THE ORIGIN OF THE PEOPLES OF THE TRANSKEI

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In the beginning, the first human being came into being naturally. The first man, Tshawe, sired the first children, who were to become the origins of the various groups that compose the Xhosa people. Masithathu Zenani tells how customs came into being, emerging from an abundance of goods and a reverence for the ancestors.

NOTE: This history also appears in South African Voices, Volume III: The Way We Travelled.

Ekuqalekeni ithi ingxelo yokuwala...ukuvela kokokuba sibe ngabantu kubekho umntu...kuthiwa ke nxa kubaliswa ngabadala ookhokho bethu...ekuqalekeni umntu owabakhoyo...wabakho ngendalo wabonakala enguye umntu ekuzokubonwa 'se kukho umntu onguye...'se ebonwa naye lusapho inzala yakhe...enomkakhe...umzekelelo waloo nto kwakuthiwa unguye umntu wokuqalisa igama lokokuba kubekho umntu...kwaXhosa yakuba nguTshawe...ngoko ke wanguye ke umntu wokuqala lowo ekuvelekeni kokokuba kuqhekekwe kwandiwe...lo Tshawe lowo wathi yena...ekuveleni apho kwakhe...ngomkakhe lowo wokuqala...waze wanabantwana abangamadodana babanintshi...babalisa imbali yokokuba waba nabantwana abangamadoda abalishumi...waze wathi kwabo bantwana bakhe banda ke bakhula bakukhula umntana wokuqala kuthiwa waphindelana nodadewabo waze wathi akuphindelana nodadewabo lowo kwathiwa udadewabo lo ukubizwa kwabantwana bakhe bangabo abantwana bekhaya...udadewabo yena uphindile wabaphuma abantwana abangamakhwenkwe bathe abo bantwana bakhula...bengamaTshawe bonke...ngesithetho...bonke ingabantwana bekhaya ingamaTshawe...loo nto yayinto nje engabhekiswa ndawo okokuba udadewabo lo umzuze ngantoni na umntana waze waphinda okwesibini wamzuza ngantoni na umntana...kungekaziwa okokuba kukho into engafanelekanga nefanelekileyo...kuthe ekuhambeni kwexesha kwabonakala benokuphapha nokwazi okokuba noko le nto ingathi iyinto engafanelekanga...kuqalisile ngoko ke okokuba kukhule abo bantwana bentombi bathe nxa nabo ngoku bangamadoda nayo ke 'se isaluphala ngoku yade yaba iyafa ngexesha lokufa kwayo...ukufa kwelo xesha kuthiwa kwakungekuko oku kwaziwayo ngoku...ngoko wayesithi^[1120] umntu ade axinane umqala...angakwazi ukuginya ade umntu atye ubisi lodwa athi ukuba uginye icephe abe uhluthi...kuhambe ke ngolo hlobo...ade umntu ase abonwe engaphefumli.. .asuke lowo ke kuqala ase ayokulahlwa kundawo enqabileyo kungembiwa kuthiwe kuyangcwatywa...kubonwe okokuba akaphefumli egugile engasakwazi nokusuka engenandawo ibuhlungu incwinayo...ase aguge aze ajike angakwazi kuhamba kukwaluphal'...athathwe ke kwakuphel' ukuphefumla...ayokulahlwa^[1121] ke kundawo eya kuth' ibe kude ekhaya inqabileyo...ngoko ke kuthe ke kwahamba ke kunjalo babanintshi ke besuka ngesizalo kulo mzi wodwa kuba ngoko ukufa yayiyinto^[1122] engafane^[1123] ibonwe...ngaphandle kokuba umntu ade aphelelwe lixesha engakhange abe nanto imbulala esemncinci...kwathi ke ezimbalini ke ezo nxa zibaliswa kuthiwa kwathi ke kuloo nto kwabonakala aba bantwana 'be^[1124] bephuma kule ntombazana yasekhay' apha...e--- bamelwe kukuba benzelwe esinye isibongo bona bangabi nguye uTshawe...kwabhungwa ngamadoda la ekhaya...'se'^[1125] ingasekho leya yokuqala 'se iyinzala yaye 'se ingamaxhego