Renowned for their beautiful carvings these people have lived in the region for centuries.

Tribal wars and movement

The Tsonga have been living in Mozambique for centuries and when the Portuguese first made land fall on what would become Mozambique their settlements stretched from the Lebombo Mountains to the Coast. In the 17th and 18th century their land was conquered by Nguni tribes who were fleeing the violent campaigns of Shaka Zulu in KwaZulu-Natal.

The main group that settled in Mozambique was the Shangaan. They enslaved the Tsonga and many of them fled into the northern regions of Mozambique, parts of Zimbabwe and in Limpopo Province in South Africa. Those who stayed fell under the control of the new Shangaan Gaza Kingdom. The kingdom stretched between the Zambezi River and Delgoa Bay.

Modern day Tsonga

There are two main groups of Tsonga People today. They are found throughout the southern regions of Mozambique, parts of Zimbabwe, Swaziland and near the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Here they formed a settlement under the Rain Queen, Modjodji.

Today many Tsonga do not follow a traditional way of life. They have moved into the city to find work. The tribal ties are not as strong as they once were. The influence of colonial administrators was a large factor in the breakdown of the traditional way of life for the Tsonga. Many of the Tsonga identify as Christians, however, in rural areas, the traditional way of life and belief system is still followed.

Ancient African culture

The Tsonga culture was strongly based on kinship ties which held clans and tribes together. The family unit consisted of a man and his wife or wives and their children. It also included the wives and families of his sons. When a son's family grew too big they would usually built a new compound near their fathers.

The Tsonga lived in traditional round huts with conical thatched roofs. The huts formed compounds around the boma for cattle and the meeting place (huwo) where men met to discuss issues affecting the family. Each wife had her own hut and cooking facility. The first wife had the hut closest to her husband's and the others were built further away. The first wife and her children had higher social status.

The Tsonga practiced subsistence farming. They cleared land and planted Cassava (manioc), potatoes, sorghum and maize. They kept chickens and cattle. The men cleared the fields, but the day to day responsibility of farming and stock care was the responsibility of the women and children.

Ancestors and Christianity meet

Though many modern Tsonga practice Christianity, in more rural regions traditional belief systems are still practiced. They believe in a supreme creator or being. They also integrate ancestor worship into their religion. Much of their religious life revolves around a traditional healer or shaman called a "nanga". One of the most important rituals the traditional healer performs is contacting the ancestors.

Death is considered to be an important life phase in Tsonga culture. It is believed that their spirit form rejoins the ancestors and retains the characteristics of that person. The ancestors can give advice and help resolve problems with the family. The link between the living and the dead is very strong.