eastern coast.
4. Tribute
The king received tribute from conquered Shona groups as a sign of
loyalty.
It was paid in different forms like cattle, gold, hides, tobacco, grain
and iron implements.
Some subjects paid tribute through labour.
5. Raiding
It was part of the Ndebele economy and was done by the warriors
who raided the Shonas in the north and east. They would raid cattle,
grain, gold, women and youngmen.
6. Tool making
They made tools like spears, knives and hoes. These were made by
the Kalanga and Nyubi.
They also did leather work, pottery and weaving.