African | Tribal | Xhosa people

The Xhosa people are speakers of Bantu languages living in south-east South Africa, and in the last two centuries throughout the southern and central-southern parts of the country. Xhosa-speaking peoples are divided into several subgroups with related but distinct heritages. The main subgroups are the Mpondo, Mpondomise, Bomvana, Xesibe, Thembu, Bhaca and Mfengu. The name "Xhosa" comes from that of a legendary leader called uXhosa. There is also a theory that the word xhosa derives from a word in some Khoi-khoi or San language meaning "fierce" or "angry", the amaXhosa being the fierce people. The Xhosa refer to themselves as the amaXhosa and to their language as isiXhosa.