Gcaleka
As both brides were from royal houses of high standing, Phalo had caused a dilemma within the Xhosa nation by marrying two princesses at the same time.
The Kingdom of the Xhosa called upon its wise men, one of whom was Majeke from the great Nqabara region under the Willowvale district in the Eastern Cape.
He advised that the princess which set foot first within the Xhosa Royal home (Komkhulu) should give birth to the heir.
The Mpondo princess set foot first and she was then announced the Great wife of the Xhosa nation (mother to the heir).
Because of Rharabe's increasing popularity and fearing that he might lose his birthright to his brother, Gcaleka attempted to overthrow his father and seize the throne for himself, but failed.
Nongqawuse was a young, orphaned prophetess who lived with her uncle Mhlakaza, a Xhosa spiritualist, at the Gxarha River.
One day in April 1856, Nongqawuse told her household that she had been visited by spirits of her ancestors who had ordered her to inform the Xhosa to kill their cattle and destroy their crops.
Nonqawuse claimed that the spirits informed her that if the Xhosa did as they commanded all European settlers in the region would be swept into the sea.
[4] The Xhosa had recently suffered defeat during the Eighth Frontier War (1850–1853) and lost much of their cattle to an unknown disease.
The Fengu people (or amaFengu), who eventually started adopting the Xhosa language and culture, were originally formed when the Zulu nation was dispersed by King Shaka and his armies during the Mfecane wars.
AmaFengu are known as the traditional enemies of the Gcaleka royalty, especially in the mid-1870s following a series of droughts which increased tension between local tribes.
Initiates take part in rituals performed by their birth families, which include physical and spiritual cleansing, prayers and offerings, blessings, traditional food, clothing and music.
It also involves the imparting of wisdom by elderly Xhosa women, including encouraging abstinence until marriage for girls.
