Empire of the South: Butwa

 Bakwa-Butwa State

"Malambodzibwa Ne-Mbire also called Munumutapa(Monomotapa ~King) It was he who was found by the Portuguese ruling over the Bakalanga. It was then that he was attacking other communities, capturing the male and female children, making them his workers. It is thought that slavery started with them. Monomotapa raided many tribes at the time he went out with his army, the Portuguese also had their army assist and they went to attack Mongase, killed the people, taking the things of the people and their families. He raided many places doing his will, capturing the people and giving them to the Portuguese.

It happened the Munamutapa Kingdom was torn by internal fighting and civil warfare that destroyed the Bakalanga. It was then that Madabhale broke away with a very big following and went down to the west of the country, into now modern Matabeleland. He went there to build a kingdom, having left with a very large following. It was a big kingdom and he had his councillors such as Nimale, Hungwe, Zwikono, Vunamakuni, Nkami, Nigwande, Ninhembwe, and many others of the Bakalanga Kingdom & Ne-Mbire clans. 

Ne-Mbire / Mbire yeSvosve clans: Shoko (monkey totem). Sub-clans from the Mbire under the Shumba (lion totem) vaMhazi (Chirumhanzu), vaMhari (Chivi, Bere, Banga, Rera & Nhema), the vaNhinhi of Charumbira, the Nyakunhuwa of Jichidza. Gumbo (leg) Gutu & Ndanga.

Ne-Mbiru / Mbire Nyashanu clans: Shava-mhofu (eland totem), sub clans from Mbiru are Munyaradzi, Mapanzure, Mukapare, Muchibwa & Matenda.

Murinye vaDuma / vaRozvi clans: Moyo (ox heart totem).  sub clans from Murinye vaDuma are Mugabe, Shumba-Chekai & Chikwanda. 

After his arrival, Madabhale found that that country belonged to the Bakwa [Khoe/Basarwa], and so he came and conquered them.

 "Then we ruled and sounded his war horns. That is where the name Chibundule came from [roaring of a bull, war trumpet]."

Thereafter the name Chibundule was associated with the rulers of the first Butwa State under Bakalanga Kingdom. 

Madabhale is the earliest known Mambo or King of Butwa state, his lineage may very well have been preceded by any number of other now-forgotten dynasties which incorporates such modern Botswana-based branches as Mosojane, Madandume, Nshakashongwe, and Majambubi. While the Chibundule state was known to the Portuguese by the names Torwa/Tolwa or Butwa, and archaeologists sometimes speak of "Khami culture", Ikalanga traditions associate the dynasty with the Bawumbe (Bahumbe) sub-group of the Balilima-Bakalanga. 

It appears that the new Butwa state was intermarried to the Ne-Mbire dynasty or relative of Ne-Mbire clan. Mambo/Munhu Butua(~King of Butwa) gifted the Munumutapa(~King of Mutapa) 4000 cows and some large amount of gold. Butwa rapidly grew in size and wealth more or less succeeding the Ne-Mbire/Munumutapa dynasty. 

The Portuguese's account of the rebellion on the plateau had stopped trade around the Great Zimbabwe plateau :

António da Silveira described Inhamunda’s rise:

“In the hinterland of Sofala, there are two kings whose territories contain the mines that produce the gold brought to the trading post of Sofala. One of them is named Munumutapa; he was the greatest lord of the entire region, and as long as he remained so, there was always much gold, for all the mines belonged to him and were active.

The other king now present is named Inhamunda. He is a former slave/vassal of Munumutapa who rebelled and gradually conquered the territories, so that he has become very powerful and controls all the lands along the river, as well as part of the mountains. He achieved this with the protection of the fortress at Sofala.

-"Long as Inhamunda had little power and believed the Portuguese had much, he was an excellent neighbor and allowed much gold to come to the trading post. But now that he no longer needs us and knows the true extent of the captain of Sofala’s power, he mocks him outrageously and blocks the roads."

The Portuguese inability to stagger their trade over time led to a “saturation” of European goods in Inhamunda’s domain. It was the possession of these goods that gave him power, allowing him to interpose himself between Sofala and the Mutapa plateau, blocking the route for merchants.

Silveira reports that the Monomotapa waged war against Inhamunda to reclaim his lands, but was defeated has no other purpose than to determine who will ally with the fortress and have access to it, for the Monomotapa can only send his men through Inhamunda’s territories, and Inhamunda refuses to let the merchants pass, kills them, and robs them. He knows, in fact, that without these goods the Monomotapa cannot raise an army or wage war against him. The Monomotapa asked the Portuguese at Sofala not to take sides in this conflict, to let him and Inhamunda settle it themselves. He was even willing to pay for their neutrality: if necessary, “he would send the required sum to the fort within two hours”. The presence of Portuguese defectors in Inhamunda’s camp (one of whom had apparently married his daughter) likely contributed to his confidence. It was probably from them that he learned to handle firearms; in any case, he was sent gunpowder and bullets from Sofala in 1521. [due to lack of documentation Inhamunda's rebellion ends here]

Between the 11th and 15th century some Karanga/Kalanga clans had invaded some parts of Mozambique, they dominated the Tonga and assumed control over the pearls, ambergris and cotton, ivory and the slave trade.

Pages:  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9.

*Video: Empire of the South: Mutapa.

Sources