Full text of "The religious system of the Amazulu : with a translation into English, and notes"

See other formats

This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project
to make the world's books discoverable online.

It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject
to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books
are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.

Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the
publisher to a library and finally to you.

Usage guidelines

Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the
public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to
prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.

We also ask that you:

+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for
personal, non-commercial purposes.

+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine
translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the
use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.

+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find
additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.

+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just
because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other
countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of
any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner
anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.

About Google Book Search

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers
discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web

at http : //books . google . com/|

^Ix.b'1 .$>!.!;

HARVARD
COLLEGE
LIBRARY

■MHPvnp^ipipipMMpi

Digitized oy VjOOQIC

Digitized by VjOOQIC

Digitized by

Google 3

(£^\.^trz.< Tct^'t'/ , <^<a^>4^/.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNIVfcRSlTT]
LIBRARY

TOTHEREADER.

rtliis First Part on the Religious System of the Amazuln, I have
brought together all the information I have been able to collect
from natives and others, on the tradition of a supreme being- which
exists among them, and other people of South AMca. The next Pait
will be devoted to their Ancestor Worship ; and the Third Part, which
it is exi)ected will complete the Volume, to their Diviners and other
Doctoi*s. An introductory Essay on the whole subject will be given
witH the Third Part

H. O.
Springvale, Natal,
October, 1868.

The Bight of TranslaHon and Reprodiicti&n is JReserved,

a^.'^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Ku tiwa wa tuma unwaba ; wa
ti, " Hamba, lunwaba, u ye u yo
kuti, Abantu ma ba nga fi." Lwa
hamba unwaba, lwa hamba kanci-
nane, lwa libala endAleleni ; lwa
hamba lwa dAla umuti, o igama
lawo ku ubukwebezane.^

Wa za XJnkulunkulu wa tuma
intulo ngasemva kwonwaba, se lu
hambile ngesikati esipambili unwa-
ba. Ya hamba intulo, ya gijima,
ya tahetsha kakulu, ngokuba
XJnkulunkulu e tize, "Ntulo, u
fike u ti, Abantu a ba fe." Ya
hamba ke intulo, ya ti, " Ngi ti,
Ku tiwa, Abantu ma ba fe." Ya
buya intulo, ya fika kunkulunku-
lu ; lwa ba unwaba lu nga ka fiki,
lona lwa tunywa kukg'ala; lona
lwa tunywa ku tiwa, ma lu yokuti,
" Abantu ma ba nga fi."

It is said he sent a chameleon ;
he said to it, "Go, Chameleon, go
and say. Let not men die." The
chameleon set out ; it went slow-
ly f it loitered in the way ; and as
it went, it ate of the fruit of a
tree, which is called Ubukwebe-
zane.

At length XJnkulunkulu sent a
lizard^^ after the chameleon, when
it had already set out for some
time. The lizard went ; it ran and
made great haste, for XJnkulunkulu
had said, " Lizard, when you have
arrived, say, Let men die." So
the lizard went, and said, " I tell
you. It is said, Let men die." The
lizard came back again to XJnku-
lunkulu, before the chameleon had
reached his destination, the cha-
meleon which was sent first ;
which was sent, and told to go
and say, " Let not men die."

cally, to mean a source of being. A father is the uthlanga of his
children, from which they broke off. Whatever notions the ignorant
of the present day among the natives may have of the meaning of this
tradition, it may be concluded that originally it was not intended to
teach by it, that men sprang from a reed. It cannot be doubted that
the word alone has come down to the people, whilst the meaning has
been lost Comp. M. Casalis* account of the religious notions of the
Basutos, p. 240.

^ Hence their saying, " XJkuhambisa kwonwaba," To go like a
chameleon, L e., to go slowly. They say also vkanwahuzela,

^ Uhihwehezane. — ^A shrub which bears clusters of berries of a
purplish colour and sweet taste. This fruit is much liked by children.

