Although the origins of the South African Ndebele are shrouded in mystery, they have been identified as one of the Nguni tribes. The Ndebele people were originally an offshoot of the Nguni people of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The language amaNala and amaNzunza are related to that of the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe. Ndebele woman out side a villageThe Ndebele are a branch of the Zulu's who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army. In the 1820's Mzilikazi over-powered the Manala and decided to settle down with them. After some time, Ndebele woman with rings around her neckMzilikazi became afraid that Shaka would send an army after him. Ndebele dollsWith a clever plan he lured the Ndebele men away, got the others together and killed them. He then took the women and livestock and then moved northwards in 1834 into present-day Zimbabwe where they battled with the Shona people; eventually carving out a home now called Matabeleland and encompassing the west and southwest region of the country and finally settled in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. That is the origin of the Ndebele of Zimbabwe