|
|
|
|
| The Birth
of Lobengula's Bulawayo |
|
On September 12 1868, King Mzilikazi of the Ndebele state
died and his remains were put in a cave at Entumbane, on
the northern peripheries of the Matopo Hills. It was not
clear who would ascend the throne. The heir to the throne
was Nkulumane, son of Mzilikazi by the royal wife; but he
was mysteriously missing, and all efforts to find him
proved unavailing, the heir apparent Nkulumane's fate was
shrouded in mystery.
|
The council therefore assembled together to discuss the
question of the succession, and when it was evident that
Nkulumane could not be traced, it was decided to offer the
crown to Lobengula, a son of Mzilikazi by an inferior
wife, and who had proved himself to be brave in battle and
cunning in the council. This was accordingly done. Regent
Mncumbatha Khumalo installed Lobengula as the next king.
The installation took place in 1870. According to Ndebele custom, a new king had to establish his own royal palace
and town. Consequently, Lobengula left King Mzilkazi's
last capital of Mhlahlandlela to establish his own town,
located a few kilometres north east of Mhahlandlela, it
was called Gibixhegu.
|
|
| A section of the Ndebele
nation, however, was opposed to Lobengula, possibly
stirred up by some instances by other members of the
royal family who wished to have the crown for
themselves, refused to accept any king but Nkulumane. It
was easy to see, therefore, that there was but one way
to decide the question, - a fearful battle was to
be fought between the two opposing parties, with the
result that Lobengula and the warriors supporting him
gained the victory, and the rebels were crushed,so much
so, that they consented to Lobengula becoming king
without further protests. |
In 1872 after scoring victory, King Lobhengula renamed his royal town. The name was changed from
Gibixhegu to Bulawayo. The name derives from the
verb bulala and the locative formative ko-. Bulala
means, in the first instance to kill. It also means to
oppose, persecute or bother. King Lobhengula was thus
referring to the figurative meaning of the word bulala.
He was being opposed and persecuted by his opponents.
The town shall be called "the place of he who is
persecuted'. Reference is made to one person - the king
himself. In essence, the name of King
Lobhengula's town was named after that of the first
Bulawayo, that of King Tshaka. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
