Northern Ndebele people facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2,381,000 ~ (2023 estimate) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Zimbabwe |
2,200,000 |
 Botswana |
150,000 |
 United Kingdom |
23,000 |
 United States |
8,000 |
| Languages | |
| Northern Ndebele | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Christianity Minority Traditional African religion |
|
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Nguni people | |
The Northern Ndebele people (EN-də-BE(E)L-ee-,_--ay; Northern Ndebele: amaNdebele) are a group of people from Southern Africa. They are part of a larger group called the Nguni people. Most Ndebele people who speak the Northern Ndebele language live in Zimbabwe. Some also live in South Africa. They are different from the Southern Ndebele people who speak a different language called isiNdebele.
Contents
Where the Ndebele Language is Spoken
The Northern Ndebele language is spoken by the Ndebele people in Zimbabwe. It is very similar to the Zulu language spoken by the Zulu people in South Africa. There are only small differences in how words are said and what some words mean.
Northern Ndebele and Southern Ndebele are related languages. They are different but people speaking them can understand each other a little. Northern Ndebele is more like Zulu. Southern Ndebele has also been influenced by the Sotho languages.
How the Ndebele Got Their Name
The Northern Ndebele people, especially the Khumalo group led by Mzilikazi, were first called Matebele by the British. This name was common in older books. The British heard it from the Sotho and Tswana peoples.
In the early 1800s, the Ndebele moved into lands where Sotho and Tswana people lived. These groups used the word ma- to describe certain unfamiliar people. The Ndebele themselves used amaNdebele. British explorers heard both names. Under British rule, they were officially known as the Matebele. Today, they are usually called the Ndebele or amaNdebele.
Early Ndebele History
In the early 1800s, the Khumalo clan was caught between two powerful groups: the Ndwandwe, led by Zwide kaLanga, and the Zulus, led by Shaka. To keep the peace, the Khumalo chief Mashobane married Zwide's daughter. They had a son named Mzilikazi.
Mashobane was later killed by Zwide. This happened because Mashobane did not tell Zwide about patrolling Zulu soldiers. So, Mzilikazi became the new leader of the Khumalo. Mzilikazi did not trust his grandfather, Zwide. He took his soldiers to join Shaka and the Zulus. Shaka was happy because the Khumalos could help spy on Zwide.
After some battles, Shaka gave Mzilikazi a special honor. Mzilikazi could be chief of the Khumalos and stay somewhat independent from the Zulus. This was if Zwide could be defeated. This made Shaka's older allies jealous. But they saw Mzilikazi was a great warrior.
When Zwide was defeated, Shaka thanked Mzilikazi for his help. Shaka himself placed special feathers on Mzilikazi's head. He also gave him one of two special ivory axes. Shaka kept the other one.
The Khumalos returned to their home in peace. This peace lasted until Shaka asked Mzilikazi to punish a tribe to the north. After defeating this tribe, Mzilikazi refused to give the cattle and land to Shaka. This refusal led to the start of the Ndebele nation in Zimbabwe. Mzilikazi and his allies then raided and took over lands of the Sotho people and Southern Ndebele people. These groups had been weakened by Dutch settlers.
This time was known as the Mfecane, meaning "the crushing" or "the scattering." Mzilikazi's soldiers moved north-west. They went into what is now Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, and Limpopo. Mzilikazi was a smart military leader. He attacked or took control of the local tribes he met. These included the Khoi, Batswana, Bapedi, and other Ndebeles.
Between 1827 and 1832, Mzilikazi built three military forts in their new land. The biggest was Kungwini, near present-day Pretoria. Another was Dinaneni, and the third was Hlahlandlela. Mzilikazi also conquered the BaHurutshe people. Their capital, Mosega, became his military base. They built more forts and a large settlement called eGabeni (Kapain).
During the Great Trek (1836–1838), Dutch settlers called voortrekkers (Boers) arrived in Transvaal. They saw Mzilikazi as a threat. They fought him and lost the first battle. In 1837, the Boers attacked Mzilikazi's fort at eGabeni. After a nine-day battle, they destroyed eGabeni and other Ndebele camps.
