CHINYAKU CHIEFDOM OF THE NGUNIS OF ZAMBIA


CHINYAKU'S NGUNI/ZULU NAME

Did you know that Chinyaku's foremost name is 'uFongozana' meaning one who yearns for something? The Chewas corrupted it to Chafongozana.

'A SELF IMPOSED EXILE'

Fongazana Jele's original home is not Edingeni as some theorize and neither is he a foreigner in the area he is today. Rather, technically he was a 'foreigner' in the very land that many think was his home.

Fonganzana Jele was an elder brother of Teleka Jele. However, he left his mother's area to stay in the Edingeni settlement/chiefdom where he established his Chinyaku village; the village still stands to this day.

THE TELEKA REIGN

When Mphezenis children and decorated Indunas were now being elevated and recognized as Makhosi, Fonganzana was not around to continue his duty as head of his area, thus it was his young brother who took over and started reigning on his behalf thus the area and the records for the traditional authority did not bear Chinyaku or the Fonganzana name, but Teleka. Even in the government gazettes and maps show/describe the area as Teleka.

DEATH OF TELEKA AND THE RETURN TO THE CHINYAKU ERA

TELEKA JELE died during the reign of King Pontino Khuzwayo Jele (Mphezeni III). After his death, the Ngoni elders led by King Pontino discussed the way forward for the Fonganzana/Teleka chiefdom.

It was then agreed that they needed to revert back to the original ruling family, which was the bloodline of Chinyaku Jele. The likely pick was definitely the son of the now dead Fonganzana was. The Crown Prince was named Kamigolo, however he was away, working on the Copperbelt.

Thus, there was a regent period,Duncan Jele, the Crown Prince's uncle acted as Inkosi Chinyaku/Teleka for a decade.

Kamigolo was then officially installed as Inkosi Chinyaku Jele by King Pontino Khuzwayo Jele. Todate, it is still Kamigolo Jele who reigns as Inkosi Chinyaku Jele. It is worthy mentioning that, this is in fact the oldest Nguni Inkosi alive and the only one to have been crowned by King Pontino Khuzwayo Jele.

Due to the fact that Chinyaku had set up his village in the Edingeni area of Inkosi Misholo, there is no Chinyaku village in the current Chinyaku settlement. Even so, the village for his chief Induna, Chisanga also remained in the Edingeni settlement area. Induna Fulata is currently the main Induna of Inkhosi Chinyaku, but Fulata rose to that post in the era of Teleka who is traditionally his master.


The good old days: Inkhosi Kamigolo Chinyaku Jele (left), and middle is King Pontino Khuzwayo Jele (Mphezeni III).

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