Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Bakalanga-Banyai:history,culture and language

The Bakalanga-Banyai

Kalanga ethnic groups found in Botswana and zimbabwe
-Banyai (all bakalanga are related to Banyai)
-Balilima
-Baperi
-Balozvi
-Batalaunda
-Badeti
-Bananzva
-Bakhurutshe
Related ethnic groups,Bavenda and Bapedi

The people who still up to this day identify themselves as Bakalanga are found in Botswana and Zimbabwe. in Zimbabwe one can confidently acknoledge that the kalanga speakers number close to 1 million whereas in Botswana With the little data we have, the Kalangas are considered the largest of the so-called minority groups in Botswana. No attempt to count population by ethnic origin has been made since 1946, The 1946 census indicated that there were 22,777 Kalangas in the Bamangwato (Central) District (Mpho, 1987 and this excluded those in the north thus they are the majority in the central district,the numerically biggest district in Botswana.



sample kalanga phrases

good morning- Dumilani
how are you?- Ma muka tjini?
i am fine thanks- Ta muka to ti bathu
what is your name-zina lilo ndi ani?/zina labo ndi ani/zina lenyu ndi ani/ndi ingwi ani
i do not know tjikalanga well...a ndi to ziba tjikalanga zwibuyanana/zwakanaka
i come from...- ndo dwa ku...Ndi nthu we...
it was nice meeting you..ndo shatha ku shangana na 'ngwi/ndo shatha ku ku ziba
Where is the nearest mall..mmolo u pejo u ntha ipi?
i do not like that...a ndi to da/a ndi to zwi da izwezwo
those are all my things.... izwezwe(o) zwithu zwangu zose

It was around 900 ad that the people from where the sun sets migrated from the river of Zamba,or zambezi in east Africa,the ba kalanga. When arriving they had already split with the vhashona. The kalanga group migrated further South to the Limpopo Basin where they settled. It was during this stay that the mapungubwe kingdom took place. The kingdom collapsed and the Bakalanga had their first split. One group remained in the limpopo basin and it is this group that later got in contact with the Sotho group and the venda language emerged. Those kalangas who were in close contact were absorbed by the sotho people and adopted the sotho language and culture . Those who migrated to North eastern Botswana and western Zimbabwe went on to build khami and the Lozvi(Rozvi) empire. it is hereafter that another split took place, another nyai group split and went to Venda, They joined their venda speaking cousins adopted their new language and culture. This is the time of the mfecane,it found the once powerful Nyai Army weak and vulnerable due to this migrations. The Rozvi army which had defeated the portuguese ceased to exist...Mzilikazi took over...it was the beginning of the dying of the kalanga language and culture. that is,many bakalanga were now absorbed and forced to speak ndebele and practice the ndebele culture. This is where the Moyo names in ndebele identities were seen as an example. Moyo surname and totem points to the kalanga lozvi(Badeti)origin.

Dr Ndatjibona Mambona

47 comments:

  1. Very Insightful, nda boka Nsugwasha

    Ndili

    Kadzaga

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  2. I,m looking for links to the Kalanga/Banyai/Birwa people. I'm a Mogano(Muganu) who speak Sepedi. When we greet we use Mokgalaka (Mukalanga) or Mmirwa (from Birwa) or Monyai (Munyai). acording to our praise song we originate from the Taueatswala glan which originate from the Molefe glan. Our ancesters later in the 1500 came to settle in the area east of Polokwane. We do not know how they split from the other gruops to settle so far south. Anu Munyai, Mukalanga or Mmirwa can contact me kgapa@worldonline.co.za.

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    1. Ola I'm also mokgalaka mmirwa,we are one thing men where are you situated

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  3. Great article,can I have an indepth on Tjibhona when he trekked to Botswana.

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  5. Hello my name is Jabulani John Moyo and I live in South Africa, according to my late Grandparents and late Farther, my two sisters and I are from the Kalanga clan, we once recorded our grandmother doing the Kalanga praise on a cellphone which was later stolen, we are looking for that exact praise but we cannot seem to find it anywhere on the Internet, please if anyone can help us we will appreciate it, this is a rough example of what she was saying during the praise (aku duba njele bampane hi ta shidiyanyaka, batoposhi shpotele....) she said it meant that (we are the clan of the monkey, we are the rain makers) please note that the spelling on yhe praise is not accurate it is just what we heard and interpreted into words please assist us. Any help would be glady appreciated on my personal email address jabulanijohn@gmail.com.

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  6. Hello my name is Jabulani John Moyo and I live in South Africa, according to my late Grandparents and late Farther, my two sisters and I are from the Kalanga clan, we once recorded our grandmother doing the Kalanga praise on a cellphone which was later stolen, we are looking for that exact praise but we cannot seem to find it anywhere on the Internet, please if anyone can help us we will appreciate it, this is a rough example of what she was saying during the praise (aku duba njele bampane hi ta shidiyanyaka, batoposhi shpotele....) she said it meant that (we are the clan of the monkey, we are the rain makers) please note that the spelling on yhe praise is not accurate it is just what we heard and interpreted into words please assist us. Any help would be glady appreciated on my personal email address jabulanijohn@gmail.com.

