AmaMpondomise

Last updated
Mpondomise people
Ama-Mpondomise
Isaac Matiwana Chief of Mpondomise.jpg
Chief Isaac Matiwana
Total population
~3 million [1]
Regions with significant populations
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Languages
Xhosa, English
Religion
Christianity, African Traditional Religion
Related ethnic groups
Mpondo, Xhosa, Thembu, Swati, Zulu, Southern Ndebele Northern Ndebele and other Bantu peoples
The Ama-Mpondomise nation
Personi-Mpondomise
PeopleAma-Mpondomise
LanguageIsi-Xhosa
CountryEma-Mpondomiseni

The Mpondomise people, also called Ama-Mpondomise, are a Xhosa-speaking people. [2] Their traditional homeland has been in the contemporary era Eastern Cape province of South Africa, and during apartheid they were located both in the Ciskei and Transkei region. [3] Like other separate Xhosa-speaking kingdoms such as Aba-Thembu and Ama-Mpondo, they speak Xhosa and are at times[ citation needed ][ clarification needed ] considered as part of the Xhosa people.

Contents

The Ama-Mpondomise form part of the AbaMbo ethnic group of South Africa one of few indigenous groups of Southern Africa alongside the San and Khoekhoe. The formal establishment of the ethnic groups as a separate nation from the other local AbaMbo. They are not Nguni but some people turn to confuse them with Nguni people due to the intermarriage. Their Kingdom was established 1000s of years before the European and other native tribes arrived. One of their notable kings is estimated around 13th century. The San and AmaMpondomise are the earliest residence of what was later to be renamed East Griqualand by the colonialist government of Hamilton Hope chief Magistrate. The area of Maclear did not have Griquas or Khoe descendants up until Adam Kok arrived later in the 1800s and found both the San and AmaMpondomise residing and intermarrying; in fact, one of the most notable royal clans of AmaMpondomise, the Jola/Majola clan, are descendants of the intermarriage between AmaMpondomise and the San. [4] The Mpondomise encountered colonists migrating further inland and eastwards from the Cape of Good Hope. [3] [5]

As a result of colonial conquest, a majority of ama-Mpondomise speak Xhosa, with a minority who are bilingual speaking Mpondomise as their home language and Xhosa as a second language. Some people view Mpondomise as a dialect of Xhosa. However, the language is dying out.

History

Origins

The name Mpondomise, which means "to hold your horns upright", is a descriptor for the mountainous lands that the ethnic group occupied.[ citation needed ] It is also to signify the fighting strength of the nation.[ citation needed ] The Mpondomise originate in traditional Southern Nguni and Mbo lands in south-east Africa and the northern parts of the Western Cape.[ citation needed ] They presently reside in KwaZulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape. They are part of the Nguni people, being part of the greatest subdivision of the Ngunis i.e. the Aba-Mbo people. Aba-Mbo people include some Zulus (Mkhize, Mavovo, Majola etc.), some Tswanas (Bapo), Swatis (particularly Dlaminis from which the monarch of Eswatini comes), Mpondos, Ama-Xesibe and Ama-Bomvu and Ama-Bomvana descendants of Nomafu.[ citation needed ] Ama-Mpondomise did not migrate to Southern Africa because the region forms parts of their land. The Lebombo born that is estimated to be about 35 000 years the oldest mathematical tool in the world, which is similar to the Ishango bone found in the Lebombo border serves as proof that Nguni and Ama-Mbo are indigenous to Southern Africa.[ citation needed ]

In abaMbo history and tradition, Mpondomise are seen as wise since the name metaphorically means to be dual in nature or to raise your horn: in other words, to be diplomatic but also be ready to attack (with the literal meaning being "hold your horns upright").[ citation needed ] Mpondomise people are the descendants of King Mpondomise, the grandson of King Sibiside who was the leader of the once-powerful Embo nation (Aba-Mbo or Ma-Mbo). [6] It is through king King Sibiside's son Prince Njanya (the father of Prince Mpondomise) that the Mpondomise nation emerged together with other Nguni nations or ethnic groups as a force to be reckoned with. It is also through King Sibiside (the king of the aba-Mbo and grandfather of Mpondomise) that Mpondomise people are cousins to other aba-Mbo people such as Ama-Mpondo (who was Mpondomise's the twin), [7] Ama-Xesibe (born after the twins), [8] ooMkhize [9] and ooDlamini (regardless of Nguni affiliation, [10] including those who are so-called "Mfengu" [11] ).[ clarification needed ]

