CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2
2.4 THE RITUAL CEREMONIES
2.5.1 AN EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAM REPRESENTING THE GENEALOGY TREE
historical record straight. We do not blame those who submitted what ever was available at the time.
It shall be realised in this chapter that with some of aMakhosi, there is too little to say about them because of the non-availability of information which should be obtained from the elderly people of the Shangase clan or from any other informants who might have such knowledge. The little that is written is what has been given. There is also no literature that can be referred to in order to get such an information regarding this type of history, except for Mkheshane (Shangase), Mshiyane and Mnguni, (Bryant 1929:477-498). The above mentioned aMakhosi have a longer written history than the others because of the information available. This is so because Shangase is the founder and father of the Shangase clan. INkosi Mshiyane is the one who first met the British people south of the Thukela river, until he was promoted to District chief after he raised himself to a rank of "BRITISH SERVANT'" in about 1824, (Bryant 1929:496). Inkosi Mnguni has a lot more written about him because he is the founder of the area called "Thafamasi" in which most of the Shangase people live, (Bryant, 1929:497). Simangenduku has also the longest history because new developments and changes in the whole of South Africa occurred during his period of reign, and also for the fact that the researcher, being the writer of this thesis, personally know him very well as a father and that he passed away at the age of seventy six years on 24 January 1988.
We are, therefore, taken forward to discuss the diagram representing the genealogy tree, the Shangase related clans, and the short historical background of each iNkosi.
2.5.1 AN EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAM REPRESENTING THE
who will eventually inherit it and is also the one who may perform the First Fruit Ceremony (Umkhosi wokweShwama) by squirting the plant of gourd on the kings' gourd (uSelwa lwaMakhosi) in the presence of his tribe. According to the Nguni mythology, it is believed that "Mvelinqangi" (the first to appear) naturally emanated from the bed of reed (ohlangeni) on powers he bestowed himself with. With that very same strength "Mvelinqangi" further created mankind of different family clans from his original stock. The first Shangase people are also the progeny of this kind of Mvelinqangi's creation. Above human nature, are supernatural powers known as
"Izinyandezulu" (green snakes) and with those is "Imbathamakhosi" (kings' protectors) who have never been human beings, "iNkosi," or an ancestor (ithongo) but only created to do just this duty of protecting "aMakhosi." If "Imbathamakhosi does not protect the supposed heir" he is therefore not the rightful heir at all to the throne of the Shangase tribe. He may be mistakenly installed but will die sooner than expected. The hierarchical order after the green snakes (izinyandezulu) whose names are no longer known, is as follows: the first is Mnguni I (known as Inguni elikhulu) followed by Mthebe, Vumizitha, Mkheshane (Shangase), Gusha (did not rule), Ndaleka (did not rule), Majola, Tomane, Mvula, Shuku, Mshiyane, Mnguni II, Macebo, Zikhulu and Simangenduku. From Mnguni I to Mkheshane, the people were known as Lala-Ngunis who were also Tekela-Nguni speaking group (Bryant, 1929:233). These people had no surname but only names and family clan identification. They identified themselves according to different family clans who speak the same language, share the same cultural values and trace their descent to the same ancestor. Looking at the diagram of the Shangase genealogy tree, we shall be able to discuss briefly the character of each iNkosi depending on the information collected. These aMakhosi had the kingly authority, majesty and royal power to rule over their subjects impressively so that the kingdom supported by traditional custom should stand up until this moment of writing this thesis.
Shangase (Mkheshane) as son of Vumizitha, of Mthebe, of Mnguni I had a wife
Nokuthel~ (iNdlunkulu MaMthethwa) daughter of Nyaba, of Mthethwa and four sons Gusha, Ndaleka, Majola and Muntuyedwa. Gusha passed away when he was still a
child. Ndaleka passed away when he was a young lad, just before he got married to inherit the chieftainship. Majola is the one who ruled after Shangase and Muntuyedwa is a younger brother to Majola. It is not quite clear whether Vumanjengomngoma is Shangase's son or not, but all we know is that he was a great traditional diviner (isangoma). Tomane, son of Majola was a strong muscular man who ruled after his father with dignity. He had Mvula, his first son from
"iNdlunkulu" house and Nzama his second son from "iKhohlo" house. Presently, Mvula is on the "Indlunkulu" side of Ensingweni and Nzama is on the "ikhohlo" side of Wosiyana. After the rule of Tomane, we find the Kingdom of Shangase divided into three categories, viz. The Shangase of Thafamasi (Ensingweni), the Shangase of Mkhizwana (Emkhambathini) and the Shangase of Nzama (Wosiyana). Looking ·at the table above, it shows that Wosiyanas went out of the Shangase house to form the Nzama-Wosiyana house. Mvula, son of Tomane, of Majola, of Shangase born of
"uNdlunkulu". MaMchunu had two known sons Shuku from the "iNdlunkulu" house and Nzukela from the "Ikhohlo" house. Down the Shangase hierarchical tree, we have Mayeza another, son of Mshiyane who created another family clan and its address name is Mcanyana. But, the Mayezas are a progeny which is another direct posterity from Shangase and they do not have any chieftaincy, but the Wosiyana clan does have. The Chamane clan which is an offspring of Wosiyana had chieftainship at the Applelsbosch area, but the ruling Chamane throne was taken by the. Luthuli commoner who, because of his little education was elected by the people to become iNkosi. This information has been received from an informant iNduna of iNkosi M.Z. Luthuli of Bhamshela. Mayeza and Chamane groups form the minority groups of the Shangase family clans. This stands to reason that Wosiyana, Mkhizwana, Chamane, Mayeza peoples are the direct descendants of Shangase. The Shangase genealogy tree as laid down by Bryant (1929:482) is being corrected and we are happy to see this being done, especially in this thesis, by the member of this family clan. Shamase (1996:6) refers us to the genealogy of the Zulu Royal House from Malandela to Shaka and his brothers Sigujana, Dingane and Mpande who also ruled.
