The Vhavenda of today are descendants of many heterogeneous groupings and clans such as:

Vhadau, Vhambedzi, Vhatavhatsindi, Vhakwevho, Vhafamadi, Vhalea, Vhania, Vhagoni, Vhaluvhu, Vhatwamamba, Vhanyai,Vhanzhelele/Vhalembethu, Vhalovhedzi, and Vhasenzi. Vhakwevho and Vhafamadi are the sub-groups of Vhatavhatsindi.

Vhadau, Vhambedzi, Vhatavhatsindi, Vhalea, Vhania, Vhatwamamba, Vhagoni and Vhaluvhu were collectively known as Vhangona. Vhangona clans were the first clans to settle in present day Venda and parts of southern Zimbabwe. Vhangona are therefore regarded as the aboriginal Vendas. Archaeological evidence indicates that Vhangona were already in Venda and southern Zimbabwe in 400 AD. As the first group to settle in Venda, Vhangona named most of the places, mountains, rivers, hills, etc.

Vhadau inhabited the area from Mount Sunguzwi/Songozwi in the west to Mount Tshitumbe in the east. Their prominent chiefs were Raphulu, Tshidziwelele, Mudau and Dewasi.

Vhambedzi’s headquarters were in Marungudzi, Zimbabwe. In Venda, Vhambedzi  were concentrated at Tshulu (Ha-Makuya), Mianzwi, Tshilavulu and Makonde. Their prominent Khosi was Luvhimbi who was famous for rain making powers.

Vhatavhatsindi settled at Lwandali and Thengwe. Vhakwevho, a sub-group of Vhatavhatsindi, settled at Luonde and Luvhola. The other sub-group of Vhatavhatsindi, Vhafamadi, settled at Ha-Mashau. Vhatavhatsindi’s prominent chiefs were Matidze, Nethengwe and Manenzhe.

Vhalea and Vhatwamamba settled at Musina, Mapungubwe, and Ha-Tshivhula.

Karanga-Rozvi clans such as Vhanyai, Vhalembethu, Vhalovhedzi and Vhasenzi later settled in Venda. Vhanyai and Vhalembethu occupied the whole eastern Venda. The Vhanyai prominent chiefs were Makahane, Nelombe and Tshilowa.

Vhasenzi consisted of Masingo (the ruling clan), Vhalaudzi, and Vhandalamo. They were also joined by Vhalemba who are of Semitic origin.

This website offers an undistorted version of Vhavenda history, culture and tradition. The information was researched, compiled and written to correct the lies peddled over the years by colonialists and Boers who, in their quest to steal our land, claimed that Africans only arrived in South Africa in the 1600s. As presented in this website, Vhavenda clans have been in South Africa and southern Zimbabwe since 400 AD.

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