The contribution of mfecane war to the formation of states in south Africa and Africa large

Mfecane word is derived from Xhosa terms “Ukufaca” means to become thin from hunger and “Fetcan” which means starving intruders. It is also known by the Zulu name “difaqane” means the crushing. Generally, Mfecane war was a period of wider spreading warfare, plundering, disturbances, destruction and migration in Zulu land and in some other parts of South Africa

. The word Mfecane originated from Zulu word means crushing. This was in the high area which lies between the Drankersberg Mountains, Kalahari Desert and Limpopo River. Some time is known as the war of wondering which are accompanied by the rise of the Zulu happened in the half of 19^th century. (Davies, N.E 2003).

A series of Zulu and other Nguni wars forced migrations of the second and third decades of the the19th century that changed the demographic, social and political configuration of southern and central Africa and parts of eastern Africa.

A state can be conceptualized as an organized political community controlled by one government, or an organized political community forming part of a country, (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 7^th edition2004)

Also the state can be defined as a body polite or society of men, united together for the purpose of promoting their combined strength, (www.the-lawdictionary.org/state-n/)

The Mfecane war can be traced back during the 19^th century, there were a sequences of wars took place among the northern Nguni people, people of southern eastern Africa. During 1820s to 1830s armies and refugees from these wars spread warfare and destruction over vast areas of Southern and central Africa.

The most prominent leaders in the Mfecane were Zwide of the Ndwande, Sobhuza of the Ngwane who later became Swazi and the Dingswayo of the Mtethwa were deeply involved in upheaval. Zwide and Sobhuza fought over land along the Pongola river and Sobhuza was defeated after which he led people further in land to the area that is known as Swaziland to day.A After defeating Sobhuza. Zwide came into conflict with Dingiswayo over the resources like land and water.

The factors behind that led to the Mfecane war was struggling over the shortage of land. This was due to the population increase which caused by fertile soil for crop production and high quality posture. Also the geographical barriers in Drankersberg Mountain and the Indian Ocean made impossible for people to expand to the west east respectively. Due to the scarcity of land, different societies were struggling to get an area for cultivating as well as the area to accommodate the population growth. As the results of struggling over the land people were indulge them to the war, and this came to be called Mfecane war.

The following are the effects of Mfecane war that led to the contribution of states formation in South Africa and Africa at large;

To a most extent Mfecane war created outstanding leaders that renewed the history of 19^th century in east and central Africa, the most stable leaders includes the Mirambo, Nyungu ya m awe and Munyigumbsa and Makawangu. Each of them recognized many newly available military organization and methods, which they later actively employed to build great empires. For instance, Mirambo employed Ngoni tactics and Rugaruga fighters to create the large and powerful Nyamwezi Empire.

 Societies which were formally weak and segmented were properly organized into powerful states example the Holoholo and Sangu under Makawangu were united with the Ngoni influence, while the hehe under Munyigumba and mkwawa were unified with the help of the Ngoni’s military tactics. Later, with the Ngoni military tactics the hehe under Mkwawa resisted strongly against the Germans penetration and conquest.

Many states copied the fighting example Ngoni, Koloto and Ndebele they copied the fighting from Tshaka and Zulu. The Nguni become the home of military weapons and tactics. A new weapon like spears was introduced and used with greater efficiency. Also the cow horn tactics of surrounding the enemy became best tactics of conquering the weak states. This helped them into the formation of new states.

The extreme pressure for the Zulu to find new land because of draught caused an expansion in territory and led to the formation of state. As king Tshaka created the militaristic Zulu kingdom in territory between the Tugela River and Tongolo River, his forces caused a wave of Zulu expansion was a major factor of the Mfecane. So Zulu people grew to power and expanded their territory under their leaders Tshaka

Migration of southern African people especially that of Zulu speaking people during the 19^th century originating in the areas of between Belagoy bays. The population pastern transformed where by people concentrated in a certain compact areas under the new political leadership.  People wanted protection of the more powerful and new state hence state formation arose. For instance Mashoeshoe’s state building in the midst of the disruption and turmoil he selected a mountain top for protection and gathered.

The Mfecane war was led to the east refugees assimilated into the Xhosa speaking people in the Eastern Cape Province hence becoming the Mfengu. This group was subjected to the successive waves of attack by other tribes which led to the state formation of Xhosa.

Generally, not only Mfecane war contributed to the rise of states but also resulted to the decentralization of states especially during the movement of Nguni speaking people, in their movement they destabilized the economic life of many societies. Trade caravans and trade routes especially in central Tanganyika in the Nyamwezi and Holoholo territories and southern Tanganyika (the Yao), were disorganized. The intervention also disorganized the peaceful, trading activities that were waged between the in habitants of Mozambique and the coastal traders. Agricultural activities also retarded as the free communities neglected agriculture example shire region in Malawi was seriously affected by the frequent wars. Formerly, in the shire region agriculture and land was left bare, thus it can be advanced that insecurity inevitably gave no room for the economic life of many communities. Also Mfecane war dislocated many tribes and communities from their original homelands.

           

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                                       REFERENCES

Davies, N.E (2003). A History of Southern Africa. England: Longman Group UK

Denoon, D (1973). Southern Africa since 1800.U.SA: Praegar publisher.

Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 7^th edition2004

www.the-lawdictionary.org/state_n/