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In two of the local Xhosa Tribes
of South Africa, the Tembu and Fingo,
descent of the Chieftainship
is direct, that is usually to the eldest male
Child
but the tribal elders could sometimes enforce a
choice of
another child, if the eldest was not seen to be a
good leader.
Also a Chieftainess was also not unknown. Nelson
Mandela is
of the Tembu Tribe.
This is similiar in the case of the Khoi ( or
Hottentot) Tribe
who were at the Cape when the white man
first
arrived, and some of whose descendents bear
the
Sinclair name either by virtue of their ownership
(as a slave)
by a Sinclair, or by marriage to a Sinclair, or by
being a
servant to a Sinclair and taking the masters
name.
In the north of South Africa there is a Tribe, the
Pedi, whose
Queen Mujaji is a Lady ("the Rain Queen ") and she
has a number of wives.
These wives produce a female heir who is clearly
not a biological relation to
the Queen.
Regards
Mark Anderson
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