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New Content Writings with Mfihlakalo

New Content Writings with Mfihlakalo New Content Writings is a place where we can learn about our history, landscape and heritage.

25/01/2025

The Size of King Dingane’s Personal Hut

Usually referred to as the biggest hut ever to be built in Zulu traditional manner, King Dingane’s private hut built around 1829 along the uMgungundlovu palace, was very huge and very much open. This hut was said to have a 6meter diameter, it’s height was estimated to be about 6meters too and it had 22 pillars supporting it. The pillars themselves were covered in glass beads and can still be found on the ground if one looks hard enough.

The hut’s regularly polished floors were described as shiny as a marble. Piet Ritief who once travelled to uMgungundlovu on his final journey with his party, wrote:

“The King occupies a beautiful habitation. The form is sphearical, and it’s diameter is 20 feet. It is supported on the interior by 22 pillars, which are entirely covered by beads. The floor is perfectly smooth and shines like a mirror”

George Champion who also visited uMgungundlovu in 1836 and in 1837 wrote:

“The king’s house stands in the centre, well constructed and very large, perhaps 20ft. The house has 22 poles which have lately been covered by beads of different colours”.

uMgungundlovu royal palace was burnt down at the end of King Dingane’s reign, only to be partially rebuilt recently. The King’s private hut was rebuilt on it’s original stand, so we, people of today, can feast our eyes on what history has stored on it’s long forgotten pages.

The picture below reveals the true scale of how big the king’s hut was on the inside.

12/01/2025

Our trip to Mandawe Hill

Legend has it that somewhere around the Mandawe hill, circa 1600, stood the kraal of Malandela who fathered both Zulu and Qwabe whom their descendants would later establish their own kingdoms which dominated the political landscape in the era of old Zulu order.

However, our trip was more focused on the cross itself, which stands high on the peak of Mandawe hill. The gravel road leading up towards the cross offramps from the p230 road. The gravel road has some manageable still sections but the boulders on the middle of the road will surely not allow a small car to pass.

The Mandawe Cross was built in 1968 to commemorate the work of early missionaries in Zululand. It was used as church and was later abandoned in the latter decades due to it’s small size and it’s inaccessibility. It has always been my childhood dream to reach the top of the hill and be upclose with the cross.

Today the building looks like any other abandoned building with creeper plants growing on it’s cracked walls and goat faeces all over the floors. However the hill does provide beautiful views, on the West there is iNkwaleni valley, Ndundulu hills, Phobane lake and on the East you can look as far as uNgoye Mountains.

30/12/2024

The revamped grave of Princess Nandi Mhlongo, mother to King Shaka kaSenzangakhona.

20/10/2024

ULwazi Publication, which is a publication of both Ncome and Msunduze Museums published our Zulu article : KwaBulawayo- Inhloko yemizi yeNkosi uShaka on their 2023 Edition, Volume 9.

You can read the article on the link below. It is the only Zulu article in the booklet.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/izcck/racs/index.html =1

10/04/2024

Why didn’t the Zulu army use the guns they had?

The below picture depicts the Battle of Intombe/Intombi, which was another British disaster. This battle was fought on 12 March 1879, it was fought 7 weeks after the most famous battle of the Anglo-Zulu war, the Battle of iSandlwana and also the lesser known Battle of Nyezane.

Although some Zulu warriors carried some old guns they had and actually used them in battle, the main weapons of the Zulu army in all battles they fought were their spears, fighting sticks and shields made of cow hide. It is baffling to know that the British army had state of the art weaponry, but still suffered casualties against an enermy which used ‘outdated military weapons’ as in the case of the battle of Intombi, in the sketch below. Although some may argue that the British were out numbered in all battles or the Zulus knew the landscape better, of which that may be understandable to an extent.

The main question is why did the Zulu army under King Cetshwayo under utilized the guns at their disposal? Guns had been making their way to Zululand way before the 1879 war, most notably through John Dunn who was King Cetshwayo’s friend during the war. It was John Dunn who taught King Cetshwayo’s brother, Prince Dabulamanzi and his men to shoot. Word had it that Prince Dabulamanzi was a sharp shooter after recieving the training from John Dunn. The Prince also advised his brother, King Cetshwayo to get more guns for his army. However that point was underlooked.

Besides all of that, it was considered a cowardly act by the Zulu warriors to use a guns. The warriors felt confident with their traditional weapons. Another point to note is that a lot of guns that entered Zululand and fell in the hands of the Zulu people were outdated, old and not as effective as the British Martin henry riffle. INkosi Mzimela who fought in the Nyezane Battle in January of 1879, noted that their guns were not effective during the battle. “We tried shooting at them but the British army were too far, our guns fell shot, but their guns could reach us”

25/03/2024

In all corners of the world, there has been a great shift in the minds of the masses regarding their attitude towards modern Monarchs of the world.

