Discover

:''This article relates to the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe. For other uses of the term, please see Ndebele.''
The 'Ndebele' are a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army. They were called 'Matabele' by the British who found it difficult to pronounce the world 'maNdebele'. They are now more commonly known as the 'Ndebele' or ama'Ndebele'(and were commonly known as the ama'Ndebele' when under British rule^[1]). They still, appropriately call themselves 'amaNdebele'.
During a turbulent period of African history known as the Mfecane, Mzilikazi and his followers, initially numbering about 500 people, moved West towards the area near the present-day city of Pretoria, where they founded a settlement called Mhlahlandlela (a name which lives on in the modern-day Bulawayo suburb, Malindela). Here they came into contact with the Tswana people, who are credited with giving this band of Zulus the name "Matabele". Tabele comes from ''tebela'' which means 'to chase away'.
They then moved northwards in 1834 into present-day Zimbabwe where they battled with the Shona, eventually carving out a home now called Matabeleland and encompassing the west and south-west region of the country. In the course of the migration, large numbers of conquered local clans and individuals were absorbed into the Ndebele nation, adopting the Ndebele language but enjoying a lower social status than that of members of the original clans from the Zulu kingdom.
Lobengula assumed power after the death of his father, Mzilikazi, in

External links

★ The History of the Ndebele People
http://www.inkundla.net