Bantu-speaking Peoples of South Africa - Ethnic Partitioning

Ethnic Partitioning

South Africa's Bantu speaking communities are roughly "divided" into four main groups: Nguni, Sotho–Tswana, Vhavenda and Shangana Tsonga, with the Nguni representing the largest group. These are divided as follows (this list is not exhaustive):

  • Nguni
    • Northern Nguni
      • Swati
      • Zulu
      • Ndebele
      • Ngoni (in Northern Zimbabwe)
    • Southern Nguni
      • Mfengu
      • Mpondo
      • Mpondomise
      • Thembu
      • Xhosa
  • Shangane Tsonga
  • Sotho–Tswana
    • Basotho
    • Lozi
    • Northern Sotho
      • Balobedu
      • Bapedi
    • Batswana
  • Vhavenda
  • Vhalemba
    • (speaking Tshivenda)

Common among the two powerful divisions of the Nguni and the Sotho–Tswana are patrilineal societies, with which the leaders formed the socio-political units. Similarly, food acquisition was by cultivation and hunting. The most important differences are the strongly deviating languages, although both are Southern Bantu languages, and the different settlement types and relationships. With the Nguni settlements were villages widely scattered, whereas with the Sotho–Tswana settled in towns.

Read more about this topic:  Bantu-speaking Peoples Of South Africa

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