Tracing the Threads: Symbols of AmaHlubi and Xhosa Ancestry

Honouring one's cultural identity is both a personal journey and a collective one.

Though culture is perceived as a shared system of thought and practice, choosing to embrace one's culture is a personal decision, one that can reflect a sense of respect, curiosity or admiration for that culture.

For me, it's all the above, but mostly curiousity - curiosity about my ancestral lineage, and the stories woven into our history, which interestingly enough traces back to Central Africa and the ancient Embo nation.

A couple of years ago, the elders in my family revealed that we are descended from the AmaHlubi - one of South Africa’s oldest tribes. Yet, I have always known myself as Xhosa. Both truths coexist within me.

I have since learnt that this is a familiar experience among those of Hlubi descent, many of us have assimilated into various tribes across Southern Africa, and the connection to our Hlubi history faded over time.

According to a few historical texts, such as:The Hlubi Chiefdom in Zululand-Natal, members of the Hlubi nation migrated from Natal - where they had been settled as far back as the 13th century - fleeing the Mfecane wars to regions including Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Eswatini, and Lesotho. In my ancestors story, their path led them to intaba saze Transkei.

In the Transkei, they were given the name AmaMfengu (meaning “wanderer”) by the Xhosa. This collective label was applied to the Hlubi, Bhele, Zizi, and Ntlangwini tribes who fled the Mfecane wars during the 1800s and later assimilated into the Xhosa language, customs, and way of life.

Some historians, however, challenge the interchangeable use and labeling of the AmaHlubi as AmaMfengu, noting that the AmaHlubi have their own distinct history, customs, and language, isiHlubi, which is now considered endangered and nearly extinct.

Many AmaHlubi today speak isiXhosa, Swati, Sesotho, or isiZulu, a striking example of how assimilation can erase ancestral languages.

When my grand-aunts shared the story of our Hlubi ancestry, they often also described us as AmaMfengu, suggesting that, in a sense, we had embraced a dual identity, perhaps due to the label given by the Xhosa to our migrant ancestors or the fading history of the AmaHlubi.

In some ways, then, as I learn more about the AmaHlubi, I am choosing to explore the links, if any, between the AmaMfengu and the AmaHlubi.

Interestingly, both are recognized as subgroups within the broader Xhosa nation, these subgroups are AmaGcaleka, AmaRharhabe, AmaMpondo, AmaMpondomise, AbaThembu, AmaXesibe, AmaBomvana, AmaBhaca, AmaMfengu, and AmaHlubi.

It is important to note, however, that even these subgroup classifications are also sometimes disputed, as the history is layered and, at times, marked by gaps.

For instance, within the AmaHlubi nation there are multiple clans and lineages, including Radebe, Dlamini, Tolo, Mthembu, Mbhele, Mntambo, Ntombela, Miya, Ndlovu, Masango, Maduna, Nkomo, Xaba, Khumalo, and Yirha. My own clan name, Nkomo, appears in both Hlubi and Xhosa traditions, its translation and totem animal represents cattle - a symbol of wealth across African culture.

In this work, we traced remnants of history, exploring elements of cultural dress and symbolism, the meanings of colors, objects, and totem animals within these cultural traditions, and how they connect to our lineage.

Within Xhosa cultural dress, the colour of umbhaco has always carried symbolism.

Red ochre, which gave rise to the term “Red Blanket People,” carries meanings of sacrifice, bravery, and ancestral lineage. White, on the other hand, symbolizes purity, spirituality, and connection to the ancestors, and is often worn by healers to signify ritual clarity and power.

These threads of meaning continue to flow through the traditions and identities of our people, and the colours chosen here were intentionally selected to evoke them.

Beadwork, too, has always been an expression of identity, with patterns, colour combinations, and regional preferences serving as symbols of belonging, status, and memory.

Mfengu beadwork, is especially distinctive, known for its vibrant combinations of turquoise, pink, and white - a creative signature within the broader Xhosa tradition.

In this work, there's a dance between contemporary and ancient culture. While the silhouettes, subtly reference European influence, tied to the textile's origin.

The ancient is honoured through the animal skins, which the Hlubi wore, while the inclusion of Khoi-San ostrich shell beads references an art form that precedes colonial glass beads. These ostrich beads held significance not only as adornment but also as a form of barter and exchange, highlighting their role in cultural expression and social economy.

Another deeply symbolic object in Xhosa tradition, highlighted here, is inqawe, the smoking pipe. Carried by both men and women, it is not only for practical use, but also used in rituals. Pipes have been used to connect with ancestors, with longer stems, often reserved for senior women, signifying both status and spiritual authority. Here, intonga, often reffered to as a walking or fighting stick, is a marker of strength, conviction and grace.

As an ode to the Kei River, which holds significance for the AmaMfengu as the border of their arrival in the Eastern Cape in 1835, we chose a location that features a river stream.

As I explored certain cultural symbols, learning aspects of these tribes, I also honoured my family tree. Created alongside my mother, it also acknowledges my sister and pays tribute to those in my lineage, my brother, aunt, uncle and grandparents, who are no longer on the physical plane. It is both a personal act of remembrance and a bridge to the collective memory of our people.

To speak of Hlubi and Mfengu history is to acknowledge its

complexity - identities that overlap, sometimes clash, and evolve, shaped by migration, imposed labels, and cultural adaptation.What remains constant, however, are the symbols and clan names that carry meaning across generations.

Tracing one's history is a path of understanding, connection, and continuity - tracing the threads that link past, present, and future. In honoring these histories, these identities, I not only reclaim the stories of my ancestors but also carry their legacy forward, as an act of remembrance.

Credits:

Creative Direction, styling & writing: Phendu Kuta

Photography: Black n White Visual Media

Models: Khangelwa Kuta and Phendulwa Kuta

Clothing: Nada J Designs

Accessories: MakeAfrica

Location: Ganze farm. Knysna, South Africa

References:

Bikitsha, M. (2021) AmaMfengu Debate. SA History Online. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive_files/AmaMfengu%20Debate%20-%20Manduleli%20Bikitsha.pdf (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Hadebe, S. (1992) The History of AmaHlubi Tribe In the Izibongo of its Kings. Available at: https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/server/api/core/bitstreams/ddda05a9-cf5c-43f0-b6a2-38aa69ddde41/content (Accessed: 30 September 2025)

Museum.za (2023) The significance of beadwork. Available at: https://museum.za.net/the-significance-of-beadwork/ (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Shweshwe4u (2024) The colors and patterns of Xhosa dresses: decoding the symbolism. Available at: https://shweshwe4u.com/the-colors-and-patterns-of-xhosa-dresses-decoding-the-symbolism/ (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Smarthistory (2022) Beaded collar (ingqosha), Xhosa artist. Available at: https://smarthistory.org/beaded-collar-ingqosha-xhosa-artist-south-africa/ (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Wataka Africa (2023) Weaving meaning: The history and artistry of Xhosa design. Available at: https://wataka.africa/blogs/stories/weaving-meaning-the-history-and-artistry-of-xhosa-design (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Wikipedia (2024)

Inqawe. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inqawe (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Artefacts (2024) Fingo Memorial, Peddie. Available at: https://artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/bldgframes_mob.php?bldgid=13250 (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

South African Tourism (2024) Xhosa culture: the clans and customs. Available at: https://www.southafrica.net/in/en/travel/article/xhosa-culture-the-clans-and-customs (Accessed: 30 September 2025).

Wright, J.B. (1942) The Hlubi Chiefdom in Zululand-Natal: A History. Ladysmith: Ladysmith Historical Society.