Tsonga are a people of South Africa. Most Tsonga live in the northeast of the country, between the St. Lucia estuary and the Mozambique border. They speak many dialects and have been known by many different names, including Tonga, Thonga, and Shangaan. When the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama encountered the Tsonga in 1498, they were traders in metal and ivory.
Fishing was the main source of food. But the Tsonga also grew sorghum and other crops, and raised goats and poultry. Shoshangane, leader of one of the Nguni-speaking groups, conquered the Tsonga in the early 1820’s and influenced their customs and language. Some fled to the Transvaal. Tsonga men were among the first of South Africa’s migrant workers, especially in the diamond fields. In 1895, the United Kingdom annexed Tsonga territory to prevent the Transvaal Afrikaners from gaining access to a port.
