AmaHlubi
Encyclopedia
The Hlubi are a South African ethnic group. For at least two centuries they have been a part of the Nguni, Mbo or Lala nation. They are found in the Republic of South Africa in the KwaZulu/Natal, Eastern Cape
and North West
provinces, with an original settlement on the Buffalo River
. Very little has been documented about this nation but there is a lot of oral literature regarding the history of the amaHlubi nation. The amaHlubi originated further North and migrated southwards with the other Nguni groups of the time.
They settled in the Lubombo mountains, a range that extends from Zululand
to the Swaziland
-Mozambique
border. They migrated southwards to Natal
. In the Lubombo mountains they separated from the group now known as the amaSwati. The amaHlubi are closely related to the Basotho, evident both in language and clan names. Traditionally amaHlubi kings preferred to marry Sotho girls as they saw them as their close relatives.
The amaHlubi people maintain that they are a different entity from all other groups in South Africa and in Africa generally though there a section of people closely related them known as Bashubi in Rwanda
and Burundi
. They are found also in places like Lesotho
. They have secret female initiation rituals, and other customs separate them from the Nguni in general.
The origin of the name "Hlubi" is not known. Some historians speculate that this was the name of a Hlubi princess who was a daughter to King Dlamini. Others argue that this was a name of one of the early Hlubi rulers although the name of this said King does not appear in their list of kings. The word does exist in Congo
, Rwanda
, Tanzania
known as "Shubi".
's amaZulu, kept peace treaties with them. Around 1818 the Ngwane chief Matiwane, during his campaign against Dingiswayo
and Shaka, petitioned Mthimkhulu, King of the Hlubi group nearest his own kingdom, to protect his herds of cattle. Mthimkhulu agreed, but later refused to return them, as he was a Zulu subject as Shaka had a permanent Hlubi battalion called iziYendane because of their long hair. Many Zulu groups were originally independent, much like the Hlubi, but it cannot be doubted that during Shaka's reign at least those who did not toe the line fled or left the area of Shaka's territorial sphere of influence. For example, the Khumalos and Mthethwas were once the most powerful nations in Southern Africa.
When the Mfecane wars started some of King Bhungane's brothers like who were also chiefs in the Hlubiland now, in Natal took a section of people under them and fled. Chief Sondezi, who was Bhungane's brother relocated to the Vaal river
(eGwa/Lekoa/liGwa). Chief Ngalonkulu, who was a brother to King Mthimkhulu also fled to the Vaal to live near his brother where they could form a strong ally against the people that were already occupying that land. Luzipho was Mthimkhulu's son went to settle in Standerton
.
Other Hlubi chiefs went to settle in the east of Drakensberg Mountains where Shaka was the prime ruler. Names of those chiefs are as follows: Mananga, Mndebele and Ntambama. Others fled to the East Griqualand
(now incorporated to the Eastern Cape province ). Chief Mhlambiso, Magadla and Ludidi went to the transkei homeland and built a very strong Hlubi nation that was never bothered by the Basotho, Xhosa, Mpondomise, Mpondo, and Bhaca peoples that were living in that land prior their arrival. The latter group resided in the Northern part of the Eastern Cape and is the one that is still the area together with the Basotho
people they live cohesively and in harmony. This may have been caused because Moshoeshoe I
(the founder of the Basotho nation) had a Hlubi great-grandfather.
Hence, many Hlubi chiefs are spread throughout Southern Africa but although they are found in disparate areas they pay allegiance to King Langalibalele II, who is headquartered in Estcourt, Natal.
In the early 1820s the Hlubis (under Mpangazita) and Batlokwa conducted a campaign that ravaged land now in the Free State province, mostly fighting Basotho. Over the course of the next few decades, however, Hlubi land was conquered by the British and mostly incorporated into the Colony of Natal
.
