The Mat�ia�s ancestral home is just below Moholoholo Mountains in the villages of Boelang, Motlamogale, Motlamogatjane and GaSehlare in the Northern Province, where they are still found in their highest numbers. The surname is spelt in so many variations: Mat�ia/Mat�ie/Matjia/Matjie/ Mat�iye/Mat�iya/Matsie/Matsia/ Maat�ie/Mmat�ie/ Mmat�ia or even funnier my own Matshiya. Regardless of the spelling all Mat�ia�s are one people. The rule of thumb is if a person is LePulana and/or a descendent of Sekakule, then that person is a Mat�ia. Remember that SePulane is not a written language, any particular spelling cannot be justified, nor be used the spelling to try to justify differentiation. All Mat�ia�s have a common ancestry which I have painstakingly researched. Thus I am related to all Mat�ia�s I meet. The clan is scattered throughout South Africa, mostly in Gauteng and the North West. My estimate is that they are less than 2500 Mat�ia�s, making the clan a minority of a minority tribe. Again if you consider their relation to Chiloane and Mashile then the clan is big.
The most prominent name in Mat�ia is Sekakole sago kakula dithaba! (The Carrier, the carrier of mountains!) Sekakole was a warrior who fought many battles and went on expeditions to capture other tribes or their cattle. It is said that when the famous battle of Moholoholo was fought in 1865 he was already an old man. He carried guns and was a magician. Legend has it that he could turn himself into an anthill when his adversaries cornered him. His name lives in descendents who named after him. It is �bad� name to carry as it is said you�ll be like him in your deeds. That is you won�t be a peace loving person. He was cornered by the white settlers and shot at the caves of Moholoholo mountain. He is buried in the mountain and his grave is unknown.
The family tree starts with our great ancestral grandfather Mpeole Mat�ia, the father to Sekakole.
Sekakole had, among his many offspring, two sons Mmapobe and Felele,
Mmapobe had two sons: Seyapane and Boyatse(I am named after him) and two daughters Matape and Moreri.
Our grandfather, Boyatse also known as Tshepobotse and his wife Manoni Legomisang Mapaela had two daughters: Bahwele and Botsheba and three sons: Seragane, Matiyase (My father) and Gundwane/William. Most of my father�s siblings died while he was still young. Only he and Seragane grew to adulthood.
When his brother Seyapane passed away, Boyatse also took his brother�s wife as a second wife as was customary in those days. This custom is known as gokenela or go ya seyantlo. With his brothers wife Boyatse he bore Seonyane Before his death, Seyapane, had three sons: Rama, Difamu, and Loni
Manoni Legomisang Mapaela, our grandmother, was a daughter of Maphepha Mapaela and Mmamodupi Phoku. They had three daughters Ngaledi, MmaShai, MaSara and Manoni. Their son was Tumishe. The Mapaela were of Mambayi origin.
My father, Matiyase James married Loyi Anna Nonyane, the daughter of Molayeng William Nonyane. Molayeng Nonyane was married to Nokukhuleng Masuku. The Nonyane�s ancestry stems from Chief Lekana from Lesaba(Sabie), whose two sons were Tsheisi and Mapotoketje. My maternal grandfather, Molayeng, was the son of Mapotoketje and Mabelane. Apart from him, Mapokotje had another son Theku and four daugthers, Ladiya, Leemelang, Mmamoshiko, Mmabepane. Click here to go back index page Click here to go next page Weather report