The Tribes of Wakanda (MCU Edition):

The world-building of the MCU has become extremely prevalent as it delves into the nation of Wakanda. The Nation is home to the precious resource Isipho, also known as “The Gift,” but more popularly known in the English-speaking world as Vibranium. Until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Wakanda was the only nation in sole possession of the resource known to be stronger than steel and able to absorb and redirect kinetic energy. It’s thanks to Vibranium that the Wakandan tribes were able to advance, creating space-age technology more advanced than any other nation. It’s due to this advancement that Wakanda had, for a long time, isolated itself from the World (despite having a seat in the United Nations Council), fearing that if the outside world knew of their resources, this would lead to conflict and those willing to wage war on Wakanda in order to obtain the Vibranium. It was only when King T’Challa became king and had a chance encounter with his long-lost cousin that he realized the isolation was doing more harm than good. He decided to open up Wakanda to the world, hoping to provide a stand and offer foreign aid to those who needed it. However, it was not always like this, as Vibranium wasn’t always a part of Wakandan culture. In ancient times, a large meteorite had fallen on the continent of Africa, altering the plant life around it with its radiation. The tribes present around Wakanda all knew of the metal's power and began warring over its possession. The resulting bloodshed has led to much chaos until a warrior shaman named Bashenga received a vision from the Panther Goddess Bast, which enabled him to discover the Heart-Shaped Herb, a radiated plant that, when ingested, can grant its user superhuman strength, speed, senses, and durability. The plant’s heightened abilities enabled Bashenga to become the First Black Panther and establish the moniker as Wakanda’s protector and emissary of Bast. Using this power, the Black Panther managed to stop the warring tribes and unite them to live peacefully on the land which became Wakanda. Many of the tribes appear in the Black Panther movies, as well as 2 Avengers movies and a couple of TV shows. Each of the tribes plays a very important role in the economic stabilization of Wakanda and in maintaining different parts of its culture. Anytime a new king is crowned, every Wakandan tribe has the right to challenge the future monarch in Ritual Combat to become King or Queen. However, this is seldom used as many tribes demonstrated the utmost trust in the Monarch or Regent. It is also possible for those of royal blood to invoke their birthright to challenge the throne at any period of time. The tribes also comprise the Tribal Council, with one elder or chief serving as their spokesperson or advisor to the monarch.

Golden Tribe:

The Golden Tribe, also known as The Panther Tribe, is mainly composed of those from Bashenga’s bloodline. Each with a natural claim to the throne and the mantle of Black Panther. In honor of Bashenga, they are named the Golden Tribe and is regarded as the highest and most important tribe of Wakanda. Despite the upmost importance as heirs to Bashenga, it is possible for members of other Tribes to join their ranks, as shown with Ramona, who became a part of the Golden Tribe through marriage and effectively becoming it’s Queen and successor following the passings of her husband and son. This demonstrates that the Golden Tribe is kin to all tribes, and its bloodline runs through every tribe naturally. As the most important tribe, they are the most prominent in the stories that focus on Wakanda. Each member of the Golden Tribe (those who are direct descendants of Bashenga) possesses a natural spiritual connection with Bast (even if they do not believe in Bast or the Ancestral Plane). This connection enables them to ingest the Heart Shaped Herb and become the Black Panther with ease, whereas it can become a dangerous poison to those whom Bast rejects who aren’t of Royal blood due to its toxic effects. Although any citizen can challenge for the throne, whether or not they are worthy to ingest the herb depends on their lineage and natural immunity to the herb’s radiation. The firstborn child is usually shown next in line to succession of both the throne and the mantle of black panther; however, if an untimely death occurs, such a rite can fall under the next child of the golden tribe (if they are old enough). It is also possible for both the mantle of King and Black Panther to be passed to more than one person as shown when T’Chaka passed down the Black Panther mantle to his son T’Challa while he handled the duties of king. Similarly, Shuri had taken up the mantle of Black Panther but intentionally forfeited her birthright to become Queen to M’Baku, who became king instead. The firstborn’s duties usually fall under Black Panther and Wakanda’s protector first, then the duties of the king second, once the current monarch dies or abdicates. Such a tradition was carried over since Bashenga’s time.

