The difaqane mfecane spread its influence over an enormous area stretching from the cape colony to east and central africa. The mfecane had a long lasting impact on the history of southern africa. The difaqanemfecane spread its influence over an enormous area stretching from the cape colony to east and central africa. Effects of mfecane on the peoples of southern, central and eastern africa. In april 1991 a panel discussion on the mfecane was held at the university of natal, durban. Causes of the mfecane essay example 867 words cram. The south african war of 18991902, the first major military clash of the 20th century is a prime example of asymmetric conflict. Mfecane is an nguni word which means crushing and was used by the nguni to describe the violent wars that tore apart central and southern africa between 1820 and1835. It was a time of widespread warfare and disorder indigenous groups in southern africa from about 1815 to 1840. They also had to give governors a good deal of latitude.
The south african border war, also known as the namibian war of independence, and sometimes denoted in south africa as the angolan bush war, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in namibia then south west africa, zambia, and angola from 26 august 1966 to 21 march 1990. The mfecane is thought to be a massive upheaval and devastation of nguni tribal chiefdoms in the second decade of the 19th century in what is now kwazulunatal and the eastern cape of south africa. A lx1ineteenthcentuv recolution in bantu africa in 1966,nd the first volume of the oxford history of south africa in 1969, proved decisive. Eventually war between the mthethwa and the ndwande broken out in 1817. Download file to see previous pages it is evidently clear from the discussion that mfecane took place as a result of nationbuilding that was aggressively done by the zulu lead by shaka and the ndebele of mzilikazi.
They were arbitrary, often following lines of latitude or longitude, and have no. These are some of the issues explored in this collection, which is designed as a response to. But euromonitor 2009 considers that south africa is a country with a significant rate of insecurity that would influence the trip to south africa. Many of its effects were negative and destructive, others were positive and constructive. By the 1830s, when white people began to invade southeastern africa beyond the fish river in substantial numbers, however, society throughout the region had been drastically transformed. Parsons, a new history of southern africa macmillan, london, 1993, p 68.
The ndebele moved in 1840 to what is now south western zimbabwe. Apr 26, 20 from 1780, in the territory from delagoa bay to the thukela tugela river, a number of african chiefdoms began to expand in size and grow in power. University of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, south africa. The rise of shakas kingdom, which took place during a time of drought and social unrest, was itself part of a wider process of state formation in southeastern africa, which probably resulted. Mfecane in south africa and the african holocaust in general. Together with the mfecane, this is the most devastating war in the history of south africa. Start studying africa 4 3014demystifying the mfecane and the great trek in southern africa. The rise of shakas kingdom, which took place during a time of drought and social unrest, was itself part of a wider process of state formation in southeastern africa, which probably resulted from intensified.
The story of africa is a twenty four part narrative history of the continent, taking listeners from the dawn of man to independence. The impact of the mfecane on the cape colony essay example. The sotho refers to the mfecane as the defecane or lifaquane, which means forced migration. The attacking mthethwa army was driven south after dingiswayo was captured and put to death. A guide for interpreting the mfecanes role in history was the mfecane a figment of historians imagination as julian cobbing contends. Pdf the mfecane is thought to be a massive upheaval and.
A decolonial perspective on mfecane and afrophobiaxenophobia in south africa. The name mfecane has been used to describe a period of massive disruption, mainly after 1800, centred in eastern south africa but extending throughout much of the country. Effects of mfecane on southern and central africa free. The mfecane movement in south africa 1835 words 123 help me.
Mfecane was unquestioned fact of southern africa until the 1980s. Democratic south africa held in rustenburg in november 1993. The crushing series of zulu and other nguni wars and forced. The mfecane in southern africa with its ramification in central and east africa, and the movements of muslim reformers in west africaowed little or nothing to foreign influences and figure prominently in eight of the chapters.
