A Mzimba Ingoma Song Lamenting the Removal of Inkosi Chimtunga Jele in 1915

In 1915 when a British official tried to raise men to serve in the much-feared Carrier Corps in the East African campaign of World War I, the Ngoni Paramount Chief Chimtunga forbade it. For this, he was removed from office and banished to the Southern Province, and DANO was applied to Ngoni country for the first time, reducing the chiefs to little more than assistants to the District Commissioner for mobilizing labour and collecting taxes. Before this event unlike other chiefs the Ngoni was at par with the District Commissioner based on the agreement that resulted in the annexation of Ngoniland into the British Protectorate in 1904. In the 1970s people still recalled this shattering event in an ingoma song:


Inkosi Chimtunga Jere
Chief Chimtunga Jere

Bambeke egcekeni
Has been publicly humiliated!

Inkosi yelizwe!
The chief of the land!

Sibabaze hee!!
We make it known!!

Sibabaze hee!!
We make it known!!

Elizwe liyoneke .
The land has been made rotten.

Sibabaze hee!!
We make it known!!

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The Zwangendaba Succession

C. J. W. Fleming

IN order to appreciate all the niceties of the Zwangendaba succession it is necessary to go back and look at the ancestry of this legendary potentate. He was the son of Hlachwayo, an induna of the powerful Ndwandwe chief, Zwide Ncumayo, who occupied the country to the north of the Black Mfolozi River in Northern Zululand. There is here, as there often is in other places, some confusion over tribal names.' Basically all the peoples in the coastal belt from Delagoa Bay to the Great Fish River were of Nguni stock but there were many subdivisions among them and many tribal names. Very often these names stemmed from the designation of the locality from which the people hailed. This appears to have been the case with the Angoni for they are often called Swazi, apparently because they came from a district called Uswazi in their original homeland near St. Lucia Bay.2 Because of this they are often confused with the Swazi of present day Swaziland, but this is wrong for it seems that there is no direct connection between the two groups except that they were both of Nguni origin. They probably derive their other name of Angoni from the wider tribal name of Nguni. The Angoni's closest associates in Zululand, where they hailed from, were the Ndandwe, their overlords, and the Kumalos, later to be known as the Amandebele, who were also at one time the subjects of Zwide Ncumayo. Their southern neighbours were the Mtetwa and the Zulus, who, to start with, were an insignificant group living alongside the Mtetwa. However this was all changed in the opening decades of the nineteenth century when Shaka Zulu, a scion of the house of Senzangakona Zulu, first of all seized the family chieftainship, then that of Dingiswayo of the Mtetwa, his erstwhile benefactor, and then proceeded to subdue all the neighbouring tribes in Zululand. All the conquered people afterwards came to be known as Zulu. Very early on Shaka turned his attention to Zwide Ncumayo and a protracted struggle followed. Zwangendaba like his father was one of Zwide's indunas and was reckoned to be one of his most successful generals in the fights with Shaka. In 1819 however Zwide's armies were finally defeated at the battle of the Mhlatuze River and the broken remnants and many women and children fled northwards and eventually collected, together with many other refugees from Shaka's reign of terror, in the country to the south of Delagoa Bay. Among them were Sochangane, an Ncumayo who subsequently usurped the Zwide chieftainship, and Zwangendaba and many of their followers.

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NC'WALA CEREMONY IN CHIPATA ZAMBIA

Nc'wala Ceremony, Zambia is one of the most colorful festivals celebrated in Zambia. Nc'wala Ceremony, Zambia is mostly celebrated by the Ngoni tribe. The Ngoni people reside in the eastern edge of Zambia which is close to Chipata. The Ngoni people who are the inhabitants of Zambia did not stay there from before. Initially they stayed in South Africa. When they shifted from there, they won many victories over other tribes. The Nc'wala Ceremony, Zambia is held to celebrate the glorious deeds of the tribe. The ceremony starts with the tasting of the first fruit of the year by the chief of the Ngoni tribe.

This is followed by much singing and dancing. There are speeches that are given by the members of the community. There is also a grand feast laid out for the entire community.


Nc'wala Ceremony, Zambia is celebrated at the end of February every year. It is a big traditional party. The dancers dance to the rhythmic beats of drums. They engage in repetitive movements with the beat of the drums. It creates a unique atmosphere of music and motion. The people of the tribe are dressed in leopard skins and they carry accessories like clubs, shields and feathers.

A bull is killed and the chief of the community drinks the blood of the animal and the celebrations start. The members of the Ngoni tribe then rush at the dead animal and tear at the carcass and cut out chunks of the meat.

Nc'wala Ceremony, Zambia is designed to bring the members of the community close to ach other. It strengthens the bonds among the members of the community.

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Some Old Newspaper Cuttings on the Ngoni of Malawi and Zambia

Below are some newspaper cuttings on the Ngoni of Malawi and Zambia. They specifically mention the Mpezeni Ngoni of Zambia and Maseko Ngoni. They date from the 1890s. I obtained them from the Society of Malawi. Copyright Society of Malawi. All rights reserved.

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

From Drop Box

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Appointment of Mswati Gomani as Inkosi yamakosi Gomani V

This was the Appointment of Mswati Gomani, son of Late Inkosi yaMakosi Gomani IV as Inkosi yamakosi Gomani V. The ceremony took place during the burial ceremony of Inkosi yamakosi Gomani IV at Lizulu, Ntcheu, Malawi. In accordance with Maseko Ngoni customs Mswati is standing on the fresh grave of his father. This symbolises the transfer of power from the dead Inkosi to the new Inkosi. What a colourful ceremony on this tragic day when the Ngoni buried their Ngwenyama yelizwe. May the Good Lord be with our new chief (Umkulumqango makabe naye). Bayethe Nkosi!!