^^ Intulo = intulway the Amalala inulwa. The tradition lives
among the natives to the present time, and is manifested by the dislike
they entertain for the chameleon. It is frequently killed. But it is
used as a medicine ; among other uses it is mixed with other things
to doctor their gardens, that the birds may not destroy the com ; it is
eiv^oyed because it went slowly, and therefore will prevent the birds

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULXWKtrLtr.

tawsk za Iwa fika, Iwa memeza,
Iwa ti, " Ku tiwa, Abantu ma ba
nga ^ !" Ba ti abantu ba ti, " O !
si bambe izwi lentulo ; yona i si
tshelile, ya ti, * Ku tiwa, Abantu
Bia ba fe.' A si sa li zwa elako.
Ngezwi lentulo abantu b' eza 'ku-

At length it arrived and shout-
ed, saying, "It is said. Let not
men die ! " But men answered,
" O ! we have heard the word of
the lizard ; it has told us ihe word,
*It is said. Let men die.' We
cannot hear your word. Through
the word of the lizard, men will
die/'ii

from hastily entering the gardens ! But the lizard is an object of
much greater hatred, and is invariably killed if the person who sees it
is able to kill it ; but it is very cunning, and, as they say, " escapes
only by its cunning." As they Mil it they say, " Yiya 1 i sona lesi
'silimane esa gijima kuk^ala sa ya 'kuti, ' Abantu a ba fe.' " Let be !
This is the very piece of deformity which ran in the banning to say
that men should die.

^^ This tradition of the origin of death has a strong resemblance
to the Hottentot account. But there it is the Moon — a Hottentot
god, according to Kolb, (The Present State of the Cape of Good
Hope, (Medley,) Vohrnie /., pa^e "95) — ^which sends an insect
to man with the message : — " Go thou to men, and tell them, < As I
die, and dying live, so ye shall also die, and dying live.' " The insect,*
meeting with the hare, entrusts the message to him ; but when he
reaches man, he says, ^* I am sent by the Moon to tell you, * As I die,
and dying perish, in the same manner ye shall also die, and come
wholly to an end.' " (Bleel^a Hottentot Fables, p. 69.^

This account is, however, a promise of renovation through death.

The New Zealand legend again may be compared, where we meet
with rather a foreshadowing of redemption through One destroying
death by passing through it, than an account of the cause of death
enteiing into the world. Maui is made liable to death by some acci-
dental omission of a part of the baptismal ritual, — a cause as trivial
as the delay of the chameleon, or the false message of the hare.

Maui was an abortion ; he was born as his mother was passing
along by the sea-shore. She cut off the long tresses of her hair, and
bound him up in them, and threw him into the foam of the sea, and
after that he was found by his ancestor Tama-nui-ki-te-Rangi, and by
his care developed into a man. As yet there' was no death. But
Maui's &ther, " from mistake, hurriedly skipped over part of the
prayers of the baptismal service, and of ^e services to purify Maui ;
he knew that the gods would be certain to pimish this fault, by causing
Maui to die, and his alarm and anxiety were therefore great" Maui
having transformed by enchantments Lrawaru, his sister Hinauri's
husband, into a dog, and Hinauri having girded herself with an en-
chanted girdle had cast herself into the sea, and been swept away by
Jthe tide, he waa obliged to quit the village where Irawaru had Hved,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUKKULU.

Wa ti XJnkulunkulu wa ba nika
abantu amatongo ; wa ba nika izi-
nyanga zokwelapa nezokubula ; wa
ba nika nemiti yokwelapa itongo.
Wa ti XJnkulankulu, " Uma umu-
ntu e gula e netongo, e banjwe
itongo, wo Alaba inkomo, ni bonge
itongo ; umuntu u ya 'kupila,
m' esuka e banjwe itongo.**

Unkulunkulu gave men Ama-
tongo 'P he gave them doctors for
treating disease, and diviners ; he
gave them medicines to treat dis-
eases occasioned by the Itongo. ^^
XJnkulunkulu said, " K a man is
ill, he being affected by the Itongo,
you shall kill a bullock and laud
the Itongo ; the man will get well
if he has been affected by the
Itongo."

