KNOW ABOUT A NGUNI TRADITIONAL LEADER WHERE HIS PEOPLE SPEAK THEIR ORIGINAL ZULU LANGUAGE OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Preserving a language spoken by the forefathers in St Lucia Bay, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
Did you know that in the Mzimba district of Northern Malawi, there is a Ngoni Kingdom with a reputation as the ONLY Northern Ngoni Nation that has pockets of villages that have MIRACULOUSLY managed to cling to the original Ngoni dialect?
Whilst the majority Ngoni Kingdoms of Mzimba have either been Tumbukalized or Chewalized, the Mphelembe Ngonis pride themselves as having remnants of original Ngoni speakers. But just who was Mphelembe and how did he establish his kingdom?
Birth of Lufo 'Mpelembe' Jele
Born in 1841 at a place called Mabili in Malawi, Mphelembe was born Lufo Jele and he was one of the sons of the Great Ngoni Lion, uZwangendaba. His mother was Queen Mkhlumane from the village of Emsicweni, one favorite wives of Zwangendaba.
Lufo and his supporters after the death of Zwangendaba.
In 1845,after his father's death, Lufo found himself entangled in the succession disputes of his father's empire.Whilst still a child, Lufo's family and support base opted to trek on the Western route, the exact route taken by his elder brother, Nthutho Mphezeni. The choice to follow the Mphezeni Ngonis was influenced by Macumi who rightly qualifies to be called Mphelembes foremost Chief Induna.
Not so long after Nthuthos arrive in the land of the Bembas in Northern Zambia, Lufo arrived and also set base on the other side of the Bembas territory. These two sons of Zwangendaba would wreck havoc to the Bemba kingdom attacking it from two main fronts.
It is in the land of the Bembas that Lufo would adopt the Mwamba name and later on Mphelembe-meaning 'the fierce Roan Antelope'. With the indirect help of his elder brother, Lufo managed to destabilize the Bembas and continued surviving through raids.
However, Nthutho, wanting more land for himself, left Bemba land and continued his trekking expedition. Lufo, not realizing that the departure of his elder brother weakend him, continued attacking the Bemba Kingdom. The Bembas that had the numerical advantage and were now armed with guns managed to expell him out of their land in the year 1868, they were further helped by Arab traders under their leader whose sobriquet was 'Tipu-Tipu'.
Carefully avoiding to 'trespass' his elder brothers new found land, Mphelembe went back to the land where he was born and set up the Mphelembe dynasty when he was around the age of 30.
With his capital as Ephugeni, Lufo reigned for 40 years and died in 1910 at the age of 70. He was succeded by Pickford Jele who was born in 1880. Pickford reigned as Inkhosi Mphelembe II for 33 years and died in 1944 aged 64. Pickford was succeeded by the 1928 born Patrick who reigned as Inkhosi Mphelembe III. Patrick died in 1992 aged 64 having reigned for 37 years. He was succeded by Pickford who was born in 1958. Pickford Jele has been ruling as Inkhosi Mphelembe IV todate.
Attached photo; Inkhosi Mphelembe IV (Pickford Jele) is on the left, middle is King Mbelwa whilst on the right is Inkhosi Mthwalo.
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