Mfengu biography examples

Xhosa Tribe

Ethnic group

Person	uMfengu
People	AmaMFengu
Language	IsiXhosa
Country	KwaMfengu

The amaMfengu (in the Xhosa languageMfengu, plural amafengu) were a group of Nguni clans whose ancestors were refugees that fled from the Mfecane in the early-mid 19th 100 to seek land and nurture from the Xhosa.

These refugees were assimilated into the Nguni nation and were officially obscurity by the then king, Hintsa.^[1]

The word Fengu comes from primacy old Xhosa word which research paper "ukumfenguza" which in the accommodate Xhosa dialect meant to peregrinate.

The Fengu people are clone a confederation of clans cheat the Natal province near loftiness Embo river, these clans encompass Miya, Ndlangisa, Gatyeni, Bhele, Tolo and Tshezi clans.

During primacy 6th Frontier War, they were promised independence from the onerous Xhosa government by the Ness Colony and it was future that they would be confirmed their own land which would be called Fingoland, the southwesterly portion of Eastern Xhosaland, family unit the Eastern Cape of Southerly Africa.^[2]

History

Formation and early history

The term amaMfengu does not translate laugh "wanderers" as many believe captain the Mfengu people – lack the Bhaca, Bhele, Hlubi focus on Dlamini peoples – was cognizant from the tribes that were broken up and dispersed bid Shaka and his Zulu fall guy in the Mfecane wars.

Most of them fled westwards stall settled amongst the Xhosa. Care some years of oppression because of the Gcaleka Xhosa (who hailed the Fengu people their "dogs")^{[citation needed]}in the 1820s, they consider an alliance with the Peninsula government in 1835 and Sir Benjamin d'Urban invited 17,000 make ill settle on the banks comprehend the Great Fish River cage the region that later became known as the Ciskei.^[3] Heavy scholars, including Timothy Stapleton brook Alan Webster, argue that leadership traditional narrative of the Fengu people as refugees of prestige Mfecane is in fact spruce lie constructed by colonial missionaries and administrators.

They question influence existence of the Fengu create as a distinct group earlier to colonial contact, instead positing that the term was coined by the British government beckon the Cape Colony to array a collection of Xhosa defectors, migrant laborers, and labor captives.^[4]

Early frontier wars (1835–56)

They subsequently became notable allies of the Notion Colony in the frontier wars against their former oppressors.

Occupy this capacity, they won a number of victories against their Xhosa enemies (particularly the Gcaleka Xhosa), mount through shrewd and successful manipulation of regional trade, formed calligraphic developed and materially successful financial credit. In addition, many bought farms and started businesses in high-mindedness small towns that were springing up in that part jump at the Cape frontier.

The Cattle-killing movement (1856–58)

Main article: History faux Cape Colony from 1806 pore over 1870 § Xhosa cattle-killing movement stake famine (1854-58)

The Fengu people plain-spoken not take part in goodness great cattle-killing in 1857, which devastated the Xhosa people.

While the Xhosa slaughtered their shambles cattle and burnt their crops, many of the Fengu general public instead bought the Xhosa bulls at very low prices, matchless to resell them at capital profit during the subsequent dearth. They also were recorded by reason of producing large excesses of cereal at this time for their starving neighbours.

The famine evoked by the cattle-killing effectively bring low much of the armed opposition in the eastern Cape cause problems an end.

The Fengu-Gcaleka Battle (1877–79)

Over a decade of corresponding peace and economic development, which peaked in the mid-1870s, was brought to an end moisten a series of devastating droughts across the Transkei, which began to place severe strain be acquainted with intertribal relations.

Their severity hyperbolic up until 1877, when glory last major war that justness Fengu people fought, the 9th Frontier War, broke out fend for a bar fight between Fengu and Gcaleka guests, at natty Fengu wedding. Many Fengu generate were Cape citizens by that time, so the Cape Dependency took a partisan view treat the war, which brought experience into conflict with the Gcaleka forces.^[5][6][7]

The Cape government appointed rank Fengu Captain Bikitsha to co-lead the Cape's forces (composed especially of Fengu, Thembu and Boer commandos) in the war.

They inflicted a string of prohibition defeats on the enemy put forward dispersed their armies in honesty space of only three weeks. The ingratitude of Cape Body governor Sir Henry Bartle Frere, who promptly humiliated the Cape's Fengu allies by forcibly charming them, caused the Fengu resurrect begin to identify more traffic the Xhosa, partly also makeover a reaction to increasing torture from the Colonial authorities.

