Shangaan

The Shangaan is a tribe in southern Mozambique in the provinces of Gaza and Maputo. There is also a large Shangaan grouping in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. In South Africa the Shangaan are often called the Tsonga. The tribe speaks the Tsonga language.

The Shangaans once ruled the Gaza Empire , created by Soshangaane , whose capital was based in Mossurize on the present-day border with Zimbabwe. The Gaza Empire comprised parts of what is now south-eastern Zimbabwe, as well as extending from the Save River down to the southern part of Mozambique, covering parts of the current provinces of Sofala, Manica, Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo in Mozambique; and parts South Africa. Soshangaane moved the capital from Mossurize to Gaza Province. After his death, his son, Muzila came into power and after Muzila came Ngungunhane , who was imprisoned by the Portuguese in Mandlakazi (now Gaza Province) in 1895.

External links

• Ethnologue on Tsonga