and so returned to his parents. His father said, " Oh my son, I have
heard from your mother and others that you are very valiant, and
that you have succeeded in all feats that you have undertaken in your
own country, whether they are small or great ; but now that you have
arrived in your &.ther's country, you will perhaps at last be overcome."
On asking " what he could be vanquished by ? " his father replied,
" By your great ancestress Hine-nui-te-po." But he answered, " Lay
aside such idle thoughts, and let us both fearlessly seek whether men
are to die or live for ever." Maui pleads that he had subdued Tama-
nui-te-Ra (the sun), and had rescued much land by drawing it up from
the sea. His father admits the truth, and bids him go boldly to visit
** his great ancestress," who, he knew, would be the cause of his death.
Maui set out on his journey, taking " every kind of little bird " as his
companions. Maui and his companions found Hine-nui-te-po asleep.
Maui told them that he was about to creep into the old chieflainess,
and warned them not to laugh until they saw him "just coming out of
her mouth ; then they might shout with laughter if they pleased."
When he entered the old chieftainess, " the little birds screwed up
their tiny cheeks, trying to suppress laughter ; at last, the little Tiwa-
kawaka laughed out loud with its merry cheerful note," and the old
woman awoke, and killed Maui. This was the cause of the introduc-
tion of death into the world. Hine-nui-te-po being the goddess of
death, had Maui passed safely thi-ough her, then no more human
beings would have died, but death itself would have been destroyed.
(Grey, Folyneaia/n Mythology, p, \^ — 58.^ v.

^ I tonga f p. Amatongo, — ^An itongo is properly the spirit of the \
dead, — a disembodied spirit. The notion that it is in the form of a I
snake, or becomes converted into a snake, is probably something j
superadded to the original tradition. But all these questions will be )
discussed when we come to the " Amatongo." ,/*

^^ Ukwelapa itongo, lit., to treat an itongo, that is, diseases which
are occasioned by the itongo, as utklaho, which appears from the de-
scription to be pleurodynia ; one case I was called to see was pleurisy.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

.\V''

UNKULUNKULU.

Wa ti, " Ni ya *kubona futi na
sebusuku, ni ya 'kupupa; itongo
li ya 'ku ni tshela into e li i tsho-
ko." Wa ti, " Li ya *ku ni tshela
nenkomo."

Itongo li Alala kumuntu omku-
lu ; o yena o li pupayo ku 'munu-
niuzana ; li ti, '' Ni nga Alaba
inkomo, u ya 'kusinda nmuntu."
I Alatshwe inkomo e tshiwo ito-
ngo ; a ti loku umuntu ku be se
ku tiwa, " U za 'kufa," a sinde ;
ku bonakale ke ukuti lo 'muntu u
be e banjwe itongo. I ya kitshwa
inyongo ngapakati enkomweni,^^ a
telwe ngayo inyongo ; ku bongwe,
ku tiwe, " XJma si bone ukuti ito-
ngo, a si bone ukuba a pile namAla
nje ; ku ya sa kusasa nje u se i
dAla inyama ; si' ya *kubona ke
ukuti itongo. Okimye loku, a si
yi 'kuvuma enAliziyweni zetu uku-
ti itongo ; si ya 'kuti, i ^kvdat, nje ;
a li ko itongo kuyena emzimbeni
wake. Uma si bone ukuti ku
kona itongo, si ya 'kubona ngoku-
ba a pile, si bonge ke. I kona si
ya 'kuAlaba inkomo eziningi, si
bonge ke etongweni, si bone ukuti
itongo lakwiti li lungile."

XJguaise Mdunga (an Ilala).

He said, " You will see also by
^g^*> you will dream ; the Itongo
will tell you what it is it wishes."
He said, " It will also tell you the
bullock it would have killed."