In the early 1870s the Hlubi King Langalibalele was arrested by the British after his subjects failed to register arms that they got as a form of payment from owners of diamond mines. He did this because those who registered their arms found that they had been tampered with or they were not working at all when they collected them. There was a rumour in Natal that Langalibalele and his men were preparing for a civil war against the British. All this happened because the Hlubi's were prospering as small farmers and their wealth was multiplying at an unprecedented rate and the white farmers in the area felt amaHlubi were being a threat on their income. After a skirmish with British soldiers and some African men who helped the British, King Langalibalele was arrested in 1873 while fleeing to Lesotho
and his successors were never officially returned to throne. King Cetshwayo
of the allied Zulus visited and pleaded with the Natal government to release King Langalibalele. The British did not comply. Langalibalele died under house arrest in 1879 and received a king's burial at the foothills of the Drankensberg.
Norman Herd wrote that: “History records are inescapably dominated by the dramatic exploits of the Zulu. Yet the amaHlubi, one of the largest perhaps the largest of the eMbo had had their hour of greatness...at the beginning of the Nineteenth century the Zulus were a tiny insignificant clan and from their social pinnacle the amaHlubi could look down upon them as despised tobacco-sellers.”
King Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa confederation fled to King Bhungane to seek shelter when running away from his father's spear. King Bhungane as a well-known rain-maker and traditionalist passed his skills to Dingiswayo, who later used these skills to reclaim the throne when he returned to his people. This must have been the reason why Shaka, who grew under Dingiswayo's mentorship, never dared to attack amaHlubi though they were just a stone throw away from his Zulu people. He always kept peace with amaHlubi and sought their advice on several military issues and is known to have asked for the help of their rain-making and traditional war medicine skills when going for a war.
The British government has returned the royal garments and chairs that it took from the Hlubi upon arresting their king in a big traditional gathering that was held in Ntabamhlophe in Natal.
Along with several other groups, the amaHlubi have lodged a request with the Nhlapho Commission (now known as the Moleketi Commission) to make a claim about the recognition of their king on a national level. They have also been involved on a massive drive to revive their heritage including the revival of their language. Their culture has been largely neglected by national heritage drives, in part because they are often seen as a subgroup of the Xhosa, Sotho and Zulu nations.
The current ruler of the nation is Muziwenkosi kaTatazela, who is officially known as King Langalibalele II. The Hlubi royal home is in Mtshezi (Estcourt
) in what is today known as KwaZulu Natal. Hlubis are now found throughout South Africa. There are Hlubi communities in the Eastern Cape (Matatiele, Mt Fletcher, Tsolo, Qumbu, Maclear, Mt Frere, Mount Ayliff, Sterkspruit), Kwazulu Natal (Ixopo, Mzimkhulu, Escourt, Madadeni, Utrech etc.), North West and some settlements in Lesotho.
in the Nguni branch of the Niger–Congo
language family.
The Hlubi dialect is endangered, and most Hlubi speakers are elderly and illiterate. There are attempts by Hlubi intellectuals to revive the language and make it one of the eleven recognised languages in South Africa. Younger generations tend to speak Xhosa
or Zulu
.
These days amaHlubi perform this ceremony to get to know each as they also come from different parts of the country. Issues like HIV/AIDS, Moral regeneration, importance of history, visiting the King's grave on the Giant's Castle Game Reserve in NtabaMhlophe are part of the celebrations. This is an important ceremony to all members of this nation as they get to learn more about their nation and appreciate their culture in a formal way. They also wear their traditional dresses and carry traditional Hlubi weaponry.
It was quite common in the early days of African history that weaker ethnic groups would seek protection from the stronger nation/group, or sections of a nation (during internal feuds) would break away and join another. Sometimes the stronger group would in pursuit of wealth attack a weaker/smaller group/clan. Another common practice was when a princess came to marry a king; members of her people, who would often never return home, would
accompany her. In all these instances, the incorporated people would pay respect and show allegiance to the
supreme ruler.
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
and North West
North West (South African province)
North West is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Mafikeng. The province is located to the west of the major population centre of Gauteng.-History:...
provinces, with an original settlement on the Buffalo River
Buffalo River (Eastern Cape)
The Buffalo River or Cwenqgcwe is situated in the city of East London on the East Coast of South Africa. It is to the west of the Nahoon River. It is the only navigable river in South Africa. The town of East London was thus established around it....
