Ndebele of southern Africa

A detailed Summary of Ndebele of southern Africa

Who were the Ndebele of southern Africa?

How might they have reacted to the growing power of Britain in their region?

The Ndebele were a warrior people who had secured their military stronghold over southern Africa by using strict discipline and ingenious warfare tactics. Upon the arrival of Europeans, the native=s superior skills in war proved futile against the mechanised military of the white man. The British, with rifles and machine guns easily subdued the kingdoms of southern Africa. The Ndebele people were forced to yield to the British, ultimately, ending their life of freedom.

This essay will examine the history of the Ndebele people, showing how they became who they were. It will also explain to the reader, regardless of the action this kingdom had taken against the British, it would have still succumbed to the same fate.

Great political changes occurred in southern Africa in the later part of the eighteenth century. Powerful kingdoms arose from the conglomeration of many smaller chiefdoms. This resulted in an extremely violent period in southern Africa=s history known as Amfecane (unlimited warfare).@

Nguni speaking by heritage, the Ndebele people arose in this time of turmoil as one of the most powerful mi

Our King gone, we had submitted to the white people and they ill treated us until we became desperate and tried to make an end of it all. We knew that we had very little chance because their weapons were so much superior to ours. But we meant to fight to the last.

Without healthy property the Ndebele people would not survive. The search for the most arable soil led them to conquer neighbouring kingdoms in times of drought or when they had used up all of their lands= resources. The Ndebele are not credited with living in one specific area for long periods of time. However, geographically, the Ndebele were always located in the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It can be seen that if the Ndebele had refused to sign the Rudd concession they would still have succumbed to the British militaries might. As the British were driven by personal gain, Lobengula=s treaty only prolonged the inevitable defeat of his people.

In 1868 the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, and in 1886 the finding of rich gold deposits, signified the end of the Ndebele=s peaceful time in the north. The British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes, was primarily interested in the exploit of natural wealth from southern Africa. The Ndebele resisted the influx of the white man initially but learning from previous experience they knew that their attempts were futile.

The British people did not honour their side of the treaty that stopped them from inhabiting the Ndebele lands. The rumour of gold reef g

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Approximate Word count = 1009
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History