Ukufuduka kwamaPedi
Ngokwesiko somlomo, i-Pedi ingahle ibuyele emuva eMaroteng, i-offshoot yaseKgatla, namuhla isakhiwo esibalulekile se-Tswana. Kukholelwa ukuthi emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, cishe ngo-1500, iMaroteng yayihlala eduze nomthombo weVaal. Ngaphansi kweKhomishana iThabane bahambela eSikilpadfontein yosuku lwamanje ngasePitoli. Igoli liwukuthi ngesikhathi sokubusa komzukulu kaTabane, uMotsha, umkakhe ozithandayo, uMathobele, usolwa ngokuzala ingane 'eyakhala esesiswini sakhe' (kuthiwa iyisibonakaliso sokuthakatha).
Abadala bafuna ukuthi umama nengane babulawe. Ukuvimbela lokhu, uThelebele, owaphumelela uMotsha, waphula. Yena kanye nalokhu okulandelayo, kuhlanganise uMamthebele nomntanakhe, baya empumalanga, bewela uMfula i-Olifants (Lepelle) ngaseMarble Hall yanamuhla. Bahlala eMfuleni we-Steelpoort (Tubatse) cishe cishe ngo-1650.
Ngesikhathi bewela iLeolo Mountains, kuthiwa bathole inqwaba yezinkukhu esiqhumeni, esithathwa njengento ehle. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uMaroteng wathatha i-porcupine (okungenjalo) njenge-totem yawo futhi yahlakulela ukubonakala okuhlukile. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, i-Maroteng yakha ukubusa phezu kwesifunda esibanzi. Umbono uhlukaniswe ngendlela iPedi eyathola ngayo igama labo.
Enye inkolelo ukuthi igama liyinkohlakalo kaVhambedzi, igama leqembu leVenda elihlala eLeolo Mountains. Kukholelwa ukuthi bafundisa abaningana abaningi beMaroteng amakhono abo ngo-iron-mongering. Ngenkathi, i-Vhambedzi yayigxilile kancane, i-amalgam eyalandela yaziwa ngokuthi iPedi.
Translated by Nsika Khoza