LETS TAKE A WALK BACK INTO THE PAST.

Ndwandwe kingdom (1787- 1828)

WHO ARE THEY?

The Zulus were originally a close-knit ethnic group community that had migrated to the eastern side of present-day South Africa; they became a strong tribal nation largely due to the efforts of an ambitious chieftain named Shaka

HOW DID THE KINGDOM COME ABOUT? There was a group of different kingdoms forming

in the between the Drakensberg and the east coast of South Africa, this brought about conflict because the different leaders were competing for resources, space was an issue and other contributing factors, the Ndwandwe and Mthwethwa had a good strategy of being in control of this whole situation. They had people hunting for them in exchange for land and wives. This strategy kept them well sustained and powerful

RISING INTO POWER

At that time there was something called amabutho, this had to do with what we know as initiation( the enrolment from being a boy to being a man). These “ amabutho” would group together in different royal households, there they would face different challenges mainly military based challenges.

The ruler of the ndwandwe at that time( approximately 1805) was Zwide, they were the most powerful because of him, he used the “amambutho” to fight these little wars, they won a war against the Mthwethwa and after that were the most powerful.

HOW DID THE NDWANDWE GET SO WEALTHY?

The Ndwandwe and Mthwethwa had control over the trade of ivory ( hunting elephants down for it).

there was an increase in the demand for ivory from the call from ships at Delagoa Bay, so they were financially very powerful and had gained the loyalty of subjects.