Three brothers, Shayachimwe, Nyakudya and Gutsa who were of the Shava Dynasty and Museyamwa totem, migrated northwards from Buhera (Va Hera) in the south of Zimbabwe in the late eighteenth century.
Later, Gutsa was introduced by Seke to Chief Mbare of the Shumba Gurundoro totem, who resided on the modern day city of Harare, as a useful iron-monger.
The first half of the nineteenth century saw a considerable rise in the prosperity of the Va Hera who settled in the area around present day Harare between 1760 and 1780.
Hwata Gwindi travelled to King Lobengula in 1864, to discuss end of hostilities so that they can face common enemy, the British South Africa Company which was occupying parts of the country and taking over their mines and lands.
He worked with Nehanda Nyakasina to organise resistance by the Hwata people against British settlers who had invaded their lands at PaGomba in Mazoe valley.
Other families that have branches from Hwata Dynasty include Mhembere, Katambarare, Ziwange, Mabvurambudzi; Meda; Warambwa; Garwe, Kanengoni, Chivero, Mandaza, Gomera, Goredema, Muringai, Chiverere, Ndewere, Chakuchichi, Mandizha, Mutambirwa, Matsvetu, Ngoshi, Kaseke.
Succession of Hwata Mambos and their subjects had bought guns over the years from Portuguese traders in exchange for gold from the Mazoe and Chishawasha mines.
When the news of the Mashayamombe rebellion reached Mazoe, Mambo Hwata summoned all his subjects and asked them to bring their guns (zvigidi).
Mambo Hwata then asked the family spirit medium, Charwe Nyakasikana Known as Mbuya Nehanda to consult the ancestors.
Mbuya Nehanda gave the assurance to the Hwata people that they were fighting a good cause and that the spirits of the forefathers (masvikiro), would protect them in the same way that they had led them from Buhera through many conquests.
There was exchange of fire between the Hwata villagers and the remaining two British men, who fled to the mine after Fairbairn's gun jammed.
Blakiston, standing in the doorway of the pole and dagga hut scanning the grass and bush, shouted as he saw the villagers swarming their line of retreat.
Bullets whistled round their heads as the natives swarmed towards their line of retreat, but they managed to cover half the journey in safety until they were in full view of their colleagues at the mine.
[1] On 18 June 1896, concerned about the safety of the party at Mazoe Mine, the Administrator for Harare, Judge Vincent organised Dan Judson and four men (Honey, Godfrey King, Hendriks, Guyen and Stamford Brown) to travel from Harare to Mazoe to rescue the besieged inhabitants.
However, later than evening, Charles Annesty, a prospector who was returning to the mine from Chipadze kraal riding a donkey, was shot dead by the locals.
Captain Nesbitt's party endured gun attack from the Hwata people and suffered injury of only one man and his horse.
There were about 50 Hwata men in pursuit with a wide variety of guns which included Lee-Metfords, Martini Henry's, and muzzle loaders into which they crammed nails and stones.
The grass swarmed with black people, and Trooper Van Staden died after his head was blown off and Ogilvie and Burton were wounded.
Hendrikz who had split from the main party, received a bullet which passed through both cheeks, taking with it a piece of his tongue and jawbone.
When the party reached open land, just before Gwebi river the Hwata people pulled back after they received information that reinforcements with a Maxim gun (nganunu) were to be sent from Salisbury.
The purge went on for three months and to save their people, Mambo Hwata, Nehanda Nyakasikana and Mhasvi came out from hiding and surrendered to the police.
When she was sentenced to death by the Southern Rhodesia colony of Great Britain, Mbuya Nehanda left her ritual authority with Mandaza.
Although a large part of Mazoe District is named Chiweshe, these are, in fact, lands of the MaKorekore Negomo and Matope Dynasties, descendants of Nyatsimba Mutota founder of the Munhumutapa Empire.
A number of Mufakose families related to Nehanda, Goredema and Zumba have been making claims to be returned to the land of their ancestors since 1980.
The Hwata people endured the brunt of the Second Chimurenga, the war of liberation that finally defeated the white rulers of Southern Rhodesia.
However, due to lack of public records of their role (this one just being discovered thanks to Internet), Mambo Hwata and Mhasvi have not yet been recognised for their contribution to First Chimurenga by the Zimbabwe Government.
When Hwata Shayachimwe died, his elder daughter, Tete Minge, succeeded as Queen, in trust for her young minor brother, Prince Kamuteku, son of the Vahosi (First Wife).
Tete Minge was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of leadership, and she passed on the tsvimbo (crown) to her half brother, Kaviya, son of the second wife.
In Hwata Shona tradition, when the father dies, the tsvimbo (crown) passes down to his next eldest brother from the main house (Yavahosi).