Mpofu
Umabhenampondo
Umzila owehlula abazingeli
Umazthanda,umadlayedwa
Ophuz’amanzi ngomoya..
Uwanatha ngokuwabona,nxa engawabonanga komi
Umsongi wensimbi eyibekekhanda khona amagwala eyombalekela
Ushobane owagaqa ngamadolo aze aphocuka.
Nyamazan’edliwayo,oyidlayo angayisoli,oyisolayo angayidlingoba angayidla uzozisola yena, ngwaladi.
Mpofu Meaning, Origin and history:
The three meanings of Mpofu :-
(1) Mpofu – the animal, Eland.
(2) Mpofu – poor.
(3) Mpofu – lightness of colour.
Nyandeni/Mpofu people originate from a place called Ntumeni in eShowe, KwaZulu-Natal. They are direct descendants of Khumalos, they are amaNtungwa Nguni just like the Khumalos.
Mpofu is Nyandeni the son of Mashobana. His original name was Ngonyama who impregnated his sister.
When the Khumalo Chiefs heard of Ngonyama’s deed, they sent highly skilled warrior-men to kill Ngonyama, as he had committed a very heinous deed. Fortunately, or unfortunately for the Khumalo Chiefs, he was alerted of this by his pregnant lover. He quickly took his small possessions, mostly his war weapons, and ran for his dear life. Heading to a forest called Nyandeni.
There he entered it and hid. Sensing danger, the warrior-men decided against following him into that forest as he was regarded a highly skilled and dangerous warrior himself.
They instead called out to him, saying, open quote, “you better stay in that forest called Nyandeni and don’t come out, because from this moment on, your surname is also called Nyandeni. You’ll starve to death in there…….you’ll die poor, with nothing……” , close quote.
The woman that was impregnated by Ngonyama (Nyandeni) was blessed with a son and the son was bestowed the name Khukhuza.
Khukhuza bore Gasela and Nzine.
Gasela bore Ngono.
Ngono bore Vumisa.
The Nyandeni surname grew from there on…….
There’s even a Primary School in Ntumeni, eShowe to this day, called KwaMpofu Primary School, that was named after Ngonyama/Nyandeni (because he, presumably, died poor in the Nyandeni forest…).
The other Nyandeni siblings are found in the Eastern Cape. There’s a place there that was given to, and named after them called Nyandeni. They got there from KwaZulu-Natal fleeing the Shaka wars called uMfecane or, De fecame in Sotho. There they preferred to be called abakwa Mpofu…
There they are referred to as amaXhosa. However, they’re ALL originally from KwaZulu-Natal and are amaZulu.
They are also found in Zimbabwe.
Mpofu/Nyandeni Clan Names – Izithakazelo/Izangelo zakwa Mpofu nezakwa Nyandeni. (You’ll notice the similarities here right from the first lines throughout to the end).
(1) Mpofu :-
AmaNyandeni aMpofu kaMashobane !
WeSidunu seNsingiza.
Wokulandelwa yintombi ithi ngizeke noba awula nkomo.
Vumisa kaNgono,
Msongi wensimbi eyibeke khanda, khona amagwala ezombalekela.
Shobane owagaqa ngamadolo aze aphocuka.
Ophuz’amanzi ngokuwabona,
Engakawaboni komi !
Sango libhekezansi.
Akophuma nkomo kophuma amadoda kuphela.
Zingwe zombili ezalwa zabulalana kwaNtaba Ntshanini.
Engani zaziphakelwa ndawonye.
Ngwadla phangela izigqala zakwaLibose.
Inyama yenyamazane edliwayo,
Oyidlayo engayisoli, oyisolayo engayidli ngoba engayidla uyozisola yena.
Vumisa, Gasela,
Khukhuza kaNgonyama,
Nyandeni kaMashobane,
Mashobane kaMangete,
KaNgululu, kaLanga,
KaZimangele.
(2) Nyandeni :-
Nyandeni oMpofu kaMashobane !
Ophuz’amanzi ngokuwabona
Engakawaboni komi !
Vumisa kaNgono,
Shobane owagaqa ngamadolo aze aphocuka.
Khukhuza kaNgonyama,
Gasela kaNyandeni.
Zingwe zombili ezalwa zabulalana kwaNtaba Ntshanini.
Engani zaziphakelwa ndawonye.
Ngwadla phangela izigqala zakwaLibose.
(3) In the Eastern Cape, the Mpofu Clan Names in isiXhosa :-
Dlamini, Zizi,
Bhanisa, Dweba.
Nxibinoboya.
Gasela kaNyandeni,
Wokulandelwa yintombi ithi ngizeke,
hlabana bemgqiba.
(4) In Zimbabwe, Izithakazelo/Izangelo zako Mpofu. Mpofu Clan Names :-
EmaNyandeni aMpofu kaMatshobane,
WeSidunu seNsingiza,
Owalandelwa yintombi yathi ngizeke noma ungela nkomo.
Vumisa kaNgono,
Msongi wensimbi eyibeke khanda,
Khona amagwala azobaleka.
Tshobane owagaqa ngamadolo aze aphocuka.
Wena onatha amanzi ngokuwabona,
Engakawaboni akomi.
Sango libhekezansi,
Akophuma nkomo, kuphuma amadoda kuphela.
Zingwe zombili ezalwa zabulalana kwaNtaba Ntshanini.
Ingani zaziphakelwa ndawonye.
Ngwadla phangela izigqala zakoLibose.
Vumisa KaGasela, kaKhukhuza, kaNGONYAMA.
Nyandeni kaMatshobane,
KaMangete, kaNgululu, kaLanga,
KaZimangele.
(5)In Swaziland, the Mashaba Clan Names – Swati :-
Mashaba Mpofu,
Shilumane Wena
Longenalo Uvalo.
Wena Okwatiyo
Ukutsandza Nokuxolela Ngenhlitiyo,
Kodwa Ungavani Namanyala.
Nhlitiyo Lengafuni Kukhubeka.
Ingakhubeka Kuvele Kume
Injabulo Kubay’khubile.
Ngwenyama Yokulunga,
Mpofu.
Mashaba means ‘buyer’ and has clan names like Mpofu, Msimango, Shilumane and many others.