kunye namadoda amatsha...ngoko ke kwabhungwa int' 'oba^[1126] imele kukuthi le nto lo aba bonke babephuma^[1127] kulaa ntombi yonke loo nzala ibe yona nagama limbi kun'^[1128] eli lokokuba ibe nguTshawe...kwafuneka okokuba kuthiweni na...athi ke ngokubonisana kwawo...makuthiwe aba ngamaWangu e--- ize kuthiwe phaya kusemaWangwini mabakhe kweyabo indawo ukuze bona bande apho...bengamaWangu...kuthe ke kuloo nto kwacetyiswana okuba mayahlulwe loo nto ngeenkomo yahlulwa ke ithe yakwahlulwa bema ke abo bengamaWangu njalo...bemile ke kundawo yabo...bade nabo bazala ngokuba kuthiwe iintombi eziya zabo mazithathwe apha komkhulu emaTshaweni zibe ngamakhosikazi alapha...kwatshintshwa^[1129] ngolo hlobo zathathwa ke zona...zenda zendela apha emaTshaweni...zaze zona zazala amaTshawe kuhambe ngolo hlobo kwalile nxa kusesithubeni kwakho osukayo phaya kwelaa cala lasemaWangwini laze lona lowo uyindoda usuke kwelo cala...wafuna ukubuyela apha komkhulu emaTshaweni...uthe akubuyela khona kwabonwa enye indima yokokuba yena makangene ngobuphakathi...makathi ke njengoko engene ngobuphakathi makakhelwe umzi wakhe yedwa engenamfazi njalo...wakhelwe ke umzi wakhe lowo...uthe akwakhelwa umzi apho...kwathathwa ntombazana yimbi apha komkhulu yanikwa yena kwathiwa yena ukubizwa ngumNgwevu...kwaze apho yanda leyo ilali kusithiwa kusemaNgwevini...ngoko ke kwaye kusithiwa kodwa ke luluhlu olungamaphakathi komkhulu...kwaye ke ngonje kusanda ngokokuba oo! zintoni igama ngamaXhosa...nxa ewonke ngamaXhosa...ngoku ke kuhambe kwahamba kwakho umntana uzalwayo ngumfo lowo wasemaNgwevini...akumzala lo mntana waba nguye umntana ophume akafana namntu...kubantu bakowabo abaziwayo wafana yedwa lo mntana...waze wangumntana ekuthiwa hayi! ngaba umfumene kundawo esingayaziyo kuba yena asimboni umntu ofana naye...kuthe ke nxa kuthethwa ngoko kwathiwa umele kukuba e--- abe yedwa lo mntana us'ke waligebhelele...esingalaziyo...waze lo mntana waliqunduva esingalaziyo...bathe le nto asiyazi lo mntana uvela phi na unje...ke umntana ukhulile yena...kanti ekhula nje kuyathethwa ngaye kodwa ukuthetha oku akubhekiswa kuye...yathi uba into iyeyakhiwe...kudityanwe kuthethwe loo nto isuke yakhiwe nje kuthiwe mayibe nje le nto yenjwa^[1130] nje kwathiwa lo mntana lo makathi ngoku ayindoda...akhelwe phaya kude yiMfengu le e--- yiMfengu ayingomXhosa yaye eli gama likaMfengu lithetha okokuba engafani nabanye balapha...uthe ke lo mntana lowo kususwe yena wamiswa apho eyiyo indoda phofu bemalusile...wafuna okokuba yena uya kuba nabani na apho kuthathwe enye intombazana yathathwa ngoku yona emaWangwini...yasiwa kuye waze yena yangunkosikazi wakhe lowo...bandile nabo kwelo cala...besanda kodwa ikomkhulu kusithiwa ngamaTshawe...landa kakhulu ke nelo lasemaNgwevini...landa kakhulu nelo lasemaWangwini...kwahamba ngolo hlobo qho athi lowo uthe wanamadoda amaninji...afune okokuba inkosikazi akuyithatha^[1131] kwelinye icala angayithathi kucala lakhe...kuhambe kwahamba kwenziwa isithembu...abafazi abafazi abenziwa ngababini...ngabathathu abe mnye njalo...kwathiwa e--- ngoku kwakuzala umfazi ozele kuqala kucala lakomkhulu...kwathiwa umntana wakhe nguMpondo igama lakhe...waze lo mntana unguMpondo waye waya kwakhelwa kwenye indawo...kusithiwa kwenziwa