Pedi

Molefi Kete Asante

The Pedi are a southern African people often called the Northern Sotho because they are a branch of the large Sotho people. However, the Pedi have established their own identity throughout their history. They developed as a separate group in the 16th and 17th centuries through a series of wars and political arrangements. Like so many larger groups in Africa, the Pedi combined with smaller kingdoms to create a larger confederation for defensive and social reasons. The fact that they shared the same language and customs made it easy for them to have a confederation. When the Pedi were defeated by the armies of the Ndebele king Mzilikazi on his way north, they were scattered until a great king, Sekwati, restored their unity and revived the Pedi people. Of course, they were then engaged in battle against the invading European Boer armies pushing toward the Limpopo River. One must not ...

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