AbaThembu

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The AbaThembu Nation
PersonumThembu
PeopleabaThembu
LanguageisiThembu
CountryEmaThenjini

The AbaThembu (abaThembu ababhuzu-bhuzu, abanisi bemvula ilanga libalele) are a Xhosa-speaking Bantu people who were under the Thembu Kingdom.

Contents

According to Bantu oral tradition, the AbaThembu migrated along the east coast of Southern Africa before settling in KwaZulu-Natal. The earliest known AbaThembu Ancestor is King Mbulali KaNazinzaba Who lived from 1202 up until the year he died which was 1258, whose grandson {[Named u-Mthembu KaNtongakazi who was his son]}, He led his people out of what was later to became the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal to Dedesi in the Now Transkei region of the Present-day Eastern cape province of South Africa. The AbaThembu emerged as a unified people during the reign of King Ngubengcuka, who united clans living in Thembuland into a single political entity, owing allegiance to the AbaThembu royal family, or Hala Mvelase. Famous AbaThembus include Prince Nelson Mandela, whose father was a reigning nobleman from a junior branch of the AmaMadiba clan of kings, and Prince Walter Sisulu. [1]

Name

In the Bantu language, the name is abaThembu, (aba- is a common prefix implying "people"). [2] The territory of the Thembu state was historically known as Thembuland.

In the 19th century, Thembu were frequently known as the "Tamboekie" or "Tambookie" people. This name was originally the Khoisan language term specifically for the followers of Chief Maphasa who moved into the area west of the Great Kei River in the 1820s. However, Europeans used these terms as a synonym for "Thembu" for much of the 19th century.

History

Prior to the British conquest in the 19th century, the Thembu had an independent kingdom. The Xhosa clan name of the Thembu kings is Ntlazi aNkosiyane. [3] [ better source needed ] Recent kings, including Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo, took the surname Dalindyebo, after a 19th-century king.

After conquest, the Thembu came under the government of the Cape Colony as part of Transkei. With the exception of a few missionaries and traders, Transkei was a Bantustan. The Transkei remained a bantustan under apartheid, and was along with Ciskei regarded as the homeland of the Xhosa people.

The great house of AbaThembu is called Eastern Thembu at Bumbane Great Palace and is situated in Mtata, Eastern Cape. The right-hand house is called Western Thembu at Qamata Great Palace and is situated in Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape. The Western Thembu's house enjoyed autonomy for decades and was often referred to as the right-hand house, while the Eastern Thembu's house was referred to as the great house.

The Kingdom story

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, son of King Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo, became the King of AbaThembu Nation in May 1989; his praise name is Aa! Zwelibanzi !. King Sabata deposed King Kaiser Matanzima, whom the government had installed and who advocated against South African liberation movements. In December 2009, King Buyelekhaya was convicted of offenses including culpable homicide, kidnapping, arson and assault. In response, he proposed secession from South Africa, [4] [5] and later demanded that the government pay Dalindyebo R900 Million South African rand's and the Kingdom a further R80 Billion in compensation for the humiliation caused by his criminal trial. [6]

Dalindyebo was imprisoned in December 2015. He was customarily dethroned and was expected to be administratively dethroned. [7]

Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, King Buyelekhaya's heir and the Future King of AbaThembu Nation, he has served as Acting King of the AbaThembu Nation since 2016 on behalf of his Father while he was away imprisoned.

On 23 December 2019, following president Cyril Ramaphosa's Day of reconciliation speech, the AbaThembu King was released from prison after serving one-third of his sentence.

Lineage of AbaThembu kings from its founder

. King Zwide kaMbo (Born:1080-Died:1151) Ruled:1107-1151

. King Malandela kaZwide (Born:1100-Died:1169) Ruled:1130-1169

. King Mbulali kaMalandela (Born:1134-Died:1184) Ruled:1160-1184

● King Njanye KaMbulali

(Born:1202-Died:1258) [Ruled:1224 To 1258]

● King Thembu KaNjanye (Born:1227-Died:1293) [Ruled:1258 To 1293]

King Stindilo KaThembu {☆The Founder☆} (Born:1266-Died:1338) [Ruled:1293 To 1338]

{☆This was the Legendary King of the AbaThembu Kingdom Since its formation☆}

King Ntongakazi KaStindilo (Born:1315-Died:1389) [Ruled:1338 To 1389]

King Dumakazi KaNtongakazi (Born:1362-Died:1417) [Ruled:1389 To 1417]

King Bhomoyi KaDumakazi (Born:1383-Died:1441) [Ruled:1417 To 1441]

King Cedumazi KaBhomoyi (Born:1418-Died:1469) [Ruled:1441 To 1469]

King Mzimala KaCedumazi (Born:1447-Died:1479) [Ruled:1469 To 1479]

King Mnguti KaCedumazi (Born:1454-Died:1495) [Ruled:1479 To 1495]

King Mngxongo KaMnguti (Born:1471-Died:1527) [Ruled:1495 To 1527]

King Ntsundu KaMngxongo (Born:1503-Died:1548) [Ruled:1527 To 1548]

King Sebeni KaNtsundu (Born:1527-Died:1601) [Ruled:1548 To 1601]

King Mposiwe KaSebeni (Born:1577-Died:1632) [Ruled:1601 To 1632]

. King Toyi kaMnguti (Born:1581-Died:1650) Ruled 1606-1650

. King Ntande kaToyi (Born:1669-Died:1670) Ruled 1650-1670

. King Nxeko KaNtande (Born 1652-Died 1672) Ruled 1672-1697

{☆This is the last monarch of a unified=AbaThembu=Kingdom since its foundation☆}

when King Ntande KaToyi died there was a dispute over the AbaThembu Thorne Between King Nxeko KaNtande son's Prince Hlanga KaNxeko And Prince Dhlomu KaNxeko they want to war over it the result was that Prince Dhlomu KaNxeko would rule over the entire country of AbaThembu Nation while on the other hand Prince Hlanga KaNxeko who was older than his brother ended up ruling on the Eastern side of AbaThembu Kingdom this happened because Prince Hlanga KaNxeko lost the war and thus he never Ruled the whole nation but only ruling half of it.

King Nxeko's[Great house kings]

{☆AmaQhiya=Royal=lineage☆}

{▪This house never ruled the whole AbaThembu nation instead it ruled half of its population▪}

King Hlanga KaNxeko

King Mdlabi KaHlanga

King Maleki KaMdlabi

King Telazo KaMaleki

King Mngxoxo KaTelazo

King Ngcutsha KaMngxoxo

King Bhacela KaNgcutsha

{☆This was the *iconic king* of this house of AbaThembu of EmaQhiyini during The reign of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona of AmaZulu Kingdom☆}

King Mlindazwe KaBhacela

King Zanempi KaBhacela

King Bhotyoza KaZanempi

King Siphendu KaBhotyoza

King Zwelakhe KaSiphendu

King Dilikile KaZwelakhe

King Ngubesizwe KaDilikile {☆This is the current ruling King now of this house☆}

King Nxeko's[Right Hand house Kings]

{☆AmaDlomo=Royal=Lineage☆}

{▪This is currently the ruling house of the Whole AbaThembu Nation since the year 1632 to Present=Date▪}

King Dhlomu KaNxeko (Born:1609-Died:1665) [Ruled:1632 To 1665]

King Xahala KaDhlomu (Born:1645-Died:1699) [Ruled:1665 To 1699]

King Madiba KaXahala (Born:1667-Died:1724) [Ruled:1699 To 1724]

King Thatho KaMadiba (Born:1698-Died:1744) [Ruled:1724 To 1744]

King Zintshaba KaThatho (Born:1724-Died:1756) [Ruled:1744 To 1756]

Prince Mtshilibe KaThatho (Born:1720-Died:1769) {▪Regent▪} [Held-Power:1756 To 1767]

King Ntlanzi KaZintshaba (Born:1741-Died:1782) [Ruled:1767 To 1782]

King Ndala KaZintshaba (Born:1748-Died:1809) [Ruled:1782 To 1809]

King Ngubengcuka KaNdala (Born:1789-Died:1831) [Ruled:1809 To 1831]

{☆This was the *iconic king* of AbaThembu Kingdom during the reign of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona of AmaZulu=Kingdom☆}