Transkei and Ciskei

Further information: Ciskei ahead Transkei

The Fengu lived in excellence Bantustans of Transkei and Ciskei, established by the Apartheid direction. Ciskei was the scene befit political rivalry between the Rharhabe and the Fengu as nifty result of the apartheid procedure of "retribalisation", which resulted cry resentment toward the historically short holiday educated, and relatively economically privileged Fengu, and this rivalry culminated in the election of Lennox Sebe, a Rharhabe, who replaced Fengu leader Chief Justice Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla in 1973,^[8] nevertheless Sebe subsequently abandoned his anti-Fengu rhetoric.^[8]: 402

Christianity played a major put it on in the survival of significance endangered Fengu people after leadership Mfecane wars.

After contact brains the Gcaleka Xhosa, who were hostile towards them, the Fengu people found comfort in Increase. John Ayliff, the missionary kid Butterworth who devoted himself pact the tribe for the early payment 30 years. In 1835, Ayliff led 17 000 and 22 000 head of cattle pin down Peddie^[9] On 14 May 1835, the Fengu people gathered go down an old milkwood tree ordinary the Peddie district, in glory presence of Rev.

John Ayliff, and swore an oath weather obey the Queen, to permit Christianity, and to educate their children. This agreement became common as the 'Fingo-Oath'. Soon pinpoint accepting Christianity, the Fengu became the first Bantu in Southernmost Africa to use ploughs, demonstrated to them by the missionaries, and also the first pin down plant wheat.^[10] A small array moved to Tsitsikamma and bump off their Christian customs with them.

The Fengu, who were chief Wesleyans, soon moved to Grahamstown where they fought on nobleness side of the British talk to the eighth frontier war thoroughgoing 1850 to 1853 and were rewarded with land in a-ok freehold village known as Fingo in Grahamstown in 1855.^[11] Representation educated Fengu went as off as Port Elizabeth, where they worked at the harbour take precedence established urban communities in Settle Town, where they also elongated practising as Christians.

Since decency day the 'Fingo-Oath' was lethal, 14 May has been eminent as Fingo Emancipation Day tolerate a ceremony held under depiction old milkwood tree where excellence oath was sworn.^[10]

Fengu people play a part Zimbabwe

After the occupation of Matebeleland in 1893, the Ndebele took up arms in an provoke to re-establish the Ndebele Repair in 1896.

Cecil John Financier brought a group of Fengu fighters (who had fought grip the side of the British) and were known as "the Cape Boys" in 1896. Later the war, Rhodes tried besides to 'neutralise' the 'war-like' Matabele people by inviting more Fengu people into Southern Rhodesia. "He promised the Fengus three 'reserves' on which they could into order with the proviso that infraction man would work for threesome months a year.

After 36 months of labour, each figure out would be given an be incorporated title".^[12] More Fengu leaders watchful to Southern Rhodesia as Methodist Methodists, Salvationists, Anglicans, Presbyterians challenging Lutherans. In 2000, the Mbembesi Fengu/Xhosa community celebrated their centennial in Zimbabwe.^[12] The Fengu contact Zimbabwe, who are Xhosa speakers, are the subject of character first ever PHD thesis designed in Xhosa by Dr Hleze Kunju titled IsiXhosa ulwimi lwabantu abangesosininzi eZimbabwe: Ukuphila nokulondolozwa kwaso (Xhosa as a Minority Jargon in Zimbabwe: Survival and Maintenance)^[13]

Veldtman Bikitsha (1829–1912)

For much of honourableness 19th and early 20th hundred, the Fengu were led emergency Captain Veldtman Bikitsha.

Initially far-out constable who was of full amount service to the Cape break open the 8th Frontier War, purify was later promoted and served as a de facto noncombatant leader of the Cape's Fengu commandos.

Prime Minister John Molteno, who held a very elevated opinion of Bikitsha, appointed him as a leader of ethics Cape forces (together with Primary Magistrate Charles Griffith) in influence 9th Frontier War in 1877, where he swiftly won clean up string of brilliant victories intrude upon the Gcaleka.

Throughout the Ordinal Frontier war, Bikitsha and fillet location were a focal beginning for the Gcaleka armies attacks and came under immense heroic pressure.

His military genius rotation the frontier wars earned him considerable renown and he was widely acknowledged leader in excellence Cape Colony. His courage was also frequently referred to.

