Mfengu
Encyclopedia
The Fengu are a Bantu people; originally closely related to the Zulu people. They were previously known in English as the "Fingo" people, and they gave their name to the district of Fingoland (Mfenguland), the South West portion of the Transkei
division, in the Cape Province
. Originally the Transkei included the territories of Idutywa Reserve, Fingoland (Mfenguland) and Galekaland (Gcalekaland). Following their annexation they were restructured into the divisions of Butterworth, Tsomo and Nqamakwe for Fingoland; Kentani and Willowvale for Galekaland; and Idutywa for the Idutywa Reserve.
, Bhele, Hlubi and Zizi
peoples - was formed from the tribes that were broken up and dispersed by Shaka
and his Zulu armies in the Mfecane
wars. Most of them fled westwards and settled amongst the Xhosa. After some years of oppression by the Gcaleka Xhosa (who called the Fengu their "dogs"), they formed an alliance with the Cape government in 1835 and were invited by Sir Benjamin d'Urban
to settle on the banks of the Great Fish River in the region that later became known as the Ciskei
. They subsequently became notable allies of the Cape Colony
in the frontier wars
against their former oppressors. In this capacity, they won several victories against their Xhosa enemies (particularly the Gcaleka Xhosa), and through shrewd and successful management of regional trade, formed a developed and materially successful nation. In addition, many bought farms and started businesses in the small towns that were springing up in that part of the Cape frontier.
The Mfengu did not take part in the great cattle-killing in 1857, which devastated the Xhosa people. While the Xhosa slaughtered their own cattle and burnt their crops, many Mfengu instead bought the Xhosa cattle at very low prices, only to resell them at a profit during the subsequent famine. They also were recorded as producing large excesses of grain at this time for the starving Xhosa. The famine induced by the cattle-killing effectively brought the armed resistance in the eastern Cape to an end. In 1866 British Kaffraria was annexed to the Cape Colony. Barring a brief revolt in 1877 and 1878, when the amaGcaleka turned upon their amaFengu neighbours, the British annexation of lands east of the Kei River proceeded fitfully, but generally unimpeded. In September 1879 this was followed by Idutywa Reserve and Mfenguland, and Gcalekaland in 1885. It is assumed that the restructuring of these territories into the divisions of Butterworth, Idutywa, Kentani, Nqamakwe, Tsomo and Willowvale dates from these times. The last major war that the Mfengu fought was the Ninth Frontier War that broke out in 1877 after a fight between Fengu and Gcaleka guests at a Fengu wedding. After initial defeats of the Fengu and their Cape Colony allies, the Fengu rallied and eventually inflicted a defeat on their Gcaleka
and Ngqika
enemies, killing their King, Sandile
, in a shoot out in 1878. The ingratitude of the British governor Sir Henry Bartle Frere, who promptly humiliated the Cape's Fengu allies by forcibly disarming them, caused the Fengu to begin to identify more with the Xhosa, partly as a reaction to increasing persecution from the Colonial authorities.
Originally farmers, the Mfengu had quickly built themselves schools, created and edited their own newspapers, and translated international literature into their language. The reason that the Mfengu were able to adapt so effectively to changing circumstances (like the coming of capitalism and urbanisation) was because they lacked a fixed tribal social-structure and hierarchy (having presumably lost it in their earlier flight from the Zulu). This state of social change and flexibility allowed them to quickly adjust to the European expansion, learn and adapt new techniques, and take advantage of the upheavals that followed. Other tribes were often suspicious of outside ideas and consequently resisted any change to meet the colonial threat.
Many Fingo have also subsequently intermarried with other ethnic groups, particularly with the Xhosa and Zulu.
Transkei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
division, in the Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
. Originally the Transkei included the territories of Idutywa Reserve, Fingoland (Mfenguland) and Galekaland (Gcalekaland). Following their annexation they were restructured into the divisions of Butterworth, Tsomo and Nqamakwe for Fingoland; Kentani and Willowvale for Galekaland; and Idutywa for the Idutywa Reserve.
History
The name amaFengu means "wanderers" and the Fingo nation - like the BhacaBhaca
The Bhaca people or amaBhaca are an ethnic group in South Africa, mainly found in the small towns of the former Transkei homeland, Mount Frere and Umzimkhulu, and surrounding areas .Their dialect, isiBhaca, is Xhosa with strong Zulu and some Swati influences. The origin of their name is unclear...
