Balobedu People

The Lobedu or Balobedu ''(''also known as the BaLozwi or Bathobolo'')'' are a southern African ethnic group that speak a Northern Sotho dialect. Their area is called Bolobedu. The name "balobedu" means "the mineral miners", lobela or go loba – to mine. Their ancestors were part of the great Mapungubwe early civilization. They have their own kingdom, the Balobedu Kingdom, within the Limpopo Province of South Africa with a female ruler, the Rain Queen Modjadji.

It is estimated that there are around 1 million BaLobedu in South Africa. Their population is found in Greater Letaba Local Municipality (171 011 or 80.4% based on the 2011 census), Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality (200 000 or 46% based on the 2011 census), Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality ( or 47% based on the 2011 census), Greater Giyani Local Municipality ( or 6.4% based on the 2011 census), and smaller villages in Limpopo. Some are found in Gauteng province as labour migrants, especially in Tembisa and Alexandra townships.

Language

Their language is known as Lobedu (used here but Khelobedu, KhiLovedu, or Lovedu are equally valid) and is sometimes considered a dialect of the Northern Sotho language and is grammatically similar to other Sotho–Tswana languages. Mutual intelligibility between certain Venda dialects and the Lobedu language is so high that speakers of these Venda dialects can effectively communicate with Lobedu speakers without difficulty. A Tshiguvhu (a Venda dialect) speaker can understand a Lobedu speaker easily, and vice versa. Lobedu could easily have been classified as a Venda dialect or an independent language. For example, Northern Sotho has higher mutual intelligibility with Southern Sotho and Tswana than it does with Lobedu.

Most Lobedu speakers only learn to speak Pedi at school; as such, Pedi is only a second or third language and is foreign to them, like English and Afrikaans. Lobedu is a written language and its dictionary, Thalusamandzwi Ya Khilovedu, was published in 2018 by Kgothatso Seshayi. The first Lobedu novel, Lekhekhesha, was published in 2018 by Eliya Monyela. The first Lobedu poetry book, Zwireto zwa KheLobedu, was published and launched in 2020 by Lobedu poet Makgwekgwe Waa-Mampeule. As of October 2021, a translation of the Christian Bible is being undertaken by VALODAGOMA NPC (the BaLobedu think tank) and PANSALB (the Pan South African Languages Board).

Subgroups

There are sub-groups of the Lobedu:
* BaLobedu ba Ga-Modjadji, which is the main group of BaLobedu and is led by the Royal House of Modjadji, which is the main royal house for the other groups. The royal house use Warthog as totem. Balobedu ba Ga Modjadji are Kolobe Clan. Mokoto royal family members are part of Modjadji family.
* Balobedu ba ga Tsolobolo Clan, they are ruled by Letsoalo Chieftaincy in Khwaname Modjadjiskloof. They are Banareng clan ba Tsolobolo. They use Buffalo as their totem. Chief Tsolobolo was in alliance with Chief Makgoba in fighting Boer settlers. He died at Pretoria Prison in 1896. The government of South African Republic moved the clan to Ga-Kgapane. There is no Chieftaincy in Ga-Kgapane. The current Chief is Moatle Johannes Letsoalo. Tsolobolo Royal Family they are still fighting for their dispossessed land in Land Claims court.
* Balobedu ba ga Makgoba are Batlou Clan, located in Makgobaskloof. Molepo people from Ga-Molepo are Batlou Clan, they are related with Balobedu ba ga Makgoba.
* BaLobedu ba Ga-Sekgopo (Balobedu Ba Ha Sekhopo), which are located at Ga-Sekgopo Village. They separated from the main group of Balobedu in the late 1700s, when the first female ruler of Balobedu was crowned. They are led by Mogale Family, who have been Headmen for Modjadji Royal family.
* BaLobedu ba Ga-Mmamaila, which was founded by Prince Mmamaila, the elder brother of Modjadji I, who objected to being ruled by women, was the 11th son of the last male rulers of BaLobedu, King Mokoto who was the son of King Kheale. This tribe is located around Ga-Mamaila and Sekhosese townships, in an area known as Boroka, which means north in Khelovedu.
* Like the Mamabolo took the totem Kolobe by staying amongst dikolobe. The Mamobolo Clan are the descendants of Selwane & Mogashoa who are the Babina Tau ba ga Masemola by origin became dikolobe by staying with dikolobe and adopted the totem Kolobe. See Reference below.

Origins

The Balobedu originally migrated south from present day Zimbabwe to their present location in South Africa. The central Queendom village is Khethakoni, in the district of Balobedu. These Kalanga migrants consisted of the Mokwebo, who are the ancestors of all wild pig clans (ba ana golove/ba bina kolobe) like Mamabolo Ramafalo and Modjadji, the Nengwekhulu, who are the ancestors of all elephant clans (Ditlou); and the Ramabulana, ancestors of the other elephant clans (Ditlou), who are also uncles of the Nengwekhulus. All BaLobedu are descended from these three groups: BaKwevho, Nengwekhulu, and Ramabulana. The rest of the people are descendants of East Sotho or BaLaudi refugees and indigenous South Venda groups like BaNgona. As a result, the most common animal totems among BaLobedu are the wild pig (Goloe/Kolobe) and the elephant (Dou/Tlou).

