Lobedu people

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Balobedu
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BaLobedu people
Balobedu
Regions with significant populations
Dhewa
Lobedu
PersonMolobedu
PeopleBalobedu
LanguageKhelobedu
CountryBolobedu

The Lobedu or Balobedu (also known as the BaLozwi or Lozi or Bathobolo) are a

Limpopo Province of South Africa with a female ruler, the Rain Queen Modjadji
.

It is estimated that there are around 1 million BaLobedu in South Africa. Their population is found in

Alexandra
townships.

Language

Their language is known as Lobedu (used here but Khelobedu, KhiLovedu, or Lovedu are equally valid) and is sometimes considered a dialect of the

Northern Sotho language and is grammatically similar to other Sotho–Tswana languages. Mutual intelligibility between certain Venda
dialects and the Lobedu language is so high that speakers of these Venda dialects can effectively communicate with Lobedu speakers without difficulty. A Tshiguvhu (a Venda dialect) speaker can understand a Lobedu speaker easily, and vice versa. Lobedu could easily have been classified as a Venda dialect or an independent language. For example, Northern Sotho has higher mutual intelligibility with Southern Sotho and Tswana than it does with Lobedu.

Most Lobedu speakers only learn to speak Pedi at school; as such, Pedi is only a second or third language and is foreign to them like English and Afrikaans. Lobedu is a written language and its dictionary, Thalusamandzwi Ya Khilovedu, was published in 2018 by Kgothatso Seshayi. The first Lobedu novel, Lekhekhesha, was published in 2018 by Eliya Monyela. The first Lobedu poetry book, Zwireto zwa KheLobedu, was published and launched in 2020 by Lobedu poet Makgwekgwe Waa-Mampeule. As of October 2021, a translation of the Christian Bible is being undertaken by VOCIETY (the BaLobedu think tank) and PANSALB (the Pan South African Languages Board).

Subgroups

There are four sub-groups of the Lobedu:

  • BaLobedu ba Ga-Thobela
  • BaLobedu ba Ga-Modjadji, which is the main group of BaLobedu and is led by the Royal House of Modjadji, which is the main royal house for the other groups,
  • BaLobedu ba Ga-Sekgopo (Balobedu Ba Ha Sekhopo), which are located at Ga-Sekgopo Village. They separated from the main group of Balobedu in the late 1700s, when the first female ruler of Balobedu was crowned.
  • BaLobedu ba Ga-Mmamaila, which was founded by Prince Mmamaila, the elder brother of Modjadji I, who objected to being ruled by women, was one of the eldest sons of the last male rulers of BaLobedu, King Mokodo Mohale of the Royal House of Mohale of Bakwebo, as BaLobedu was then known. This tribe is located around Ga-Mamaila and Sekhosese townships, in an area known as Boroka, which means north in Khelovedu.

Origins

Clay vessels in a Lobedu village, 1975, by which time they were only used for ritual purposes

The Balobedu originally migrated south from present day Zimbabwe to their present location in South Africa. The central tribal village is Khethakoni, in the district of Balobedu. These Karanga migrants consisted of the Mokwebo, who are the ancestors of all wild pig clans (ba ana golove/ba bina kolobe) like Mamabolo Ramafalo and Modjadji, the Nengwekhulu, who are the ancestors of all elephant clans (Ditlou); and the Ramabulana,[citation needed] ancestors of the other elephant clans (Ditlou), who are also uncles of the Nengwekhulus. All BaLobedu are descended from these three groups: BaKwevho, Nengwekhulu, and Ramabulana. The rest of the people are descendants of East Sotho or BaLaudi refugees and indigenous South Venda groups like BaNgona. As a result, the most common animal totems among BaLobedu are the wild pig (Goloe/Kolobe) and the elephant (Dou/Tlou).

