Madadzhe in the sources
Madadzhe was the son and successor of Tshilala. Wikipedia’s list gives him as ruling from 1840 to 1847, followed by his brother Ratsibi from 1848 to 1860. The Luonde site tells the story of the fight among Tshilala’s sons that followed Tshilala’s death.
What the sources say
According to Luonde, Madadzhe fought his brothers Matshifhahula and Ratsibi for the throne. He fled to Tshififi, recruited mercenaries from Ga-Sekhukhune led by Malema, and drove Matshifhahula out of Mbilwi; Matshifhahula fled to Ha-Tshivhasa (see Mukhesi). The seizure of Matshifhahula’s cattle by the mercenaries is said to have caused lasting resentment, remembered in a popular song, which we do not reproduce. Madadzhe was then killed at Tshakhuma by the warriors of Madzivhandila. Ratsibi succeeded him.
The Commission’s account and the Ralushai genealogy give Ratsimbi after Tshilala and do not name Madadzhe (see Tshilala). Wikipedia’s list names both, with Madadzhe first. Luonde then lists Tshikalange after Ratsibi and before Makwarela, while Wikipedia has Ranwedzi (1861 to 1903) there and puts Tshikalange in a dispute with Makwarela in 1889 to 1891; see Ranwedzi and Makwarela.
Cautions
The fight among the brothers rests on a single community source and we have not seen a second. The Mphaphuli house’s history is told differently in the Commission’s record, local oral history and academic work, and the names and dates do not always agree; where they differ we say so and take no side.
Izithakazelo and totem
We are printing no Madadzhe praises or totem because none has been confirmed. If you belong to the Mphaphuli house and recite its praises, we would like to record them, with your permission and credited to you.
Sources and further reading
- Luonde: Ha-Mphaphuli (community site; no author, date or sources given, so treat as unverified oral history)
- Wikipedia: Venda Kingdom (list of Mphaphuli rulers and succession disputes; it cites Loubser 2024, Beach 1980 and others)
- Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims: Determination on the Vhavenda kingship claim (the Mphaphuli account, pp. 618 to 622, and findings, pp. 648 to 664)
See also Mphaphuli, Masingo and Tshivhase.
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