The wild pig clans (Dikolobe) are the Modjadji, Mohale, Ramalepe, Modika, Mahasha, Mabulana, Mafa, Mokwebo, Mampeule, Molokwane, Maunatlala, Malepe, Sebela, Thobela, and Ramafalo, all of whom are descendants of the ancient Mokwebo (wild pig) royal house. All Chiefs in Bolobedu are of the wild pig clans, with the exception of the chiefs of Taulome, Malatji, and Rakgoale (Mogoboya), who are Dinoko (porcupines) after running to Bolobedu after difagane wars their traditional dance they brought is Dinaka. The elephant clan is Rabothata, Makgoba, Selowa (Khelowa/Tshilowa/Shilowa), Shai, Matlou (Ma₫ou), Mabulana, and Maenetja; these are the descendants of the ancient royal house of Nengwekhulu. Letsoalo they are Buffalo clan. They call themselves Banareng

The BaLobedu are more closely related to the Lozwi Kingdom started by Dlembeu. As they were migrating southward, another splinter went South-East. The Northern Lozwi, or Lozi are found in the present-day Western Province of Zambia. They settled alongside the Zambezi River Banks and established it as Musi-oa-tunya (storms that thunder), present day Victoria falls. They have the praise lines Sai/Shai and Dewa, and call themselves the people of Thobela, which is the same as the Lozwi/Kalanga. The rainmaking powers of Queen Modjadji are also synonymous with the Njelele Shrine in SiLozwi (in present-day Matabeleland, Zimbabwe), and it is therefore accepted that there is an intertwining of their history with the rest of the Lozwi. Lozwi have a history of rainmaking, as does the current Lozwi king, Mike Moyo, who is also gifted with rainmaking. Linguists have listed Lobedu together with Kalanga, Nambya (a dialect of Kalanga), Venda, Lemba, Shankwe, Nyubi, and Karanga as a language of the Lozwi, which consequently connects them to their history. Their rainmaking history is tied to that of the Banyai in northern Matabeleland and Kalanga in southern Matabeleland, and there are two areas called Njelele in Matabeleland.

Traditions

Balobedu do traditional dances called khekhapa for women and dinaka for men.Sekgapa and Dinaka are traditional dances of Bapedi-speaking people covering such areas as GaSekhukhune, GaDikgale, GaMaake, GaSekororo, and Bolobedu.

Balobedu have a male initiation ceremony called Moroto. The female initiation ceremony is called Dikhopa.

Balobedu have their own way of praising and talking to their God through Dithugula. They sit next to a traditionally designed circle in their homes and start calling the names of their ancestors.

Traditional rulers

The Lobedu have female rulers known as "Rain Queens". The queen is believed to have the power to make rain. The Balobedu Kingdom consists of a number of small groups tied together by their queen. On 12 June 2005, Queen Makobo Modjadji died, leaving no clear successor acceptable to all members of the Queen's Council. The late queen's brother has served as regent since then.

The area of Balobedu consists of around 150 villages, and every village has a male or female ruler who represents Modjadji, the Rain Queen.

The Rain Queen was historically known as an extremely powerful magician who was able to bring rain to her friends and drought to her enemies. Visitors to the area always brought her gifts and tribute, including cattle and their daughters as wives (though their role is more akin to what those in the Western world would call ladies-in-waiting), to appease her so that she would bring rain to their regions. The name Lobedu is thought to derive from this practice, referring to the daughters or sisters who were lost to their families. The Rain Queen extends her influence through her wives, because they link her politically to other families or villages.

The Rain Queen was referenced in literature as the basis for H. Rider Haggard's novel ''She''.

List of rulers of Balobedu

Before Balobedu was ruled by Queens. They had 6 male Kings. The last being King Mokoto. The King was ordered by Ancestors to conceive a Queen with his daughter Dzugundini
# Queen Maselekwane Modjadji I (1800–1854)
# Queen Masalanabo I Modjadji II (1854–1894)
# Queen Khesethoane Modjadji III (1895–1959)
# Queen Makoma Modjadji IV (1959–1988)
# Queen Mokope Modjadji V (1981–2001)
# Queen Makobo Modjadji VI (2003–2005)
# Prince Regent Mpapatla (2005–2023)
# Contested King Lekukela (2022–)
# Queen Masalanabo II Modjadji VII (2025–)

Notable people

* Stanley Kgatla, former Platinum Stars defender; born in Ga-Ramotshinyadi village
* Candy Tsa Mandebele, musician
* Lebogang Manyama, Cape Town City FC midfielder
* Andrew Rabutla, former Bafana Bafana and Jomo Cosmos defender; born in Ga-Ramotshinyadi village
* Tebogo Monyai, former Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C., Moroka Swallows and University of Pretoria FC defender; born in Ga-Abel village
* Peta Teanet, born Teanet Peta XiTsonga, a disco musician born and raised in Thapane Village, Bolobedu
* Mathole Motshekga, South African politician and former premier of Gauteng province
* Solly Mapaila, South African politician and leader of the Communist Party, an ally of the ruling party
* Master KG, the Jerusalema song artist
* King Monada, Ska Bora Moreki Hitmaker
* Thabang 'Lij' Mabale, a township business advocate and founder of Tzaneen Fashion Week
* Chief Makgoba
* Thabo Cecil Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town
* Evidence Makgopa, soccer player, bronze medalist at 2023 Africa Cup of Nations; born in born in Ga-Mampa village
* Raymond Mdaka, soccer coach, winner of 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations; born in Ga-Mokgwathi village

Further reading

* Krige, E. Jensen, and J. D. Krige The Realm of a Rain-Queen: A Study of the Pattern of Lovedu Society London: Oxford University Press, 1943.
*
* Mamabolo history. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/76077/letsoala_399_mamabolo_history_tribal_transcript_ns.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

External links

"Bantu"
GovernPub.com.
* Seleti, Yonah

South African History Online

References

{{Authority control

2. Mamabolo history . https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/76077/letsoala_399_mamabolo_history_tribal_transcript_ns.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

Sotho-Tswana peoples in South Africa
Northern Sotho
Monarchies of South Africa
Balobedu people