The Itongo dwells with the
great man ; he who dreams ia the
chief of the village ; it says,
" Should you kill a bullock, the
man will get well" The bullock
which the Itongo mentions ia kill-
ed; and although people were
thinking that the man would
die, he gets well ; and so it
is clear that the man was
affected by the Itongo. The gall-
bladder is taken from the bullock,
and the man has the gall poured
on him ; they give praise and say,
" In order that we may see that it
is the Itongo, let us see him get
well this very day ; and at the
very dawn of tomorrow eat meat ;
so we shall see that it is the Itongo.
On the other hand, we shall not
admit in our hearts that it is the
Itongo ; we shall say, it is disease
only; there is no Itongo in his
body. If we see that it is the
Itongo, we shall see it by his
getting well, and so we shall give
thanks. Then we will kill many
cattle, and laud the Itongo, and
see that the Itongo of our house is
good."

^^ Enkormjoeni, — I preserve this word because it is formed
regularly. The Zulus say enkomeni ; the Amalala eyomweni.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Abadala ba ti Unkulunkulu u
ng' Umvelingangi, ngokuba be ti
wa vela kuk^ala j be ti u. uAlanga
Iwabantu lapa kwa dabuka abantu
kulo. Ku tsho abadala ukuti u
kona Unkulunkulu ; w' enza aba-
ntu bokuk^ala^ abadala bendulo ;
ba fa abadala bendulo, kwa sala
abanye aba zalwa i bo, amadodana,
e si zwa ngabo ukuti kwa be ku
kona abadala bendulo ab' azi uku-
dabuka kwezwa Ka ba m azi

The old men say that Unkulu-
nkulu is Umvelingangi,^^ for they
say he came out first ; they say he
is the Uthlanga from which all
men broke off.^*^*^e old men say
that Unkulunkulu is '}^ he made
the first men, the ancients of long
ago '^^ the ancients of long ago
died; there remained those who
had been begotten by them, sons,
by whom we hear that there were
ancients of long ago who knew the
breaking off of the world, ^^ They

15 Vmvelinqangij the first out-comer.

• 1^ Let the reader note that here three names are applied to the
first man, Unkulunkulu, Umvelingangi, and Uthlanga. UnkiUur
nkulu expresses antiquity, age, lit., the old-old one, as we use great
in great-great-grandfiither. Unwelinqangi expresses priority; the
first out-comer. Uthlanga, potential source of being. Neither must
this be regarded as a contradiction to the statement lower down, " Wa
vela lapa abantu ba dabuka kona oAlangeni," He came out where men
broke off from Uthlanga. For Unkulunkulu, the first man, sprang
from — came out of — ^broke off from — a previously existing uthlanga
or source of being, the nature of which is quite beyond the native
philosophy ; and having come out, he became the uthlanga or soui-ce
of being of entire humanity.

1^ U kona, is. We must not, however, understand this as a
declaration of the ancients that Unkulunkulu has a present existence.
But they mean to say, " Unkulunkulu was a reality; that which we
say of him is not a fitble, but a fact. Unkulunkulu is a reality ; he
made us, and is, as it were, in us his work. We exist because he
existed." That this is the meaning we gather not only from the in-
terpretation of it by natives, and from other accounts of the same tra^
dition, but from the statement made below, " B' ezwa ngokutshiwo
ukuti Unkulunkulu wa be kona," They heard it said that Unkulu-
nkulu was, or used to be; the tense necessarily implying that he
exists no longer.

1^ Abadala bendulo, the ancients of long ago, — ^not merely
ancients, but the ancients of primitive times ; those who formed the
first races of mankind.

1^ The natives profess to be unable to give any account of the
origin of things ; but refer to a period when the ancients tmderstood
the history of creation.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

unkulxjnkult;.

Unkulunkulu ; a ba m bonanga
ngameAlo; V ezwa ngokutshiwo
ukuti Unkulunkulu wa be kona.
Wa vela lapa abantu ba dabuka
kona oAlangenL Wa zala abantu
bendulo ; ba &, ba shiya abantwa-
na babo ; ba zala abanye, amado-
dan' aboy ba fa; ba zala abanye,
ukuba tina si ze si zwe ngonkulu-
nkulu. Okoko betu aba si tshelayo
izindaba zikankulunkulu nezendu-
lo.

