X is for Xhosa

I thought it appropriate today to give a brief narrative of my people because from time to time I refer to them as the X-factor.....(the secret ingredient to the beauty of this land). I am exceeding proud of my Xhosa heritage except for the stupidity of those who followed the prophecy of a silly 16 year old girl called: Nongqawuse. I also think the Xhosa language is one of the most beautiful sounds one will ever come across.

Zolani Mkhiva is my favourite "mbongi" (Xhosa Praise Singer) the prestigious families 

would have these to announce their  arrival/presence or sing out their lineage at notable gatherings 

(something like you have at the beginning of games on the movie 13th Knight).

The people of the Xhosa Tribe of South Africa have a very rich cultural heritage and have played an important part in the development of South Africa, especially when the most famous member of the Xhosa, Nelson Mandela, became South Africa's first president elected in a democratic election in 1994 followed by President (Thabo Bheki _ also came from this tribe).


Origins summarised
During the seventeenth century, a gradual migration movement took place which led thousands of people from southern Zaire in various directions to cover most of Africa south of the Sahara. One of the tribes who took part in this migration was the Xhosa, descendant from a clan of the Nguni. Today the Xhosa is the most southern group of the migrations from Central Africa into the southern Africa areas.
My people are pastoralist and cattle in particular is very important to them. Cows were introduced to the Wild Coast by the Xhosa during their migration to South Africa between 600 and 700 AD. These animals have played an important social and economic role in the development of their society and are used as a bride's dowry. The number of cattle held by a village or individual determines much of their importance to the rest of the world.

Folklore
Xhosa tradition is rich in creative verbal expression. Intsomi (folktales), proverbs, and isibongo (praise poems) are told in dramatic and creative ways. Folktales relate the adventures of both animal protagonists and human characters. Praise poems traditionally relate the heroic adventures of ancestors or political leaders.


My fondest memories of my time growing up in the villages of Qebe, Engcobo which is in the Western Eastern Cape (sorry teens were in the west) are the "intsomi" (folktales) which were told in the night. And it is so odd  that despite the fact that none of us had ever seen or heard of white people, the mystycal beings we believed existed were very similar if not the same to those white people grow up hearing of or being told about. We had the "tokoloshe's" whom only children can see to this day (goblins), the "mamlambo's" who live in the rivers (mermaids), "Impundulu" the huge lightning bird and so much more, I forget we had umkhovu thwhich are the zombies created from living beings by witches to be slaves. I remember as a child how we looked forward to gathering around the evening fire as we either roasted freshly harvested maize or rabit or some other poor creature caught by one of my older cousins. I could never bring myself to taste the field mice though which the elders made any child who pee'd in bed past their acceptable time, catch and eat and there were plenty of them. 

I think this is why I still love the fantasy genre so much, make believe was deeply ingrained in me those nights.

My referred to and sometimes quoted sources:
encounter.co.za
everyculture.com
.mywildcoast.com
Coffee shack