ORIGIN AND NGONI MOVEMENTS

THE ORIGIN OF NGONI TRIBE The ngoni were Bantu Nguni speakers who lived in a clan groups, Ngoni tribe divided into different groups and each group has a leader. Every leader was responsible for his group prosperity and security within the group. There were Zulu who led by Senzangokana, Mtheswa under Dingiswayo, Ngwane under Sobhuza and Ndwande under Zwinde in Natal between the coast of Indian ocean and the Drankensburg Mountains of South Africa as well as River Tugela and River Limpopo The movement of the Ngoni towards East Africa and Central Africa began in the early 19th century when the clans were fighting “Mfecane wars” which were also known as wandering wars among themselves. During Mfecane confrontation there was Tshaka as the leader of Zulu clan after the death of his father Senzangokana. Zwangedaba and Maseko Ngoni Settled in East Africa after long movement from South Africa. When Zwangedaba died in 1848 his group experienced succession conflicts among his sons and members of the royal family. The conflicts led to the split into five groups which moved away from ufipa to different directions. Three of the group took the southern route into Zambia and Malawi. The other two groups such as the “Tuta” travelled north into Holoholo Ukimbu and Unyamwezi to reach Lake Victoria, later they become an ally of King Mirambo of Unyamwezi. The other group was the Gwangara under Zulu Gama.They took Eastern route by defeating the Hehe and Sangu until they reached Songea where they met the Maseko Ngoni. In this place they fought strongly and made the Maseko Ngoni cross river Ruvuma to Mozambique. Some Maseko moved Morogoro where they became known as the Mbunga. J Stephen, 2007 A HISTORY OF AF In the begging of the 19th century, the great Zulu warrior known as Shaka, began his career of conquest and establishment of the powerful Zulu Empire in the area today known as Natal, in South Africa. The area initially had been occupied by a cluster of small independent Ngoni tribes. The powerful Shaka created a large centralized military kingdom that many people feared. Therefore, Ngoni people originated in the Natal region of South Africa. The Ngoni were Bantu Nguni speakers who lived in clan groups such as the Zulu led by Senzangakona, Mtheswa under Dingiswayo, and Ngwane under Sobhuza and Ndwandwe under Zwindwe in Natal between the coast of Indian Ocean and the Drankensberg Mountains of South of Africa as well River Limpopo. The movement of the Ngoni towards East Africa and Central Africa began in the early of 19th century when the clans were fighting “Mfecane Wars” which were also known as wandering wars among themselves. During Mfecane there was Shaka as the leader of the Zulu clan after the death of his father Senzangakona. Shaka became a powerful ruler who organized the army and conquered other clans in the region. Many people in the clans did not like to submit to the ruler of Shaka. They had to move westwards and northwards from the region. Those who went to the north finally settled in Southern Tanganyika where they are still known as the Ngoni. The Ngoni moved in groups since the beginning of their movement towards East Africa, firstly there was Ndwande led by Zwangendaba. It was the biggest group which started its movement from the South of River Zambezi. As it moved northwards its member destroyed Urozwi Kingdom which later lost much of its land to the Ndebele under Mzilikazi. Zwangedaba’s group then crossed the river Zambezi in 1835 and defeated the Chewa in Malawi. In 1840 the group arrived in Ufipa south west of Lake Tanganyika. They defeated the Fipa and set up their territory under Zwangendaba who died in 1845. Another group was Maseko led by Maputo or Mputa. They travelled along eastside of Lake Nyasa until they reached Songea where they settled and intermarried with the local people, mostly from the Yoa ethnic group Both Zwangendaba and Maseko Ngoni settled in East Africa after long movement from South Africa. When Zwangendaba died in 1848 his group experienced succession conflicts among his sons and members of royal family. The conflicts led to the split into five groups which moved away from Ufipa to different directions. Three of the groups took the southern route into Zambia and Malawi.The other two groups such as the “Tuta” travelled north into the Holoholo settlement from which they were taken out until they were conquered the Nyamwezi who were located in the areas with caravan trade route to the coast. The” Tuta” absorberd their captives into their group and among of those captives was Mirambo who spent most of his time to learn the Ngoni war tactics. Later he got out of the Tuta and became powerful Ntemi chief till he died in 1884. The other group was the Gwangara under Zulu Gama. They took eastern route by defeating the Hehe and Sangu until they reached Songea where they met the Maseko Ngoni. In this place they fought strongly and made the Maseko Ngoni cross river Ruvuma to Mozambique. Some Maseko moved to Morogoro where they became known as the Mbunga Basically, the Ngoni speaking societies were predominantly agriculturalist and pastoralists. They were the last largest Bantu people to migrate into central and East Africa in 1830,s As Shaka’s victorious armies extended their conquest, many other tribes fled Northwards to modern Mozambiq,Southern Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. By 1824, Shaka had become a dictator and his reign of terror could not be tolerated any more. There were various causes which led to the movement of the Ngoni towards East Africa. The basic causes were; The need of land to carryout economic activities made the Ngoni find their way to other areas.They were pastoral and agricultural people who wanted larger land for these activities. In the 19th century the Ngoni had shortage of land in Natal. The only alternative to secure to land was to migrate to occupy land in other region of the continent The rise of civil war known as “Mfecane” among the Ngoni clans in Natal was one of the possible causes which led to their movement. Many people in the region were over powered by Shaka during the fighting. They were conquered by his soldiers and for people to escape his rule they shifted northwards. Population growth in the Natal during the 19th century was a very important cause of the Ngoni movement.They were running away from being overcrowded in their homeland. Expansion of the state by the Zulu-Shaka forced many groups to migrate from the region. He expanded the Zulu nation by conquering and absorbing other clans into his regime. Many people feared to submit to Shaka’s rule. The Boer movement northwards to Natal contributed to the movement towards East and central Africa in 1880’s All Ngoni groups moved northwards up to East Africa, no single groups managed to go in other direction because of the following factors; Presence of Drankensberg Mountains and Kalahari Desert in the west. Ngoni speaking groups could not extend westwards because of physical difficulties. Ngoni were mainly peasants who needed fertile soil for the cultivation of food crops. Presence of the Indian ocean in the East. Ngoni group could not move eastwards because of the Indian Ocean. The movement of the Boers from the cape colony. Boers were moving from south heading northwards running away from the British who occupied South Africa through Cape.Boers were well armed and crushed all resistance on their way. Ngoni did not want to confront these peole. Because of these barriers, Ngoni decided to migrate nortwards and settled in Central and East Africa.