Mzilikazi realized that the Ndebele could not win against the Boers. The Boers had many guns and rifles. So, Mzilikazi decided to leave with his soldiers. They moved to what is now Matabeleland South. There, the Ndebele people took over the lands of the Rozvi people and Kalanga people. These groups were already weak. The Ndebele made a new home there.
During this journey, many different groups were absorbed into the Ndebele tribe. These included Southern Ndebele, Swazi, Sotho–Tswana, and Rozvi people. They adopted the Ndebele language and culture. When Europeans arrived, they found Mzilikazi and his people settled. So, they called the area Matabeleland. This area is in the west and southwest of Zimbabwe.
The Ndebele Kingdom (1823–1897)
Mzilikazi became king in 1823. He chose a new main base in what is now Zimbabwe. He led about 20,000 Ndebele people. These were descendants of the Nguni people and Sotho people from South Africa. He had taken over the Rozvi state. He also raided some of the Rozvi people, mostly women. The rest became farming communities that had to pay tribute to the Ndebele kingdom.
Mzilikazi called his new nation 'Mthwakazi'. This Zulu word means 'something which became big at conception'. Europeans called the land 'Matebeleland'. Mzilikazi organized his diverse nation into a strong military system. He set up his capital at Bulawayo.
In 1852, the Boer government in Transvaal made a peace agreement with Mzilikazi. Mzilikazi died on September 9, 1868. His son, Lobengula, became the next king. Lobengula ruled a large area. It stretched between the Limpopo River and Zambezi rivers. It also went from the Makgadikgadi salt pans to the Save River.
Lobengula gave some rights to the British in exchange for money and weapons. The most important was the 1888 Rudd Concession. This agreement allowed the British to mine and settle in Zimbabwe. It also stopped Boer settlement. This concession gave Cecil Rhodes special mining rights in much of the land.
Since gold was known to be there, Rhodes used this to form the British South Africa Company (BSAC) in 1889. As part of the deal, BSAC would pay Lobengula money, rifles, ammunition, and a riverboat. Lobengula hoped this would stop Europeans from coming into his land. However, as white settlers moved in, BSAC set up its own government. They made their own laws and wanted even more land and mining rights.
The Ndebele people's social system was very strict. It followed rules of service and rank from Shaka's Zulu reforms. Other groups, like those in Mashonaland, were treated harshly. Their lives and property were controlled by the King. They could be raided or forced to pay tribute at any time. This was the situation when the British Pioneer Column arrived in Mashonaland in 1890.
The First Matebele War
In August 1893, Lobengula sent warriors to Fort Victoria. They were there to take cattle from the Shona people. Lobengula's warriors won this fight. But the British South Africa Company (BSAC) used it as an excuse to attack Lobengula. They said they were protecting the Shona. A fight broke out between BSAC and the Ndebele, starting the First Matebele War.
Hoping for a quick win, Leander Starr Jameson sent his BSAC forces to attack the capital, koBulawayo. They wanted to capture Lobengula. Instead of fighting, Lobengula burned his capital and ran away with some of his best warriors. The BSAC moved into the remains of koBulawayo. They set up a base and renamed it KwaBulawayo. Then they sent out groups to find Lobengula. One famous group, the Shangani Patrol, found Lobengula. But they were trapped and wiped out in battle.
The British were greatly outnumbered in the war. But their better weapons, especially the Maxim gun, were too strong for the Ndebele. Lobengula's warriors tried to make peace. They brought a lot of gold to two BSAC soldiers to give to their leaders. But the two soldiers kept the gold for themselves. This was not found out for many months. Lobengula chose to escape. He was last seen crossing the Shangani River.
The Second Matebele War
In March 1896, the Ndebele rebelled against the BSAC. This is now celebrated as the First War of Independence in Mthwakazi. After a year of drought and cattle sickness, Mlimo, the Ndebele spiritual leader, helped stir up anger. About 50,000 Ndebele people went into their stronghold in the Matobo Hills. This area became the site of fierce fighting against white settler patrols. Famous military figures like Frederick Russell Burnham and Robert Baden-Powell led these patrols. Hundreds of white settlers and many Ndebele and Mashona people were killed over the next year and a half.