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  7. Greatest gift �� always the same thing but lost is good to welcome you back Bakalanga

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  8. Great stuff, My surname is Munyai...My clan praise states that I am part of Bakalanga. I speak Tshivenda. Ndo livhuwa nga maanda atikile (Thank you very much for this article)

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  9. Good day

    I'm also Munyai Mukalanga waha nyamutsa nga davhi wasafara davhi uyawa(monkey)

    I'm currently living at Venda.my grand mother told me we come from Zimbabwe

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    1. My email khulisomakhokha@gmail.com

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    2. Hi there. Do you have the whole of that clan praise. Ndi khou tshi toda hetshi tshitupo, please. Ndi munyai mukalanga na nne-vho.

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  10. Nne ndi pfi khuliso makhokha mutupo wanga ndi Munyai Mukalanga wahanyamutsa ngadavhe wasafarelela davhi uyawa,I did a resech abt where we come from,they says vhanyai vhakalanga thery where staying Congo in village called Dongolo,they moved to stay zimbZimb then departed Zimbabwe to limpoLi province where you find us Venda.my email khulisomakhokha@gmail.com

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  11. hi, I am Mosibudi Nkaka but our original surname is Mokgalaka. they say we came from a family were there prophets and traditional healers in Limpopo but all the elders now are gone and i have no one to ask those question. you can contact me on mosibudi.ngaka@gmail.com

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  12. Hi my name is Mpho Mokgalaka and I AN FASCINATED to discover all this rich history about my people. My parents are from Bush Buck Ridge and we speak Sepulana but we identify as Pedi. Anyone interested in connecting can email me at Mokgalakateddy@gmail.com

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  13. Thanks for the great information. It is really important to know our heritage and history as the young people of bakgalaka/babirwa /banyai tribe.

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  14. Guys I've realise exactly that we originate from Zimbabwe,so guys less help our brothers not to be treated badly

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  15. I am Munyai too. What a wow history

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  18. Ahee, Munyai Mukalanga
    Wa Ha Nyamutsangadavhi wa lombe

    Wa sa farelela davhi u a wa
    Wa vhutambetambe o tambaho vhalembetu
    A tamba na thukha la matavhi
    Wa Ha Nyavhulungu vhutete
    Vhu lunzhedwa nga a re na nzhele
    A s na nzhele u a fhaladza

    Ndi munyai wa dekwende la galangal
    Li sa gumi – li no guma nga gungwa
    Ndi munyayi wa tshinoya a tshi vhuyi

    Tshi no vhuya munyai u vhuya o tamiwa matongo
    Mutsinda a ya o ya.

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    1. Wow this clan praise is like what my mother told me and she is a princess of ha makuya

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    2. Lililililililili.. Ariye riye😋💕💜Munyai mukalanga waha nyamutsangadavhi lombe

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    3. Tendai oita tshone tshone tshirendo tsha vhanyaikalanga.
      But this history is very summarized.
      There is village for only vhanyai people in Zambia and they speak venda too. Apparently before Zimbabwe they called Zimbabwe it used to be called nyailand cause we're the first decendate to stay there. Shiba and ndebele people ndi vhadulu vha vhanyai.
      You can not separate vhanyai and Ndau people.
      In Zimbabwe,botswana and Malawi their village for ndau and nyai people as we speak

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    4. Ndi livhuewa zwone nga tshirendo itshi tsha mutupo WashU, vhanyai vhakalanga. Ndende!

      Very grateful for this clan praise of Vhanyai!

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  19. Aa ndi nne Elelwani Ngwalungwalu Ndi Munyai. From Vuwani venda we all grew up knowing we come from zimbabwe because that's what my father know but last year we discover that we are actually related to the people from Zambia and that our surname origins in Zambia. Now tracing our roots we found out that we are from royal clan in Zambia and we share same qualities only we differ in language because they speak nyanja. It is important to do research and ask questions my Zambian family said that our forefathers moved from Zambia to Zimbabwe that's why we say we are from Zimbabwe. So confusing but I'm still digging and looking for answers before my elders dies.

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  20. Ndi Munyai mukalanga mutsangadavhi wa sa farelela davhi uyawa. Ndi tsha vhulungu nzhele Asina nzhele u a fhaladza. Ndi waha malazwivhisi atshi shavha zwifhisaho ngau shavha u tetemela. (one part here is missing I actually forgot it.) phoko ndavha ndo enda.

