Facts about the Xhosa People of South Africa .

Xhosa People can be found in South Africa,  they are also known as AmaXhosa and they are related to the Zulu, Swati and Ndebele People.

 They are part of the Bantu Speaking people and the word “Xhosa” originated from UXhosa a legend and a King of the Xhosas, they were part of the Nguni migration and moved South from the region around the Great lakes which they encountered the Dutch in the early 18th Century traditionally,  women decorate their faces.

 Xhosa language is also spoken in Lesotho and Zimbabwe,  It is said the Original ancestor was Tshawe,  they inhabited the Eastern Cape area from as long as 1593 and most probably even before that and Xhosa have lived in the area since the 7th Century AD,  by the mid 17th Century it is believed Thembu settled around Nbashi river.  

The chiefdom was given respect and tribute but was not feared as much,  It is believed the Chiefdom was further weakened when Rarabe,  brother of the Chief Gcaleka challenged his brother’s rule and was driven off with his followers then he later succeded as the Senior Xhosa Chief by his son known as Ndlambe and later by Ngqika which is grandson who took Chieftainship in 1776. During the treaty State System the two Nguni Chiefs was believed to have started wars,  Zwinde of Ndwandwe Kingdom in the north of Present day Zululand the area of Kwa Zulu Natal north of the Tugela river and Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa Kingdom in the South.   

The British came to Present day Eastern Cape,  they tried to  prevent the military invention by adopting a treaty State System,  the treaty did not last a war broke out between European Settlers and Xhosa People.   

They are grouped into subgroups such as Bhaca,  Bomvana,  Mfengu,  Xesibe and Thembu they referred them as Xhosa Speaking people.  According to their Oral history before the arrival of Dutch in 1650s,  they had settled in the Southeastern part of South Africa, Xhosa contains many words with clicks, names in Xhosa often express the value or opinions of the community.  In Xhosa Concept Uthixo is the Creator also referred as God or the Supreme being,  It is believed he is involved in every day life,  Ancestors make wishes to be known to the living.  

Xhosa undergo Intiation among them this include abakweta , they live in special huts and they wear loincloth and a blanket for warmth,  white Clay is smeared on their bodies from their head to toe,  the female Intiation include secluded for about a week and they are dancers who perform animal sacrifices and personal names include Thamsanqa meaning good fortune,  Nomsa meaning the mother of kindness,  Adults are often known by their clan or lineage which is known as Isiduko.   

According to Xhosa folklore the first great leader on earth was believed to be a Xhosa and they are descendants of Tshawe,  they share Intsomi which is folktales and Isibongo which is poems and In their tradition they have alot of food such as staple foid which include corn,  bread,  beef,  sheep meat,  and goat but milk is often drunk in its sourn form,  Umnqusho is a traditional food combined with corn,  beans and spice regularly they eat it with soft traditional porridge made od sorghum.  

They make beads, sew clothing,  pottery,  weaving,  hand woven materials and mats.  Sibusiso has been ritually circumcised and into manhood,  without following the traditions or risk you can never become a man.  

Sandile Mgolombane Ka Ngqika was a Chief of Ngqika and Paramount Chief of Rharhabe a subgroup of the Xhosa he ruled from 1820- 1878 and he led the Xhosa armies in several of the Cape Xhosa frontier wars. 

 According to a Xhosa Story a man put a basket full of fruits near a tree and told them that whoever got there first won the fruits,  when he gave them the signal to run they all took each other’s hands and ran together,  then sat in a circle enjoyed their treats,  when he asked them why they choose to run as s group,  when they could have had more fruits individually,  one child spoke up and said ” Ubuntu” ,  how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad among Xhosa the word ” Ubuntu” is translated as ” I am because we are ” 

According to other accounts in the 11th Century a massivs migration of people took place across the continent as a result,  many people from Southern Zaire migrated to different directions and settled in most parts South of Sahara and a Clan consists of many groups,  a Chief is known or referred as Inkosi,  heads of each clan the land is very important,  the families help one another by completing a certain task such as buildinf of huts.   It is believed Xhosa and Zulu languages are similar and they understand each other even if they speak their mother tongues the clicks sounds were borrowed from Khosian languages the tongue clicks can be found in Xhosa,  Zulu, Sotho and Diriku ethnic groups.   

Nkosi Sikelelei Afrika was a Xhosa phrase and it was composed as a hymn in 1987 by Enoch Sontonga later it became the national anthem of South Africa,  It is believed it had stanzas added to it as time passed,   and also had versions in Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans.  Xhosa were united and they were able to resist colonial expansion and  Xhosa with other ethnic groups in Southern Africa came to realise that unless tribalism was abandoned they could stand as Africans  united and they were able to defeat Apartheid.  

They have traditional weapons such as Khobkerrie,  Spears and axes ,  In their traditions,  they lived in mud houses or brick houses made up with Iron roofs, It is built from sticks, mud and floors would be smeared with cow dung,  they would build extra houses for older boys to sleep in,   accommodations for married sons and their spouse or even cooking supplies. 

 Xhosa women wear a small blanket called Incebetha as a bra and It is usually adorned with beads. Ifulu is the garnment worn underneath below their belts and it is also made up of blankets and women make bracelets with beads and wear them on their feets. 

They slaughter animals as a sacrifice to God and the Ancestors it takes at  least 2 days at the brides home for joyous celebrations.   

They perform cultural dances such as Umxhentso is a traditional dance which is the pride of Xhosa they perform this dance during cultural activities,  Umngqungqo is an ancient dance performed only during ritual ceremonies it is slow and it is  accompanied  by low pitched music and clapping.   Umguyo is a dance performed by young boys before they depart from their Intiation on the mountain it is a symbol of entering adulthood.  

Men wear ingcawa,  which is a black and white blanket adorned with Ukurhaswa which are beads worn on the head known as Umngqa and Umdudo is performed during wedding and it is accompanied by Umbhorlorho,  Ukxhentsa is performed by Sangomas,  Sangomas are traditional healers this dance is performed during traditional ceremonies.

Traditional wedding begibs with Ukutwala,  often known as tacking,  this occurs after the grooms family has choosen the bride for him.

Compiled by : Katakyie