They are believed to be the Third Group to enter South Africa.
They settled in the Southern areas between the Highland areas and the Indian Ocean to the South East.
They probably came from the Great Lakes region of East Africa.
They
are spread out to settle between the Zambezi River and the Great Fish
River to the South of East London. They took an easterly direction from
East Africa.
They spread into Zululand and Natal and some (Xhosa) reached to settle around the Urnzimvubu River.
The
Nguni - Tsonga may be subdivided into the Southern or cape Nguni -
including the Pondo, Thembu, Xhosa, Bomvana, Mpondomise and,
The Northern Nguni to include the Zulu, Swazi and Bhaca, Mthethwa, Ndwandwe, Ngwane etc.
During the Eighteenth Century, the Northern Nguni spread to Central Africa in like the Ndebele, Shagaan and the Kololo.
Land shortages and civil wars forced many northwards by 1814.
The plateau and mountainous area prevented the west ward expansion of the Nguni.
Today they occupy areas in North Transvaal, Zululand and Natal, the Cape Province, Lesotho and Swaziland.
They remained with similar characteristics like other Bantu groups.
Organization of the Nguni - Tsonga
Political Organization
They didn’t have a central authority
They
didn’t have large political organization and followers of the last
married wife. The first one of the Chief succeeded him (patrilineal
secession). The eldest son acted as a regent. The Chief was not absolute
but by grace of the people. He was the chief Judge and Law giver.
The
Council of Elders advised the Chief. The Chief summoned an Assembly of
all lower Chiefs on critical matters of the community. Chiefdoms could
be formed of the Chiefdom became huge or could just secede.
Economic Organization
The
Nguni-Tsonga cultivated crops like beans, yams, millet, legumes, and
sorghum, among others. They also kept cattle as well as sheep and goats.
Their staple crop was sorghum which they used to make a variety of food
stuffs. When the Dutch came, the Nguni -Tsonga adopted the culture of
cultivating crops like wheat, potatoes, peas and a variety of fruits.
They
smelted iron to make iron tools like the hand axe, knives, spears,
arrow heads among others. The Nguni didn’t eat fish while the Tsonga eat
fish and carried out that activity.
They carried
out trade activities with the Europeans like the Portuguese, Dutch in
items like food harvests iron, copper, through the Delagoa Bay.
Raids on their neighbors for economic wealth and resources were important.
The
Tsonga also trade with the Portuguese and the Dutch in cattle and iron
and copper in Natal. Internal trade was also carried out with their
neighbors.
Cattle was used for food, bride wealth,
rewards to brave personalities, among others. Cattle was also
prestigious and a symbol of wealth among them.
Land
was communal (owned by the whole society) but some individuals used it
separately. Nguni societies like, the Zulu practiced iron working and
Agriculture. The Xhosa used wooden Oxen Ploughs for farming.
Clan leaders had a role to control land for the community.
Social Organization
The
family was very important. The family had a father and wife and
children. Extended family members were important. Polygamy was important
as well as monogamy.
Nguni languages had a click sound adopted from the Khoisan.
They encouraged intermarriages with other tribes. Kinship relations were important.
Land was communally owned.
The
use of land was also determined by the Chief and lower Chiefs. Lower
Chiefs and Elders presided over cultural affairs of the clans. They also
settled land and civil disputes.
They also gave
material property to those who were admitted to adulthood. Initiation
ceremonies for boys were important. Initiation was followed by
circumcision, other cultural bonds of unity and age sets.
The family for a clan,
The
clan joined others to form, a tribe under one formal founder of that
tribe. All clans among the Nguni- Tsonga could have one tribal founder.
Founders of tribes were highly respected.
Their
ancestors’ spirits and ghosts were worshiped and their names could be
given to different tribes and chiefdoms. Clan leaders reported to the
chief important social and political matters
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