The Xhosa (amaXhosa) are the Southern (Cape) Nguni people of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, with large communities in the Western Cape and Gauteng. isiXhosa is the second most widely spoken home language in the country. “Xhosa” is used both narrowly, for the Xhosa kingdom proper, and broadly, for all the Xhosa-speaking nations – Thembu, Mpondo, Mpondomise, Xesibe, Bomvana and others.
Origins
Xhosa-speaking communities have lived in the Eastern Cape for several centuries, having spread south along the coastal belt ahead of the other Nguni. Their early history involved close contact with the Khoikhoi, from whom isiXhosa took its distinctive click consonants (written c, q and x) and many words. The Xhosa royal line traces itself to Tshawe, who established the ruling house perhaps in the sixteenth century; from Tshawe descend the senior Gcaleka and junior Rharhabe houses, through King Phalo (d. 1775).
The Frontier Wars and the Cattle-Killing
From 1779 the Xhosa fought a series of nine frontier wars against the Cape Colony over roughly a century – the longest-running resistance to colonial expansion in South African history. The wars were made worse by the Xhosa Cattle-Killing of 1856-57, when, following the prophecies of the young woman Nongqawuse, many Xhosa killed their cattle and destroyed their crops in the belief that the ancestors would then drive out the colonists. Tens of thousands died in the resulting famine and the kingdom’s independence was effectively ended.
Iziduko – Xhosa clan names
Among the Xhosa the clan name is the isiduko (plural iziduko), and it matters more than the surname: two people with different surnames but the same isiduko are considered kin and may not marry, while the isiduko is the name called first in greeting, thanks and prayer. Reciting one’s iziduko – the chain of clan praises – is a core act of Xhosa identity.
| Isiduko | Some praise names | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| amaTshawe | Tshawe, Nkosi, Ngconde | The royal clan of the Xhosa nation. |
| amaGcaleka | Gcaleka, Phalo, Khawuta, Hintsa | Senior house; the paramountcy of the Xhosa king. |
| amaRharhabe | Rharhabe, Mlawu, Ndlambe, Ngqika | Junior house, west of the Kei; founded by Prince Rharhabe. |
| amaThembu | Thembu, Hala, Dlomo, Madiba, Bhomoyi | Nation in their own right; Nelson Mandela’s clan (Madiba). |
| amaMpondo | Mpondo, Nyawuza, Njanya, Faku | Kingdom of Mpondoland, on the coast north of the Kei. |
| amaMpondomise | Mpondomise, Sibiside, Ngwanya, Majola | Related to the Mpondo; the Majola snake is honoured as an ancestor. |
| amaXesibe | Xesibe, Mdandala, Jalamba | Between the Mpondo and Bhaca. |
| amaBomvana | Bomvana, Ntshilibe, Jalamba | Coastal group known for red-ochre dress. |
| abaThembu / amaHala | Hala, Dlomo, Madiba, Yem-Yem, Sophitsho | The Madiba/Hala line of the Thembu. |
Groups such as the Bhaca, Hlubi, Mfengu and Ntlangwini reached Xhosa country during the Mfecane and are today partly Xhosa-speaking while keeping their own identities. We are building dedicated pages for the major Xhosa iziduko – Tshawe, Gcaleka, Rharhabe, Jwarha, Cirha, Dange, Gambu, Qwambi and more.
Language and culture
isiXhosa is written with the Latin alphabet and is famous for its three click series. Xhosa custom is strongly marked by ulwaluko (male initiation), imbeleko (introducing a child to the ancestors), lobola, and by the roles of the igqirha (diviner-healer) and imbongi (praise poet). The umngqokolo overtone singing of the Bomvana and the uhadi musical bow are distinctive Xhosa traditions.
Sources and further reading
- Jeff Peires, The House of Phalo: A History of the Xhosa People in the Days of their Independence (1981).
- Jeff Peires, The Dead Will Arise: Nongqawuse and the Great Xhosa Cattle-Killing (1989).
- N. Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (1994) – chapters on Thembu custom and the Madiba clan.
Help us record the iziduko. Xhosa clan praises vary widely between families and districts. If you can supply a fuller or corrected version of your isiduko, send us a WhatsApp on 065 138 8213 or use our contact page. We credit contributors who wish to be named.