Border Tribe:

The Border Tribe handles national security as its job is perhaps the most dangerous of all the tribes. Defined by their capes/cloaks, which possess the ability to project shields or even camouflage themselves, their roles are to protect the border and push back outsiders or invaders. Presumably stationed just outside Wakanda itself. The Border Tribe serves as homeguard to Wakanda. They also have a very delicate job in deceiving outsiders and those who may attempt to visit Wakanda by presenting themselves as a group of farmers. They also breed White Rhinoceros, which are also used in battle against threats. The tribe also practice scarrification as markings can be seen on their faces. Notable members include W’Kabi, who was once a close friend and advisor of T’Challa, as well as head of border security. Despite his friendship, W’Kabi’s loyalty differed as he desired to have Wakanda clean up the world and rid it of the corruption that plagues the world. This led to W’Kabi siding with Killmonger and unhesitantly joining his cause after he became king, simultaneously losing faith in T’Challa after he failed to apprehend or kill Klaue, which led to him even attempting to kill T’Challa upon being given a direct order by Killmonger despite knowing the challenge is not complete and W’Kabi is bound by the law to remain neutral. This later led to an all out war before being convinced to stand down and is taken into custody by his wife, General Okoye. Despite this, the Border Tribe still retains its seat on the Tribal Council, although W’Kabi and several Border Tribe members remain incarcerated. Okoye, like W’Kabi, also hails from the border tribe. A highly trained and skilled warrior, she has trained much of the current generation Dora Milaje and has managed to ascend into a ranking, becoming not only its leader but also the general of Wakanda’s armies, a high military position. However, she is later stripped of that ranking by Queen Ramonda and becomes a regular citizen, later joining the elite Midnight Angels with Aneka. It also seemed natural for the Border tribe to partake in the fight against Thanos since their jobs are to push back invaders, which they had done upon being invaded by the Mad Titan’s forces, being one of the only tribes in support of this.

Jabari Tribe:

Out of all the 5 Wakandan Tribes, the ones who rejected the King’s rule and the modernization of Wakanda is the Jabari Tribe, also known as the Mountain Tribe or J’Bari Tribe. They have shunned the use of Vibranium, feeling as though by adapting to it, they are forgetting their old ways from before Vibranium came to Wakanda. Their refusal to modernize and live with the technology has led them to isolate themselves in the mountains. Instead of using vibranium for their weapons and armor, the Jabari Tribe all use hardwood armor, which provides sufficient protection against threats. Their fighting styles are also more brutish, relying on size and force to overwhelm their opponents. They also never use vibranium in warfare, but are still formidable warriors, nonetheless managing to survive 2 of the Mad Titan Thanos’ attacks. Most notably, the Jabari Tribe has rejected the Panther Tribe’s religion and belief in Bast, instead worshipping the Gorilla God Hannuman. They managed to build a sustainable city within the mountains dubbed Jabariland. They are also pescetarians and seem to abstain from eating land meat in favor of fish and vegetables. Despite their seclusion, the Jabari Tribe are by no means completely disconnected from their sister tribes, having observed the world and the main city for many years and obtaining information from literature. Due to their isolation and somewhat primitive way of living, the Jabari tribe are either feared or looked down upon by the other tribes, believing that they could wind up destroying Wakanda’s way of life if they were to be integrated successfully into Wakanda’s mainstream culture. However, as T’Challa and Golden Tribe would discover, the Jabari are in fact misunderstood and are actually benevolent, as well as being rightfully upset at the Golden Tribe for not recognizing them as a true Wakandan tribe. The most notable figure of the Jabari Tribe is Chief M’Baku, their leader and the main spokesperson of the tribe. While he shows arrogance occasionally and gives T’Challa a hard time by challenging for the throne, it’s never born out of Malice but merely his intention to return Wakanda to its natural state, as well as not trusting T’Challa to lead his nation or his people since he couldn’t protect T’Chaka from death. T’Challa managed to triumph and spared M’Baku, who later returned the favor by saving T’Challa when he was thrown off a cliff into the ravine below by Killmonger. Despite being offered a path to the throne by the Golden Tribe, M’Baku refuses in favor of saving T’Challa. He then aids him against the Border Tribe, managing to turn the tide of the battle. It was because of this selfless act that the Jabari was awarded a seat on the council, with M’Baku regularly attending meetings and the Jabari slowly integrating into Society becoming unified with Wakandan culture, even standing with his king and the Avengers against the threat of Thanos. M’Baku himself has displayed himself to be extremely patriotic, offering wise counsel to those who need it as well as fighting on the front lines against Namor’s forces. Following Namor's assassination of Queen Ramonda, he completely steps up as the senior council, leading them throughout the difficult time, providing counsel for Shuri after promising T’Challa he would. He was even more than willing to let the displaced citizens of Birnin Zana relocate temporarily to Jabariland for asylum, with the meetings being held there, and refusing to listen to their concerns about there not being enough space. Despite originally being the one to voice the more logical reason to kill Namor simply to prevent him from holding Wakanda hostage through blackmail upon engaging him personally he realized that he is looked at by his people to be a god which can have severe consequences if he is killed by Shuri advising against it because such an act could cause World War 3 with Wakanda front and center. While still a stern leader at heart, M’Baku’s selfless actions have garnered more trust among the Wakandans as eventually he successfully challenges for the throne and becomes King of Wakanda this time being met with acceptance rather than fear showing how the Jabari Tribe has come far since previously isolating themselves in the mountains now successfully being integrated into Wakandan society while still adhering to their traditional customs and learning to tolerate his sister tribes use of vibranium.

