Draft:Cele Clan

Cele
Profile
Country	South Africa
Traditional Council	KwaCele Traditional Council
Ancestry	Nguni family
Ethnicity	Black African
Founder	uCele
Animal	Long-tailed Widowbird
Chief
Bathebuya Samkelo Cele
Seat	Nhlalwane, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Allied clans * Mthethwa Mbutho Mkhithi Mkhungo Mkhize Ngwazi Qumbisa
Rival clans * Qwabe

The Cele clan was a senior branch of the Mthethwa Paramountcy, until the Cele clan decided to be independent during the 1800's.

History

Before the invasion of the Qwabe clan the Cele's used to occupied an area between Mhlathuze River and Tugela River. After being forced to leave the clan moved to an area between Nonoti and uMdloti River. During Dingiswayo's reign of the Mthethwa Paramountcy Dubandlela was reigning the Cele clan. Dubandlela reigned for a long time that even his sons died first. When Dubandlela died, his grandchildren Mande and Magaye fought for the chief position. Magaye left Dubandlela's Royal House and went to Mhlali River to build his own Royal House, Mande also left for Mvoti River. Shaka Zulu came up with a plan to end the fighting between the two,he sent his man to Mande to tell him that his army is hungry, Mande pointed at an old, skinny dog and told them to take it and give it to Shaka. The man passed to Magaye and told him what Shaka said, Magaye gave them food for Shaka's army and they went back to Shaka, and told him about the generosity they got from Magaye and the greediness they got from Mande. Mande knew Shaka would invade and kill them both if they were both generous. Mande and Magaye worked together to stop Shaka's invasion.

Shaka was angry with what Mande said and sent his army to kill Mande. Mande's scouts told him about the war coming, so he ran away to the forest between Mvoti River and Thongathi River with his followers living his cattle behind and Shaka ate it. This made Mande loose his position, even though he had followers but life in the forest was hard for 2 years. So he went to his brother Magaye to ask for help to go to Shaka to speak on behalf of him to apologize. Magaye went to Shaka to apologize on the behalf of his brother, and Shaka forgave Mande and he came out of exile. Magaye and Shaka were huge friends because of his generosity.

Mande went back to his house in KwaDukuza and settled. His scouts came back to report that Shaka is back to get that dog Mande wanted to give him. Mande went back to the forest to hide again. Shakaka got assassinated by his half-brother Dingane to rule KwaZulu-Natal. Mande got the praise names:

uVico akagezanga emfuleni; wabuya nensila ngoba ethi uzogeza ngobisi.

Translating to "Vico he didn't bath in the river; he came back with dirt saying he'll bath with milk.

Tribes from the Cele Tribe

There are now so many surnames of people who split from the Cele. All these people originate from Cele who is the father ancestor to all.

The Mkhungo

The Mkhungo people came about when a man from the Cele saw a beautiful girl at home, in his family, fell in love and slept with her. When this deed was found out at home, they were angry and dumbfounded. They locked him up and was given house which was known as Mkhungwini because people were too shocked by his unbelievable act. A cow would be slaughtered in a ceremony to drive off the bad luck of giving birth to disabled children.

The Mbutho

The Mbutho surname came about after a Cele whose name was Mbutho. Mbutho was a famous warrior who was revered by his peers, who liked to share battle stories with him. These battle talk manifested and they would sneak out to at night to attack homes and areas that they did not really like or take kindly to. They were then given the name of Mbuthweni, which resulted in the surname Mbutho.

The Mkhithi

The Mkhithi people are found at Zingolweni. They originate from the Cele tribe. They are called Mkhithi after one of the Cele men who was naughty saw slept with a Cele maiden. This greatly annoyed and angered the people, and his behavior was equalled to the fall of snow. A serious feud followed and they fought amongst themselves, resulting in some deaths as many as the fall of snow (ukukhithika). He was then called Mkhithi and his generations were then identified as those of Mkhithi.