. Very little has been documented about this nation but there is a lot of oral literature regarding the history of the amaHlubi nation. The amaHlubi originated further North and migrated southwards with the other Nguni groups of the time.
They settled in the Lubombo mountains, a range that extends from Zululand
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
to the Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
-Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
border. They migrated southwards to Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
. In the Lubombo mountains they separated from the group now known as the amaSwati. The amaHlubi are closely related to the Basotho, evident both in language and clan names. Traditionally amaHlubi kings preferred to marry Sotho girls as they saw them as their close relatives.
The amaHlubi people maintain that they are a different entity from all other groups in South Africa and in Africa generally though there a section of people closely related them known as Bashubi in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. They are found also in places like Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
. They have secret female initiation rituals, and other customs separate them from the Nguni in general.
The origin of the name "Hlubi" is not known. Some historians speculate that this was the name of a Hlubi princess who was a daughter to King Dlamini. Others argue that this was a name of one of the early Hlubi rulers although the name of this said King does not appear in their list of kings. The word does exist in Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
known as "Shubi".
History
In the early nineteenth century, the amaHlubi were a powerful nation in Southern central Natal, and many other nations, including ShakaShaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
's amaZulu, kept peace treaties with them. Around 1818 the Ngwane chief Matiwane, during his campaign against Dingiswayo
Dingiswayo
Dingiswayo was a Mtetwa chief, best known for his mentorship over a young Zulu general, Shaka Zulu, who rose to become the greatest of the Zulu kings.He was born Godongwana, son of Mthethwa chief Jobe...
and Shaka, petitioned Mthimkhulu, King of the Hlubi group nearest his own kingdom, to protect his herds of cattle. Mthimkhulu agreed, but later refused to return them, as he was a Zulu subject as Shaka had a permanent Hlubi battalion called iziYendane because of their long hair. Many Zulu groups were originally independent, much like the Hlubi, but it cannot be doubted that during Shaka's reign at least those who did not toe the line fled or left the area of Shaka's territorial sphere of influence. For example, the Khumalos and Mthethwas were once the most powerful nations in Southern Africa.
When the Mfecane wars started some of King Bhungane's brothers like who were also chiefs in the Hlubiland now, in Natal took a section of people under them and fled. Chief Sondezi, who was Bhungane's brother relocated to the Vaal river
Vaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
(eGwa/Lekoa/liGwa). Chief Ngalonkulu, who was a brother to King Mthimkhulu also fled to the Vaal to live near his brother where they could form a strong ally against the people that were already occupying that land. Luzipho was Mthimkhulu's son went to settle in Standerton
Standerton
Standerton is a large commercial and agricultural town lying on the banks of the Vaal River in Mpumalanga, South Africa which specialises in cattle, dairy, maize and poultry farming. The town was established in 1876 and named after Boer leader Commadant AH Stander. During the Second Boer War a...
.
Other Hlubi chiefs went to settle in the east of Drakensberg Mountains where Shaka was the prime ruler. Names of those chiefs are as follows: Mananga, Mndebele and Ntambama. Others fled to the East Griqualand
Griqualand East
Griqualand East was one of four short-lived Griqua states in Southern Africa from the early 1860s until the late 1870s and was located between the Umzimkulu and Kinira Rivers, south of the Sotho Kingdom.Griqualand East's capital, Kokstad, was the final place of...
(now incorporated to the Eastern Cape province ). Chief Mhlambiso, Magadla and Ludidi went to the transkei homeland and built a very strong Hlubi nation that was never bothered by the Basotho, Xhosa, Mpondomise, Mpondo, and Bhaca peoples that were living in that land prior their arrival. The latter group resided in the Northern part of the Eastern Cape and is the one that is still the area together with the Basotho
Basotho
The ancestors of the Sotho people have lived in southern Africa since around the fifth century. The Sotho nation emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe I who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho–Tswana origin that had dispersed across southern Africa in the early 19th century...
people they live cohesively and in harmony. This may have been caused because Moshoeshoe I
Moshoeshoe I
Moshoeshoe was born at Menkhoaneng in the Northern part of present-day Lesotho. He was the first son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage- a branch of the Koena clan. In his early childhood, he helped his father gain power over some other smaller clans. At the age of 34...