izagqebe zokuhlala kwabo ukuba ilali ize yande ngoBani igama ize leya yande ngoBani igama...kodwa ke bahlukene...waze ke uMpondo wazala naye ezekelwe kwa kulo icala lasemaNgwevini...waze uMpondo wazala abakhe ke abantwana kwathiwa ke ngamaMpondo la ke akuba amaMpondo e--- andile kucala lawo...anda abanga apho okokuba eli icala ngelethu^[1132] sonke apha singamaMpondo...aze nawo acukucezana...ecukucezana kwa ngolu hlobo lemvela yabo imvelaphi esukela kwelaa cala lalabile^[1133] okokuba makube yinto enje kuphindile ke ngoku yathi e--- laa mntana waye lela--- laa mntana wayelela^[1134] gebhegebhe kwaze kwathiwa yiMfengu...waze wema ke apho naye wanda kwaqalisa ke kwathiwa phaya kusemaMfengwini...kuthe ke kwakuthiwa phaya kuleyo ilali kusemaMfengwini ngenxa yokwanda kwalo mntana...e--- anda nawo amaMfengu lawo...esanda ke ngoku ngokwanda kwawo yaze amaMfengu la akabi nambuso wona ngecala lawo kucala lasemaTshaweni...kodwa amaMfengu la ingabantu abakhutheleyo nabomeleleyo kodwa bengenawo umbuso...baze bona banda bazakhela kwaqalisa ke apho nalapho ukuba kho izithembu...ezinje ngokunene namaqadi...kwaqala ke ngoku kwacilwana ngolo hlobo kwaya kuqhekekwa kusanda lizala ilizwe kuthe emzuzwini yangulowo uyilali ngelali akazazi okokuba imvelaphi yakhe wayevela^[1135] apho ngoku ke kwahlukana amasiko kuloo nto le nto ilisiko yinto ethi yenziwe ukwenziwa kwayo isiko isiqalo sokwenziwa kwesiko kuqalele ekubeni athi umntu ongaxakekanga enze amabhongo afikileyo...kulo ntliziyo yakhe onezinto alingenwe kukuzenza...kwaqalisa ngokuba kubonelwe phaya komkhulu kubonelwe into kakuba kukho into ekuthiwa kukubingelela...loo nto ke yenzekile ke wathi ke lowo uthe wakholwa yiloo nto ayenze naye esithi yinto yasekhay' apha le kanti emveleni apha 'be kungakhange kube yinto eyayiyinto ekuthiwa lisiko...isiko lidalwe zizimbo zomntu othanda ukwenza into endaweni yakhe...yaze ke loo nto ewonke anqwenele ukwenza loo nto ukuba kuyiwe emzini wakhe kuyelwe into ayenzileyo ize ibe sisithetho sokokuba 'be^[1136] kukuhle kwaBani...yathi loo nto ukuhamba kwayo athi lowo ungayenzanga kuthiwe kwakubonwa ubungxengengxenge...nokutyafa nobulwelwe ngoku 'se kwandiwe kuthiwe kukho into angayenzanga...kuba kwakubonwe kulowa wayeyenza engaxakekanga esenza ibhongo lokonwaba kwakhe...athi ke nongenanto ayifune afune ukwenza yad' es'ke ke loo nto yayiyo^[1137] into elibango ezinqondweni yade yangena baqabukela kuyo into kakuba ungumthetho okokuba emzini kwenziwe nto kuthi ke kwa oko kubekho igama le nto ekuthiwa kuphiwa umntu...lo mntu uphiwayo kuphiwa umntu ongekhoyo owafayo...kuthiwe kuxhelelwa yena kodwa lo mntu akakho ufile kuthathwe inkomo...kubizwe abantu kanti loo nto yenziwa kuba yenziwa komkhulu emaTshaweni kulaa mzi wokuqala...kwathi ekubeni kukudala kwakho mntu uthe elele ubuthongo ebusuku wathi akulala waphupha iphupha waphupha laa mntu ungekhoyo engazange yena ambone ngamehlo enyama xa wayekho...ithe ke loo nto akuba etshilo lowo esithi ndiphuphe mna apha e--- kukho indoda enkulu ethe le ndoda yathi mayixhelelwe laa nkomo ifuna inyama...kwakholelwa kwakholelwa bakholwa bathi into ephutshwa ngumntu elele iya kuba inyanisile yaye indoda leyo yayiphupha loo nto iyiphupha kowayo iphupha uyisemkhulu uyise