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Ngoni praises for M'mbelwa (Rangeley papers from Society of Malawi)

Below are Ngoni language praises for Inkosi yaMakhosi M'mbelwa of Mzimba district in Malawi. As any student of isiZulu would quickly notice, there are here and there some words which appear to be of Tumbuka language origin interspersed in a few sentences. However the very existence of Ngoni language praises, almost a hundred years after the Ngoni left Zululand, is very commendable and incredible indeed. Thanks to the Society of Malawi for preserving this piece of history as collected by Late WHJ Rangeley,a former colonial Administrator in Nyasaland (present day Malawi).

Bayede Nkosi -Ngu Mbelwa ka Zwangendaba- Uzwangendaba ka Hlachwayo- uHlachwayo ka Magangata- uMagangata ka Magalela- Hamba sihambe siye eswazini - Lapha kwafa abakhulupheleyo - Wake wabona indaba ibebezelwa nomntwana waswebeleni.- Ingane abadala zibakohliwe - Wafika wanyangaya wafulelwa no uchani wezindhlela Bathi umungoni wakithi woima kuhle ulungisa abangoni bamandulo - Umuchiza owumunyama wadhla inkomo zikangani - Wabeke iso njengo nkomo - Hau Hau Zinduna - Makosanyane at gijimani siyokucala zindaba - kepha yena agijima apange Hawini -Uchani wontenteya ungachi - uyakucha ku Injenjeni - Inkosi iphuma kwao Ekwendeni - Ukwenda kumunyuma - Ulugcagca lungasuti kusuti umoya - Ukwenda kupumi Elangeni - Ilanga lika ngcingca - Inkosi ingumachwila - Yachwila zinkomo zakuwo - Kadi zimuka na mabuto aseMtenguleni - Umuzi wakwao kwa Ntuto - Ongu ka Soseya wakwa Ndwadwa - BAYETE NKOSI (copyright Society of Malawi. All rights reserved)

Compare the above praise recorded probably in the 1940s with the video clip below of a modern day praises to Inkosi yamakosi M'mbelwa in 2008. Apologies for the low volume which makes it difficult to follow the praises. This was due to the microphone not being near enough.

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Ngoni Pictures - Some Old Ngoni Photos from Society of Malawi

Below are some photos that I have sourced from the Society of Malawi on the Ngoni people during the early period of the British occupation of Malawi. The captioning is from the Society and has largely been kept intact except in a few cases where I have added a few words for clarification. Copyright Society of Malawi, all rights reserved.

Chikuse, the Angoni King of the Maseko Ngoni in Central Nyasaland(present day Malawi). Mentioned in Montague Keith's 'Far Interior'.

From Drop Box

Angoni Warriors at King George V's Coronation celebrations, Zomba, Nyasaland (present day Malawi) 1911.' From the Brown Estate.

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

Angoni man and child. Copied form a postcard by A.J. Storey

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

Postcard: 'Angoni Natives.' Reverse reads: 'Issued by African Lakes Corporation, British Central Africa and 45 Renfield Street, Glasgow. Inland 1/2d, Foreign 1d.' Apparently, if this was sent to a foreign address, there could not be any text written on the back, except the address.

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

C. 1896. Msukasuka, an Angoni Chief, with some of his wives and followers. Angoniland, British Central Africa. Copyright J. Gillespie Watson, Aberdeen

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

Angoni boys Dance of Death.' Fort Johnston. W.H. Stansfield. WWI

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

Troop of Angoni Dancers who came to the Coronation festivities of King George V at Zomba, 1911. Descendents of the Zulu who raided Nyasaland 50 years ago.' This photo came from the Brown Estate and was not captioned. Frank M.I. Johston in 1983 bought Arthur H. Walker's album and this same photograph was in it, captioned as above.

From Some of the Earliest Pictures Of The Ngoni

Coronation Day, King George V, 1911. Angoni Tribesmen resting after having given a Royal Salute (Zulu Style) in the presence of H.E. the Governor, Sir William Manning, on the Gymkhana Club grounds at Zomba. From the Estate of Henry Brown.

From Drop Box

Chief Zlangea, Commander-in-Chief of the Angoni forces. Probably during the war with the British.

From Drop Box

Group of Angoni Chiefs

From Drop Box

The halt at the frontier Village of Angoni-land

From Drop Box

Chief Kafisi, Angoni Tribe

From Drop Box

Angoni women

From Drop Box

Copyright Society of Malawi, all rights reserved.

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Some Late WHJ Rangeley Correspondences on Angoni (Courtesy of society of Malawi)

Below are some letters I obtained from the Society of Malawi in Mandala House in Blantyre that should be of interest to those studying Ngoni history and language

Ntcheu.P.O.

10th December 1952.

Dear Rangeley,

Many thanks for your long and interesting letter. I have questioned an old and intelligent Ngoni named Yakobe, aged perhaps 75 or 80. I did not prompt him in any way but merely asked questions and was impressed by his ready and intelligent replies. I believe he knows the truth of the matter. If Chidiaonga settled at Domwe in 1871 that would be about the time of Yakobe's birth and he would have got his information from his parents or others who had first hand knowledge of the matter.

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Ntcheu Ngoni dancing Ngoma

The Ngoni of Ntcheu, Malawi dancing Ngoma during the installation of Inkosi yamakhosi Gomani IV at Lizulu in Ntcheu, Malawi in 2008.

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Ntcheu Ngoni women dancing Msindo

Ngoni womeni dancing dancing Msindo during the installation of Inkosi yamakhosi Gomani IV at Lizulu in Ntcheu, Malawi in 2008.

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