The natives of British Central AfricaWerner, Alice
History
The natives of British Central Africa
Werner, Alice
Ethnology -- Malawi; Malawi -- Description and travel; Malawi -- Social conditions
The date of the crossing referred to is fixed at 1867, or soon after, by
the late Mr. E. D. Young, who, reaching Chibisa’s with the Livingstone
Search Expedition, in August of that year, found that the ‘Mazitu’ were
encamped on the hills at Magomero. They had taken the place formerly
occupied by the Yaos in the estimation of the Anyanja, and the former
foes united to oppose them. The Makololo, too, began to regard them as
a serious danger, and expelled their old adversary, Mankokwe, from his
position near Tyolo, lest he should make common cause with the Angoni.
The latter were at this time occupying the left, or eastern, bank of the
Shiré, and negotiating with the Anyanja to be ferried across, while the
Machinga Yaos were in possession of the right bank, from the Cataracts to
the Lake.
The Angoni are variously known as Mazitu, Mavitu (Maviti), and, in more
northern regions, as Magwangwara, Wamachonde, and Ruga-Ruga.
From this time forward, Chekusi’s Angoni raided Yaos and Anyanja
impartially for some years. The former fled to the hill-tops, the latter
to islands in the Shiré. When the invaders retired, they came from their
hiding-places and cultivated their gardens in the plains, but only to
have their crops swept off by fresh raids, as soon as they were ripe, and
(as we have previously mentioned) their women and children carried off as
slaves beyond the river. These raids occurred with unfailing regularity,
till the settlement of the Mission party at Blantyre in 1876. There was
an alarm in July 1877, but the invasion did not take place, probably
owing to the presence of the Europeans.
The last of these raids took place in 1884, but was brought to a
peaceable conclusion. The Rev. D. C. Scott, accompanied by Mrs. Scott and
Dr. Peden, visited Chekusi’s kraal and succeeded in coming to a friendly
understanding with that chief; and thenceforth the only Angoni hosts to
cross the river were gangs of porters, or of men seeking work on the
plantations. Chekusi died subsequent to the proclamation of the British
Protectorate in 1891; his son was executed by the British administration
after the ‘rising’ of 1896; and Mandala, whose village, after the
delimitation of 1901 was found to be in Portuguese territory, was taken
prisoner and died on the march to Tete. Mpezeni’s son and successor is a
minor, and Mombera has been succeeded by a chief who has but little real
authority, so that the prestige of these Zulu clans is now a thing of the
past.
We have already seen how the Makololo came to be settled on the Shiré.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account