Description The Rebellion of Langalibalele This is the story of Mtwetwe Langalibalele who rose from humble beginnings to become chief of the amaHlubi. Langalibalele means ‘the sun is shining with all its strength’ and this great chief did, indeed, shine as a strong leader and a great warrior. Surviving many attempts on his life and overcoming adversity, Langalibalele earned a reputation from several Southern African peoples as both a rainmaker and inyanga. More than this, he fought hard for the unity and strength of his clan, not only rebelling against British authority but also against amaZulu domination. In this book you will find out something of the amaHlubi and their early struggles. You can also read how, under the strong leadership of Langalibalele, the amaHlubi fought valiantly for their independence. An early prisoner on Robben Island, Langalibalele was honoured by Nelson Mandela himself who laid a wreath on the grave of the amaHlubi chief. Great migration The sun has set and the smoke from the cooking fires drifts to the main fire, where it is story time. Around this central fire in front of the chief’s kraal sit the chief, his elders and his warriors. On the bare soil floor at the chief’s feet, the storyteller smooths out his karos, the cured skin of a springbok, on which he will sit to tell his story. He can see the women of the tribe, there by the doorway. The smallest children sit in their mothers’ laps and the older ones beside them on the still warm sand, wriggling in excitement as he begins his tale. “Tonight, I speak of Mtwetwe Langalibalele, known as Langalibalele, and his people, the Hlubi. His name means ‘the sun is shining with all its strength’. Langalibalele would, indeed, shine as a strong leader and great warrior. He not only rebelled against British rule, but also against Zulu domination. First we will hear about his people, amaHlubi. Together we can learn from the mistakes the amaHlubi made and celebrate their victories. By knowing the past of a clan you can draw on ancient wisdom. This may help you choose the best way forward in your own life. The amaHlubi originated in the Congo where they were known as the amaMpembe. The Congo is a great area up North, where the forests grow rich and tall and the rivers are strong. It became difficult to feed the people as they had no cattle. The men could not catch enough fish, nor could the women grow enough of the cassava, yams and occasional rice crops. So, in the 1300s, the amaHlubi moved slowly southwards, settling for some time among the great forests and deep rivers of the Lebombo mountains. This land could also not sustain the clan and, in the 1400s, some of them moved again. Those that stayed are known as the amaSwazi. The amaHlubi moved further south to the Mzinyathi Valley, which means ‘home of the buffalo bulls’. The clan continued to grow in size and fortune under successive amakhosi who kept the clan united. The land along the river, where the amaHlubi roamed, was fertile and their cattle grew fat. At this time the amaHlubi were the largest clan in the Southern-East Africa. The storyteller sees his audience grow tired. “Go to sleep now, my friends. We will continue the story tomorrow night.”
