Ponderings of the Man from Mpofana...

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...

Today, The Man from Mpofana analyses the Buthelezian ideology of a post-tribal, modern African ethnostate. This ideology is rejected by some Africans who believe that ethnicities in Africa should remain this (Picture A below) but not this (Picture B below) or this (Picture C below). This ideology, through well-placed systems, creates a breed of competent (uncorrupted), educated & modern African people (usually of one ethnicity) as opposed to the corrupt & struggling African society stereotype. This "way of thought" is based on self-preservation rather than isolationism. The problem with this concept is that many traditionalist Africans see it as "cosmopolitan" & borrowing from developed lands as if to imply that Africans are incapable of developing their lands with their own means & systems that rival developed lands. But to this, we must question these traditionalists "In what world would a modern African warrior reject an automati...

The Diary of Henry Francis Fynn  ( Shuter & Shooter   version | Amazon version) is one of the most important documents of Zulu history during the so-called " Shakan Era " because Zulu history is usually kept in clan praises & the praises of kings but there are no distinct dates of events in oral tradition. While in oral tradition the emotion & spirit of the people of a time can be captured, in written works none of these will ever become forgotten.    From the published diary of Henry Francis Fynn. Marburg: Where it is said King Shaka once met with Henry Francis Fynn in 1828. It's still called Shaka's Bush. GPS coordinates -30.7263745, 30.4371909 by road called Raven Pl. Also, the area south of Mzimkhulu River is not a "No Man's Land". Nhlangwini, Cele & other tribes lived there & still do today.  After visiting Henry Francis Fynn in Marburg (in the greater Mban...

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...

Zulu legislature. I might face some backlash here for writing this in English but I feel some things are better expressed in certain languages for a particular effect & should you wish to translate it into your language whether it be Zulu, Swahili, Ndebele, Portuguese or French - there's a Google translate tool somewhere on this blog. N. B.: This is not the legislature of the KwaZulu Bantustan but rather some laws of precolonial Zululand.  As we all know, the Zulu Empire came into fame in the 19th century when the "relatively insignificant" Zulu tribe expanded it's influence to over six times it's area through conquest & assimilation. Villagers & children would spend their days herding livestock, planting crops, preparing firewood & fetching water. Boys would usually herd livestock, occasionally hunt & prepare to join the regional amabutho. Before the wars of what is now called "Mfecane", the boys would be circumcised** by eld...

Full name: Inhlangano Yebhola Likanobhutshuz'wayo YakwaZulu (I. Y. L. Y.) Founded: 11 December 2017  N. B. The star on top of the crest is from the AFCON 1996 victory as South Africa.  HOME: Green with black stripe on left behind crest.  AWAY: Red shirt with black stripe from left shoulder to bottom right abdomen behind crest.  Both home & away kits worn with black shorts. • National anthem. • Zululand vs Egypt  #KZLvsEGY • Zululand vs Morocco  #KZLvsMAR Zulu F. A. structure (IsiZulu) Iqembu lesizwe on Facebook I. Y. L. Y. on Twitter

KwaDlangezwa kuthiwa kwakuyindawo yamaNkwali (abakwaMkhwanazi / kaNdwandwe) ababehlala eduze kwabakwaDube ngezikhathi zaminyaka ye-1700 ne-1800. Igama lelokishi elithi "kwaDlangezwa" engathi lisuka kwinkosi yasemandulo yawo amaNkwali ekwakithiwa wuDlangezwa.

A while back, the Hlubi king, King Langalibalele III claimed he wanted to be recognised on the same level as the Zulu king & recently King Mel'izwe of the Nhlangwini Kingdom wanted to have the southern part of KZN & northern part of the Eastern Cape (south of Thukela River & north of Umzimvubu River) recognised as Nhlangwini territory. The Nhlangwini are said to be the largest ethnic group in southern KZN. What are we failing to understand here?  History : The Hlubi Kingdom, Eswatini, Nhlangwini Kingdom, Amazizi & Mpofana were of the same Embo / Mbo entity. They spoke similar languages & practiced similar customs. They were distinct from the surrounding Zulu (Nguni), Ndebele, Mpondo & recently arriving Sotho tribe in the region. Being older kingdoms, they were never attacked by King Shaka during the infamous Mfecane period of southeast Africa's history. Instead, the Hlubi kings would lend Zulu kings warriors to command in battle & King Dingiswayo o...

As a Zulu-speaking person who identifies as Zulu who had both parents identifying as Zulu, KwaZulu-Natal is obviously my homeland. I say this as a basic fact, with no sentiments attached to it. I was born & raised in southern KZN & I don't think there's any shame in that. The same way I don't think someone who speaks Xhosa, identifies as Xhosa & was born & raised in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape should feel any shame in being who they are. A Tswana-speaking person from Gaborone in Botswana who identifies as Tswana should feel no shame in being who they are either. In fact, they should feel redeemed & grounded in being who they are living in their native land. I love watching football icons in European football who were born & raised in the town or city of the football team they play for & spend the rest of their careers with that team.  As much as southern KZN is home to me, I don't feel better than someone who lives in Johannesburg for exam...