Izithakazelo Zakwa Amakwayi Clan Names History and Origin
Clan names do not identify individuals based on physical attributes but more on cultural identifiers; males keep their original clan name when marrying while their new wives take the surname of their husband’s surname instead.
Clan names are created through the addition of bound morphemes, prefixes, and suffixes that make them easily recognizable and understandable. This makes clan names less daunting to identify and comprehend.
Amakwayi Clan Names
The Amakwayi clan is part of the Xhosa ethnic group in South Africa. Here are some common Amakwayi clan names (iziduko or praise names):
- Amakwayi
- Kwayi
- Gila
- Mphankomo
- Gomfu
- Zondeka
- Mbelu
Ngqika
Ngqika is a clan name given to those living near rivers or water sources, with roots in both Chinese and Arabic words that mean to find.
People with this clan name tend to be excellent hunters who can easily hunt game and can kill an entire buffalo in one hit – this fearsome reputation leads them into fearsome hunter status among their peers.
Warfare can be deadly. Warriors often fight to defend their families and other individuals; also, their weapons can kill anyone who dares get in their way.
Amakwayi clans in Zimbabwe are highly respected due to their fighting skills and loyalty to family.
Furthermore, they honor their ancestors through clan names. Additionally, amakwayi have their own culture and traditions which they adhere to as part of Zimbabwean society; learning more about them would certainly prove fascinating!
Ndlambe
Ndlambe was Rharhabe’s second son. Although young, Ndlambe had no real authority; instead he served only until his elder brother came of age and took over the throne.
While serving in this capacity, however, Ndlambe oversaw an expansion of their clan’s territory west of Kei River and found themselves clashing with Gcaleka cousins and Dutch colonial settlers living in Cape Colony.
Ndlambe and Khawuta had close ties, and Khawuta assisted Ndlambe when identifying Mlawu’s successor child (which may date back to 1783 based on Ntshangase’s book on page 57).
Ngwazi
Clan names are composed of three components, the root, prefix and suffix. Roots may be taken from real world words while prefixes and suffixes may be added onto it to achieve specific meaning.
Mthimkhulu, which combines noun umuthi (tree) and adjective omkhulu (long tree), is the clan name. These two words have gone through a phonological process and the verb “idla” has been added prefixed to each noun class to complete its name.
This clan earned their name because they excelled at hunting during the night hours. Not only were they extremely adept at killing individuals, but they never gave in when faced with fights between enemies. Their power enabled them to overpower multiple adversaries simultaneously and eliminate many opponents quickly.
This clan was given their name due to their strong personalities. They weren’t afraid to show their anger and always sought victory in war. Their ability to fight was legendary and they easily defeated many foes with strength and power unrivaled by others, leading others to fear them greatly.
Ngwenya
Ngwenya is a clan with a longstanding presence in Xhosa land. Rharhabe, its first member, begat Cirha, Tshawe, Jwara (eldest), and Qwambi – when one son died, Cirha took on leadership responsibilities automatically while Tshawe served only in a title capacity; though Jwara (oldest) eventually became chief.
Qwambi died before ever becoming effective king – however he did oversee significant population expansion efforts within his lifetime.
Ngqika eventually reached old enough to rule and was able to do so thanks to support from his Gcaleka tribe allies.
Another tale surrounding the clan involves King Phalo who encountered some issues with his wives. He had two royal brides of similar rank who both wanted to become queen, yet their respective fathers did not want their daughters married to lesser men.
An elder suggested Phalo induct one bride into Great House while inducting another into Right Hand House so any son of these couples had an equal chance at becoming King.
Chiliza
Clan names can help individuals and groups distinguish among themselves and each other. Clan names serve both socially and ceremonially to mark one person from another within a group and have specific meaning in Zulu that may be difficult for non-Zulu speakers to comprehend.
This article details five of the most prominent Zulu clans, discussing their origin, history, culture and meaning behind each name derived. It also discusses what shaped each clan.
At the time of King Phalo’s reign, two notable sons emerged – Prince Gcaleka and Rharhabe. These princes founded separate Royal Houses within the Xhosa Kingdom: Gcaleka’s controlled the area from Mbhashe River to Gamtoos River in southern Cape and Rharhabe’s was from Kei River upstream of Fish River.
Chiliza citizens were well-trained warriors. Their combat tactics allowed them to defeat enemies without creating much stress for themselves; this was made possible because of their longstanding grudges against adversaries.
