Tucked away at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, near the borders of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, lies the ancient kingdom of Mapungubwe.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a testament to southern Africa’s earliest civilisation, and its significance extends far beyond its archaeological importance.
Recent research by Professor Munyaradzi Manyanga, an expert in Archaeology and Heritage Management at Great Zimbabwe University, has shed new light on Mapungubwe’s intricate social structure.
The kingdom thrived from the 11th to the 17th century, boasting monumental architecture, advanced agricultural practices, and extensive trade networks that connected the interior of Africa with the Indian Ocean.
The society was divided into two distinct settlements: the elite resided in elevated areas, while common people settled in lower regions, demonstrating clear social stratification.
Mapungubwe’s history serves as a symbol of resilience and adaptability, offering valuable lessons for contemporary regional development.
According to the professor, the kingdom’s ability to adapt to environmental pressures, such as the transition from the Medieval Warm Epoch to the Little Ice Age, is a testament to its innovative spirit.
By integrating local knowledge and modern technologies, communities can enhance food production and resilience against climate variability.
For centuries, Mapungubwe’s narrative has been dominated by colonial perspectives, marginalising local voices and perspectives.
However, Manyanga’s research seeks to reclaim agency over these narratives, highlighting the importance of engaging with scholarly research to illuminate local histories and challenge reductive portrayals of the past.
Mapungubwe’s legacy extends into contemporary challenges facing urban centres in southern Africa.
The region grapples with issues of sustainability, urban planning, and food security – challenges that can benefit from historical insights.
By understanding past urban formations, modern town planners can gain critical insights into alternative settlement patterns that may offer more sustainable solutions.
Manyanga said by learning from the past, southern Africa can forge a path toward a more inclusive, sustainable future, celebrating the contributions of its earliest civilisations as vital components of regional development.
The gem stands as a shining example of southern Africa’s earliest civilisation, offering invaluable lessons for contemporary society.
Its legacy promotes regional solidarity, emphasising the importance of interconnectedness in facing contemporary challenges.
As we move forward, let us draw inspiration from Mapungubwe’s resilience and adaptability, and strive to create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
During the Annual Mapungubwe Lecture Series, Manyanga, under the topic: “Mapungubwe: The Emerging Narrative Of Southern Africa’s Earliest Civilisation And Implications For Regional Development”, said Mapungubwe’s rich history covered over six centuries in the Shashe-Limpopo basin.
During the lecture, Manyanga told of the history, taking the audience back a thousand years.
“We want to explore as to who rediscovered this place called Mapungubwe,” the professor began.
“Mapungubwe means ‘place of Jackals’… By then some people believed that it means a ‘place of pouring out’ for they believed that, because it was a time of the Iron Age when smelting iron in a liquid form was to be poured out… also other people believed that it was a ‘place of wisdom stones’ for they believed that the rocks were wiser and they could not claim them.
“Another belief with local people around here is that it’s a place of ancestors. Thaba ya Badimo (the hill of ancestors),” Manyanga said.
He told the audience how the area was discovered by the University of Pretoria.
“So the site of Mapungubwe was to be rediscovered only in 1932 when there was a certain white man by the name of Mr Van Graan who was a treasurer hunter.
“One day when he was hunting, he fell thirsty and lucky enough, he came across an old black man by the name of Mr Museri Mokwena. Van Graan decided to approach the man for water from the old man… He was offered water in a clay pot.”
He said after Van Graan drank the water, he was interested in the clay pot, discovering that there was an abundance of clay at a secret place on the hill.
“Van Graan had heard rumours of the place but did not know exactly where it was… he realised that Mokwena had knowledge about the place and asked him to show him the hill, but Mokwena was unwilling to show him because he believed that’s where his ancestors were buried.
“They believed that going up the hill without asking the elders you might disappear or it may lead you to sickness… They believed there would be some sort of punishment if you disrespected ancestors. Mokwena knew this and was reluctant to show Van Graan the hill.
“However, Van Graan came up with a way to persuade Mokwena. He hosted a party where he invited him and fed him alcohol so he could dupe him into taking him to the hill. Mokwena refused.”
Manyanga explained how Van Graan offered coins to Mokwena that he refused but was overheard by the son of Chiwana Mokwena, who volunteered to lead Van Graan to the hill after accepting the coins.
“100 metres from the hill the boy gave his back to the hill and named it Mapungubwe and pointed the way before turning back… After a while, they eventually found their way to the hilltop and that’s when they discovered pieces of horns, copper, iron and gold. They took those artefacts and shared them among themselves equally,” Manyanga said.
He said in the group, there was a student from the University of Pretoria, Jerry van Graan, who convinced his father that they needed to report the area to the government so that it could be protected.
In 1933, the university got permission to excavate up on top of the hill and around Mapungubwe where they discovered graves.
The Star