How large a responsibility do shaka and the zulu people bear for the social turbulence in southcentral and southeast africa in the early decades of the 19th century. In south africa itself the mfecane caused immense suffering and devastated. What was the mfecane how did it affect southern africa. Mfecane is sometimes referred to as the war of wondering and it accompanied the rise of the zulu people. Mfecane also known by the sesotho name difaqane or lifaqane was a period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous ethnic communities in southern africa during the period between. The crushing, sotho difaqane, series of zulu and other nguni wars and forced migrations of the second and third decades of the 19th century that changed the demographic, social, and political configuration of southern and central africa and parts of eastern africa. Aug 30, 2011 the mfecane was a period of chaos and indigenous tribal warfare in south africa that saw the near depopulation of the region from 1815 to around 1840 timeframe.
The causes and impact of the mfecane in south africa essay. The mfecane is a characteristic product of south african liberal history used by the apartheid state to legitimate south africas racially unequal land division. The book opens with four thematic chapters examining the major forces at work in african society at the beginning of. The states began attacking each other and this intensified the mfecane boers settling in africa cape colony around the 19th century also contributed in the intensification of the mfecane the boers raided the nguni states for cheap labour. Mfecane in south africa and the african holocaust in. It was caused by shaka zulu who was expanding his kingdom. The mfecane was set in motion by the rise of the zulu military kingdom under shaka c.
Rejection of the myth of zulu culpability thus raises the question of why these conflicts arose in the first place. Sotho version of the better known xhosa mfecane, both of them neologisms describing this period of mass migration and killings. Africa 43014demystifying the mfecane and the great trek in. A combination of local factorspopulation growth, the depletion of natural resources, and devastating drought and famineled to revolutionary changes in the political, economic, and social structure of bantuspeaking communities in southern africa in the first half of the nineteenth century. It has sometimes been linked to the growth of the zulu kingdom and the reaction to it. The effects of mfecane can be grouped into positive and negative effects. This means that in zulu nationalism, nationalists such as jacob zuma think of south africa as more of a zulu nation than what south africa strives to be perceived as following an apartheid era. The mfecane was a period of chaos and indigenous tribal warfare in south africa that saw the near depopulation of the region from 1815 to around 1840 timeframe.
It is worth speculating why mulder used the lesserknown version in his speech. A the savanna b the coastal region of east africa c the gold coast d dahomey e madagascar 328 10. The war was highly concentrated at drakensberg mountains, along the river. Mfecane was coined by e a walker in his 1928 book a history of south africa, which he translates into the. Jun 07, 2016 the story of africa is a twenty four part narrative history of the continent, taking listeners from the dawn of man to independence. Jun 21, 2018 south africa faces a time of strife that we would like to ignore. Nov 27, 2009 the ndebele moved in 1840 to what is now south western zimbabwe. International journal of african renaissance studies multi, inter and transdisciplinarity, vol. In what area of africa was a plantation economy based on slave labor established. What is the mfecane, and how is it relevant to contemporary.
Mfecane refers to a period of political disruption and population migration in southern africa which occurred during the 1820s and 1830s. Zwide attacked king shaka and was defeated at the battle of gqokli hill which marked the start. Shaka joined the tribe of dingiswayo as a young man. A time perhaps not as brutal as the original mfecane, where untold numbers of people were slain in brutal conquest, but potentially just as disruptive. It was also given a sesotho name called difaqane or lifaqane. The mfecane led to the creation of strong centralised new states that is, the zulu under shaka, ngwane under sobhuza, ngoni states, ndebele and kololo. The northern nguni lived much like the southern nguni the xhosa who provided most of. Nationalism is the sense of identity and patriotism with a nation. Large parts of the country in natal, the transvaal and free state were largely depopulated because people fled in droves to safer areas such as the transkei, the edge of the kalahari, the soutpansberg and the present day lesotho. These wars of destruction took place all over the subcontinent form the.
