Venda People - History

History

The Venda were originally from either the Congo or the East African Rift, migrating across the Limpopo river during the Bantu expansion.

The Venda of today are descendants of many heterogeneous groupings and clans such as:

• Dzindou dza Vharundwa / Dza Mitshetoni
• Vhadau;
• Vhakwevho;
• Vhambedzi;
• Vhafamadi;
• Vhania;
• Vhagoni;
• Vhalea;
• Vhaluvhu;
• Vhatavhatsindi;
• Vhatwanamba;
• Vhanzhelele/Vhalembethu;
• VhaDzanani
• Vhanyai;
• Vhalaudzi;
• Masingo; and
• Vhalemba.

Vhadau, Vhakwevho, Vhafamadi, Vhania, Vhangona, Vhalea, and Vhaluvhu were collectively known as Vhangona. The Vhangona and Vhambedzi are considered to be the original inhabitants of Venda.

The land of Vhangona was later settled by Karanga-Rodzvi clans from Zimbabwe: Vhatwanamba, Vhanyai, Vhatavhatsindi, and Vhalembethu. Masingo, Vhalaudzi, and Vhalemba are late arrivals in Venda.

According to one version of Vhangona oral history the capital of Vhangona was Mapungubwe with the Raphulu Royal House as the most senior royal house of the Vhangona. According to this version the Vhangona Kingdom had +-145 chiefdoms and a King (Thovhele). It is said that the Kingdom was divided into seven districts:

• Dzanani;
• Mbilwi;
• Tswime;
• Tshiendeulu;
• Tshakhuma;
• Tshamanyatsha; and
• Thulamela.

These districts were ruled by District Chiefs (Mahosi):

• Mudzanani/Nesongozwi Dzanani);
• Nembilwi (Mbilwi);
• Netswime (Tswime);
• Netshiendeulu (Tshiendeulu);
• Netshakhuma (Tshakhuma);
• Netshamanyatsha (Tshamanyantsha); and
• Makhahani (Thulamela).

Each district had Vhamusanda (Junior Chiefs) who paid tribute to Mahosi. This tradition states that one of the Vhangona Kings was King Shiriyadenga whose royal kraal was at Mapungubwe. It is not clear if this Shiriyadenga is the same Shiriyedenga of the Sanga dynasty, a Karanga-Rozvi branch. The Sanga dynasty, in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands, was founded by Chiphaphami Shiriyedenga who died in 1672. Could it be that at one point the Karanga-Rodzvi Empire extended beyond the Vhembe (Limpopo) River, and that the Vhangona, though not Karanga speaking, were at one point under Karanga-Rodzvi rule?

The other version of Vhangona history disputes that the Vhangona were ever united under one chief or King. It says that the Vhangona had different independent chiefdoms and that the Vhangona chief of Nzhelele valley was Tshidziwelele of the Mudau clan. What is clear, however, is that the Vhatwanamba, who were of Karanga-Rodzvi origin, conquered Vhangona clans who lived in Mapungubwe, Musina, Ha-Tshivhula, Ha-Lishivha, Ha-Matshete, Ha-Mulambwane, and Ha-Madzhie (the areas of Ha-Tshivhula, Ha-Lishivha, Ha-Matshete, and Ha-Mulambwane are known today as Alldays and Waterpoort).

Mapungubwe was the center of a kingdom with about 5000 people living at its center. Mapungubwe as a trade center lasted between 1030 and 1290 AD. The people of Mapungubwe mined and smelted copper, iron and gold, spun cotton, made glass and ceramics, grew millet and sorghum, and tended cattle, goats and sheep.

The people of Mapungubwe had a sophisticated knowledge of the stars, and astronomy played a major role not only in their tradition and culture, but also in their day-to-day lives. Mapungubwe traded with ancient Ethiopia through the ports of Adulis on the Red Sea and the ports of Raphta (now Quelimani) and Zafara (now Sofala) in Mozambique.

Mapungubwe predates the settlements at Great Zimbabwe, Thulamela and Dzata. It is believed that people left Mapungubwe for Great Zimbabwe because Great Zimbabwe was judged to have a more suitable climate.