With the African drums providing a steady background rhythm, I was sitting under a tree in Londolozi’s traditional Shangaan village waiting for a colleague to meet me.
Linah Lamula, dressed in traditional “shweshwe”, was leading a group of guests on a tour of the village and I overheard her explaining that the Shangaan are the “left people”.
The left people?
I had not heard that before, and I was immediately interested in learning more. Not only because I wanted to know how the story came about, but also because the majority of people who live in the Londolozi village, an indeed the areas surrounding the Kruger National Park, are proud to call themselves descendants of the Shangaan or “Amashangana”.
Were they the left people, or was this a reference to something else? With the help of Linah, an actual Gogo of Shangaan descent, my research started with South Africa’s Mfecane.
What is the Mfecane?
The history of many southern African groups is heavily influenced by Shaka Zulu. A famous aggressor and conqueror, Shaka’s campaigns to expand his empire contributed to what is sometimes referred to by historians as Mfecane. Meaning “the crushing”, Mfecane describes a series of wars during the early decades of the nineteenth century that tore apart or displaced many societies of the southern African interior. Interestingly, Mfecane is the word used by the conquering groups. Difaqane, or “the scattering” is the term used by the victims.
For many of the details of this period of African history, historians rely on oral storytelling. However, in 2004 then President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, appointed a commission on tribal leadership disputes and claims, and the findings of that commission help to clarify (rather than ratify) some of the historical assumptions that have already been made.
The “king of blood”
Linah tells me that she knows Shaka as “the king of blood”. According to Linah, this was a young man whose mother, Nandi, was not of royal lineage and so was banished from the royal AmaZulu household when Shaka was born.
“But it was clear that this was the son of a king” says Linah. “According to all evidence and stories that we are told, Shaka was extremely fierce and had an influence over other young men like no other leader. He was taught about organised fighting and he rallied young men, inspiring a militant feeling in them. When he was old enough, he put together a small army and was able to defeat his brother and assume leadership of the Zulus. He was known for his military expertise, but also for his cruelty, from setting hyenas on prisoners, to sacrificing young men at his mother’s funeral.”
Soshangane breaks away
After winning back power of the Zulu kingdom, Shaka embarked on a campaign to incorporate neighbouring clans into his own. One of those clans was called “amaNdwandwe”. Shaka quickly defeated amaNdwandwe, killing the chief and leaving the clan’s military commander, Soshangane, in a precarious position.
One version of the story, supported by Linah, suggests that Soshangane was absorbed into Shaka’s army and sent to Mozambique on a military campaign. Another version suggests that Soshangane refused to be incorporated into the Zulu kingdom and fled with his followers to southern Mozambique.
What we do know is that Soshangane made it to Mozambique and, once there, did not return to the Zulu kingdom (in fact Shaka sent military troops after Soshangana).
Linah – while acknowledging that her story is the “shortened version” – postulates that Soshangane and his followers assimilated into the Mozambican “Thonga” communities, instating many of their own traditions, while adopting others, and formed the Amashangana community.
They abandoned their responsibilities to Shaka.
They chose not to return to a kingdom where they were regarded as “subjects”. They had found a new home, and settled amongst the Thonga.
“This is why the Shangaan are the ‘left people’” explains Linah. “Not because they were left, but because they themselves left their children and families behind when they settled in Mozambique. It was only supposed to be a raid, but they ended up leaving Zululand forever.
Many years later, during the Mozambican civil war of the 1980s, many Shangaan people fled Mozambique, travelling over the Lebombo Mountains, across the Kruger National Park, and settling in the area between the Kruger and the Drakensberg Mountains. Because this group of people spoke Tsonga, they were easily incorporated and welcomed into the South African Tsonga community that already existed in this area.”
As part of the Londolozi village tour, visitors are able to see a model of a traditional Shangaan village. Linah is a superb interpreter of culture, weaving into the history an understanding of how the ancient Shangaan political and social systems worked.
She’s also outstanding on the traditional African drums and a wonderful dancer.
Have you been on a village walk with Linah? Are there any questions that you would like to ask about Shangaan history and culture? Please feel feel to ask in the comments section and I will discuss the question with Linah and offer her comments. We might even get some ideas for future blog posts.
Fascinating, interesting, educational and informing. My question is: what was life like for the average woman in days past & how different it is today? After coming to Londolozi twice, & returning this September, I look forward to “just hanging around” with the warm & welcoming people of Londolozi.
Great question Arden. The “empowerment of women and children” is a movement that is gaining momentum and a creative space in many developing countries. Access to education is one difference. Not only in formal schooling, but also – at Londolozi itself – we are thrilled to see as many women as men enrolled in our digital literacy and hospitality programs. Last year we embraced the One Billion Rising campaign, and we loved every minute. The campaign spilled over into neighbouring communities: http://blog.londolozi.com/2013/02/one-billion-rising/.
Things aren’t perfect, but there is huge progress being made.
Looking forward to welcoming you on your next visit 🙂
Wow…..that map of tribal history made me understand, finally, why SAfrican politics are SO complicated!!haha!
Very interesting post, Ryan. Love Linah’s smile and I remember her ‘farewell’ hug on my last morning at Londolozi. Eye to eye….we spoke without words.
I agree Judy! It’s a “Tutu” smile that carries incredible wisdom and generosity of spirit. I will pass on the message 🙂
That’s quite a bit of history to digest in 10 paragraphs! So many tribes, akin to the Native American issues, and foreign settlers involved in the melee. Would love to hear more!
Thank you for the beginning of the education, in this, as well as so much else that is S. Africa!
Hi Geri, thanks so much. Linah is so good at explaining African history and politics and I will definitely be spending more time with her. If you missed it, here is a blog post on “Linah the Storyteller” – http://blog.londolozi.com/2013/02/linah-the-storyteller/.
I am impressed by the story of Shangaan people (as i am a Shangaan from Bushbuckridge). Our history as Shangaan people is complicated and most South Africans are not aware of such.
I hope to visit oneday to the Londolozi and try to connect better with my ancestors by listening to Lina.
Interesting hey. Thanks for the article.
I always wondered whether tsonga’s and shangaans are one and same tribe.
But I just figured it out from this article.
And as a matter of interest I have one question Ryan, May you please brief me about the history of tsongas who already settled in SA before king soshangana.
Thank you for the informative article. We have read a
lot about the descendants of Soshangane.
What were the other noticeable names in the Shangaan history?
I’m a Shangana myself,but I always had mixed understanding about my history and it hurts me when other groups are making fun of us.Thank you for breaking it up for me so I can understand how we really came about.I will pass the link to this site to everyone I know so the get to understand who we really are.
a very interesting history of us the shangaan tribe indeed.
Ryan,
I had the pleasure of meeting Linah and watching her wonderful drumming and dancing when I was a guest at Londolozi in 2012 and 2014. I am doing a project about indigenous peoples and my parents, Michael and Terri Klauber, are involved with the All Heart Fund. My mom actually became a member of the tribe, and was given the name, “Tsakani Happyness.” I was wondering if you could ask Linah if she could give me some information about any human rights struggles she knows about that concern/concerned the Shangaan peoples? This could be things like people not respecting their land, their rights, being ridiculed by non-Shangaan peoples, etc.
Thanks so much! I know this is a lot to ask but if you could get back to me as soon as possible, I would greatly appreciate it! You can also reach me at my email: mikaylaklauber@newgate.edu
Thanks, Mikayla Klauber