The Qumbisa

Qumbisa people are also found at Zingolweni. It was another example of men who seemed possessed by gross misbehavior. A Cele man took interest in a maiden within the Cele tribe and she was subsequently discovered to be pregnant. When the issue of the girl’s pregnancy was discussed, it was discovered that the culprit was a Cele in the tribe. He was then banished as a bad example of evil because he had impregnated at home in what was taken as incest. He was then described as one who impregnates, hence he was called Qumbisa and so was his children and generations after that.

The Ngwazi

The Ngwazi surname is found mainly around Mawuleni. They are the generations of King Manzolwandle Cele. In this case as well, a man within the tribe could not contain himself after seeing a maiden within the clan and decided that instead of her being taken by outsiders, he would claim her as his own and be the first to break her virginity. This deed, of course, angered the elders and because he was a stabber (ingwazi) who “stabbed” within his own people, he was kicked out of the tribe. His generations were therefore known as Ngwazi.

In the years around 1980, there was fierce fighting between the Cele of Ngwazini and those of Mawuleni in a fight that was over petty and insignificant issues. Even today, there are reminders of these wars from abandoned homes of people who left their homes behind running away from this infighting.

Chief line

Cele clan family tree
uCele uNdosi uNombedu uSicunga uMaganga uNqumela uSodi uZwana uLanga uMkhokheli Dubandlela uVico uSothukuza uMdinsila uMande uMagaye uMangqanga uXabhashe uMagidigidi uMshweshwe uZibula uNdunge uBhekameva uGcinangempi uKufakwakhe uMhlanganyelwa

Praise names

* Ndosi,

• Magaye,
• Khumbuza,
• Nkomo kayivuswa,
• Nkom'isenga ilele,
• Wayisenga imile iyakhahlela,
• Squnga esihle esingahlalwa nyoni,
• Squnga esizalelwa amasakabula
• Mkhokheleli owakhokhela isizwe ekugqilazweni,
• Dubandlela,
• Vico akagezanga,
• Obuye nensil'emfuleni,
• Ngob'ethembe ukugeza ngobisi,
• Magaye,
• Magaye angango lwandle!

The Long-tailed Widowbird often referred to as Isakabula in Zulu, is associated with the clan. It is mentioned in the 8 bullet of the praise names.

Cele royal houses

House of Shonkweni - KwaCele

Shonkweni was the first chief to arrive in the area with his land stretching to the neighboring township including Amahlongwa, Amandawe and Dududu. Though nowadays those areas are mostly controlled by white people.

House of Xabhashi - Nhlalwane

Based in Nhlalwane, Xabhashi was the first chief to arrive in the area. He also left the area for Ngonyameni where there area had a lot of lions but he killed them. The clan wanted to migrate to Mzimkhulu because they heard that the area had no chief and it's very rich in resources. Xabhashi went to Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa clan in Mpangeni to tell him that he's migrating to Mzimkhulu.

House of Xabhashi - Umlazi

Based in Umlazi the clan rules this area even nowadays it is urbanized. Xabhashi left this house because it wasn't his, he left it for Ndunge and went to Nhlalwane where others call it as Mfakuceba, Mfeni, Mfangisale. In the area he ruled peacefully because people loved him saying he was a leader like Mande who did not bow down to Shaka. Xabhashi also died and his son Bhekameva took position as chief.

House of Zibula - Mampondweni

Zibula was Magaye's son where he and his followers moved to Mampondweni land because he heard the land is not to die for. He currently stays in this area as the chief.

Notable alumni

• Amanda Cele, South African entertainer
• Ayanda Cele
• Baby Cele, (1972), South African actress
• Bandile Cele
• Bheki Cele, (1952), South African Minister of Police
• Bongani Cele
• Carol Cele
• Clara Germana Cele, (1890–1912), South African Christian girl said to be possessed.
• Elliot Cele
• Henry Cele, (1949–2007), South African actor
• Innocent Cele
• John Cele
• Khethiwe Cele
• Khulekani Cele
• Mandla Cele
• Menzi Cele
• Siboniso Cele (born 1985), South African canoeist