People are becoming bitter towards traditional rulers, questioning the idea of one person having power over millions of people. It has happened in eSwatini, it has happened in England and many parts of the world. Not only Monarchs, but also religious leaders and prophets are facing that same challenge.

When the late Zulu King H.I.M. Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu passed on to the world of his ancestors, I was very skeptical on how people would welcome the ‘new king’ (Before he was even announced). The reason why that thought came into mind is that with the late King, it was very easy for us to respect him as he was the only Zulu king we have ever known. Now with his successor on the throne, who knew what would have happened.

With all that being said, I was very intrigued to see the Zulu people accepting the now reigning King MisuZulu with honour. Although there have been some disputes, this is not the platform and it is not the point of the matter here. The point is the Zulu people, although they mostly live modern lives but are still very proud of their culture and kingdom. I am often asked why is that the case with Zulu people?

Well my response would be we are a proud people especially of our forefathers whose name we carry. We embrace being called by their names. In that same breath, we can not embrace that and the not embrace their offsprings who hold the throne! Our identity would be non-existent if we excluded our culture, tradition and our kingdom. We are not better than anyone but we just love being ourselves!

Bayede! Wena weNdlovu!

21/10/2023

They wrote about our work on Ulusho Newspaper . This newspaper can be found in all towns along R66 Zululand heritage route. Gingindlovu, Eshowe, Melmoth, uLundi and Vryheid.

08/10/2023

Last year in October we came to Cape Town to “follow” on King Cetshwayo’s footsteps by visiting the place where he was kept during his exile after the war of 1879. The King was kept at The Castle of Good Hope.

He was not the only African king who was exiled to the Cape. His great friend, King Sekhukhune of the BaPedi was also exiled to the Cape and was kept at the Castle of Good hope. INkosi Langalibalele of the Hlubi who was arrested after rebelling against British Colonial laws in 1873, was also exiled and he was kept at Robben Island, The Castle of Good Hope and later he was moved to Uitvlugt farm. The 3 kings mentioned above all have statues made in their honour in the Castle of Good Hope in Cape town which we visited last year.

Uitvlugt farm was just next to Oude Molen farm where King Cetshwayo was later moved to after leaving the Castle of Good Hope. Our aim now is to visit Oude Molen Eco Village which now stands on the site of Oude Molen farm. Hopefully we can get more understanding on the conditions King Cetshwayo lived under at Oude Molen.

I am also happy to tell you that we are now concluding our Tour Guide Classes this coming week. Hopefully by the end of the year I will be able to take any of you into all these Zulu historical sites that we always write about. Our aim is to register as professional guides with the Department of Tourism before the year ends. And since Cape Town is also hosting Cape Town Sanlam Marathon next weekend, I thought, why not test my endurance and take on the 42km race? I am a descendant of great Zulu warriors who marched for miles and won great battles, or am I not?

05/10/2023

My page has been suspended and removed from facebook. My appeal has been rejected.

Can anyone see this?

29/09/2023

“It is astonishing to know that two of the greatest empires of that time were defeated at Eshowe, one of Phakathwayo kaKhondlo Qwabe and also that of Zwide kaLanga Ndwandwe. Their lands were annexed into part of the Zulu kingdom. King Shaka built many homesteads on these former Qwabe and Ndwandwe lands. In Eshowe, he built his capital of KwaBulawayo, between uMhlathuze and UMlalazi Rivers. He also built many other homesteads including uFasimba just North of KwaBulawayo which would house the uFasimba regiments. KwaDlangenzwa homestead was built just below the UNgoye Mountains. KwaKhangela was built near Nkwalini at uMhlathuze valley and was later moved to eThekwini. Ekuqobekeni was built just next to KwaKhangela on uMhlathuze river banks. Ndulinde was built next to KwaBulawayo.

eNzondeni was built next to KwaKhangela and Ekuqobekeni in uMhlathuze valley. eSiyembeni was built in eNtumeni. KwaGibabanye was built next to KwaBulawayo but was later moved and built in the South coast next to Mzimkhulu River. uMgumanqa was built on the lower uMlalazi river towards Mthunzini. eNtonteya was built next to the famous Wombane hill which was used as a base for the Zulu army during the Nyezane battle. IsiPhezi homestead was built at IsiPhezi. eMbelebeleni was initially located at eMakhosini valley and it was later moved to Ntumeni in Eshowe.”

You can read further on our New eBook. Battle on The Hills: Eshowe in the Anglo Zulu War. The eBook only costs R100

25/09/2023

Good day everyone.

Since its heritage day🇿🇦, we would appreciate it if you greeted us with your language in the comments section. Also please tell us a brief history of your family.

