- Prince Wandile Ngobese says he’s honoured but needs to consult King Misuzulu before accepting the invite.
- The Ngoni people were once defeated by King Shaka and fled north during the Mfecane migrations.
A Tanzanian traditional leader has asked a Zulu prince to teach the Ngoni people the traditional dance and songs of the Zulu nation.
Prince Wandile Ngobese, the great-great-grandson of legendary warrior Inkosi Mehlokazulu, has been invited by Inkosi Mgendela Gama to share his knowledge at a cultural event.
“I am so happy that I am invited, but I need to consult with the Zulu King. Yes, I have received an invite from Tanzania through Inkosi Gama. The invite states that I have to teach the Zulu dance and culture at their event,” said Ngobese.
Prince Wandile is the son of Inkosi Thathezakhe Ngobese of Nquthu and plays a key role in promoting Zulu culture.
This is not the first time he has been invited by the Ngoni — a group who are originally from KwaZulu-Natal but were driven out during the rise of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona.
Shaka’s expansion of the Zulu Empire in the early 1800s caused many Nguni clans, including the Ngoni, to flee north in a period known as the Mfecane.
The migrations led to Ngoni settlements across eastern Africa, including Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
Earlier this year, Inkosi Gama attended the uMkhosi weNcwala ceremony, where he met Prince Wandile. He later described him as a son.
Pictured above: Prince Wandile Ngobese during the meeting with Inkosi Mgendela Gama of the Ngoni Nation in Tanzania and Ingwenyama Nkosi yaMakhosi Mphezeni Jele of the Ngoni Nation in Zambia during the Incwala Ceremony.
Image source: Prince Wandile Ngobese