Prince Fadana KaNdala (Born:1779-Died:1851) {▪Regent▪} [Held-Power:1831 To 1839]

King Mthikrakra KaNgubengcuka (Born:1819-Died:1849) [Ruled:1839 To 1849]

Prince Njoyi KaNgubengcuka (Born:1823-Died:1865) {▪Regent▪} [Held-Power:1849 To 1862]

King Ngangeizwe KaMthikrakra (Born:1846-Died:1884) [Ruled:1862 To 1884]

King Dalindyebo KaNgangeizwe (Born:1865-Died:1920) [Ruled:1884 To 1920]

Prince Silimla KaNgangeizwe {▪Regent▪} (Born:1863-Died:1926) [Held-Power:1920 To 1924]

King Jongilizwe KaDalindyebo (Born:1902-Died:1929) [Ruled:1924 To 1929]

Prince Jongintaba KaDalindyebo {▪Regent▪} (Born:1904-Died:1942) [Held-Power:1929 To 1942]

Prince Dabulamanzi KaDalindyebo {▪Regent▪} (Born:1906-Died:1958) [Held-Power:1942 To 1954]

King Sabatha KaJongilizwe (Born:1928-Died:1986) [Ruled:1954 To 1986]

Prince Bambilanga KaSabatha {▪Regent▪} (Born:1954-Died:1987) [Held-Power:1980 To 1987]

Prince Bovulengwa KaSabatha (Born:1950-Died:2005) {▪Regent▪} [Held-Power:1987 To 1989]

King Zwelinbanzi KaSabatha (Born:1964-Alive:Still=Aging) {☆This is the Current King Ruling Now☆}[From:1989 To present date]

AbaThembu Royal Kingship

Mbulali
Ntongakazi
NkhumnaMthembuTembe
MvelaseNdiloMhlondo
VelabembheDunmakaziNiyamenywa
MangqiyimaBhomoyiMpemvu
NtsunduCedumaziNtjmane
MzimalaNtoyiDungwana
Mngxongo
Nadibi
Mnguti
QhithiNxekoMfene
Ndungwane (AmaNdungwane)DhlomuHlanga (AmaQhayi)
Xahala
Madiba
Thatho
Zintshaba
Ndala
Vusani Ngubengcuka Aa! Ndaba!
MthikrakraMandela (chief)
Ngangelizwe (Qheya)MatanzimaHenry Gadla Mphakanyiswa Mandela
Aa! Gadla!
Dalindyebo (Alava)Sihlobo Mvuzo Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Aa! Dalibhunga!
Sampu Dalindyebo Aa! Jongilizwe! Kaiser Matanzima
Aa! Daliwonga!
George Matanzima Aa! Mzimvubu! Madiba "Thembi" Thembekile Mandela Makgatho Mandela
Sabata Dalindyebo Aa! Jonguhlanga!Mthethuvumile MatanzimaSiyambonga Matanzima
Aa! Dalimvula!
Mandla Mandela
Aa! Zwelivelile!
Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo Aa! Zwelibanzi! Lwandile Zwelenkosi Matanzima Aa! Zwelenkosi!

See also

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References

  1. Walter Sisulu Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine Ancestry24
  2. Oosthuysen, JC (14 Sep 2016). The grammar of isiXhosa (First ed.). Matieland, South Africa: African Sun Media. p. 25. ISBN   9781928357070.
  3. mxhosa. "AbaThembu". Iziduko. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  4. "Troubled monarch sentenced to 15 years". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  5. "Convicted king plans independent state". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  6. Royal Clan of AbaThembu The AmaDlomo _suspends_secession_plans The Royal Clan of AbaThembu the AmaDlomo suspends secession plans News24
  7. Compare: "Intrigue in the royal household as King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo sits in jail". Times Live. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-01. In terms of laws governing traditional authorities, he also had to be administratively dethroned. This involved President Jacob Zuma withdrawing the certificate that recognised him as a king, and cutting off the benefits that went with his status. Mtirara said Zuma gave Dalindyebo a chance to say something when the certificate was about to be withdrawn, but he chose to go to court instead. This meant the matter of withdrawing the king's certificate still had to be dealt with.