River Tribe:

The River Tribe is the tribe that is tasked with protecting the River Border from any incursions and creating devices that filter the water to keep the city or any area from overflooding, such as the drainage system used in Warrior Falls. The River Tribe is also home to Wakanda’s Navy, with their primary flagship being a large submarine dubbed “The Sea Leopard” that was later used against the Talokanil forces. They are often distinguished by their green clothing; some members, like the elder, also wear lip plates like a type of plate inserted in the mouth through piercing the bottom lip. Notable members of the tribe include Nakia, a former War Dog Spy and T’Challa’s close friend and love interest, as well as the mother of his child, T’Challa II. She is known for her frequent missions outside Wakanda and was actually in the middle of a deep cover mission before being extracted by the Black Panther for his coronation. Implied to also be the top warrior of her tribe. Queen Ramonda, who was for a time the queen regent after the 1st and 2nd death of T’Challa, also hails from the River Tribe before becoming T’Chaka’s Wife. Like her husband, she has a strong dedication to protecting Wakanda and makes sure her children share the same beliefs.

Merchant Tribe:

While both the Border and River Tribe maintain Wakanda’s external affairs, the Merchant and Mining Tribe maintain Wakanda’s internal economic affairs. Referred to as Masu or Makers but commonly known as the Merchants, they are tasked with handling Wakanda’s trade as well as cultural integrity. It’s demonstrated in both films that they oversee the architecture of the nation and craft the clothing that the Wakandans today wear. It has been revealed by Ulysses Klaue that they even sew vibranium into their clothing, making the weave extremely durable and lightweight at the same time. They are often distinguished by their cloaks and veils that they wear to maintain anonymity, especially when trading with their traditional color being purple. Their residence is up North of the Golden City. Notable members of the Merchant Tribe include Director Noni, an expelled Dora Milaje tasked with apprehending Nkati, who also hailed from the Merchant Tribe before becoming rogue and using stolen Vibranium artifacts to attempt to build his own Kingdom under the name The Lion, using imprisonment, bonds, and slavery to do so. After defeating the Lion, Noni became a War Dog, becoming well known for extracting many Wakandan artifacts, managing to rise within the ranks to become director herself.

Mining Tribe:

Like the Merchant Tribe, the Mining Tribe handle internal economic affairs with their primary task being that of mining, storing, and refining vibranium from Mount Bashenga. Their defining color appears to be red and orange, with their elders wearing long large beads on their heads. Notable members include Zawavari, who formerly served as the Elder and leader of the tribe before passing the duty down to another and succeeding the late Zuri as Elder Statesman. General Ayo, Okoye’s successor as leader of the Dora Milaje, also hails from the Mining Tribe; her cousin Assata also hails from the tribe. She was shown to be extremely brilliant, creating a very sufficient alternative to mining vibranium, which even impressed Princess Shuri, a renowned scientific genius and engineer in her own right, and wanted her to be her lab assistant however, Assata dreamed of being a Dora Milaje like her grandmother, Ala, and later rejected Shuri’s proposal in favor of pursuing her dreams. Kuda, a 17th-century generation War Dog, also hails from the mining tribe. During his youth, he joined the War Dogs and became well known for killing the notorious pirate Ben Pease. Upon gaining a family of his own, he began to mellow out and stopped chasing risky missions. Being a successful War Dog and veteran, Kuda was later assigned to mentor the Wakandan Prince Tafari on a mission to capture a vibranium axe from the war-torn Adwa, which Tafari managed to accomplish successfully. However, a Black Panther from a distant future warns them to return the axe as the future of Wakanda depends on it. Showing them a timeline where the world has been conquered by the alien Horde as well as confirming to Tafari that what she’s saying is true, Tafari convinces Kuda to return it, as well as covered for Kuda on the reason why they abandoned the mission.