, Bhele, Hlubi and Zizi
Zizi
Zizi is a personal name or nickname which may refer to:*Zizi Jeanmaire , French ballet dancer*Zizi Lambrino , the first wife of King Carol II of Romania*Zizi Possi, a Brazilian singer...
peoples - was formed from the tribes that were broken up and dispersed by Shaka
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
and his Zulu armies in the Mfecane
Mfecane
Mfecane , also known by the Sesotho name Difaqane or Lifaqane, was a period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous tribes in southern Africa during the period between 1815 to about 1840....
wars. Most of them fled westwards and settled amongst the Xhosa. After some years of oppression by the Gcaleka Xhosa (who called the Fengu their "dogs"), they formed an alliance with the Cape government in 1835 and were invited by Sir Benjamin d'Urban
Benjamin d'Urban
Lieutenant-General Sir Benjamin d'Urban, GCB, KCH, KCTS was a British general and colonial administrator, who is best known for his frontier policy when he was the Governor in the Cape Colony .-Early career:...
to settle on the banks of the Great Fish River in the region that later became known as the Ciskei
Ciskei
Ciskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It covered an area of 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....
. They subsequently became notable allies of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in the frontier wars
Xhosa wars
The Xhosa Wars, also known as the Cape Frontier Wars, were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa people and European settlers, from 1779 to 1879 in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa....
against their former oppressors. In this capacity, they won several victories against their Xhosa enemies (particularly the Gcaleka Xhosa), and through shrewd and successful management of regional trade, formed a developed and materially successful nation. In addition, many bought farms and started businesses in the small towns that were springing up in that part of the Cape frontier.
The Mfengu did not take part in the great cattle-killing in 1857, which devastated the Xhosa people. While the Xhosa slaughtered their own cattle and burnt their crops, many Mfengu instead bought the Xhosa cattle at very low prices, only to resell them at a profit during the subsequent famine. They also were recorded as producing large excesses of grain at this time for the starving Xhosa. The famine induced by the cattle-killing effectively brought the armed resistance in the eastern Cape to an end. In 1866 British Kaffraria was annexed to the Cape Colony. Barring a brief revolt in 1877 and 1878, when the amaGcaleka turned upon their amaFengu neighbours, the British annexation of lands east of the Kei River proceeded fitfully, but generally unimpeded. In September 1879 this was followed by Idutywa Reserve and Mfenguland, and Gcalekaland in 1885. It is assumed that the restructuring of these territories into the divisions of Butterworth, Idutywa, Kentani, Nqamakwe, Tsomo and Willowvale dates from these times. The last major war that the Mfengu fought was the Ninth Frontier War that broke out in 1877 after a fight between Fengu and Gcaleka guests at a Fengu wedding. After initial defeats of the Fengu and their Cape Colony allies, the Fengu rallied and eventually inflicted a defeat on their Gcaleka
Gcaleka
The Gcaleka are a major sub-group of the Xhosa found in the Transkei area of the Eastern Cape. Their counterparts in Ciskei are the Rharhabe.The Gcaleka kingdom was founded by Gcaleka kaPhalo, who became chief in 1775....
and Ngqika
Ngqika
The Ngqika are a tribe of the Rharhabe Xhosa whose homeland is in the former Ciskei area of the Eastern Cape.Their famous chief Sandile led most of the Rharhabe Xhosa in a series of the frontier wars with the Cape Colony....
enemies, killing their King, Sandile
Mgolombane Sandile
Mgolombane Sandile was a Chief of the Ngqika and King of the Rharhabe tribe - a sub-group of the Xhosa nation. A dynamic and charismatic chief, he led the Xhosa armies in several of the Cape-Xhosa Frontier Wars. Newly armed with guns, Sandile's forces successfully inflicted losses on their enemies...
, in a shoot out in 1878. The ingratitude of the British governor Sir Henry Bartle Frere, who promptly humiliated the Cape's Fengu allies by forcibly disarming them, caused the Fengu to begin to identify more with the Xhosa, partly as a reaction to increasing persecution from the Colonial authorities.
Originally farmers, the Mfengu had quickly built themselves schools, created and edited their own newspapers, and translated international literature into their language. The reason that the Mfengu were able to adapt so effectively to changing circumstances (like the coming of capitalism and urbanisation) was because they lacked a fixed tribal social-structure and hierarchy (having presumably lost it in their earlier flight from the Zulu). This state of social change and flexibility allowed them to quickly adjust to the European expansion, learn and adapt new techniques, and take advantage of the upheavals that followed. Other tribes were often suspicious of outside ideas and consequently resisted any change to meet the colonial threat.
Many Fingo have also subsequently intermarried with other ethnic groups, particularly with the Xhosa and Zulu.