1. THE NDLOVU CLANS OF ZIMBABWE 🇿🇼
The surname Ndlovu/Ndhlovu is found accross Zimbabwe who are of the elephant totem. Indlovu is the isiNdebele/Nguni name for an elephant. Before the standardisation of the isiNdebele language in Rhodesia, the word indlovu was spelt as indhlovu.
The surname Ndlovu/Ndhlovu is found accross Zimbabwe who are of the elephant totem. Indlovu is the isiNdebele/Nguni name for an elephant. Before the standardisation of the isiNdebele language in Rhodesia, the word indlovu was spelt as indhlovu.
2. The Ndlovu people of Zimbabwe can be divided into two broad groups. The first group is the Ndlovus who migrated with Mzilikazi from South Africa who were from Nguni groups. In this group were also Sotho-Tswana groups, revering the elephant totem who were Ngunilised to Ndlovu.
3. The second group of Ndlovus is drawn from local tribes/groups revering the elephant totem who were assimilated into the Ndebele state when it was established in what is now south western Zimbabwe.Some have continued to use the Ndlovu surname & practice Ndebele culture to date.
4. The first group of Ndlovus of Nguni origin include but are not limited to the following :
5. Ndlovu - Gatsheni : These are of Nguni origin & came with Mzilikazi from Zululand.
6. Ndlovu - Mthombeni : These are of Nguni origin, in particular from the Ndebele group of South Africa.
7. Ndlovu - Gegana / Kekana : These are of Nguni origin, in particular from the Ndebele group of South Africa.
8. Ndlovu - Tlou : These are from the Sotho - Tswana people of the elephant totem who came with Mzilikazi and also from the indigenous Sotho-Tswana groups who were found by Mzilikazi in what is the Matabeleland South province of Zimbabwe.
9. The second group of Ndlovus includes but is not limited to the following:
Ndlovu - Nzou/Zhou : these are drawn from various Shona people groups and BaNambya/baNanzwa revering the elephant totem who were assimilated into the Ndebele state and adopted the Ndlovu name.
Ndlovu - Nzou/Zhou : these are drawn from various Shona people groups and BaNambya/baNanzwa revering the elephant totem who were assimilated into the Ndebele state and adopted the Ndlovu name.
10. Ndlovu - Gabula : these are drawn from the Kalanga and Nyubi groups of the elephant totem who were assimilated into the Ndebele state and adopted the Ndlovu name.
11. Ndlovu - Munsaka : these are drawn from the indigenous BaTonga people of the elephant totem who were assimilated into the Ndebele state and adopted the Ndlovu name.
12. Ndlovu - Ndou : these are drawn from the indigenous vhaVenda people of the elephant totem who became part of the Ndebele state and adopted the Ndlovu name.
13. After the fall of the Ndebele state in 1893 and the colonization of the Zimbabwean people, some indigenous clans later returned to their original elephant clan names, yet others have kept the Ndlovu identity eventhough their descendants don't speak isiNdebele anymore.
14. However, some people of the elephant totem drawn from the above indigenous groups were fully assimilated into the Ndebele state & have maintained the Ndlovu surname, speak isiNdebele and continue to practice Ndebele culture and customs.
15. Below is a thread that clarifies the difference between the Ndebele of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
17. Below is a thread that seeks to explain Ndebele identity formation under king Mzilikazi.
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