Fengu people

The Fengu or amaMfengu (in the Xhosa language Mfengu, plural amafengu) are a group of clans whose ancestors were refugees that fled from the Mfecane in the early- to mid 1800s to seek land and protection from the Xhosa. These refugees were assimilated into the Xhosa nation and were officially recognized by the then king, Hintsa.

The word Fengu comes from the old Xhosa word which is "ukumfenguza" which in the old Xhosa dialect meant to wander.

The Fengu people are a confederation of clans from the former British colony of Natal; these clans include Miya, Sonkosi and Rhadebe. It must be noted these are xhosa translations as there is no recorded fengu language, names or a kings list outside of their adopted xhosa lingua.

Their settlement in the Cape meant they were lawfully recognized as British since by the principles of English common law or natural law, Freeholds cannot be granted outside lawful descent; the land devolves by heirship, binding ancestry and lawful rights together.

Hence the colonial records and deeds show their names, surnames and clan names are recorded in their original English forms, i.e., Myer would have been the english or common law form of the africanized name Miya as supported by church records and land deeds. Some like Stewart were not only english forms but were translated directly to the africanized name Sonkosi, Knox to Nokwe, Marsh to Mahashe, Gwenwynwyn to Gcwanini, Rheade to Rhadebe and others.

Their arrival in the British Cape colony coincided with the settlement of other British settlers in the 1820s to the 1830s.

They were settled on the frontier as a buffer between the Cape colony and the Xhosa which also meant they coincidentally settled the same territory as the other 1820 settlers from Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland.