Miṱupo

Vhavenḓa vha khethekanywa na u fhambanywa nga Mitupo, Thavha, Vhubvo, Zwikhodo, Muano, Tshiilwa na Mavhulungele. Mitupo yeneyo i katela VhaDzanani, VhaDau, Masingo, Dzindou, Vhambedzi, Makwinda, Vhaluvhu, Vhakwevho na vhaṅwe vhanzhi uya ngau fhambana havho.

Sa tsumbo huna Vhakwevho vho fhambananaho . vhakwevho vha luvhola • Vhakwevho vha Luonde (Matidze) • Vhakwevho vha Tshiendeulu • Vhakwevho vha Ngwenani ya ha Lambani vhane vha vha Vhangona.

Vhanyai-vhakalanga vha ha nya mutsa nga davhi(ndi vha lembetu)nga- Azwifarwi Nkhumeleni(ndi gandamipfe la ha manenzhe ndi tshikwashila tsha ha manenzhe tshi sa dali nga mvula una tshi no dala nga mavhilivhili)

VhaVenda/Vhangona oral history states that the capital of Vhangona was Mapungubwe with the Raphulu Royal House as the most senior royal house of the Vhangona. According to this version the Vhangona Kingdom had approximately 145 chiefdoms and a King (Thovhele). It is said that the Kingdom was divided into seven districts:

• Dzanani;
• Mbilwi;
• Tswime;
• Tshiendeulu;
• Tshakhuma;
• Tshamanyatsha; and
• Thulamela.

These districts were ruled by District Paramount Chiefs (Mahosi Mahulu), as follows:

• MuDzanani/Nesongozwi (Dzanani);
• Nembilwi (Mbilwi);
• Netswime (Tswime);
• Netshiendeulu (Tshiendeulu);
• Netshakhuma (Tshakhuma);
• Netshamanyatsha (Tshamanyantsha); and
• Makhahani (Thulamela).Each district had several Chiefs ( dzi Khosi) who paid tribute to Mahosi Mahulu (Paramount Chiefs), then there were Headmen (VhaMusanda) and then Petty Headmen (Vhakoma). This tradition states that one of the Vhangona kings was King or Thovhele Shiriyadenga whose royal kraal was at Mapungubwe. The Paramount Chiefs who were ruling the districts were, in fact, the children of the king and they were reporting to the king himself.

Here are some of the VheVenda clan names or mitupo.

VhaDzanani

The VhaDzanani are the Paramount Chiefs of Dzanani, who were displaced from their land by the apartheid government. The capital of Dzanani district is Songozwi. After forceful removal by the apartheid government they relocated to Nzhelele valley, the currently Dzanani area. They scattered afterwards since Nzhelele was not as fertile as their original Dzanani/Songozwi. They have their sacred site in mount Songozwi. There are currently several sub surnames that are all part of MuDzanani, surnames like Nyadzhiwa, Netshipale, Malala, NeLuvhada, NeTshilite, NeMuungadi, Mukambako, and many more. But no matter what the sub-surname is, but all these people know or relate to each other by their mutupo (MuDzanani), mountain (which is Songozwi) and what they forbid (gwanda/gumbo la kholomo/Mbidi). Here is VhaDzanani's praise:

Dzulani zwanu MuDzanani, muila furi, wa vhulungu vhutete, vhu no lunzhedzwa nga a na nzhele, a sina nzhele a fhaladza. Vha ha tshidudu tsho bika vowa, matshelo tshi do bika mphapha. Vhataulu vhaila Mbidi, vha ha-Rambidi pandalalani; ahe muila gumbo, mukhwagovha. Vha tshisima tshi no bva nga fhasi ha thavha, tsha madi a u fhisa. Vha thavha ya Songozwi ine vha thelemusa. Vho Nemashango, mabuka mahulu ndi a Dzanani.

'Dzulani zwanu MuDzanani, mukhwa vhusuto, mukhwa mulavhu, mukhwa govha, mutaulu muila gumbo. Songozwi thavha ya Dzanani.