Mfengu biography of william

Xhosa Tribe

Ethnic group

Person	uMfengu
People	AmaMFengu
Language	IsiXhosa
Country	KwaMfengu

The amaMfengu (in the Xhosa languageMfengu, plural amafengu) were a group of Xhosa clans whose ancestors were refugees that fled from the Mfecane in the early-mid 19th century to seek land and protection from the Xhosa.

These refugees were assimilated into the Xhosa nation and were officially recognized by the then king, Hintsa.^[1]

The word Fengu comes from the old Xhosa word which is "ukumfenguza" which in the old Xhosa dialect meant to wander.

The Fengu people are of a confederation of clans from the Natal province near the Embo river, these clans include Miya, Ndlangisa, Gatyeni, Bhele, Tolo and Tshezi clans.

During the 6th Frontier War, they were promised independence from the oppressive Xhosa government by the Cape Colony and it was proposed that they would be given their own land which would be called Fingoland, the southwest