Ngi tshele uma ngesikati sama-
nje ku kona abantu aba kuleka
kuye XJnkulunkula na ?

Ka ba ko. Ba ya kcela emato-
ngweni ; ba wa dumise ukuba a ze
a ba sindise.

Amatongo a ng' obani na ?

AmadAlozi, abantu aV esuke be
file ; ba fe k^ede, ba buye ba gu-
kqvike ba be amatongo, ba hhulu-
zele ngesisu, ba se be ti abantu
abadala, " Itongo/' Igama lalo li
inyoka; inyundezulu igama layo
inyoka.

Ku be se ku gula umuntu, ku
se ku yiwa enyangeni, ku yiwa
'kubulwa; ku be se ku tiwa,
** Amatongo a ze 'kukcela izinko-

did not know Unkulunkulu ; they
did not see him with their eyes ;
they h^Guxl it said that Unku-
lunkulu was. He came out
where men broke off from Uthla-
nga. He b^at the ancients of
long ago ; they died and left their
children ; they begat others, their
sons, they died ; they b^;at others ;
thus we at length have heard about
Unkulunkulu. It was our ancestors
who told us the accounts of Unku-
lunkulu and of the ancients of
long ago.

Tell me if at the present time
there are any who pray to Unku-
lunkulu ?

There are none. They pray to
the Amatongo ; they honour them
that they may come and save
them.

Who are the Amatongo ?

The Amadhlozi, men who have
died ; when they have died, they
change again and become Ama-
tongo, and crawl on. their belly,
and so the old men call a dead
man so changed an Itongo. It is
called a snake; Inyandezulu^ is
the name of the snake.

When a man is ill, they go to a
doctor to divine; and it is said,
** The Amatongo have come to ask
for cattle, that a bullock should be

^ A large, green, harmless snake, which for the most part is
observed in trees. It frequently enters the native huts.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

mo, ukuze ku Alatshwe inkomo."
I b* i s' i ncwatshelwa endAlini,
ukuba a i dAle ; se ku vulwa um-
nyango^ ba nga i dAli ngalesi 'si-
kati, ba i dAle ngolunye usukiL
KusiAlwa ku lale abafana endAlinl,
ba i linde iuyama. Ku ya sa
kusasa i s* i ya pekwa, ku butane
abantu, ba ze ba i dAle, ba ze 'ku i
dAla inAloko. Be se ba ya Alaka-
zeka ba ye emizim yabo ; ku be se
ku sala abasekaya. Ku be se ku
pekwa isifuba esi za 'kudAliwa
amakosikazi nabantu bonke base-
kaya.

Se ku butwa amatambo onke
enkomo, umnikazinkomo e se wa
tshisa, ukuba abatakati ba nga wa
tati, ba ye 'ku w* elapa, ba m
bulale, a buye a gule futl

killed." The flesh of the slaugh-
tered bullock is put together in a
hut, that the Amatongo may eat ;
the door is shut, and the people do
not eat the meat at the time, but
on the morrow. In the evening
boys sleep in the hut and watch
the meat. In the morning the
flesh is boiled, and men assemble
to eat the head. They then sepa-
rate and go to their own '\dllages ;
and those of the family where the
bullock has been killed remain.
Then the breast is boiled, which
will be eaten by the chieftainesses
and by the people of the family.

All the bones of the bullock are
collected, and the owner of the
cattle burns them, that wizards
may not take them, and apply
medicines to them and injure the
man who was sick, and he become
ill again. 2^

KwA ku tiwa ekuk<^aleni, aba-
fundisi be nga ka bi ko, uma si
buza tina, si ti, " Amatshe 'enziwe
ini na ? " ku tiwe, " 'Enziwe
XJmvelin^'angL" Ku tiwa tina
bantu si pume emAlangeni lapa sa

It was said at first before the
arrival of missionaries, if we a^ked,
" By what were the stones
made 1 " — " They were made by
Umvelingangl" It is said that
we men came out of a bed of
reeds,'^ where we had our origin.^*

^ This account was given by a refugee recently arrived from
Zululand, whose name I do not know.

