The Ngoni invasion had left tremendous legacy within history of pre colonial Tanganyika people. Discuss

Ngoni were Bantu speaking people who were inhabitant of the hill land of Natal in South Africa before they shifted to another part. Traditionally, Ngoni were practicing Age set organization and Comprised men who had been circumcised and were being assisted each other in various way of life they formed military regime which more skilled. Northern Zulu land in South East . They migrated from South Africa to Tanganyika between 1820 and 1840. In twenty years Ngoni travelled over thousands miles escaping to north, some moved to Mozambique, other westwards and other groups eventually came to East Africa. 

Ngoni speaking people led by prominent leader called Zwangendaba during their movement they were defeating some weakest society like Chewa people in Malawi and old Mwenemtapa kingdom and later on reached to  East Africa settled in Fipaland. This group divided into different groups after the death of their prominent leader Zwangendaba in 1848. Ngoni broke into five groups and two of these were Gwangara and Tuta who remained in East Africa and Tanganyika in particular .The former were moving into the valley of lake Rukwa then to the eastern shores of lake Tanganyika, after defeating the Holoholo and twice attacking Ujiji they settled finally in Runzewe District North west of Tabora. 

The Gwangara under Zuruguma moved to eastern ward from Ufipa highland across southern Tanganyika to Songea area where they met Maseko and Ngoni. The Tuta, advancing Northward, continued for a while the tradition of predatory migration. One band of them, penetrating through Unyamwezi to the shores of Lake Victoria, eventually settled in the area west of Kahama, where, unlike other Ngoni groups, they maintained a cohesive identity.

Their migrations from South Africa were forced out due to results of Mfecane wars led by Shaka Zulu. Shaka was the king of Zulu empire who decided to expand his kingdom by conquering the other state. Therefore Ngoni migrated northward so as to escape Zulu expansion. Ngoni also moved due to shortage of land resulted from Boer expansion in the interior. This was due to the fact that British and Boers were struggling for occupy land in South Africa. 

Most of indigenous land including Ngoni land were taken and for this reason Ngoni decided to move Northwards in seeking for the new land. It was also due to over population which was caused by the fertile soil and heavy rainfall from Drakensberg mountain. By this reasons people stated to settle in the areas with fertile soil especially for agricultural purpose. This lead to the growth of population and land was not enough. Ngoni decided to migrate to seek for the enough land and eventually they reached in Tanganyika. 

The Ngoni invasion had left tremendous legacy within history of pre colonial Tanganyika people as follows;

The Ngoni introduced new cultures of the people of southern Tanganyika. For example people adopted Ngoni new moon songs, dances and annual festivals. Also new language was introduced in the areas where the Ngoni speakers had settled like in Tunduru district in Songea people such as Makonde were able to interact with Ngoni people and in their relationship they became affected each other sand hence the social-cultural impact on the people of southern Tanganyika. 

Led to the emergence of strong leadership like Mirambo, Nyungu ya mawe and Mkwawa who used the military trick and weapons like short stabbing spear , Assegai, Cowhides and shields from Ngoni to build their states, for example Sangu under chief Merere and Hehe under Mkwawa used Ngoni tactics to form strong centralized state and in 1878. Hehe were strong enough to take the effective against Ngoni chiefdom. So this made remarkable thing to this societies toward Ngoni invasion in pre-colonial history of Tanganyika. 

Ngoni militarism forced some tribe to strengthen their state organization, the society through which they passed in Tanganyika were forced to form unity this possible after acquiring Ngoni military tactics which help them to move away some small scale Ntemiship system into strong political system under the control of one strong ruler for example Milambo who was the leader of Nyamwezi kingdom who as requited into Ngoni military managed to unity and strengthen Nyamwezi kingdom , Also Mkwawa used skill acquired from Ngoni invasion to resist against Germany conquest during imposition of colonialism hence Ngoni invasion has contributed much to the survival of state in pre colonial period of Tanganyika.

In pre colonial Tanganyika during Ngoni invasion, the southern societies were displaced by the Maviti. The Maviti were originally an off shoot of the Maseko Ngoni who passed through Makuani on the Northward trek during the first half of 19 century. By 1880 the term Maviti or Magwangwara were used interchangeably to displace several Makua groups in southern Tanganyika. When the two groups of Zwangendaba and Maseko met in Songea in southern Tanzania, they engaged in internal power struggles which culminated in the assassination of Zulu Gama in 1858 whereby a number of people were killed and injured  

Development of military tactics and weapons, Ngoni people had a strong outstanding army which supported them to manage to defeat the enemies all over the way from South Africa to Tanganyika while defeating some societies like the Holoholo and Ujiji in Tanganyika. The army was well disciplined while using good techniques like cow`s horn formation by which they used to march in four or five extended lines and attacked by surrounding the enemies. Also good weapons like short stabbing spears or assegai were used in fighting. These techniques and weapons were copied by the people of Tanganyika for example Ufipa copied the tactics of the Ngoni people and in 1850s were even able to challenge the Ngoni. Also Chief Merere of Sangu is one of the most famous leaders who used Ngoni tactics in the year 1860s and 1870s similarly with the Hehe and Bena. The copied skills helped much in establishing and developing larger stronger states as well as strong leaders like Merere. 

Intermarriages among the Ngoni and tribal women in Tanganyika societies; women whose their husbands were killed by Ngoni attack were taken captive by Ngoni warrior and becoming the wives of Ngoni soldiers also the son who left with their mother were recruited into Ngoni arms a good example is Milambo who was taken into Ngoni arms where he acquired different military technique which enabled him to strengthen his arms which was called Rugaruga. Which used to safeguard Nyamwezi society even after the imposition of colonial rule. 

Led to the occurrence hunger and femine, Ngoni during their attack were destroying and confiscating cattle and properties of the defeated people for example Ngoni plundered red cattle kept by Fipa people. This forced them to establish their settlement in Ufipa region. Hence by doing so Fipa encountered with the problem of food scarcity as well as arable land that were formerly belong to Fipa were taken by Ngoni people this causes shortage of food production. Therefore this made a great remarkable event to the Tanganyika people especially to those society in which Ngoni passed.

Generally; Ngoni invasion was not only left legacy to Tanganyika but also in other society that were experienced with Ngoni invasion like  Malawi where Chewa people threatened by Ngoni soldier, their invasion created short term impacts like insecurity displacement of people who lived by plundering and killing, depopulation especially in southern Tanganyika, destructions of economy and eruption of hunger in the societies. Though there were positive impact like transmission of new military skills as well as participated in resisting colonialist during their imposition.

REFERENCES

Gann. L, H. (1972), History of Africa and the World: An Introduction to History of Sub-Saharan Africa from Antiquity to 1840 .London: Chandler Publishing Company.

Mbwiliza, J F. (1991), A History of  Commodity Production in Makuani 1600-1900 .Dar es Salaam: Dar es Salaam University Press.

Odhiambo E,S. A History of East Africa, Hong Kong: Longman Group (Fe) Ltd. 

Olivia, V. (1967), African Beginning. New York: Macmillan Company of Canada Limited.

Vansina, J. (1966), Kingdom of Savanna . London: The university of Wisconsin Press. Wamboga, W.M. The Ngoni Migration into East Africa, Kisubi: St Mary’s College.

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