Maputaland
TOURISM INFO^beta

The northern part of Maputaland, is without conventional electricity and water supply. Here you can experience the rich "real life" African tribal culture that is unaffected by modern world or industry. Previous governments did not interfere in the life of the Thonga Tembe people and it is still governed today by the Tribal Court of the King, B.I. Tembe. This generation is probably the last generation that will exist free of western influences. I am astounded by the knowledge of the guides when they explain the Thonga culture and the way they have lived off the land for centuries using what is available in nature. It is also one of the things that affect foreign visitors deeply when they see and experience this culture. There are no primarily commercial cultural villages or experiences in Kosi at present. All the cultural activities is real and not simulated for tourists. Sadly, but understandable, we see this culture dissappearing fast.

History of the Thembe - Thonga

The people of Maputaland have a unique history and culture that sets them apart from their Zulu, Swazi and Shangaan neighbours. They call themselves Tembe or Thonga after their founding ancestors who migrated to this area in the middle of the seventeenth century. Tembe established a mighty kingdom, which extended into the Delagoa Bay (Maputo) hinterland. His kingdom stretched from the Pongola (Maputo) River in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east, and from Delagoa Bay in the north to around the Sodwana Bay area in the south. The Tembe kingdom reached its apex in the late 18th century under King Mabhudu I. Mabhudu, who lent his name to the area and the capital of Mozambique, established a powerful relationship with Shaka of the Zulu, acting as the linkage between the European traders at Delagoa Bay and the kingdoms of the hinterland. In 1875s, British and Portuge Imperialism clashed in the Mabhudu Kingdom. Mac Mahon, a French President arbitrated by drawing a line unknowingly through the Thonga Kingdom in order to settle a land the dispute between the British and the Portuguese. The northern part of the kingdom was awarded to the Portuguese and the southern part to the British. The Portuguese praised the president and named Mozambique's most famous beer, Dois M, in his honour. Apparently the border did not affect the Thonga people much until the 1960 when the South African

Traditional Customs

The people living in Maputaland have a rich cultural heritage, with traditional customs still evident in a number of ceremonies that occur in homesteads throughout the region. When a child is born, a function called imbeleko is held to welcome the child into the family. As girls become women, a ceremony similar to a 21st birthday party, called umemulo, is held in her honour. An important event leading up to a wedding, umshado, is an agreement with respect to the bride price, ilobolo, which is normally the equivalent of 11 cows. Most homesteads today are built in a mixture of styles, with materials either being bought or collected. In most homestead clusters, a traditional beehive hut, called an indlu yangenhla, is still constructed. This is regarded as an 'upper room' where ancestors are consulted for advice or during a family function. For those wanting to have a more contemporary cultural encounter with the local residents of the area, tours to visit a local schools and nearby homesteads, can be arranged.

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