The Matabele are a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army. They are now more commonly known as the Ndebele or amaNdebele. The Zulu are an African ethnic group of about 11 million people who live mainly in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. ... Shaka Shaka (sometimes spelled Chaka) (ca. ... Mzilikazi (meaning the path of blood) (ca. ... There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. ...

During a turbulent period of African history known as the Mfecane, Mzilikazi and his followers, initially numbering about 500 people, moved west towards the area near the present-day city of Tshwane (Pretoria), where they founded a settlement called Mhlahlandlela. Here they came into contact with the Tswana people, who are credited with giving this band of Zulus the name "Matabele". Tabele comes from tebela which means to chase away. Mfecane (isiZulu), also known as the Difaqane or Lifaqane (Sesotho), is an African expression used about chaos and disturbances. ... The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is (as of 5 December 2000) a metropolitan area mostly in Gauteng province, South Africa, that includes the city of Pretoria. ... TSWANA (singular moTswana or Motswana, plural baTswana or Batswana) is the name of a Southern African people, and of its Bantu language. ...

They then moved northwards in 1834 into present-day Zimbabwe where they battled with the Shona, eventually carving out a home now called Matabeleland and encompassing the west and south-west region of the country. In the course of the migration, large numbers of conquered local clans and individuals were absorbed into the Matabele nation, adopting the siNdebele language but enjoying a lower social status than that of members of the original clans from the Zulu kingdom. 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Shona (or ChiShona) is a native language of Zimbabwe; the term is also used to identify those Bantu tribes in Southern Africa who speak one of the Shona languages. ... The Matabele are a branch of the Zulus who escaped from King Shaka under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shakas army. ...

Lobengula assumed power after the death of Mzilikazi in 1868, and ruled the Matabele nation until its defeat in the 1890s by the British South Africa Company under Cecil Rhodes and Leander Starr Jameson who were in search of mineral resources in an age of dominant British colonialism. Lobengula (d. ... 1868 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that color in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... The British South Africa Company (BSAC) was established by Cecil Rhodes, receiving a royal charter in 1889. ... Cecil John Rhodes (July 5, 1853 – March 26, 1902) was an English businessman and the effective founder of the state of Rhodesia (which was named after him). ... An 1895 cartoon of Jameson from Vanity Fair Sir Leander Starr Jameson, Bt (February 9, 1853 – November 26, 1917), also known as Doctor Jim, was a British colonial statesman who was best known for his involvement in the Jameson Raid. ...

In recent years, the population of the Ndebele has been diminishing due to the Gukurahundi, a genocide that was carried out by the Zimbabwean government on the Ndebele and secondly migrating to other countries, especially South Africa in search of jobs and as after-effects of the Gukurahundi. Gukurahundi is a traditional term in Shona (one of Zimbabwes native languages), which means the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains. The chaff, i. ... Gukurahundi is a traditional term in Shona (one of Zimbabwes native languages), which means the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains. The chaff, i. ...

See also

• Provinces of Zimbabwe
• Matabeleland North
• Matabeleland South
• Gukurahundi