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    1. Ahee, Munyai Mukalanga
      Wa Ha Nyamutsangadavhi wa lombe

      Wa sa farelela davhi u a wa
      Wa vhutambetambe o tambaho vhalembetu
      A tamba na thukha la matavhi
      Wa Ha Nyavhulungu vhutete
      Vhu lunzhedwa nga a re na nzhele
      A s na nzhele u a fhaladza

      Ndi munyai wa dekwende la galangal
      Li sa gumi – li no guma nga gungwa
      Ndi munyayi wa tshinoya a tshi vhuyi

      Tshi no vhuya munyai u vhuya o tamiwa matongo
      Mutsinda a ya o ya.

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  21. Yah we came from far vhanyai vhakalanga

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  22. Enter your comment...Tshikuku 》》》 "Munyai"

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  23. Ndi munyai mukalanga.Wa ha nyamutsangadavhi wa sa fara davhi u a wa. Nde nembe nda shaka kuwa. Wa ha tshigwatshivhikuli tshi no vhukula tshi nwavhoni. Wa ha nyavhulungu vhutete vhu no lunzhedzwa nga a na nzhele a si na nzhele u ya fhaladza. Khasa wo ya khasa wo vhuya.

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  24. Hi I'm Beauty Mokgalaka like to know bakgalaka clans in sepedi I'm from limpopo Gankoana

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  25. am also munyai mukalanga mulozwi ,from Venda


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  26. I think We Bakgalaka should organised a meeting no matter qny ethnic group. This is where Yiu will find that We are a big tribe ever in Africa. This is.where the Rebirth of Bukalanga comes in. We may even distinguish Ourselvea from other tribes. Look now We are all over this Africa. Let's come together and reformed Our Tribe, before it's too late for Our Great Grand Children. They must know where We come from, and Our Identity

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  27. It's good to know Our Origin, and will need to travel, to trace Our Culture

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  28. Our people are confused about their origin. Others dont want to be related to other people because of the language they speak. Only to find out they are related.

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  29. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266604704_King_Lists_and_Genealogies_in_the_Hebrew_Bible_and_in_Southern_Africa

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  30. Mukoma Mutshena Tshingowe is there anyone who know the origin of this clan.

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  31. Greetings the great Mambos Valozwi

    I only need to know the banyai geology
    Mokgalaka geology and balobedu geology
    And Moloi geology
    As far i am Valoyi
    I want to know how do we connect inthe ancesters existence of the great
    Gwambe
    Gulukhulu
    Nchangamerhi...thats Valoyi system.
    Mokgalaka .munyai amd molobedu.moloi please tell us yours

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  32. Interms of sharing contents of history via whatsapp.
    0797851085 my degits.

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  33. I guess we are all one clan. Banyai bakalanga varhozwi etc

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  34. Let's put the record straight.

    People of Kalanga origin were assimilated into Ndebele society by mutual agreement between King Mambo and King Mzilikazi. King Mzilikazi handed over 10 head of red cattle and the other 10 head of black cattle for traditional purposes so as to meet spiritually as well. Thus was in addition to other traditional rites I may not be privy to given their confidential nature.
    To say Kalanga people were forced into Ndebele nation is a misnomer which hinges on ignorance.
    Off course there were Kalangas incorporated into Ndebele regiments voluntarily or otherwise.
    I fear history is now being re-witten to suit unbeknown objectives.

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  35. I wish to illustrate the good will & mutual relations existing between the Ndebele and Kalanga tribes. This runs counter to the poisoned atmosphere of negativity meted against the Ndebele.

    During the much revered Ndebele ceremony of Inxwala or uMgido woMhlanga (Reed Dance) young girls would voluntarily parade or move in a row in front of the King. Thus the Ndebele King would make a selection of his
    choice girl to be his future Queen. Many a time the King selected a beautiful girl who later turned out to be a Kalanga or from King Mambo's country. The chiefs would then prevail on the King to turn down the selected Kalanga girl: *Khafula Khumalo yinzalo kaMambo le*.

    We are told many a time the King would overrule the Ndebele chiefs and take the girl in. It is contended this might have led to a census of the Ndebele tribe commonly referred to as Inketa beTshabi later. The King argued the local people were so many compared to the Zansi and Enhla stock. Therefore consideration needed to be taken of that fact.

    Further on when King Lobengula left the country in December 1893, it is understood he took with him one of his favourite Queens: MaMlalazi who was a Kalanga woman ahead of Nguni queens at his disposal. In short he disappeared with his favourite Kalanga Queen and left leading Nguni Queens like Lozikeyi Dlodlo dumfunded!

    Now to say the Ndebele were so uncouth to their Kalanga neighbour given the cordial atmosphere prevailing at the time is mind boggling.

    May I request that efforts at rewriting history should not be exerted for our common good.

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  36. From the research that I got to date, our great forefathers came from the great lakes of the Congo. They then moved South towards Zambia. From there, they moved to Zimbabwe and became part of the Mapungubwe kingdom, from which they dispersed to South Africa and Botswana. The Kalanga people seemed to have lived peacefully with the Sotho clan of Lozi people and intermarried with them. So, as a Munyai, whose mother is Sotho, I double with my DNA of the Kalanga and the Basotho people once again!

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