Since Mpondomise and Mpondo were twins, there is an ongoing argument as to which twin was the eldest. The most commonly held view is that Mpondomise is the senior twin. [12] It is said that while out hunting, Mpondo killed a lion and refused to hand over the skin to Mpondomise as was the custom (the senior was entitled to skins of certain animals). [13] The tension between the two started from that day. Mpondo and his followers had to leave and settle elsewhere away from their father's land, as custom dictates that the senior inherits the father's land.[ citation needed ]

In terms of genealogy of kings, King Sibiside begests: [14]

  1. Njanya (Ama-Mpondo, Ama-Mpondomise, Ama-Xesibe)
  2. Mavovo (father of the Mkhize clan) King Sibiside's heir
  3. Gubhela (his descendants also call themselves abakwa-Mkhize)
  4. Nomafu (whose descendants are known as Ama-Bomvu and Ama-Bomvana)

It is worth noting that Ama-Mpondomise also intermarried with the San people.[ citation needed ] This can be picked up in their language that has various clicks. Evidence is also found in their clan names. The Mpondomise openly assert themselves as a San woman's descendants (thole loMthwakazi).[ citation needed ]

Mpondomise and Bhaca Conflict

According to Mpondomise counselor Vethe Mziziba, AmaBhaca found AmaMpondomise at Mcuthu and defeated them however AmaMpodomise would just not submit to the letter because AmaBhaca were rather backward people who would gruesomely kill even defenseless old men women and children in times of battle, faced with this crisis AmaMpondomise appealed for help from AbaThembu, King Ngubengcuka agreed to join hands with AmaMpondomise against AmaBhaca and proceeded to cross the Tsitsa river to join them. [15]

AmaMpondomise was defeated once again but the arrival of Ngubengcuka turned the tables and successfully drove back AmaBhaca, it was not an easy Victory as AmaBhaca were able to escape and settle near AmaCina. [16]

Ama-Mpondomise-Kingdom

After existing as a kingdom for over 800 years, the Ama-Mpondomise-people were stripped of their Royal status by the Union of South Africa in 1904 after King Mhlontlo KaMatiwane was accused of killing a Qumbu magistrate, Hamilton Hope, and two white police officers during the Mpondomise Revolt in 1880–81. Although King Mhlontlo KaMatiwane was acquitted of the murder charge, he lost his kingship by administrative action. The Ama-Mpondomise nation's hopes were again dashed during the democratic dispensation when the Nhlapo Commission found in 2005 that they had no claim to a kingship. However, a 115-year battle, for this anti-colonial nation, to get their king and kingdom reinstalled and reinstated respectively, ended when the Eastern Cape High Court (Mthatha) officially recognised the Ama-Mpondomise's-kingship. It ordered that the kingship be reinstated. With the presiding judge setting aside the Tolo Commission's decision to oppose the Ama-Mpondomise's claim of kingship. [17]

Genealogy of kings

The most prominent of all the kings of the Ama-Mpondomise was King Myeki. Both royal houses include him in their clan names.

(Born:1120-Died:1202)

(Born:1151-Died:1225)

(Born:1205-Died:1277) [Reigned:1225 Till 1277]

(Born:1229-Died:1304) [Reigned:1277 Till 1304]

(Born:1263-Died:1346) [Reigned:1304 Till 1346]

(Born:1291-Died:1368) [Reigned:1346 Till 1368]

(Born:1322-Died:1385) [Reigned:1368 Till 1385]

(Born:1348-Died:1410) [Reigned:1385 Till 1410]

(Born:1376-Died:1443) [Reigned:1412 Till 1443]

who was assisted by his maternal uncle Prince Rhudulu Ka-Sikhomo led the Aba-Mbo movement from their third settlement in Natal/Swatini, settled near the source of a mysterious river called Dedesi. This is where they resided with Ama-Xhosa-kingdom and Aba-Thembu-kingdom under the King Togu Ka-Sikhomo and King Hala Ka-Dhlomo respectively. Ama-Mpondo-kingdom crossed the Mzimkhulu river first and. Hlombose's great son and heir Ntose took over on the demise of King Hlombose.

