African martial arts...

We've been bombarded by international cultures in Africa so much that we often forget we have our own arts & creations. We know of kung fu, muay thai, karate, fencing etc. but our arts are often left in the shadows. So here are a three African combat sports / arts that we can learn & study, maybe create our own competitions & dojos...

1) Capoeira: From my knowledge & research, capoeira was an Angolan combat-dance that was popularized by Brazilian slaves. It's more a dance than a martial art but I believe capoeiristas do learn a few combat skills from being in capoeira.

2) Laamb: Laamb is Wolof / Bambara (Senegalese) wrestling... I'm not sure how it's done but here's a Wikipedia article.

3) Zulu / Nguni stick-fighting: Also known as ukucwiya is a typical Zulu past time among umlabalaba & others. I believe it was used to train youths for combat.

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Comprehensive classification of Ngoni / Nguni groups.

List of Ngoni / Nguni nations : • Bhaca • Hlubi • Mpondo • Ndebele (northern Ndebele in Mthwakazi & southern Ndebele in Gauteng, South Africa) • Ngoni / Jere / Jele (mainly in Malawi, northern Mozambique, southern Tanzania, Zambia) • Nhlangwini • Shangaan • Swazi • Tembu • Xhosa • Zizi • Zulu Altogether, twelve (12) "Nguni" groups are known to exist. From my knowledge in any case. Bhaca, Hlubi, Nhlangwini, Swazi & Zizi are the Mbo Entity . The Mbo Entity often declassifies itself from the Nguni group. Nhlangwini & Swazi are under a Dlamini dynasty while the Hlubi & Zizi are also Dlamini tribes. Ngoni & Shangaan are of Ndwandwe origin (a tribe assimilated by the Zulu Empire). Bhaca, Hlubi, Ndebele, Nhlangwini, Shangaan, Zizi & some Mpondo are often classified as Zulu. While it's unknown whether Mpondo & Xhosa qualify as Nguni, they are often grouped as Nguni. Using family groups to classify : • Mbo • Mpo...

Blog CV/Resumé

Just so readers of this blog can get to know a little about the writer. Name: Mthoko Mpofana Born: 1989 Place of Birth: Port Shepstone Race: Black / Sub-Saharan African Ethnicity: Zulu Height: 1,73 m Education : • Well versed in business studies & economics having done business studies & economics in high school & one year of a business management degree. • Well versed in computer studies, advanced data capturing & interested in software development. Trades : • Salesman • Restaurants / Take-away experience • Online trading Sports : • Football • Basketball • Biathlon • Cricket Pastimes : • Guitar • Keyboard • Chess (& Mlabalaba) • Sudoku Driving licence : • Licensed to drive all motorcycles. • Truck driving learner's license. Languages : • English (fluent) • Zulu (fluent) • French (semi-fluent) • ...

Ancient Zulu & Swazi architecture.

Some more important points I picked up from this research : • The earliest type of walling, Moor Park, dates from the 14th to 16th centuries and is located in defensive positions on hilltops in the midlands, from Bergville to Dundee. This area is historically known as belonging to the AmaTiti Kingdom. • Moor Park (known as Emhubeni in the native Zulu language), is one of the oldest iron-age sites in KwaZulu-Natal dating back to AD 1300, can be seen from the Makhabeni Hill. • From an archaeological perspective, the first appearance of Nguni speakers can be recognised by a break in ceramic style; the Nguni style is quite different from the Early Iron Age sequence in the area. This break is dated to about AD 1200. Cross section of the ancient ruins at Emhubeni. Seeing as the first iron tools** in South Africa (i. e. northern KZN) were carbon dated to be from 200 AD, it's possible that older (Zulu) tribes wh...

Ponderings of the Man from Mpofana...

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