Bhotomane, Ndumiso; Biyela, Umhle; Koko, Magagamela; Ngcama, Ashton; Ngcobo, Sondoda; Tyabashe, Mdukiswa; Zenani, Nongenile Masithathu / South African Voices: The Way We Travelled: Oral History and Poetry (2006)
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POEM
Listen to this sectionDate: August 25, 1972
Time: in the afternoon
imbongi: Ashton Ngcama, a Bhaca imbongi
Izibongo: in praise of King Jojo.
Place: On the veld
Audience: Various
2S-520
Tape 16, side 2
Bayethe!
Jojo kaXesibe!
Silwan' esikhulu esazukuz' uMthatha
sazukuz' iintaba sawel' imilambo,
sifun' inkulungeko kuba sasisazi ukuba siliMpondo!
Wabashiy' abanye eMthatha bangabeNguni.
Maz' ephondo lunye,
ebetha ngalo idubul' umhlangaz' kwelempungutye.
[Si]sikhotshol' esimnyama
esilinganiswe ngamaXhosa
mhla babembona.
Wawufungwa ziintombi zemaMpondweni,
zithi zifung' uJojo zithi "Ara!"[76]
Lo Mnguni ube nani?
Hamba thole lesilo,
maz' ezimhlophe zokulwa,
thukwa x' eselithukwe langa liyathakatha.
Siqhway' esibomvu,
dong' olumhloph' olumil' abelungu,
magab' omsengez' ath' imp' iyavela!
Malinganiswa njengesithethe.
Iindima zam zafel' elukhuleni.
Akuvanga nto izolo!
Maz' etikita ngebele,
incakamel' ithol' elisiqhwala,
liphesheya komlambo---
lo mlambo nguMzintlavu.
Abakowenu wabashiy' emaMpondweni,
'se ukhamba wedwa namhlanje 'se ugxoth' amaLawu
uwaqabelis' iintaba.
Umnta' kaMjol' apha onguNkwali,
bathi xa bekukhangela,
bath' uzalana nomlungu,
wavunywa liphemp' ub' uyinkosi,
amawab' emkhanyela.
Duda mkholwane!
Duda kwasibonda kwaxhelwa iinkab' ezimaxhaka!
Gwangq' elibomvu!
Lugele lomlungu,
kanti ngumntu uJojo yinkosi!
NgokaMjoli!
UMjol' apho wayeyinkosi khona,
kwakusebuNguni ---
asilazi nenxiwa lakhe.
Bayethe!
Jojo kaXesibe!
Silwan' esikhulu esazukuz' uMthatha
sazukuz' iintaba sawel' imilambo,
sifun' inkulungeko kuba sasisazi ukuba siliMpondo!
Wabashiy' abanye eMthatha bangabeNguni.
Maz' ephondo lunye,
ebetha ngalo idubul' umhlangaz' kwelempungutye.
[Si]sikhotshol' esimnyama
esilinganiswe ngamaXhosa
mhla babembona.
Wawufungwa ziintombi zemaMpondweni,
zithi zifung' uJojo zithi "Ara!"[76]
Lo Mnguni ube nani?
Hamba thole lesilo,
maz' ezimhlophe zokulwa,
thukwa x' eselithukwe langa liyathakatha.
Siqhway' esibomvu,
dong' olumhloph' olumil' abelungu,
magab' omsengez' ath' imp' iyavela!
Malinganiswa njengesithethe.
Iindima zam zafel' elukhuleni.
Akuvanga nto izolo!
Maz' etikita ngebele,
incakamel' ithol' elisiqhwala,
liphesheya komlambo---
lo mlambo nguMzintlavu.
Abakowenu wabashiy' emaMpondweni,
'se ukhamba wedwa namhlanje 'se ugxoth' amaLawu
uwaqabelis' iintaba.
Umnta' kaMjol' apha onguNkwali,
bathi xa bekukhangela,
bath' uzalana nomlungu,
wavunywa liphemp' ub' uyinkosi,
amawab' emkhanyela.
Duda mkholwane!
Duda kwasibonda kwaxhelwa iinkab' ezimaxhaka!
Gwangq' elibomvu!
Lugele lomlungu,
kanti ngumntu uJojo yinkosi!
NgokaMjoli!
UMjol' apho wayeyinkosi khona,
kwakusebuNguni ---
asilazi nenxiwa lakhe.
Bayethe!
Notes
[76] Ara!<: Interjection of disgust. Pshaw! from the Dutch ach (Albert Kropf, A Kafir-English Dictionary [Lovedale: Lovedale Mission Press, 1915] 11).
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Photographs copyright © 2006 by Harold Scheub. Used with permission.
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