(Born:1409-Died:1461) [Reigned:1443 Till 1461]

(Born:1428-Died:1493) [Held-Power:1461 till 1464]

(Born:1434-Died:1498) [Reigned:1464 Till 1498]

(Born:1469-Died:1522) [Reigned:1498 Till 1522]

(Born:1493-Died:1545) [Reigned:1522 Till 1545]

(Born:1518-Died:1567) [Reigned:1545 Till 1567]

(Born:1540-Died:1592) [Reigned:1567 Till 1592]

(Born:1561-Died:1624) [Reigned:1592 Till 1624]

(Born:1585-Died:1653) [Reigned:1624 Till 1653]

(Born:1612-Died:1675) [Reigned:1653 Till 1675]

(Born:1644-Died:1708) [Reigned:1675 Till 1708]

(Born:1665-Died:1732) [Reigned:1708 Till 1732]

(Born: 1702 – Died: 1758) [Reigned:1732 till 1758] [18] )

(Born:1718-Died:1771) [Reigned:1758 Till 1771]

(Born: 1725 – Died: 1785) [Held power: 1771–1785]

(Born:1745-Died:1807) [Reigned:1785 Till 1807]

(Born:1753-Died:1820) [Held-Power:1807-1814]

(Born:1778-Died:1851) [Reigned:1814 Till 1851]

(Born:1803-Died:1865) [Reigned:1851 Till 1865]

(Born:1815-died:1880) [Held-Power:1865-1870]

(Born:1837-Died:1912) [Reigned:1870 Till 1912]

(Born:1881-Died:1936) [Reigned:1912 Till 1936]

(Born:1895-Died:1968) [Held-Power:1936-1939]

(Born:1919-Died:1962) [Reigned:1939 Till 1962]

(Born:1921-Died:1984) [Reigned:1962 Till 1984]

(Born:1953-Died:2018) [Reigned:1984 Till 2018]

South Africa today) or otherwise known as (Luzuko (Born:1978-Alive:Aging) [Reigning:since 2018 Till Present-Date]

Prince Luzuko is yet to ascend the throne. His coronation has been delayed by the Dosini royal line's unsuccessfully contest for the succession. [19]

Language

Colonists wrongly identified Mpondomise as Xhosa. Some colonists later identified Mpondomise as a dialect of Xhosa. Consequently, ama-Mpondomise people had to learn and speak Xhosa fluently to conduct business. Contemporarily, Mpondomise people speak Xhosa as a home language or as a second language in order to conduct business since Mpondomise is not recognised as an official language of the Republic of South Africa. There is a minority, comprising mostly older people, who speak the language. They are concentrated in the far eastern part of the Eastern Cape, primarily in the OR Tambo District Municipality, in the Tsolo and Qumbu villages where the great house and right-hand house reside, respectively. Other languages similar to Mpondomise include Swati, Ndebele and the various Tekela languages of nations such as ama-Mpondo, Ama-Hlubi and Ama-Zizi.

Ama-mpondomise are learning Xhosa at schools and are required to select Xhosa as their preferred language on official documents such as government forms. Consequently, they are slowly losing their language. This is also evident in that ama-Mpondomise linguistically identify themselves with their cousins, ama-Xhosa, as Xhosa speaking people; while retaining a separate ethnic identity as ama-Mpondomise.

Mpondomise clans and tributary clans

The Mpondomise people comprise various clans. First are clans that arise out of the many houses of the kings. Second are clans of the older Aba-Mbo nation from which Mpondomise was born out. Therefore, clan names are indicative of people's ancestors (or dynasties and cadet branches). Third, there are clans or ethnic groups who have immigrated to the kingdom of the Mpondomise and now pay tribute to the Mpondomise kingdom.

In more detail [21]

There are tributary clans such as:

Culture and religion

Among the Mpondomise people, most practise African religions alongside Christianity. African religions encompass ancestral worship (or veneration) and sometimes some Totemism in which a spiritual meaning is attached to some animals and plants, which may be deified. For Mpondomise people this is uMajola (mole snake). [24] This snake is revered and venerated. They believe that it visits a newborn "to prepare it for a successful and safe adult life. It comes as a friend and protector. The friendship it expresses is not anchored in a benign demonstration of goodwill but rather an active expression of solidarity and striving to support and encourage long-term success of the young and growing members of the human race." [25] A visitation from uMajola signifies good fortune. It also means the ancestors are showing their favour on the visited people or family. Killing the snake is believed to have severe physiological and psychological consequences. This last part is central to the plot of the famous Xhosa novel Ingqumbo yeminyanya ("The Wrath of the Ancestors"). [26] The snake is common in South Africa in the provinces where generally abaMbo (and by extension amaMpondomise) mostly reside: KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

Notable People

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bomvana</span>

According to their own tradition, the Bomvana originate from the AmaNgwane people of KwaZulu-Natal. The AmaBomvana are descended from Nomafu, the first of the AmaNgwana tribe and from Bomvu, who gave rise to the AmaBomvu tribe. Bomvu's Great Son, Nyonemnyam, carried on the Bomvu dynasty. His son Njilo is the progenitor of the AmaBomvana. The AmaBomvana people left Natal in 1650 to settle in Pondoland after a dispute over cattle. After the death of Njilo’s wife, their grandson Dibandlela refused to send, in accordance with custom, the isizi cattle to his grandfather. This led to an open dispute. Dibandlela fled with his supporters and their cattle to settle in Pondoland

King Ngqungqushe kaNyawuza was the King of the Mpondo state of modern-day Eastern Cape now in South Africa. He succeeded his father, King Nyawuza, in June 1782 and reigned until his death in 1818.

