IZITHAKAZELO OF NGUNI CLANS

Below are some izithakazelo (Kinship group praises)  for some nguni or ngoni clans collected from the web. As you may notice some are in Zulu, Xhosa and other nguni languages. You can use http://www.isizulu.net to get the meaning of the words. This site has an online zulu dictionary that you may also use to translate the ngoni songs found on this site. Remember that isiZulu, isiNgoni, isiXhosa, siSwati and isindebele are all nguni languages and are therefore mutually intelligible.

Note: Isithakazelo (plural Izithakazelo)are poems praising important people e.g. ancestors within a Nguni clan. They are the story of a clan. The shortened version is used as a fond greeting of a clan member.

Zithakazelo zakwaMsimang (now known as Simango in Malawi according to GT Nurse)

Thabizolo

Nonkosi

Mhlehlela

Nhlokozabafo

Sdindi Kasiphuki

Sihlula amadoda

Mphand`umnkenkenke

Mlotshwa...

Zithakazelo zakwa Khumalo

Mntungwa!

Mbulaz'omnyama

Abathi bedla, umuntu bebe bemyenga ngendaba.

Abadl'izimf'ezimbili Ikhambi laphuma lilinye.

Lobengula kaMzilikazi, Mzilikazi kaMashobana

Shobana noGasa kaZikode, Zikode kaMkhatshwa.

Mabaso owabas'entabeni, Kwadliwa ilanga lishona

Bantungw'abancwaba!

Zindlovu ezibantu, Zindlovu ezimacocombela.

Nina bakwaMawela, Owawel'iZambezi ngezikhali.

Nina bakaNkomo zavul'inqaba, Zavul'inqaba ngezimpondo kwelaseNgome.

Nina enal'ukudl'umlenze KwaBulawayo!

Mantungw'amahle! Bantwana benkosi, Nina bakwaNtokela!

Ndabezitha!

Maqhaw'amakhulu

Izithakazelo zakwa-Dlamini (Nkosi)

Nkosi

Dlamini Hlubi

Ludonga LaMavuso

Abay`embo bebuyelela

Sidwaba sikaLuthuli

Wena esingangcwaba sibuye noMlandakazi

Abawela lubombo ngekuhlehletela

Nina baSobhuza uSomhlolo

Umsazi kaSobhuza

Mlangeni

Nina bakwakusa neLanga

Nina bakwaWawawa

Lokothwana

Sibalukhulu

Nina beNgwane

Nina besicoco sangenhlana

Nina beKunene

ezakwa Khambule

Mncube!

Mzilankatha!

Nina bakwaNkomo zilal'uwaca

Ezamadojeyana zilal'amankengana

Mlotshwa!

Malandel'ilanga

Mpangazitha!

Magosolo!

Nina basebuhlen'obungangcakazi

Abadl'umbilini wenkomo kungafanele

Kwakufanel'udliwe ngabalandakazi

Nina bakaDambuza Mthabathe

Nina basemaNcubeni

Enabalekel'uShaka

Naziphons'emfuleni

Kwakhuz'abantu banifihla

Naphenduk'abakwaKhambule

Nafik'eSwazini

Naphenduk'uNkambule

Nina baseSilutshana

Nin'enakhelana noMbunda

Nina bakaMaweni

'Thina bakwa Mhlongo sithi'

Makhedama!

Soyengwase!

Nina bakaBhebhe kaMthendeka

Nina bakaSoqubele onjengegundane

Nina baseSiweni

KwaMpuku yakwaMselemusi

KwaNogwence webaya

Zingwazi zempi yakwaNdunu

Njoman'eyaduk'iminyakanyaka

Yatholakal'onyakeni wesine

Yabuye yatholakala ngowesikhombisa

Langeni

Owavel'elangeni.

Ngaphandle ke uma ngingatshelwanga kahle ekhaya.

Izithakazelo zakwa-Ndlovu.

Gatsheni!

Boya benyathi!

Buyasongwa buyasombuluka.

Mpongo kaZingelwayo!

Nina bakwandlovu zidl' ekhaya,

Ngokweswel' abelusi.

Nina bakwakhumbula amagwala.

Nina bakwademazane ntombazana

Nina bakwasihlangu sihle.

Mthiyane!

Ngokuthiy'amadod'emazibukweni.

Nina bakwaMdubusi!

Izithakazelo Zakwa-gumede

Mnguni! Qwabe!

Mnguni kaYeyeye

osidlabehlezi

BakaKhondlo kaPhakathwayo

Abathi bedla, babeyenga umuntu ngendaba

Abathi "dluya kubeyethwe."

Kanti bahlinza imbuzi.

Bathi umlobokazi ubeyethe kayikhuni

Sidika lolodaba!

Phakathwayo!

Wena kaMalandela

Ngokulandel' izinkomo zamadoda,

Amazala-nkosi lana!

Mpangazitha!

Izithakazelo zakwaMabaso

Mntungwa,

Ndabezitha,

Mbulazi ,

wen' odl' umunt' umyenga ngendaba,

wen' omanz' akhuphuk' intaba

Zithakazelo zakwaNgwenya

Ngwenya(South African version)

Mntimande,

Bambolunye,

zingaba mbili,

zifuze konina,

ekhabonina,

mabuya,

bengasabuyi

baye babuya

emangwaneni ,

nungunde,

wakhothe,

bayosala beziloyanisa

Zithakazelo zakwaZulu

Zulu kaMalandela;

Zulu omnyama ondlela zimhlophe.

Nina baka Phunga no Mageba.

Ndaba; nina bakaMjokwane kaNdaba.

Nina benkayishana kaMenzi eyaphunga umlaza ngameva.

Mnguni, Gumede.

Ndabezitha

Izithakazelo zakwa zungu:

Gwabini,

manzini,

geda,

nyama kayishe eshaya ngamaphephezeli

ncwane,

hamashe,

geda,

wena owaphuma ngenoni emgodini,

wena owakithi le emaheyeni,sengwayo

I have just noted that some people have been trying to search for the meaning of the word ndabezitha used above and in some Zulu films such as Shaka Zulu below.

Ndabezitha is the one of the praise and respect words used when the Zulus and other Ngunis want to acknowledge loyalty to a Nguni royalty. Just as in English one would say, 'your majesty or his royal majesty or your royal majesty' to their king, in Zulu and other nguni words you use the praise word ndabezitha. The word is a contraction of indaba yezitha literally meaning 'matter of the enemies'