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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THREE POEMS
by
Listen to this sectionDate: September 12, 1972
Bard: Umhle Biyela, about forty years old, a Zulu imbongi (poet)
Place: In an open field, kwaYanguya, kwaZulu
Audience: Thirty men, women, and children
2S-689
Tape 19, side 1
1
Kungokuba nkosana...ngiza kuqala nge ngimaziyo ngezithuko zikaBiyela [ngeyethu kaBiyela] ee...ukhokho wethu...uXhoko kaNdaba...ee kunguyena awadala abakwaBiyela ee:
uNgcengcezi kaMqulakazi
uMzimb' unezikhala njengengubo.
Sibe siyathunga thina
Ngazi kuyakudabuka
Ngaba Lusinga-lusingana lungakanani
Olu luthung' ubuy' uthung' umuntu
uNdab' unyathele kweni isichibi
uNomasikisiki
iNyon' esidinwe sisila
iChib' elichithizwe zizindlovu
uXhoko kaNdaba
wakwaBiyela isibongo
2
Indodana yakhe yayizalayo inkosana uMenziwa kaXhoko:
Injezi kaXhoko
Eyath' ukwakh' umuzi yajeza
Ijeze ngabantu kwaNgwabalanda
Isibuya sikamama senhlamvu-nhlamvu
Sikhathaz' umuntu wokusishamela
Izembe lakowasindel' eQaphela-bazovela
Intambo yomsenge yakwaSikhakha
Ngiyayisaba ngob' inamadleb' injengedlovu
Ukhozi lukaNdaba luzalelwe lwasikwa luhlamba
Lwath' olwaMaziyane
Nxa 's' ebhabhama
Ubuhle bezindlu zintle
[nje]nge yaseMbuyeni
Ngoba zintle zimnyama
Amakhelekethe
uSobhincwayo
Ubhincwe ngamadoda
Odl' izanuse
zaseNweleni
Zayiyek' imihlahlo
Uhluk' uNomvula ezalwa kwaNzuza
Uthe kanonyongo
Wathi kanamhlehlo
Wath' umhlehlo wakhe
Ebelubhabhasholo
uMenziwa kaXhoko
Inkosana kaXhoko
3
Welanywa [ngu]Didi wakith' emiHlayizeni:
uLubisi lumadlanga kungenangwebu
uMakhi wemfunda beyibalekela
uDidi ke lowo
Welam' uXhoko
Inkosana encane, inkosana kaMenziwa
uMvundlana
uZimba waluthwe uKhabeni
uNdonga zenangwe sima zimakhelekethe
Ngibe ngizibiza ziyasabela
Kusabel' uPhunga kwasabel' uMageba
Oncutshw' ushoba nguDlungwane eMbelembeleni
Uye wanikwa nguMacingwane waseNgonyameni
iMpethu kanengesona
uMthaphul' iingqoba zakwaNdwandwe
uMagwaz'engokweni
uNomahlanjana onjengokaZwide
Ishoba lenkom' emhlophe
Emhlophe ngeyakwaNandi
uMagwaz' engokweni
uZibophek' azihlangani
Iihome zamavaka ziyahlangana
uMvundlana baleka
Nezwe liza kubaleka
uNdonga buya
Nezwe liza kubuya
uNkomo zimakhang' iindonga
Zikhang' uMthweli
Zakhang' uNkayishana
Zamkhang' uNqaqa kaMandamela
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Photographs copyright © 2006 by Harold Scheub. Used with permission.
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