Shamase (1996:12) also refers us to the genealogy of the eLangeni House from Mhlongo to Makhedama, etc.
Shuku, son of Mvula, of Tomane,.of Majola, of Shangase ruled after the death of his father Mvula. Shuku's brother Ndabivelile was a chief tribal military iNduna even during the ruling times of Mshiyane. Presumably, Tata of what was later called Mkhizwana clan is supposed to have been Shuku's brother who did not rule, but his son Mkhizwana did, though he was a commoner of the Shangase clan, (Bryant, 1929:496). The Mkhizwanas in the Pietermaritzburg district still uphold Shangase's name as their family name.
Mshiyane, son of Shuku, of Mvula of Tomane, of Majola of Shangase, ruled after his father Shuku. Mshiyane had seven known sons, Lusapho from the "iNdlunkulu"
house, Mthubi from "iKhohlo" house, Yiyi, Maqadi, Vethe from uMdlelanyoni house and Sohlozi from iNdlunkulu house. Mnguni II from the "iQadi" house is the one who ruled, and some of his brothers ruled over "izigodi" like Maqadi-eMbuyeni, Vethe-eManyonini, Yiyi-eMgibeni, Mthubi-eMashobeni as "abaNurnzane." One commoner by the name of Sibeshe Mthalane was given a position of "uMnumzane"
in recognition of his good services he rendered to Mnguni II. Mshiyane remained at Oyaya until he met the British pioneers across the Thukela river in about 1820. The mother of the ruling son Mnguni II was KaMakhanya (uMaThusi) "iQadi" house of the "iNdlunkulu" house, of iNkosi Mshiyane.
Mnguni II, son of Mshiyane, of Shuku, of Mvula, of Tomane, of Shangase, of Vumizitha, of Mthebe, of Mnguni I, got married to MaTaye, daughter of Taye of Ngcobo-Malangeni. Mnguni II ruled after his father Mshiyane after Lusapho, his elder brother, gave some problems until Sibeshe Mthalane intervened. Lusapho even though, he was from the "iNdlunkulu" house could not rule because of his brutal and arrogant character and also of the fact that Mnguni' s mother was paid "lobolo" for by the Shangase tribe which indicated that she was the one to bear the heir for the Shangase throne.
Macebo, son of Mnguni II, of Mshiyane, of Shuku, of Mvula, of Tomane, of Majola of Shangase, of Vumizitha, of Mthebe, of Mnguni II, and born of MaTaye, daughter of Taye, of Ngcobo-Malangeni, ruled after his father Mnguni II. His "iKhokho"
brother Honela quarrelled with Macebo because Honela also wanted to be iNkosi.
Honela was pulled out of eMahhashini Royal Homestead to build his own homestead at eGoqweni. Macebo was installed as iNkosi at eSibindini Homestead (KwaSibindigidi). Soon after that, he established another homestead called eN singweni Royal Homestead.
Zikhulu, son of Macebo, of Mnguni II, of Mshiyane, of Shuku of Mvula, etc., ruled after his father Macebo. Zikhulu passed away very young in 1921, when his heir, Simangenduku was about eight years of age and Dabulizwe, Zikhulu's brother acted on the throne until Simangenduku was old enough to take over his chieftaincy.
Simangenduku, son of Zikhulu, of Macebo, of Mnguni II, of Mshiyane, etc., tooK over his throne after his father Zikhulu. He ruled from 1938 to 1988 when he passed away at the age of seventy six years. "UNdlunkulu" MaNxumalo could not bear the rightful heir to the throne of the Shangase tribe, instead, she gave birth to an illegitimate son who was not supposed to take over a position of an INkosi because he had no Shangase royal blood. This is a big controversy over the Shangase chieftainship where the Shangase Royal Family claims that Sibusiso, born of "IQadi"
house of the iNdlunkulu house should or is the rightful heir to the Shangase throne after the death of Simangenduku. This, to the Shangase people, should Muziwendoda's house continue holding the reigns of this throne, means that the majesty of the Shangase kingdom has shifted to another family name which is not Shangase. This, according to the Shangase Royal Family, is a very big insult. The supposed ruling family and the whole of the "iNdlunkulu" family and the "Ikhohlo"
house of iNkosi Mvula, son of Tomane, of Majola, of Shangase are fighting hard to convince the Department of Traditional and Environmental Affairs to bring back the throne to its natural source.
On the other hand, the Ngcobo clan has four main categories; the Ngcobo Dingila, the Ngcobo Ngongoma, the Ngcobo Nyuswa and Ngcobo Qadi. The Ngcobo Dingila and Ngcobo Ngongoma are Ngcobo offsprings while Ngcobo Nyuswa and Ngcobo Qadi are an offspring of Dingila, son of Ngcobo. Other Ngcobo clans are Ngcobo of Malangeni, Ngcobo of Mgangeni, Ngcobo of Swayimana and Ngcobo Fuze (See Bryant 1929:482-483). It is strongly believed, thus known that the Shangase clans and Ngcobo clans are consanguineously related as, of course, this is indicated in table facing page 482, Bryant (1929:482-483), and table 10fthis thesis.