Nandi (mother of Shaka)
Encyclopedia
Nandi was a daughter of Bhebhe, a past chief of the Langeni tribe and the mother of the legendary Shaka
, King of the Zulus
.
Shaka's father was Senzangakona
, chieftain of the Zulu clan, which was small and insignificant at the time. After giving birth to her illegitimate son, Nandi spent many hard years being shuffled back and forth between the Zulus and her own tribe. During that time she also had to protect her son from famine
, assassination
attempts, and his own destructive temper.
on October 10, 1827, Shaka put on his war regalia and proceeded to scream his anguish. The entire tribe of 15,000 Zulus erupted into wailing and shrieking. On Shaka’s orders, several people were executed on the spot, and a general massacre broke out. Tradition held that upon the death of someone of Nandi’s stature, several servants and attendants would be wounded or killed, but in this case, the event became a cover for many people to settle old scores. No fewer than 7,000 people died in the massacre.
Shaka himself was killed later that year by his half-brother Dingane
.
Her grave can be found outside Eshowe, off the old Empangeni road. The grave is marked Nindi. On March 11, 2011 the Mhlongo Committee met at Eshowe with the Office of the KZN (kwaZulu-Natal) Premier and Amafa about the finalisation of the plans for Princess Nandi's grave near Eshowe. It was agreed that there would be an officially opening day in May 2011 to present queen Nandi’s grave after the approval of the designs suggested by abaHlongo. Nandi Bhebhe was born in Melmoth in 1760 into the Mhlongo people and for that reason it was also agreed that the name on the grave shall be Princess Nandi Mhlongo, mother of King Shaka.
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, King of the Zulus
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
.
Shaka's father was Senzangakona
Senzangakona
Senzangakhona kaJama was a chief of the Zulu clan, succeeding his father Jama kaNdaba, and primarily notable as the father of Shaka Zulu.- Biography :...
, chieftain of the Zulu clan, which was small and insignificant at the time. After giving birth to her illegitimate son, Nandi spent many hard years being shuffled back and forth between the Zulus and her own tribe. During that time she also had to protect her son from famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
, assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempts, and his own destructive temper.
Death
Despite the hard times they endured together, or perhaps because of them, Shaka loved his mother almost to the point of worship. When Nandi died of dysenteryDysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
on October 10, 1827, Shaka put on his war regalia and proceeded to scream his anguish. The entire tribe of 15,000 Zulus erupted into wailing and shrieking. On Shaka’s orders, several people were executed on the spot, and a general massacre broke out. Tradition held that upon the death of someone of Nandi’s stature, several servants and attendants would be wounded or killed, but in this case, the event became a cover for many people to settle old scores. No fewer than 7,000 people died in the massacre.
Shaka himself was killed later that year by his half-brother Dingane
Dingane
Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
.
Her grave can be found outside Eshowe, off the old Empangeni road. The grave is marked Nindi. On March 11, 2011 the Mhlongo Committee met at Eshowe with the Office of the KZN (kwaZulu-Natal) Premier and Amafa about the finalisation of the plans for Princess Nandi's grave near Eshowe. It was agreed that there would be an officially opening day in May 2011 to present queen Nandi’s grave after the approval of the designs suggested by abaHlongo. Nandi Bhebhe was born in Melmoth in 1760 into the Mhlongo people and for that reason it was also agreed that the name on the grave shall be Princess Nandi Mhlongo, mother of King Shaka.