y aspect of amaNdebele life it was a highly organized and finely tuned institution that, although its traditions were brief, had borrowed from the Zulu that in turn had borrowed from the wider Nguni project of war. It therefore stands to reason that the organization and tactics of the amaNdebele did not differ much from the parent form. As was the case with the Zulu, and with the exception of those physically disabled, or others involved in theocratic or witchdoctor functions, every man in Matabeleland was subject to military service. This was a national policy that held permanent effect, and at any time a man was required to be ready to take to the field for any purpose. Service in the military was an unpaid function and no compensation for service or injury could be expected, although rewards of cattle were not infrequent for those who showed particular prowess or where credited with acts of extraordinary daring. Such an individual could also expect some defining mark – some extra ornament representing a badge of honour – and the status of iQawe, or hero.
In this regard, again, the Ndebele model differed very little from the Zulu. As with the Zulu, when amaNdebele regiments were mobilized for a campaign of any description they were alerted by runner from the Royal Kraal with orders to assemble at a specific point in full battle order. The ceremonial preparation for battle involved ‘doctoring’ by a witchdoctor and the ritual removal of a portion of meat from a living bull that was then eaten by the assembled impi as a means of imbibing itself with the symbolic power of the creature.
An impi was a specific battle formation that could comprise men from different regiments assembled for the purpose of a specific military objective. An impi might number several thousand men, while an individual regiment tended to number on average about 750 warriors. There were exceptions to this, of course, and some, like the celebrated Mbizo Regiment, which was the largest in the amaNdebele formation, and which enjoyed a compliment of about 900 men-at-arms. It was customary upon the formation of a regiment for an Induna to be appointed and subordinates chosen from among the promising members of the ranks. The function of the regiment was defined when it was ceremonially charged with the care of a herd of cattle belonging ostensibly to the king. These were chosen as much as was possible to correspond with the hide pattern on the shields of each individual regiment.
It was this differentiation that was used to define the colours of each individual regiment. This again owed its origins to Nguni tradition, but most specifically the tight Zulu system of regimental identity and separation. This obviously was to establish a strong identity and esprit de corps within each regiment, and also to foster the sort of healthy rivalry that would inevitably follow. This was the mark of a professional fighting force, and it was this professionalism that Mzilikazi carried with him as a mark of his Nguni origins.
The standard kit of each amaNdebele warrior consisted of two shields, a miniature for use daily as an accoutrement of dress, and another much larger version for parade purpose and practical use in battle. The job of shield cutter belonged to a specialist artisan attached to each military kraal. The product was fashioned out of rawhide cut without a pattern and fixed by a batten secured by cutting traverse slits in the shield and threading through them hide of a different colour. The shield was finished off at its top axis by the tail of an animal threaded over the shaft as a form of decoration. Rank within a regiment was defined by the amount of white on a shield, which permitted commanders to assess at a glance who in battle were the most reliable of his warriors.
As with most armies the uniforms of the amaNdebele were standardized and instantly recognizable. The uniform such as it was had evolved very little from that of the Zulu, although it had deviated enough to support a sense of unique identity among the amaNdebele men at arms. Within the ge