NGONI MIGRATIONS INTO ZAMBIA

References

J.D. Omer Cooper, The Zulu Aftermath.

Andrew Roberts, A History of Zambia.

Harry W. Langworthy, Zambia before 1890.

Definition

Mfecane is a Zulu term which refers to the wars of wandering (crushing or scattering) that
took place in southern Africa during the first half of the 19th century. In Sotho, these wars are
called lifaqane (pronounced as difaqane). Mfecane wars actually started much earlier than
this, hence the notion that they to the wars of Shaka is wrong because the political turmoil
around the Natal east coast of South Africa existed even before Shaka was born. Shaka just
intensified the wars when he became king of the Zulu in 1816. The wars had an impact on
19th century Zambia, hence the justification from the topic’s inclusion in HIS9110.

Causes

A number of causes exist to explain the Mfecane’s occurrence.

1. The most important factor was ecological disturbances in the late 18th century as a
result of the shortage of arable land
2. Madhlatute drought which started around 1774.
3. Trade with the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay.
4. The rise of the three powerful states: Dingiswayo’s Mthethwa, Zwide’s Ndwandwe
and Sobhuza’s Ngwane.

One of the direct results of Shaka’s victory against Zwide was that the Jere Ngoni of
Zwangendaba fled to begin the long migration which brought them to Zambia. Another group
which left South Africa as we have learned above, (and influenced Zambia directly) was the
Kololo. Apart from causing the Ngoni migration, Mfecane resulted in the fight of the Ndebele
under Mzilikazi a few years later. Although the Ndebele never settled in Zambia, they raided
across the Zambezi River in southern and western provinces for cattle and people.

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These groups came from South Africa and brought with them forms of political, social,
economic and military organization which were quite different from what existed in pre-
colonial Zambia. Although the three groups left South Africa at different times and had
different association with the Zulu state, they were greatly influenced by its political structure
and especially by its military organization.

The Ngoni were a Nguni-speaking people from Kwa-Zulu Natal near the Indian Ocean coast.
They were made up of different groups: the Jere-Ngoni under Zwangendaba; the Maseko
Ngoni led by Ngwane and the Msene Ngoni led by Nxaba. They had once formed a part of
Zwide’s army. After Zwide’s defeat by Shaka, they set out on their own moving northwards.
North-east of Lourenco Marques (Maputo), they battled another former general of Zwide,
Soshangane. They Ngoni lost and continued northwards where they clashed with each other
and each group went its own way. As they moved they absorbed some of the people they
raided: Thonga, Shona, etc. in Zimbabwe one group of Zwangendaba’s people remained, led
by Nyamazana, and was responsible for the downfall of the Changamire dynasty. They later
joined the Ndebele nation.

Zwangendaba and his followers crossed the Zambezi near Zumbo on 19 November 1835.
This event was marked by a solar eclipse, and the birth of a future king, Mpezeni on the same
day. They lived for some years among the Chewa and Nsenga and then continued moving
further north. Zwangenadaba and his people settled near the southern end of Lake
Tanganyika at a place they named Mapupo (Zulu to mean “Dreams” = the land they had
always dreamed about settling down because it was ideal for cattle rearing). It was here that
Zwangendaba died in 1842. His death was followed by succession disputes leading to the
split up of the Ngoni into different groups. Mbelwa, Zwangendaba’s youngest son moved and
settled near the northern-end of Lake Malawi. Ntabeni, a member of the royal family went
further north along Lake Tanganyika. Zulu Gama turned east with his group and occupied the
Ruvuma stream area. Mpezeni, another son of Zwangendaba, went south-west-wards where
he clashed with the Bemba people around 1855. Thereafter, he left and settled around Fort
Jameson, in eastern Zambia. The Maseko Ngoni of Ngwane went on to live in southern
Tanzania. There they were defeated by the Ngoni of Zulu Gama. The Maseko Ngoni made a
U-turn and finally settled in southern Malawi. There succession disputes erupted and the
group split up. They finally got absorbed by the Yao and Chewa groupings nearby. The
Msene Ngoni stayed for some years in Zimbabwe and raided the Shona chiefdoms there.

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They then moved on towards Bulozi where they were destroyed by the Kololo, their leader
being killed in battle. The remainder of the group was absorbed by the Kololo.

These Mfecane migrants brought with them more advanced ways of warfare.

1. The basis of power and the reason for the existence of the Ngoni state was centred in
the military organization of the regiment. All men were enrolled in various regiments
according to their ages. The regiments were commanded by Indunas who were
responsible to the king. Although the Indunas were the actual military commanders of
the regiments, a member of the royal family was usually associated with the
leadership of a regiment to maintain a closer personal connection between military
power and the king’s political power as head of the whole kingdom.
2. Raids were in all directions for a number of reasons. First, raids kept the regiments
busy, provided recreation and were a means of gaining prestige and power for the
members of a regiment. Second, were a means of perpetuating the regimental system
by capturing young men who could be included in the regiments. This also enlarged
the state and increased the power and prestige of the king. Third, raids were a means
of gaining wealth and food for subsistence.
3. Introduction of new political system- among the Ngoni an important feature was the
segment or section of the royal household. The segment traditionally was formed
around a wife of the king and included members of the family and followers. Over the
years, a segment grew in numbers as more people were born and as more captives
were added to it. With the Ngoni the segment was the residential unit with which most
people identified. By being integrated into the Ngoni household system and by being
associated with members of the royal family, captives were encouraged to become
assimilated as Ngoni. The segment was a very important political unit because as the
king’s sons grew older, there was a tendency for the segment to disintegrate or split so
that the sons would have their own households for their wives and their own
followers.
4. Spread of new culture- Ncwala ceremony, a thanks-giving ceremony for the first
fruits of the season was introduced in eastern Zambia by the Ngoni as the ceremony
was widely practised among the Zulu people in Natal. Apart from this was the
introduction of new languages: Ngoni and Kololo.
5. Mfecane contributed to the final collapse of the Chewa kingdom of Undi. This began
in 1835 when they destabilized it but did not manage to finish it off. They finally

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 made Chewa state to decline in 1870 as they retreated from the north where they
migrated. The Ngoni then became the most dominant group in eastern Zambia until
1890 when the BSACo colonised the area.
6. Introduced new habit of smoking marijuana (chamba, fwaka ya chingoni among the
Ngoni; and in Lozi as matokwani, as well as the drinking of very strong liquor called
sipeso).