Feel free to use any language. Nomatter where you are in the world🌍

19/09/2023

Battle on The Hills: Eshowe in The Anglo Zulu War

It is sad to know that this fine piece will only remain an eBook. Here the author discusses important events that took place in and around Eshowe, from back during the times of King Shaka up until the Zulu- British War of 1879 in a way that has never been done.

On its first chapter, the origin of the name Eshowe is discussed with facts and points that certainly puts the name debate to bed. The events that happened under King Shaka are also mentioned, The Battle of KwaHlokohloko and also The Battle of uMhlathuze which ended two great empires. Both these battles took place in Eshowe.

The Author brings to life the war of 1879 by discussing the battles of Nyezane, Gingindlovu and also the siege of Eshowe through the eyes of the Zulu warriors who fought the British at Eshowe. The story of Maqhamusela Ka Khanyile is also discussed in detail. Maqhamusela was the first Zulu Martyr who chose to die for Christianity than to obey King Cetshwayo.

The ebook will be available as from Monday 25 September for only R100 per copy!

Heeebe uSuthu!!!

09/09/2023

Incwadi yakwaBulawayo

Lencwadi engezansi ikhuluma ngesiGodlo seNkosi uShaka esasakhiwe Eshowe, KwaMaqhwakazi. ISilo uShaka sabusa iminyaka eyishumi nambili (12) kanti kuleyo minyaka eyisishagalolunye (9) sayihlala khona eShowe sibusela esigodlweni sakwaBulawayo ngaphambi kokuba siyohlala KwaDukuza eStanger unyaka owodwa vo. Okwathi lapho uphela lowonyaka owodwa iNkosi uShaka bayigwaza bayibulala abafowabo. Lencwadi ikhuluma ngokuthi kungani iSilo uShaka saqoka ukuba silishiye lelizwe laseShowe siyokwakha eStanger KwaDukuza.

Isigodlo sakwaBulawayo sasinezindlu (amaqhugwane) cishe ezinganiselwa ku1500. Sasikhulu ngendlela eyisimanga ngokombiko wabacwaningi phecelezi ama Archeologists. Cishe zonke izigameko eziningi ezenzeka kusabusa uShaka zenzeka khona lapha eShowe. Namhlanje isigodlo sakwaBulawayo sesavuselelwa saphenduka iCultural Centre. Maduzane nesigodlo kukhona iLiba (ithuna) leNkosazane uNandi Mhlongo, isihlahla somqokolo lapho iNkosi uShaka yayibulalela khona amagwala kube khona nesihlala soMgoswane okwakubanjelwa kuyo imihlangano ibanjwa amakhosi uShaka, uMpande, uCetshwayo uBhekeshowe. Konke lokho kuchaziwe kulencwadi.🙏🏾

Lencwadi seyidayisiwe kuzihambeli zamazwe omhlaba zaseCanada, USA, England, Australia njalonjalo. Ungasali ngaphandle nawe zifundise ngomlando wezwe lakithi.

06/09/2023

Where Great Women Lie

The Nguni culture has always been a culture where women are hugely respected and they often play a pivotal role in managing the affairs of that particular homesteads. Whether they are queens and princesses in the king’s palace or just wives in their homesteads they are often held in high regard. But often, it has proved difficult to keep track of their resting places.

In the case of the Ndwandwe people who settled in areas around Nongoma, their Queen Mother Ntombazi is the one whose opinion was very much listened to. Unfortunately her resting place does not exist history has it that when King Shaka attacked the Ndwandwe under King Zwide, he ordered for Ntombazi to be locked in her hut with her hyenas and the hut was set on fire. With the reasoning that, ‘that’s what you do to witches’.

Princess Mkabayi, daughter of INkosi Jama kaNdaba Zulu, was a kingmaker and also the power behind the Zulu throne for decades during the reign of successive Zulu kings. She lies burried in a grave at Vryhied in a place called KwaSgwegwede. Princess Mkabayi was the head of the royal homestead, eBaQulusini.

Queen Nandi, daughter of Bhebhe Mhlongo is one of the very few prominent Zulu women of the past whose grave is easily accessible. She lies at Eshowe, at the site of her eMkhindini homestead. Her grave was marked by two uMlahlankosi trees (Ziziphus muctonata), today it is market by a honourable granite tombstone. Queen Nandi was the mother of The Elephant, King Shaka kaSenzangakhona.

One sad story is one of Queen Ngqumbazi, okaMbondi Zungu. Queen Ngqumbazi was the wife of iNkosi uMpande kaSenzangakhona. King Mpande succeded his brother King Dingane after his death.
Ngqumbazi gave birth to King Mpande’s eldest son who was named Prince Cetshwayo and who would later be the last King of an independent Zulu Nation. King Cetshwayo’s mother, Queen Ngqumbazi never lived to see her son being king. She died and was buried at her palace of eMangweni just outside modern day eMpangeni town. A dropped pin on the picture below marks her grave site, just West of eMpangeni Airport. Her grave is nolonger visible.