Queen Mamani kaPhahlo was a queen of the AmaMpondomise Kingdom from 1732 to 1758, following after her father, King Phahlo. She is also known as Queen Mbingwa. As the eldest among three daughters of the Great Wife of King Phahlo, she successfully challenged her half-brothers from the smaller houses for the throne upon the death of her father. She married Princess Ntsibatha, a Mpondo princess, she died in May 1758 without any heirs to the throne. She was succeeded by one of her brothers, King Sonthlo, who she installed in her position despite challenges from Within the royal family members at that time

References

  1. ↑ Census 2011. "O.R.Tambo District (Administrative location of the Ama-Mpondomise Royal houses in Tsolo and iQumbu)". adrianfrith. Retrieved 6 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Mpondo people, Encyclopædia Britannica (2007)
  3. 1 2 Diagram Group (2013). Encyclopedia of African Peoples. Routledge. p. 158. ISBN   978-1-135-96334-7.
  4. ↑ HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA (2020). "In the matter between: KING PHAHLO ROYAL FAMILY and DOSINI ROYAL FAMILY" (PDF): 1. Retrieved 6 April 2021.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ Timothy J. Stapleton (2016). Encyclopedia of African Colonial Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. p. 176. ISBN   978-1-59884-837-3.
  6. ↑ Hammond-Tooke, W.D (1968). "The Morphology of Mpondomise Descent Groups". Africa. 38 (1): 26–46. doi:10.2307/1157337. JSTOR   1157337. S2CID   145575810 . Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  7. ↑ News24. "The white man never learns" . Retrieved 6 April 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Xhosa Culture. "Ama-Xesibe Fikeni Monument To Remember Chief Fikeni & Wives".
  9. ↑ UKZN (2017). "Aba-Mbo people history". DISA. Retrieved 6 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Finding our Mkhize past". Archive and Public Culture. UCT. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Daily Dispatch. "Know African history and identity before reviving mental colonialism" . Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  12. ↑ Mpinga, Senzwa. "Even though this clan is so big it has a clear history of its origin. Their history is as follows".
  13. ↑ Soga, John Henderson (1930). The South Eastern Bantu (Abe-Nguni, Aba-Mbo, Ama-Lala). Witwatersrand University Press. ISBN   978-1-108-06682-2
  14. ↑ Mkhize, Siyabonga (2009). Uhlanga Lwas'eMbo. Sibiside Publishers. ISBN   978-0-620-43055-5
  15. ↑ Cabashe, Andile. "Mpondomise Conflict". Nguni.
  16. ↑ Dikane, Sofia. "AmaMpondomise". Analysis.
  17. ↑ Legal Brief. "AmaMpondomise kingship must be reinstated – ruling". Legalbrief.
  18. ↑ Scheub, Harold (2009). Shadows: Deeper Into Story. UW-Madison Libraries Parallel Press. ISBN   9781893311862.
  19. ↑ Dispatch. "High court dismisses Dosini bid to appeal Phahlo royal crown".
  20. ↑ Dispatch. "High court dismisses Dosini bid to appeal Pahlo royal crown".
  21. ↑ Jackson, A.O. (1975). The ethnic composition of the Ciskei and Transkei. Ciskei (South Africa): Department of Bantu Administration and Development.
  22. 1 2 Zenani, N.M.; Bhotomane, N.; Scheub, H. (2006). South African voices: The way we travelled : oral history and poetry. Parallel Press, University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. p. 22. ISBN   9781893311718 . Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  23. ↑ Sowetan Live (2008). "Mbalula goes to the mountain" . Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  24. ↑ Bongela, S.K. (2001). "IsiHlonipho among AmaXhosa" (PDF). University of South Africa: 57. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  25. ↑ SA History. "Order Companions O.R" . Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  26. ↑ Jordan, A.C. (1940). Ingqumbo Yeminyanya - The Wrath of the Ancestors. Ad Donker. ISBN   9780868522289.
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