(the founder of the Basotho nation) had a Hlubi great-grandfather.
Hence, many Hlubi chiefs are spread throughout Southern Africa but although they are found in disparate areas they pay allegiance to King Langalibalele II, who is headquartered in Estcourt, Natal.
In the early 1820s the Hlubis (under Mpangazita) and Batlokwa conducted a campaign that ravaged land now in the Free State province, mostly fighting Basotho. Over the course of the next few decades, however, Hlubi land was conquered by the British and mostly incorporated into the Colony of Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
.
In the early 1870s the Hlubi King Langalibalele was arrested by the British after his subjects failed to register arms that they got as a form of payment from owners of diamond mines. He did this because those who registered their arms found that they had been tampered with or they were not working at all when they collected them. There was a rumour in Natal that Langalibalele and his men were preparing for a civil war against the British. All this happened because the Hlubi's were prospering as small farmers and their wealth was multiplying at an unprecedented rate and the white farmers in the area felt amaHlubi were being a threat on their income. After a skirmish with British soldiers and some African men who helped the British, King Langalibalele was arrested in 1873 while fleeing to Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
and his successors were never officially returned to throne. King Cetshwayo
Cetshwayo
Cetshwayo kaMpande was the King of the Zulu Kingdom from 1872 to 1879 and their leader during the Anglo-Zulu War . His name has been transliterated as Cetawayo, Cetewayo, Cetywajo and Ketchwayo.- Early life :...
of the allied Zulus visited and pleaded with the Natal government to release King Langalibalele. The British did not comply. Langalibalele died under house arrest in 1879 and received a king's burial at the foothills of the Drankensberg.
Norman Herd wrote that: “History records are inescapably dominated by the dramatic exploits of the Zulu. Yet the amaHlubi, one of the largest perhaps the largest of the eMbo had had their hour of greatness...at the beginning of the Nineteenth century the Zulus were a tiny insignificant clan and from their social pinnacle the amaHlubi could look down upon them as despised tobacco-sellers.”
King Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa confederation fled to King Bhungane to seek shelter when running away from his father's spear. King Bhungane as a well-known rain-maker and traditionalist passed his skills to Dingiswayo, who later used these skills to reclaim the throne when he returned to his people. This must have been the reason why Shaka, who grew under Dingiswayo's mentorship, never dared to attack amaHlubi though they were just a stone throw away from his Zulu people. He always kept peace with amaHlubi and sought their advice on several military issues and is known to have asked for the help of their rain-making and traditional war medicine skills when going for a war.
The British government has returned the royal garments and chairs that it took from the Hlubi upon arresting their king in a big traditional gathering that was held in Ntabamhlophe in Natal.
Along with several other groups, the amaHlubi have lodged a request with the Nhlapho Commission (now known as the Moleketi Commission) to make a claim about the recognition of their king on a national level. They have also been involved on a massive drive to revive their heritage including the revival of their language. Their culture has been largely neglected by national heritage drives, in part because they are often seen as a subgroup of the Xhosa, Sotho and Zulu nations.
Hlubi kings
Below is a traditional estimation of the Hlubi Kings that ruled from 1300 until now. Note that Hlubi history comes mainly from oral sources and the dates below should not be taken as historically accurate.The current ruler of the nation is Muziwenkosi kaTatazela, who is officially known as King Langalibalele II. The Hlubi royal home is in Mtshezi (Estcourt
Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal
Estcourt is a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The main economic activity is farming with large bacon and processed food factories situated around the town. The N3 freeway passes close to the town, linking it to the rest of South Africa.-Location:Estcourt is...
