Inyati
Encyclopedia
Inyati is a village in Matabeleland North
, Zimbabwe
and is located about 60 km north-east of Bulawayo
in the Inyati communal land. The village grew up around the Inyati mission, which established in 1859 by on land given to Robert Moffat
and William Sykes
of the London Missionary Society
by the Ndebele king, Mzilikazi
. The name means "the place of the buffaloes".
after successfully leading a column of ox-drawn carts from Kuruman
in Bechuanaland (modern-day Botswana), reaching the kraal
(and probably the headquarters) of Matebele king Mzilikazi
at Emhlangeni in western Zimbabwe, in October, 1859. Moffat was accompanied by, amongst others, William Sykes
and Thomas Morgan Thomas. Why the LMS wished to establish its activities in this part of Africa is unclear. However, it is unlikely to be a coincidence that King Mzilikazi, whom Moffat had befriended whilst in Kuruman, had moved the Matebele nation here in an effort to avoid Trekboers with whom he had unsuccessful clashes in the Transvaal
. King Mzilikazi consented to Moffat and the LMS entering his kingdom on the condition they did not engage in religious activities. He had hoped to use them as agents for trade with white traders from South Africa. The LMS established its mission station at Inyathi, a stone’s throw away from Mhlangeni in order that King Mzilikazi could keep a close eye on their activities.
Inyati Mission evolved from a modest site consisting of a church of red bricks, built by Moffat, which still stands to this day. It appears from the literature that Moffat left Inyati mission station after June 1860 with the necessary buildings sufficiently established. Its evolution to the modern day complex set on 3240 hectares (8,006.2 acre) of farmland must be credited to the various generations of LMS missionaries that took turns to guide this establishment.
Matabeleland North
Matabeleland North is a province in western Zimbabwe. It borders the provinces of Midlands and Mashonaland West to the east and northeast respectively, and the province of Matabeleland South and the city of Bulawayo to the south. Its northern border is defined by the Zambezi river, while its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and is located about 60 km north-east of Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
in the Inyati communal land. The village grew up around the Inyati mission, which established in 1859 by on land given to Robert Moffat
Robert Moffat
Robert Moffat was a Scottish Congregationalist missionary to Africa, and father in law of David Livingstone....
and William Sykes
William Sykes
William Sykes may refer to:* Bill Sykes, Member for Benalla in the Victorian Parliament* William Sykes , convict transported to Western Australia* William Sykes , Anglican clergyman* William Sykes , businessman...
of the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
by the Ndebele king, Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi , also sometimes called Mosilikatze, was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom , Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand and died at Ingama, Matabeleland...
. The name means "the place of the buffaloes".
History
Inyati was established as a mission station at the behest of the London Missionary Society (LMS) in December 1859 by Robert MoffatRobert Moffat
Robert Moffat was a Scottish Congregationalist missionary to Africa, and father in law of David Livingstone....
after successfully leading a column of ox-drawn carts from Kuruman
Kuruman
Kuruman is a town with 12,701 inhabitants in Northern Cape province of South Africa, famous for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a geological feature bringing water from deep underground to the surface in the Kalahari Desert....
in Bechuanaland (modern-day Botswana), reaching the kraal
Kraal
Kraal is an Afrikaans and Dutch word for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within an African settlement or village surrounded by a palisade, mud wall, or other fencing, roughly circular in form.In the Dutch language a kraal is a term derived from the Portuguese word , cognate...
(and probably the headquarters) of Matebele king Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi , also sometimes called Mosilikatze, was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom , Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand and died at Ingama, Matabeleland...
at Emhlangeni in western Zimbabwe, in October, 1859. Moffat was accompanied by, amongst others, William Sykes
William Sykes
William Sykes may refer to:* Bill Sykes, Member for Benalla in the Victorian Parliament* William Sykes , convict transported to Western Australia* William Sykes , Anglican clergyman* William Sykes , businessman...
and Thomas Morgan Thomas. Why the LMS wished to establish its activities in this part of Africa is unclear. However, it is unlikely to be a coincidence that King Mzilikazi, whom Moffat had befriended whilst in Kuruman, had moved the Matebele nation here in an effort to avoid Trekboers with whom he had unsuccessful clashes in the Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
. King Mzilikazi consented to Moffat and the LMS entering his kingdom on the condition they did not engage in religious activities. He had hoped to use them as agents for trade with white traders from South Africa. The LMS established its mission station at Inyathi, a stone’s throw away from Mhlangeni in order that King Mzilikazi could keep a close eye on their activities.
Inyati Mission evolved from a modest site consisting of a church of red bricks, built by Moffat, which still stands to this day. It appears from the literature that Moffat left Inyati mission station after June 1860 with the necessary buildings sufficiently established. Its evolution to the modern day complex set on 3240 hectares (8,006.2 acre) of farmland must be credited to the various generations of LMS missionaries that took turns to guide this establishment.