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Bamapela Clan — History & Meaning
Tswana clan · Setswana
Totem As a section of the Langa Ndebele, totem identity follows Ndebele/Nguni-influenced clan practice; a single distinct totem for the Bamapela is not consistently documented in reliable sources, so it should not be stated with certainty.
History & origin
The Bamapela (also Mapela) are a chieftaincy of the Langa Ndebele in the Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus) area of Limpopo Province. The Northern (Transvaal) Ndebele there consisted mainly of the BagaLanga and BagaSeleka, who over time were heavily influenced by their Sotho-Tswana neighbours and adopted much of their language and culture. The Mapela community is historically prominent for the resistance of Chief Mankopane (Mankopane Mapela Langa): in 1852 and especially September 1854, an alliance of the Ndebele chiefdoms of Mokopane and Mankopane killed a number of Boers in the northern Transvaal, an episode tied to the Boer siege at Makapansgat. The Mapela area lies near present-day Mokopane.
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Langa, Mapela, Mankopane.
We publish the full diboko (clan praises) only once we can verify them against documented tradition — for this clan they are still being confirmed. If you can share an authoritative version, corrections are warmly welcomed.