Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

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their wives and children and other dependents. 4 All the inmates ofthe
homestead were under the authority offamily head who was the heir.
In Mpande's youth days a plethora of neighbouring homesteads were
related to one another, though here and there among them would be
matrilineal or affinal relatives or some stranger.' At the head of each
group of homesteads would be a lineage-head, who with other similar
lineage-headmen came under the chief of the clan, the heir in direct line
from the founder ofthe patrilineal eponymous clan which was the core of
the clan group· These clan groups were established throughout KwaZulu.
They could, except in times of draught, make an adequate living in the
fertile hills and valleys ofKwaZulu'
For time immemorial and during Mpande's youth all males and females
were organised and socialised into age-sets called amabutho (regiments).
They learnt the life of the Zulu chiefdom and had to conform to
acceptable behaviour of the Zulu community irrespective of rank of the
individual age-grades· Further, they adhered to factions, requirements
and orders which emanated from the king's royal palace and these were
,
•
7
8
M. Z. Sbamase: Zulu Potentates - from the earliest to Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu. p. 4 I.
AT Bryant: Olden Times in Zululand and Natal. pp. 76 - 78.
1.5. Kubheka: "A preliminary Survey ofZulu Dialects in atal and Zululand",
pp. 10 - 15.
J.SA, Vol. 3, Evidence of Mpatshana, 28 May 1912, pp. 316 - 320; K.c., Stuart
Papers, Notes on the life ofHenry Fynn, pp. 24, 30; G.M. TheaI: The Republic of
Natalia, p. 4.
K.C., Stuart Papers, File 61, Notebook 31, Evidence of dukwana, 17 May 1903.
pp. 3 - 4. 6 - 8.