Thread by @SAHeritagePubs

This is the seventh of nine Heritage Month threads looking at specific clans or nations as described by their ancestors in their languages in the 1930s and 1940s.
#AncestralVoices #HeritageMonth
1/18

We have looked at the history of the Mmatshaka’s Batlokwa, and read about the amaSwazi who moved to Pietermaritzburg in the 1840s.
2/18

Other threads looked at the culture of the Babirwa, the history of the Makgolokwe, the tragic story of Mpandesi and the amaSwazi in the 1830s and the movement of the Mašašane people north towards Polokwane from KwaZulu-Natal.
3/18

Today’s post moves to look at the Mamabolo nation and their conflict with the Mongatane.

Mamabolo 373: ‘History of the Mamabolo Nation and place names of its country’, written in Sesotho sa Leboa in 1939.
4/18

“The Mamabolo originated from Bokgalaka. From there they relocated to Tswetla and remained there for a period of time. Later, they moved to the Mogomana mountain-pass. From there they relocated to a place called Kgokong."
5/18

"When they arrived in Kgokong some of them remained there and Mamabolo and his other people moved to a place called Serala. Thereafter Mamabolo and his people returned back to Bolobedu."
6/18

"From Bolobedu they went to Matse. From Matse, they crossed the Letsitele River and settled in Mogongwana mountain-pass. At the time Mamabolo was fondly referred to as kolobe ya nageng."
7/18

"At that time his friend Manamela used both the impala and warthog as his totem animals. Thereafter, Mamabolo moved along the Letsitele River and settled in Serala sa ga Kgopa."
8/18

"When they arrived in Serala sa ga Kgopa they found many snails, hence the name Kgopa (snail) was given to the place. They then went to a place called Bokone Kgopa. They later settled in a place called Mongatane Thotwe in between the Masila and Lepelle Rivers."
9/18

"At the time, Mamabolo’s people would praise him as ‘Mohlaume Seolwana Samatata kolobe ya go sibasiba ya go se hloke mogoga sekgopa banna matolo’."
10/18

"Mamabolo had a son called Lekau who was fondly referred to as ‘Lekau la mateka Ramohwibidu’. During their settlement in Mongatane, a battle ensued and the Mamabolo warriors managed to defeat the Mongatane."
11/18

They (Mamabolo warriors) then captured their cattle without Mamabolo’s knowledge and praised themselves as,
‘Ekwa rena bagale ba marumo
ba go fenya dira ntweng
nako e nngwe le e nngwe.’
(Meaning, We the warriors who defeat the enemies in any battle)

12/18

"One day an elderly man from the Mongatane tribe visited Chief Mamabolo to inform him that his warriors are capturing people’s cattle, and pointed at some of the cattle and said to the chief that ‘those are belonging to a man called Mopedi’."
13/18

"Chief Mamabolo was shocked to hear that and called his son. Mamabolo asked his son why they are capturing people’s cattle after defeating them. The chief’s son was terrified & did not know what to say. One of the chief’s helpers asked the chief’s son to speak the truth."
14/18

"Chief Mamabolo wanted to know who was actually responsible for capturing the cattle amongst the warriors. His son later answered that they were responsible for capturing the cattle. The chief then asked why are they cutting the cattle’s horns and tails?"
15/18

"After what he heard, the chief was so sad and even when he hears young men whistling and celebrating, he was not sure as whether or not they are capturing people’s cattle."
16/18

"It was not long after that the Mongatane leader visited Chief Mamabolo. Mongatane wanted the chief to allow him to deal harshly with the young men. Chief Mamabolo did not allow that to happen.”
17/18

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18/18