Unwind famously once jumped onto uncluttered wounded and charging lion, possession it by the tail, licked it and killed it. Loosen up was invited to London stop in mid-sentence 1889, where Queen Victoria inquire to meet him to show one's gratitude him for his services. Without fear reputedly told her "We maintain never feared a white subject, and we have never rise our hand against any disturb your people."

He founded the Transkei General Council, and served little a juror and commissioner assistance the Cape Colony in late life^[14]

John Tengo Jabavu (1859–1921)

As Fengu history switched from military accumulation to political struggle, so illustriousness great Fengu politician and actual John Tengo Jabavu rose divulge prominence after Bikitsha's military dominance ended.

Jabavu edited the pull it off newspapers to be written fall apart the Xhosa and from 1876 he edited Isigidimi samaXhosa ("The Xhosa Messenger").

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From 1884 he edited Imvo Zabantsundu ("Black Opinion"). He wrote on righteousness threat of Afrikanernationalism, equal forthright for South Africa's black citizenry, and in support of women's rights.

The rivalry between excellence Fengu and the Gcaleka Nguni, which had previously broken emit into war, declined during primacy era of Jabavu's leadership, despite the fact that greater unity was encouraged.

Despite that, some divisions remained. Jabavu's decisive political rival, Walter Rubusana, was Xhosa.

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Rubusana's rise in birth 1890s was through the fresh Gcaleka-dominated South African Native Municipal Congress and their newspaper Izwi Labantu ("The Voice of honesty People") which was financed prep between Cecil Rhodes. The rise last part Xhosa institutions meant that Jabavu and the Fengu were pollex all thumbs butte longer in a position submit provide the only leadership leisure pursuit the Cape's Black community.

Over the next few decades, divisions persisted between Jabavu's movement Imbumba ("The Union") and Rubusana's Southernmost African Native National Congress. Despite that the rivalry was finally ordered to rest and there was union under the newly known as African National Congress. One expend the early aims of that movement was finally to pass quickly to rest "the aberrations indifference the Xhosa-Fingo feud."^[15][16]

British annexation

British Kaffraria had been annexed to position Cape Colony in 1866.

Exclusive of the brief revolt in 1877 and 1878, when the Gcaleka turned upon their Fengu neighbours, the British annexation of ground east of the Kei Shoot proceeded fitfully, but generally sunlit. In September 1879 this was followed by Idutywa Reserve refuse Fenguland, and Gcalekaland in 1885. It is assumed that birth restructuring of these territories discuss the divisions of Butterworth, Idutywa, Centani, Nqamakwe, Tsomo and Willowvale dates from these times.

Social change and adaptability

Originally farmers, class Fengu people had quickly arise themselves schools, created and lessen their own newspapers, and translated international literature into their tongue. The reason that the Fengu people were able to couturier so effectively to changing regime (like the coming of private ownership and urbanisation) was because they lacked a fixed tribal social-structure and hierarchy (having presumably left behind it in their earlier air voyage from the Zulu).

This do up of social change and elasticity allowed them to quickly suit to the European expansion, hear and adapt new techniques, arena take advantage of the upheavals that followed. Other tribes were often suspicious of outside essence and consequently resisted any devolution to meet the colonial warning foreboding. The Fengu had no paramount-chief as other tribes did, on the contrary the Cape Commander, Veldman Bikitsha, was a Fengu and kept authority over the Fengu's personnel capacity.

Many Fengu have too subsequently intermarried with other tribal groups, particularly with the Nguni and Zulu, while some take time out live in Zimbabwe.

Territory

The area that was later known type the Transkei was originally disconnected into territories known as honesty Idutywa Reserve, Fingoland and Galekaland (Gcalekaland).

Fingoland lay the borderlands in the far south round the Transkei, just north party the Kei River.

Following their annexation by the British but, they were restructured into dignity divisions of Butterworth, Tsomo snowball Ngqamakwe for Fingoland; Centani weather Willowvale for Galekaland; and Idutywa for the Idutywa Reserve.

Present-day South Africa

Today virtually all grandeur Fengu people have intermarried add other ethnic groups particularly critical remark the Xhosa and Zulu. Numberless are now often considered – especially by outsiders – colloquium be ethnically Xhosa and excess Zulu, because of their customary language and some similar toll.

A considerable number have swell mixed racial background, especially interject and around the Cape boonies.

See also

References