uThuthula ngoWam!

The British settlers were able to mantain a derogative trend of branding territories that they regarded as spoils of war with the Xhosa and Gonaqua (Khoi Khoi clan). From the Zwaartzkops (Qagqiwa) river all the way to the Fish (Nxuba) river, they had managed to evacuate most anti-colonial forces in the region beyond these boundaries, fraudulently and frivolously. By 1820, the British colony on the sub Saharan are spanned from the Cape of Good Hope to the Fish River. The area between the Fish and Sundays (Nqweke) River was deemed ceded territory. Another settler ploy. This is the crux of the matter at hand though. You see, this are being ceded meant that neither settler nor Xhosa, Khoi or any other constituency can occupy this land. If this was transgressed, the outcome would be to be exposing yourself to open attack from anyone with interest. “Colonel Brereton Sir! We can confirm that the young prince Ngqika has been seen numerous times in the last month by my man on the outpost of the ceded territory”. He is always accompanied by his personal guard. He seems to be having secret engagements with the newly wed princess in the house of Ndlambe.” Uttered the obese sergeant almost swallowing his own tongue whilst trying to make sense and catch his breath at the same time. “Interesting detail soldier. Now leave us! Brereton was the Commander of the British forces in the Cape Colony in 1818. He had made an ally of Ngqika, the then chief in waiting of the amaRharhabe clan (junior house of the Xhosa Clan, senior Being the Paramount house of Gcaleka). His Uncle, Ndlambe, had been regent to the throne since the young princes’ father passed on the forefront of the previous frontier war with the settlers. Ngqika, being too young to ascend to the throne, had to wait till manhood to fulfil his right. His uncle delayed the inevitable ‘rite of passage’ ceremony to suite his needs, as he saw that the young prince was attracted to the western doctrines of Christianity and also their social drugs. He saw this as a threat to the sovereignty of the Xhosa nation in general. Little did he know that the boy had long become a man, thanks to the bosom of his youngest wife Thuthula. Her’ beauty bewildered the blind, and captured Ngqikas’ heart. Flash Story conversation between Brereton and guests: C. Brereton: Colonel Smith , you would agree with me that this is the opportunity we have been waiting for to counter the cattle and land issue in the colony. It seems like our friend the chief needs us to clean up the dead wood in the ceded territoity for him” Brereton says to an amused Smith. Prince Ngqika: Nithetha ngam ndoizibazile. Uyihl’omncinci yena uthi ndenza amanyala nomfazi wakhe kwaye ndingubhonyongo olihili-hili. Icebo lenu lokufezekisa ubukumkani bukaJoji noVitoliya kule Afrika nisalifuna? Ndikhuseleni kuNdlambe noNxele.Abafundisi benu ndakubanika igunya lokushumayela ivanglei kunye nomprofeti uNtsikana waseMgwali. HS: No one even addressed you, prince. You seem to forget that you are not yet in office. Its politics, not valentines. Smith responds with sarcasm of a cold feel C. Brereton: (whispering to Smiths’ discretion) All I’m saying, next time this incestuous circus Ngqika and his sweetheart are starring in is showing we will have a reason to invade and raid beyond the current borders of the ceded territory. Ngqika is our talisman. Ngqika: uThuthula ngowam, qha ke. Galela ndisele Bherethoni, UsMith uyaloqa yena. NOTE:This is a fictional articulation of factual events

Mhlakaza, the double Agent

The winter of 1850 was particularly cold and devastating to the crop, and the droughts that came with it hit the regions of Rhini (Grahamstown, Albany) and Qhaqhiwa (Uitenhage, Bethersdal) with tremendous effect such that subsistence farming was not a way of living no more. Food was scarce and the colonial situation in the Cape Province meant that the British monopolized most of the pastoral and grazing lands. In a nutshell, food and water were a point of contestation. I, Mhlakaza found myself in the company of British missionary envoy, Archdeacon Merriman of Grahamstown. I was utilized as an attendant(guide, translator, porter and fire-builder) on many visitation journeys, but soon I’d realize that my purpose was alternate, as we travelled together frequently reading the bible discussing theology and African cultural beliefs as we walked from one parish to the next. We were the local divinely motley crew. After the capture and brutal slaughter of my King, Hintsa the Great, by Colonel George Grey, I was taken a prisoner of war by the British. I was high advisor to the kings’ counsel and also a friend of the paramount lion of the Gcaleka clan. Little did I know that this would make me prime candidate to serve as the “Achilles Heel” of my nation in years to come because of my high ranking credentials traditionally. “Goliath, time has come for you to head back to Gcaleka land. I cannot support having you here as a servant or as a guest. The famine is dictator”, Merriman commanded me as always with conviction that is beyond my query. Where am I to go mlungu wam? “My people have long forgotten me, the kings’ council no longer recognizes me. I am an elderly man waiting to pass on to purgatory “, I pleaded like a wet dog after a storm trying to get inside its masters abode . Nonetheless, I had to migrate back, back to the hidden paths that the wanderers and exiles from the north who settled in Gcaleka land had safely utilised whilst being smuggled by Reverend Ayliff after the kings mauling. He was delivering them to be buffer settlements between colonials and “warlike” inhabitants of the Kaffarian district. Flash Story conversation between John Merriman and Mhlakaza: JM: The primary stages of your instruction have lapsed. Now you must go fulfil your mission. WG: More like I should fulfil my treachery. I should have known that no settler from glacier contoured lands beyond the equator could ever share humanly interactions with a man without having ulterior motives. My people, descendants of Gondo, will prevail. I will never willingly betray iSizwe samaTshawe. JM: Oh, But you will, by will or instinct. See we have been studying every essence of being a savage kaffir. Your pagan beliefs and backward sometimes incestuous manner. We shall infiltrate and erase your customs as you know them. We know you! NOTE:This is a fictional articulation of factual events