Queen Nandi

Written By Kamdi Okonjo

Zulu Kingdom, South Africa

1760 - 10 October 1827

Image created by AFA - A close to accurate recreation based on historical research

Queen Nandi kaBhebhe stands as one of the most influential figures in Zulu history, renowned not only as the mother of King Shaka Zulu but also for her unwavering resilience, strategic influence, and role in shaping the Zulu kingdom. Born into humble circumstances, she endured rejection, exile, and hardship, yet rose to become the revered Queen Mother, advising her son as he transformed a small clan into a powerful empire. Her story exemplifies strength in the face of adversity and highlights the pivotal role of women in African history.

Early Life

Nandi kaBhebhe was born around 1760 in Melmoth, in what is now KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, into the eLangeni (also known as Mhlongo) clan. She was the daughter of Bhebhe kaNqeshe, a former chief of the eLangeni, and Mfunda kaKhondlo kaQwabe. Her name, Nandi, means "the sweet one" in isiZulu, reflecting perhaps her endearing qualities or the hopes placed upon her. Details of her early childhood are scarce, shrouded in the oral traditions of Zulu history, but she was raised in accordance with the customs of her people, which emphasized community, kinship, and respect for ancestral ties.

Meeting Senzangakhona and the Birth of Shaka

In approximately 1786 or 1787, Nandi encountered Senzangakhona kaJama, the chief of the Zulu clan, during a chance meeting. They engaged in ukuhlobonga (or ukusoma), a traditional Zulu practice of non-penetrative intimacy intended to prevent pregnancy. However, Nandi became pregnant, leading to controversy. When she informed Senzangakhona and the Zulu elders, they initially denied the pregnancy, attributing her symptoms to an intestinal beetle known as "iShaka," which caused bloating and menstrual irregularities. Despite the denial, her pregnancy was confirmed, and in 1787, she gave birth to a son whom she named Shaka, ironically after the beetle that had been used to dismiss her claims.

Senzangakhona eventually acknowledged paternity and married Nandi as his third wife around 1787, but the union was fraught with tension. The marriage was considered taboo because the Zulu and eLangeni clans were deemed too closely related, violating customary exogamy rules. Nandi's eLangeni kin demanded reparations, and she personally insisted on 55 head of cattle to settle the matter and avert conflict. Despite this, Nandi and young Shaka faced relentless hostility, bullying, and ostracism within the Zulu kraal.

Challenges and Exile

The animosity grew unbearable, and around 1793, Nandi and Shaka were expelled from the Zulu clan. They sought refuge first with Nandi's eLangeni people, but conditions there were also perilous. During a famine in 1802, they were cast out again and wandered until finding shelter among the Qwabe and later the Mthethwa clan under Chief Dingiswayo kaMohlatsane. During this period of exile, Nandi married Gendeyana of the Ncholo people and bore two more children: a son, Ngwadi, and a daughter, Nomcoba.

Under Dingiswayo's protection, Shaka received military training and rose through the ranks, developing innovative tactics that would later define Zulu warfare. Nandi's role during these years was crucial; she instilled values of resilience and leadership in her son, shielding him from further harm and fostering his ambition.

Rise as Queen Mother

Senzangakhona died in 1816, paving the way for Shaka to seize the Zulu throne with Dingiswayo's support. Upon ascending, Shaka elevated his mother to the position of Queen Mother, or iNdlovukazi (the Great She-Elephant), a title reflecting her formidable presence and influence. Nandi served as Shaka's chief advisor, wielding significant political power and helping to consolidate the Zulu kingdom through conquests and alliances. Over the next decade, the Zulu expanded dramatically, becoming one of southern Africa's most powerful entities.

Shaka held his mother in extraordinary esteem, bordering on reverence, and never married, possibly to avoid dividing his loyalties. Nandi's temper and pursuit of vengeance against her past tormentors earned her a fearsome reputation. Some accounts suggest her example inspired the creation of all-female military units, though historical evidence for women fighting on the front lines in Shaka's armies is limited; the Zulu military was predominantly male, with women often in supportive roles.

Death and Mourning

Queen Nandi died of dysentery on October 10, 1827, an event that plunged Shaka into profound grief. Her grave, located outside Eshowe, was reportedly buried with several living handmaidens to serve her in the afterlife, and guarded by thousands of soldiers. Shaka enforced a year of national mourning, prohibiting crop planting, milk consumption (a Zulu staple), and ordering the execution of those deemed insufficiently sorrowful, including pregnant women and their husbands. Accounts claim up to 7,000 people were killed during this period, and even cattle were slaughtered to symbolize the loss of a mother.

However, some historians argue that these extreme measures, as recorded by European traders like Henry Francis Fynn, may have been exaggerated to portray Shaka as a tyrant and justify colonial interventions. The mourning excesses contributed to internal unrest, culminating in Shaka's assassination in 1828 by his half-brother Dingane.

Historical Significance and Cultural Legacy

Queen Nandi's transformation from a shunned outcast to a revered queen mother embodies tenacity and empowerment. Beyond birthing Shaka, she was a key advisor whose counsel helped forge the Zulu empire. Her story, preserved through oral histories and scholarly works, inspires as a symbol of maternal strength and female agency in patriarchal societies. In modern South Africa, efforts continue to honor her grave and legacy, recognizing her as a foundational figure in Zulu and African history.

References

Kamdi Okonjo
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