) in what is today known as KwaZulu Natal. Hlubis are now found throughout South Africa. There are Hlubi communities in the Eastern Cape (Matatiele, Mt Fletcher, Tsolo, Qumbu, Maclear, Mt Frere, Mount Ayliff, Sterkspruit), Kwazulu Natal (Ixopo, Mzimkhulu, Escourt, Madadeni, Utrech etc.), North West and some settlements in Lesotho.
| King | Reign |
|---|---|
| Chibi | 1300–1325 |
| Lubelo | 1325–1350 |
| Busobengwe (Bungane I) | 1350–1370 |
| Fulathel’ilangjuhja | 1370–1390 |
| Bele | 1390–1410 |
| Lufelelwenja | 1410–1430 |
| Sidwabasenkomo | 1430–1450 |
| Mhuhu | 1450–1475 |
| Mpembe | 1475–1500 |
| Mhlanga | 1500–1525 |
| Musi | 1525–1550 |
| Masoka | 1550–1575 |
| Ndlovu | 1575–1600 |
| Dlamini | 1600–1625 |
| Mthimkhulu I | 1625–1650 |
| Ncobo and later, Hadebe | 1650–1675 |
| Dlomo I | 1675–1710 |
| Mashiya | 1710–1720 |
| Ntsele | 1735–1760 |
| Bungane II | 1760–1800 |
| Mthimkhulu II (Ngwadlazibomvu) | 1800–1818 |
| Dlomo II and later, Mtetwa (commonly known as Langalibalele I Langalibalele Langalibalele , also known as Mtetwa, was king of the amaHlubi, a bantu tribe in what is the modern-day province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He was born on the eve of the arrival of European settlers in the province. During the diamond rush, many of his young men worked on the mines in... ) |
1839–1889 |
| Siyephu (Mandiza) | 1897–1910 |
| Tatazela (Mthunzi) | 1926–1956 |
| Muziwenkosi (Langalibalelle ll) | 1974 - |
Language
The amaHlubi speak a dialect of Swazi, one of the Tekela languagesTekela languages
The Tekela languages are a group of related languages that, along with Zunda languages, are a subdivision of the Nguni branch belonging to the larger Bantu family.Tekela languages include:* Swazi * Phuthi * Bhaca, Hlubi, Cele and Lala....
in the Nguni branch of the Niger–Congo
Niger–Congo languages
The Niger–Congo languages constitute one of the world's major language families, and Africa's largest in terms of geographical area, number of speakers, and number of distinct languages. They may constitute the world's largest language family in terms of distinct languages, although this question...
language family.
The Hlubi dialect is endangered, and most Hlubi speakers are elderly and illiterate. There are attempts by Hlubi intellectuals to revive the language and make it one of the eleven recognised languages in South Africa. Younger generations tend to speak Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
or Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
.
Umkhosi Wokweshwama
King Langalibalele I continued the age old amaHlubi tradition of Umkhosi wokweshwama (ceremony of tasting the first fruits) that is done annually when he returned to Natal with his people. This ceremony was also practiced by King Bhungane who used it to strengthen his powers using traditional medicine, during this ceremony he also gave orders that crops and vegetables like maize could be eaten or traded. Hlubi's from all over S.A that left their traditional home would return for thye festival. There would be a slaughter of many stock for the festives and people would be allowed to have as much food and traditional beer as they like. This time was important for the king to be updated on new developments about several amaHlubi people spread across the entire country. This was a perfect time to resolve disputes and decide on matters relating to royalty.These days amaHlubi perform this ceremony to get to know each as they also come from different parts of the country. Issues like HIV/AIDS, Moral regeneration, importance of history, visiting the King's grave on the Giant's Castle Game Reserve in NtabaMhlophe are part of the celebrations. This is an important ceremony to all members of this nation as they get to learn more about their nation and appreciate their culture in a formal way. They also wear their traditional dresses and carry traditional Hlubi weaponry.
Clans
In the book "Clans of the Hlubi People" published by Henry Masila Ndawo (Iziduko zesizwe samaHlubi, Lovedale Press, 1939), he recorded a minimum of 55 clans that belong to the Hlubi nation. There are many other clans that have joined the Hlubi kingdom since the book was first published.It was quite common in the early days of African history that weaker ethnic groups would seek protection from the stronger nation/group, or sections of a nation (during internal feuds) would break away and join another. Sometimes the stronger group would in pursuit of wealth attack a weaker/smaller group/clan. Another common practice was when a princess came to marry a king; members of her people, who would often never return home, would
accompany her. In all these instances, the incorporated people would pay respect and show allegiance to the
supreme ruler.