The Ndebele military resistance ended when Burnham found and killed Mlimo. When he learned of Mlimo's death, Rhodes bravely walked unarmed into the Ndebele stronghold. He persuaded the leaders to stop fighting. This final uprising ended in October 1897. Matebeleland and Mashonaland were later renamed Rhodesia.
Modern Times
In 1963, a part of the main rebel group, Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), split off. They formed the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). These groups started from the same place, but they slowly grew apart. ZANU mostly got members from Shona areas. ZAPU mostly got members from Ndebele areas.
The Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) was a force against the government. It was mainly Ndebele, led by Joshua Nkomo and ZAPU. ZIPRA trained in bases in Zambia. By 1979, ZIPRA forces, along with other groups, were a big threat to Zambia's safety. ZAPU's plan relied more on talks than fighting. So, ZIPRA did not grow as fast as another group called ZANLA. But by 1979, ZIPRA had about 20,000 fighters. Most of them were in camps around Lusaka, Zambia.
Gukurahundi
The Gukurahundi is a Shona word. It means "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains." This refers to a time when Zimbabwe's 5th Brigade suppressed people in the Ndebele-speaking region of Matabeleland. Most of these people supported Joshua Nkomo and ZAPU.
Robert Mugabe, who was prime minister then, signed a deal with Kim Il Sung, the North Korean President, in 1980. This was to have the North Korean military train a brigade for the Zimbabwean army. Mugabe had said there was a need for a militia to "combat malcontents." He said Matabeleland dissidents should "watch out." He announced the brigade would be called "Gukurahundi." This was the Fifth Brigade. Its members came from 3,500 former ZANLA soldiers. The training lasted until September 1982.
The first commander of the Fifth Brigade was Colonel Perrance Shiri. The Fifth Brigade was different from other army units. It reported directly to the prime minister's office. It was not part of the regular army. Their codes, uniforms, radios, and equipment were different. Their most noticeable feature was their red berets.
After some ZIPRA forces refused to give up their weapons, the Fifth Brigade carried out public executions. They killed former ZIPRA soldiers, their families, and supporters. This happened in the Lupane, Tsholotsho, and Matobo districts. The initial number of Ndebele people killed was 2,800 in 1987. However, some recent estimates suggest the number could be as high as 20,000.
Notable Ndebele People
- Mthuli Ncube – Zimbabwean Finance Minister and politician
- Sibusiso Moyo – former Zimbabwean Foreign Minister and military leader
- Bulelani Khumalo – a person who is seen by some as the Ndebele King
- Trevor Ncube – Zimbabwean publisher of news
- Khayisa Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni – Chief of the Matebele people (1939–2010)
- Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni – Chief of the Matebele people (2010–present) and politician
- Mimi. M Khayisa (Mimi Ndiweni) – actress
- Dumiso Dabengwa – politician
- Lovemore Majaivana – musician
- Lookout Masuku – leader of ZIPRA
- Alfred Nikita Mangena – first ZIPRA army commander
- Josiah Gumede – ceremonial president of Zimbabwe Rhodesia
- Mpumelelo Mbangwa – cricketer
- Jonathan Moyo – politician
- Busi Ncube – singer
- Pius Ncube – Archbishop of kwaBulawayo
- Welshman Ncube – politician
- Peter Ndlovu – footballer
- Mluleki Nkala – cricketer
- Joshua Nkomo – former Vice President of Zimbabwe and ZAPU leader
- Albert Nyathi – poet
- Gibson Sibanda – politician
- Jabulani Sibanda – politician
- Thenjiwe Lesabe – teacher, war hero, and political activist
- Cont Mhlanga – playwright, actor, and theatre director
- Sandra Ndebele – musician and politician
- Albert Nyathi – poet and musician
- Prince Dube – professional soccer player
- Tando Velaphi – professional soccer player
- Milton Ncube – professional soccer player
- Richard Hachiro – professional soccer player
