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| : ''For the ] see ].'' | : ''For the ] see ].'' | ||
| '''Nguni''' |
'''Nguni''' commonly refers both to a group of clans and nations living in south-east Africa, and to a group of ] languages spoken in southern Africa including ], ], ], and ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Nguni is an artificial term, used by white linguists and ethnologists since the 1930s. A further, similarly artificial partitioning differentiates between the northern Nguni, consisting of ] and ] and the southern Nguni, among which are the ], ], ], ] and the Mpondomise. | ||
| It is one of the ] - a common characteristic of which is ''-ntu'' meaning ''a man''. | |||
| ⚫ | ===Social organization=== | ||
| ⚫ | Nguni is an artificial term, |
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| Within the Nguni nations, the clan - based on male ancestry - formed the highest social unit. Each clan was led by a chieftain. Influential men tried to achieve independence by creating their own clan. The power of a chieftain often depended on how well he could hold his clan together. From about ], the rise of the ] clan of the Nguni and the consequent ] that accompanied the expansion of the Zulus under ], helped to drive a process of alliance between and consolidation among many of the smaller clans. For example, the kingdom of ] was formed in the early nineteenth century by different Nguni groups allying with the Dlamini clan against the threat of external attack. Today the kingdom encompasses many dfferent clans who speak an Nguni language called ] and are loyal to the king of Swaziland, who is also the head of the Dlamini clan. | |||
| The Nguni lived during its zenith in the southeast region of ], between the internal plateau and the ]. Their territory covered the area of the today's ] up to ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Social organization== | ||
| The clan was based on male ancestry, formed the highest unit of the Nguni. Each clan was led by a chieftain. Influential men tried to achieve independence by creating their own clan. The power of a chieftain depended often on how well they could hold their clan together. | |||
| ===Northern Nguni=== | |||
| Up to 1800, the southern Nguni culturally hardly differed from the northern Nguni. Both sub-groups consisted of a multiplicity of quite small Chiefdoms. Only after this time were the most important differences of the socio political structure of the northern Nguni apparent. In the early 1800s the first powerful Chiefdoms appeared; in particular the ]. The Zulu attained influence by military conquests. Some clans were incorporated into the Kingdom of Zulu. As at that time generally usual, each family did not provide for itself. Rather only some people were responsible for the food production of other people. From this resulted a surplus of workers, which permitted the Zulu to develop an army. | |||
| ===Southern Nguni=== | |||
| The southern Nguni living between the Ciskei and the Transkei remained a society of individuals. The ] formed the probably most well-known Tribe of the southern Nguni. As is the case for the Zulu the Xhosa had clans, or Kingdoms, whereby the respective king had large power, who had the right to mobilize the entire clan for a war. He was also a highest judge for all disputes. This powerful status of the king permitted a substantially larger strength and stability than with most Chiefdoms. Despite this strength the political structure was to never compare with the state apparatus of the Zulu. A specific characteristic of the Xhosa was the intensive regional trade. They exchanged in particular cattle and tobacco with the Thembu, skins of the Pondoland as well as iron and copper of the Tswana. By the arrival of the white man further commercial possibilities opened themselves for the Xhosa. | |||
Revision as of 15:48, 10 December 2005
- For the cattle breed see Nguni cattle.
Nguni commonly refers both to a group of clans and nations living in south-east Africa, and to a group of Bantu languages spoken in southern Africa including Zulu, Xhosa, Swati, and Ndebele.
Nguni is an artificial term, used by white linguists and ethnologists since the 1930s. A further, similarly artificial partitioning differentiates between the northern Nguni, consisting of Zulu and Swazi and the southern Nguni, among which are the Xhosa, Thembu, Mfengu, Mpondo and the Mpondomise.
Social organization
Within the Nguni nations, the clan - based on male ancestry - formed the highest social unit. Each clan was led by a chieftain. Influential men tried to achieve independence by creating their own clan. The power of a chieftain often depended on how well he could hold his clan together. From about 1800, the rise of the Zulu clan of the Nguni and the consequent mfecane that accompanied the expansion of the Zulus under Shaka, helped to drive a process of alliance between and consolidation among many of the smaller clans. For example, the kingdom of Swaziland was formed in the early nineteenth century by different Nguni groups allying with the Dlamini clan against the threat of external attack. Today the kingdom encompasses many dfferent clans who speak an Nguni language called Swati and are loyal to the king of Swaziland, who is also the head of the Dlamini clan.