Lobedu people

The Lobedu or Balobedu (also known as the BaLozwi or Bathobolo) are a southern African ethnic group that speak a Northern Sotho dialect.

Lobedu is a written language and its dictionary, Thalusamandzwi Ya Khilovedu, was published in 2018 by Kgothatso Seshayi.

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).

The rest of the people are descendants of East Sotho or BaLaudi refugees and indigenous South Venda groups like BaNgona.

The wild pig clans (Dikolobe) are the Modjadji, Mohale, Ramalepe, Modika, Mahasha, Mabulana, Mokwebo, Mampeule, Molokwane, Malepe, Sebela, Thobela, and Ramafalo, all of whom are descendants of the ancient Mokwebo (wild pig) royal house.

The elephant clan is Rabothata, Selowa (Khelowa/Tshilowa/Shilowa), Shai, Matlou (Ma₫ou), Mabulana, and Maenetja; these are the descendants of the ancient royal house of Nengwekhulu.

They settled alongside the Zambezi River Banks and established it as Musi-oa-tunya (storms that thunder), present day Victoria falls.

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.

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.