War Dogs:

While technically not a real tribe, they are integral to Wakanda as one of the 3 special forces. The War Dogs have existed for many years. In ancient times, they were once referred to as Hatut Zeraze (meaning Dogs of War) before being referred to by their current name. War Dogs are often identified by a blue tattoo hidden on the inside of their bottom lip. Unlike the other tribes and groups, there is no defined placement of the War Dogs, as they are a worldwide organization. They serve as Wakanda’s intelligence agency, where brave warriors venture out into the outside world to either gather information or retrieve a vibranium artifact that was either lost or stolen. They have also discreetly observed and reported information on major events such as Howard Stark’s assassination and Loki’s speech in Stuttgart, as well as leaking information regarding Hank Pym’s quantum physics research and The Avengers’ Time Heist Plan to stop Thanos. Being a War Dog is no easy task, and recruitment is strictly voluntary, only offered to warriors with desires to prove themselves, lack proper placement within Wakanda, or protect Wakanda’s best interests. Missions can range from simple retrieval to mere observations to complex tasks that can last for days, months, or even years. One war Dog B’Kai has been on a deep cover mission to retrieve a pendant from the Helan of Troy for nearly a decade. The War Dogs are open to every tribe and every ranking, with even the Golden Tribe members being allowed to participate in their affairs, as shown with the Princes Tafari & N’Jobu. It is even possible for a War Dog to spy and observe another War Dog, as shown when Zuri managed to fool the cautious Prince N’Jobu into believing he was an American named James. Nkati, Noni, N’Jobu, and Nakia are some of the most notable War Dogs. It has been shown that being a War Dog can also risk the agent becoming disillusioned to the outside world around them making it an extremely high risk and extremely necessary to keep every War Dog on a need to know basis in order to have them stay on task it is likely due to this reason that War Dog spies are sent to monitor other War Dog spies to prevent them from being “radicalized” or disillusioned. Nkati, Nakia, and N’Jobu were all horrified at the atrocities they observed during their time as War Dogs. In their own way, they were determined to help the world with Nkati and N’Jobu resorting to extreme measures to do so. NKati, feeling used by Wakanda to do its bidding had stolen various powerful Wakandan artifacts with the intention on becoming a pirate in order to create his own cult and kingdom in the outside world intending to unite world using bondage, psychological manipulation, abuse, and enslavement to accomplish this demonstrating much darker intentions than that of Killmonger or N’Jobu who wished to liberate the world. N’Jobu in particular had witnessed the hardships that those of African decent have to endure with communities flooded by drugs, overpoliced, and unfairly exploited or incarcerated and desired to start an uprising to not only liberate what he saw as his black brothers and sisters but was determined to use Wakandan resources to kill those in power and Wakanda rule over the aftermath benevolently allying with the black market arms dealer Ulysses Klaue to steal 2 tons of vibranium in order to arm his cause. Despite covering his tracks, his actions did not go unnoticed as T’Chaka quickly learned from Zuri of N’Jobu’s plans and later confronted him about it. Knowing T’Chaka will never support it and enraged over Zuri’s deceit and betrayal, N’Jobu attempted to kill Zuri, only to be stopped by T’Chaka, who quickly impales him, killing him instantly. His death and the subsequent radicalization of Killmonger had become a cautionary tale when King T’Challa condemns T’Chaka for abandoning Killmonger and killing his own brother, believing their isolationism has done more harm than good. Nakia also had similar sentiments, but approached the situation in a completely different way. Instead of stealing vibranium artifacts to aid her cause, she used her own talents and determination to help those in need while still keeping her true identity a secret. Despite her duty being espionage and little else, she intentionally puts herself into open conflict in order to provide sufficient aid to those who need it, being on a deep cover mission for 2 years, infiltrating a trafficking faction of Boko Haram. Her skills as a War Dog have proven to be extremely exceptional, as she was able to convince a Yucatan Woman to trust her and later infiltrated the extremely isolated nation of Talokan. Director Noni, who became known for taking out Nkati (whereas others have failed) became something of a legendary figure of the War Dogs, thanks in no small part to her determination to complete her missions by any means necessary and inspiring those who are lost and in need of a path. Basha also became a known War Dog figure thanks to his successful missions despite his recklessness and somewhat slick way of handling things. At one point, an incident involved Basha accidentally leading in an Iron Fist incarnate Jorani within their borders who quickly begins terrorizing and confusing the other War Dogs due to his theft of a dragon head from the village K’un-Lun because of the vibranium embedded inside it. Though the situation was quickly cleared up when Jorani removed the vibranium and took the statue back, leaving with no further incident, the situation was covered up as a training exercise. As mentioned earlier in another point in time, Prince Tafari and Kuda were once sent on a mission in Adwa to recover an axe, but were convinced by a Black Panther from a distant future to return it in order to stabilize the timeline and prevent the Horde from successfully destroying Wakanda with the small sacrifice potentially saving all of Earth.