03/09/2023

The Battle of The Gatling Gun.

In 1861 an American inventor, Richard Gatling invented the first Machine gun, the Gatling Gun. The very first British use of the gun was at The Battle of Nyezane in Eshowe, 22 January 1879. The same day as the battle of iSandlwana.

The Zulu army under Chief Godide kaNdlela of the Ntuli, intended to attack the British early in the morning just when half of the British army had crossed the Nyezane river.

According to Chief Zimema Mzimela of the uMxhapho regiment who fought at Nyezane and who was interviewed in 1929, he said:

“We were told to advance, packed together like a lot of bees… We were still far away when the whitemen began to throw their bullets at us, but our riffles could not shoot so far so we could not shoot at them. When we were near they brought out the gatling gun, it fired heavily over our heads into the regiments behind us.. The noise it made could be heard by the old men and women who stayed at home, they climbed onto hill tops to see what they could of the battle”

Chief Zimema continued to say “The battle was so fierce that we had to wipe the blood and brains of the killed and wounded from our heads, faces, arms, legs and shields after the fighting”.

We will have more Zulu accounts on our upcoming eBook titled: Battle on The Hills, Eshowe in The Anglo Zulu War.

01/09/2023

Happy New Year💥❤️😊

04/08/2023

The story of King Cetshwayo’s Cup

On this month of August, 141 years ago, on his visit to Britain, King Cetshwayo kaMpande of the Zulu Kingdom met Queen Victoria of England on the 14th. The Zulu king wanted to plead his case infront of the Queen as to why he should be reinstated back to Zululand.

The Queen described King Cetshwayo as a brave enemy, she requested her potrait painter, Carl Sohn to paint a potrait of the exiled Zulu king. The Queen also gifted Cetshwayo with a silver cup with 3 handles. The cup was designed in such a way that a servant would hold it with one handle and the king would grasp it by the other two.

The cup was brought back to Zululand and to King Cetshwayo’s new oNdini Palace. However it was not long before the Zulu Civil war started. Prince Zibhebhu kaMaphitha of the Mandlakazi who was King Cetshwayo’s second cousin attacked the oNdini Palace and he had it burnt to ashes. There were so many notable Zulu generals and chiefs who were killed by Zibhebhu including Chief Sihayo Ngobese who fathered the great hero Mehlokazulu. The king’s posessions were looted by warriors of the Mandlakazi of Zibhebhu. That was the last time the cup was seen up until 1938 when a Zulu man by the name of Gobi saw an unfarmiliar handle sticking out the ground. He dug and noticed that the cup was something special and he kept it for himself. After mentioning the cup to a white trader Cecil Harris who had a store in Mahlabathini, Gobi finally agreed to sell the cup to Cecil in exchange for a cow, a coat and a galvanized bucket.

On January 1976 Mr. Harris presented the cup to
Prince Israel Zulu of the royal house in Eshowe. The cup was kept at Fort Nongqai Museum up until 1994 when it was moved to uLundi. Roughly 3 replicas of the cup were made, one for Fort Nongqai Museum and one for HIM King Zwelithini who was King Cetshwayo’s great grandson. In August 1995, King Zwelithini presented Queen Elizabeth with his replica. The British Queen was on her royal visit to South Africa.

The original cup is on display at KwaZulu Cultural Musem at uLundi. Below is the picture of the original cup.

“Presented to Cetywayo by Queen Victoria, August 14 1882”

References.
KwaZulu Museum
Fort Nongqai Museum
Ian Knight

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Videos

360 Degree Views from King Cetshwayo Memorial. Dlinza forest, Eshowe in KwaZulu Natal.

What is your name? Mariam Makeba:

This monument is built on top of Nkomba hill. During the reign of King Dingane, the watchmen would sit on top of this hill. It would be easy for them to spot an approaching enemy from neighbouring tribes, or any other potential threats for that matter. Nkomba hill offers 360 degree views of the Valley of The Kings.

Meanwhile in KwaZulu Natal🙂

King Shaka’s KwaBulawayo Kraal Memorial

360 Degree Views from Queen Nandi’s Grave! 🪴🌳🕯

King DinuZulu Praise names

A beautiful play by Miss Londiwe Shandu! Izibongo zeNkosi uDinuZulu

Mayihlale phansi ibambe umthetho!🙂

Views from Maqhamusela Khanyile Memorial @ Mpondeni hill, Eshowe. Maqhamusela was the first Zulu martry, a warrior who chose christianity above his king (King Cetshwayo) and above everything else.

Mfihlakalo is saying Praises of the very same king that the Martry Maqhamusela Khanyile disrepected. King Cetshwayo kaMpande of the Zulu. Maqhamusela fell for the ‘Christianity trap’ at a time where the Zulu Kingdom needed its warriors the most!

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