Used as a propaganda myth by settlers in the region, claimed africans naturally prone to irrational conflict justification for 19th century colonization and modern apartheid caused by. Was the mfecane a figment of historians imagination as julian cobbing contends. Some astonishingly selective use or actual invention of evidence produced the myth of an internallyinduced process of blackonblack destruction centring on shakas zulu. Mfecane historiography has separated the advent of the fingo. South africa, officially the republic of south africa rsa, is the southernmost country in africa. Many of the training and battle tactics are attributed to shaka, but it is clear that the. The mfecane and its effects publish your masters thesis. A large mammals b tapioca c slaves d manioc e small pox 9. Accepted idea was that the radical political and social changes among the bantu societies were caused by the expansion of the zulu kingdom under shaka zulu.
The recent article by cobbing on the socalled mfecane has appropriately refocused attention on the more fun. Since the 1990s, we have faced veritable civil warlevels of violent crime. This area to the east of the drakensbergs and the eastern escarpment benefits from prevailing winds off the indian ocean. The mfecne resulted in the death of so many people and destruction of property. Statebuilding in natal the northern nguni lived in modern day natal and zululand.
The confusion among the mthethwa opened the way for a new and even more powerful leader shaka. The middle passage referred to a the journey from captivity to the coastline of africa. These individuals were the nguni speaking and sotho speaking people of southern africa. Climate and the mfecane the mfecane is thought to be a massive upheaval and devastation of nguni tribal chiefdoms in the second decade of the 19th century in what is now kwazulunatal and the eastern cape of south africa. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Africa 43014demystifying the mfecane and the great trek.
The mfecane difaqane war the mfecane had a great influence on the history of south africa. Where do all the people who live in south africa come from. South africa faces a time of strife that we would like to ignore. Maleboho war of 1894 fought between the hananwa and the colonial government of the. The zulu kingdom and the mfecane weapons and warfare. The crushing series of zulu and other nguni wars and forced migrations of the second and third decades of the 19th century that changed the demographic, social, and political configuration of southern and central africa and parts of eastern africa.
Also during that period saw the growth of trade and the establishment of several european colonies. The impact of the mfecane on the cape colony essay sample the impact of the mfecane on the cape colony, dealt with the impact that the movement had on the lives of those included in the movement. It was fought between the south african defence force sadf and the peoples liberation army of namibia. The conquered tribes who were fleeing from his grasp would basically attack any tribe they came across,who would in turn attack any tribe they also came across. Reconstructive debates in south african history until now in regards to the ebook we have the mfecane aftermath.
A social and economic history of the african people of. The mfecane over the years has become a very debatable topic amongst historians, who considered the causes that led to the mass migration, its importance on africas more current history, and whether it even sanctions an account on the developing history of south africa. Shakas zulu kingdom and the mfecane wars, 18171828 until the late eighteenth century the bantuspeaking mixed farmers south of the limpopo river lived in small chiefdoms. Effects of mfecane on the peoples of southern, central and eastern africa the mfecane had a long lasting impact on the history of southern africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres 1,739 mi of coastline of southern africa stretching along the south atlantic and indian oceans. A history of south africa, third edition south african history online. The zulu kingdom and the mfecane saint marys university. Coined the term mfecane in the zulu aftermath in 1966. Large parts of the country in natal, the transvaal and free state were largely depopulated because people fled in droves to safer areas such as the transkei, the edge. Climate and the mfecane article pdf available in south african journal of science 11056. The mfecane movement in south africa 1835 words 123. Judge menziess action in annexing all territory up to latitude 258 s. Unpublished paper presented to a seminar at the university of cape town, 1989, p 10. A nineteenth century revolution in bantu africa, london, 1966.
Mfecane 18171828 more destruction was caused by those whom shaka defeated, than by his own forces. The utrecht district and the disputed territorya cause of the anglozulu war reexamined. Is there a future for zulu nationalism in south africa today. Despite evidence to the contrary a number of parties in south africa, particularly. Mfecane and southern africa c 3 what was the mfecane and. The military inventions of the zulu state spread into different parts of central and southern africa.
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