The wild pig clans (Dikolobe) are the Modjadji, Mohale, Modika, Mahasha, Mabulana, Mokwebo, Mampeule, Molokwane, Malepe, Sebela, Thobela, and Ramafalo, all of whom are descendants of the ancient Mokwebo (wild pig) royal house. All Chiefs in Bolobedu are of the wild pig clans, with the exception of the chiefs of Taulome, Malatji, and Rakgoale (Mogoboya), who are Dinoko (porcupines). The elephant clan is Rabothata, Selowa (Khelowa/Tshilowa/Shilowa), Shai, Matlou (Ma₫ou), Mabulana, and Maenetja; these are the descendants of the ancient royal house of Nengwekhulu.

The BaLobedu are more closely related to the

Karanga as a language of the Lozwi, which consequently connects them to their history. Their rainmaking history is tied to that of the Banyai in northern Matabeleland and. Kalanga in southern Matabeleland, and there are two areas called Njelele in Matabeleland
.

Traditions

Balobedu do traditional dances called khekhapa for women and dinaka for men.Sekgapa and Dinaka are traditional dances of Bapedi-speaking people covering such areas as GaSekhukhune, GaDikgale, GaMaake, GaSekororo, and Bolobedu.

Balobedu have a male initiation ceremony called Moroto. The female initiation ceremony is called Dikhopa.

Balobedu have their own way of praising and talking to their God through Dithugula. They sit next to a traditionally designed circle in their homes and start calling the names of their ancestors.

Traditional rulers

Queen Makobo Modjadji VI

The Lobedu have female rulers known as "Rain Queens". The queen is believed to have the power to make rain. The Balobedu Kingdom consists of a number of small groups tied together by their queen. On 12 June 2005, Queen Makobo Modjadji died, leaving no clear successor acceptable to all members of the Queen's Council. The late queen's brother has served as regent since then.

The area of Balobedu consists of around 150 villages, and every village has a male or female ruler who represents Modjadji, the Rain Queen.

The Rain Queen was historically known as an extremely powerful magician who was able to bring rain to her friends and drought to her enemies. Visitors to the area always brought her gifts and tribute, including cattle and their daughters as wives (though their role is more akin to what those in the Western world would call ladies-in-waiting), to appease her so that she would bring rain to their regions. The name Lobedu is thought to derive from this practice, referring to the daughters or sisters who were lost to their families. The Rain Queen extends her influence through her wives, because they link her politically to other families or villages.

The Rain Queen was referenced in literature as the basis for

She.[1]

List of rulers of Balobedu

  1. Queen Maselekwane Modjadji I (1800–1854)
  2. Queen Masalanabo Modjadji II (1854–1894)
  3. Queen Khesethoane Modjadji III (1895–1959)
  4. Queen Makoma Modjadji IV (1959–1988)
  5. Queen Mokope Modjadji V (1981-2001)
  6. Queen Makobo Modjadji VI (2003-2005)
  7. Prince Regent Mpapatla Modjadji (2005-2022)
  8. Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII (2024–)

Notable people

  • Platinum Stars
    defender; born in GaRamotshinyadi Village
  • Candy Tsa Mandebele, musician
  • Lebogang Manyama, Cape Town City FC midfielder
  • Jomo Cosmos
    defender; born in GaRamotshinyadi Village
  • Moroka Swallows
    and University of Pretoria FC defender; born in Ga-Abel village
  • Peta Teanet, born Teanet Peta XiTsonga, is a disco musician born and raised in Thapane Village, Bolobedu.
  • Mathole Motshekga, South African politician and former premier of Gauteng province,
  • Solly Mapaila, South African politician and leader of the Communist Party, is an ally of the ruling party.
  • Master KG, the Jerusalema song artist
  • King Monada, Ska Bora Moreki Hitmaker

Further reading

  • Krige, E. Jensen, and J. D. Krige The Realm of a Rain-Queen: A Study of the Pattern of Lovedu Society London: Oxford University Press, 1943.
  • Tebogo Jacob Rakgogo, Peter Mandende (16 Jul 2022). "Is Khelobedu a language or a dialect?". South African Journal of African Languages. p. 179-189. . Retrieved 27 February 2024.

External links

References