Dora Milaje:

Another one of Wakanda’s special forces, they are regarded as an elite all female troop of warriors whom serve Wakanda and answer only to the monarch on the throne. The Dora Milaje are amongst the most skilled and highly trained warriors the world has to offer. They are notable for their bald heads, stoic expressions, distinctive uniforms, use of vibranium spears as their primary weapons, and ability to work in unison as a group. The leader and commander of the group usually have a slightly different, more decorated variation of their outfits to indicate their status, as well as tattoos on their head. They have shown to have been an established group for many years, as far back as 1260 BC. Being a Dora Milaje also comes with stipulations, one of which is forfeiting their rights to challenge for the throne. While any citizen can challenge the monarch for the right to rule in ritual combat, the traditional law also states that the Dora Milaje remain neutral at any time their king or Queen is being challenged while being unable to challenge or interfere themselves. Some of the most prominent members of the Dora Milaje include the generals Okoye & Ayo, as well as Noni, Aneka, and Akeya. Okoye, alongside her king, notably had participated in the front lines against the Mad Titan Thanos, as well as became a member of the Global/Intergalactic Organization, The Avengers, to report back any findings and maintain order on the Planet during the blip. She was, however, discharged from the Dora Milaje and stripped of her ranking by a disappointed Queen Ramonda for her failure to protect Shuri. Ayo then succeeded her in place and commanded them against Namor’s forces. Noni was also once a Dora Milaje; however, she was expelled due to her inability to work in unison with the group, which is a key norm among the group. She was offered reinstatement in exchange for bringing down Nkati/The Lion and his cult of followers. Despite succeeding, she rejected the offer instead deciding to join the War Dogs. Aneka, a combat instructor, had also joined the Dora Milaje, but unlike the others, she has a more progressive way of doing things, despite following orders preferring to fight using energy daggers rather than the traditional Wakandan spear. She was later sought out by Okoye to join the Midnight Angels.

The King's Guard

The King’s Guard, also known as the Wakandan Royal Guard, serve as a personal army of the Golden Tribe tasked with guarding them, they are normally seen guarding the palace, but often participate in conflict if deemed necessary, as they make up the bulk of the Wakandan Army. Like the other tribes, they are bound by the law to obey the monarch who sits on the throne, no matter how much they disagree with them. They are often defined by their golden armor and use of vibranium spears, which are said to be powerful enough to destroy an armored tank. While not much is known about them, they, of course, play important roles guarding and answering to the Golden Tribe. The only notable member of the King’s Guard is Nkati, who was once one of the greatest warriors among them, only behind the Black Panther himself. He has trained many of Wakanda’s warriors. However, upon venturing out into the outside world as a War Dog, experiencing the World outside for the first time, NKati became disillusioned. He was determined to never go back to Wakanda and sought liberation by becoming a pirate and warlord instead, stealing vibranium weapons and artifacts to become The Lion and use his talents to build his own kingdom and cult dubbed the Pride of the Lion, which consisted of enslaving and capturing others to submit to his rule. Despite efforts from other wakandan warriors to bring him down, Nkati and his forces easily killed them all because he personally trained them and is aware of their strategies. So Akeya leader of the Dora Milaje instead sent Noni who has tactical advantage as an exceptional warrior; he did not train himself. Noni managing to infiltrate, elude, and later kill many of the Lion’s soldiers greatly impressed him enough to try and sway her to his cause, but Noni refused to let herself get distracted, and a fierce battle began, ending with Nkati being severely wounded and later triggering a detonation device in an attempt to commit murder suicide. Though Noni survived and claimed his mask as proof of his death, the artifacts Nkati had stolen were lost and had taken decades, even centuries, to recover.