kayise...yenziwe loo nto eyixela esithi i--- ndiba ngalala...ndiphuphe ngolu hlobo abe ngathi ukhona kodwa phofu yena akayityi le nyama...ke ndide ndanendawo ebuhlungu...naxa le ndawo ibuhlungu ndiphinde ndaphupha...ndaphupha kusithiwa ukuze uphile uya kuxhela le nkomo...kwathi ke kuloo nto kwathiwa mayikhe iyenze le ndoda le nto...iyenzile ke yabiza amadoda ke ngoku yahlokomisa into kakuba le nto ndiyenzayo yinto ebe ndiyiphupha ndilele...ndiphupha umntu olixhego othetha nam ndide ndanendawo egulayo ebuhlungu ithe ize le ndawo kum ibe ngathi ibhetele ndathi ndiza kuyenza loo nto ke namhlanje ndipha yona loo ndoda ingumakhulu uyise katata...loo mini ke kwathi kwakwenziwa loo nto yaphila loo ndoda kwatsho kwaphila nabanye abe^[1138] benendawo phakathi kwekhaya...kwaqaliswa ke ukuthiwa ilisiko into enje ifanelwe kukuba nabani na ayenze ahlale ekhayeni...ku--- kumzuzu othile aphe umntu omdala wakowabo ongekhoyo...ahamba ngolo hlobo amasiko kaXhosa izinto ezenziwayo zonke ke zangcekelela ngolo hlobo zaqalisela ekubeni umntu enze into ayithandayo yaye loo nto i--- iyinto ebukelwayo nje yahamba yahamba kwalinganiswana ngaloo nto yalowo^[1139] wafuna naye ukwenza into eb' iyenziwe ngubani yaze ke ngoku le nto yangena ngegama elithi lisiko lakwaXhosa...ngoko ke ihambe ke le nto yeza ekubeni makwaluswe...kwakungekaluswa ngoko babesazihlalela nje abantu kuthe ngoko kwathetha inkosi yathi inkwenkwe mayahluke indoda mayahluke akufika umntu exabisweni lokokuba makabe yindoda...makwenziwe umgca wobudoda...kufuniwe ke ngoko uba kanjani na kuba 'be kuse kuthi umntu akuba mdala kuse^[1140] athathelwe unkosikazi...afakwe kuluhlu lamadoda kungekho nto kuthiwa kuza kwaluswa^[1141] ...ngoko ke kuthe kwathiwa makubekho into esuswayo ukuze kophe kuqala ukuze lo mntu akhethwe ebantwini...ngoko ke abonwe ngakumbi ukuze kwaziwe okokuba yindoda...yaqala ke loo nto kwalapho komkhulu yenziwa...ithe yakuba yenziwe njalo...kubekho uluhlu olungayingeniyo olu lakwaMpondo...alayingena loo nto laye 'se lulukhulu landile kakhulu...alayingena loo nto yokokuba kubekho int' enjalo inanamhla alikayingeni...akukabikho mntu apho walukayo kuthiwe ngonje uza kususw' indawo...ngoko ke kwathi ke kuloo nto yoba kuyiloo nto...kwaqhubeka ke kwathiwa ke ngoku ukwahlula amaMfengu...awodwa...amaBhaca awodwa...amaXhosa awodwa...amaMpondo awodwa amaBomvana awodwa...kodwa imvelaphi imvelaphi...baphuma cala-nye kwenziwa nje ucand' indlu kusabiwa umnt' omnye esabiwa ecazululwa kuqala...waze ke wahamba esanda yena baqala ke ngoku amasiko wabo akahlangana...bathi aba ngabaSuthu...babizwa ngaloo ndlela kanti yona imvela inye loo nto ke nguTshawe usenobubanzi bakhe nanamhla...kuba kuthiwa kulo lonke^[1142] elaseTranskei...inkunzi nguTshawe...lonke inkunzi nguTshawe kanti ke naxa kunjalo ezo ndawo zinezo zizwe 'se zandile zinazo iinkunzi zazo kodwa ke ziphinde zimanywe ngokokuba zona zinganeno koTshawe...loo nto ke yayibe njalo esiqalekweni sokokuba kubekho indlela yokokuba abantw' aba babe zintlotyana ngentlotyana...abaqalanga ngoba zintlotyana ngentlotyana...baphume ndaweninye ngokwamathole eramba elowo wazakhela phaya wabizwa ngeny' indlela...elowo wazakhela phaya wabizwa ngenye indlela...nantso ke isitokwe sokwazi kwam imvela yabantu.