22 UrMomga is a bed of reeds. We must not confound umhlor
nga with %M€mga. UmAlanga is the place where they broke off" — or
out-came — ^from UAlanga,

23 Velaf had our origin, — out-came^ equivalent to " were created."
It does not mean merely appearing.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UlTKULUNKULtr.

vela kona. Si buze, si ti, " Ilahga
r enziwa ini na ? " ba ti, " L' enzi-
wa XJmvelingangL " Ngokuba
tina be si buza, si bancinyane, si
ti, abadala ba ya z' azi izinto zonke
ezi semAlabeni ; kanti ka ba z^ azi ;
kodwa si nga ba pikisi, ngokuba si
ug' azi natL

Kwa ti se si semabuneni Ama-
bunu a wa si tshelanga ukuti,
" Inkosi i kona pezulu ; " kodwa
wona e tsho e ti, tin' abantu aba-
innyama si ya 'kutsha ; kodwa a e
tsho e ti, tin* abantu abamnyama
a si nawo umoya, si fana nenja,
yona e nge nawo nmoya.

Ba be tsbo abadala, abafundisi
be nga ka bi ko, ba ti, " Izinto
zonke z' enziwa XJmvelingangi,
zonke." Kodwa a ba m azi uma
ubani na. Kodwa ba Alala ngo-
kubonga izinyoka; na manje ba
ya bonga zona ; a ba k' ezwa ; na

When we asked, " By what ^ai»
the sun made ? " they said, " By
Umvelin^ungL" For we used to
ask when we were little, thinking
that the old men knew all things
which are on the earth ; yet for-
sooth they do not know ; 'but we
do not contradict them, for neither
do we know.

When we were with the Dutch
they did not tell us that there is a
Lord above ; but they said that we
black people should be burnt ; and
that we have no spirit,^* but are
like a dog, which has no spint.

The ancients used to say before
the arrival of the missionaries,
that all things were made by XJm-
velin^angi ; but they were not
acquainted with his name.^^ But
they lived by worshipping^^ snakes ;
Stnd they still worship them ; they
do not yet hear; and even now

2* TJmoya^ spiiit. The native who related this tale, though not a
Christian, had lived with whitemen from his childhood, and for some
years with a missionary. The untaught native would not use umoya
(wind, air) in the sense of spirit, as this man uses it. They would
apply it to the air we bi*eathe, but not to the spirit or soul of man.
Neither do they use itongo, idhlozi, isituta (ghost), or isitunzi (shade),
of any power animating the body, but only of something, — a new or
distinct existence, — which comes out of the body when dead.

2^ Many misunderstandings of native traditions have arisen from
the enquiry, " Unkulunkulu ubani na % " meaning who or what is
Unkulunkulu. It really means, " What is his wamc / " The native
cannot tell you his name, except it be Umvelingangi.

2^ Bonga, worship. It is necessary to give bonga this full mean-
ing here, and not to restrict it to the offices of praising or thanking.
It is equivalent to pata, which is used for all and every kind of adora-
tion and worship.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

manje lapa abafundisi be kuluma-
yo, ba ti, " InsuiDansumane ; into
nje ngokud/tlala." A ba tsho
ukuti, kii kulunywa izindaba ezi
kjinisileya

Lapa ku Alatshwa, ku ya bo-
ngwa inyoka kukgala, anduba ku
Alatshwe inkomo. I ti se i Ala-
tshiwe ya Alinzwa; ku tabatwe
inyama encinyaiie enonileyo, i ye
'kubekwa endAlini, emsamo ngo-
dengezi ; ku bekwe umlilo pezu
kwodengezi. Uma ku tshe inya-
ma yenkomo, ku dAle amatongo
(uma 'eze a ze *kudAla inyama
yenkomo). I tutwe inyama yen-
komo, i bekwe endAlini, Lapo ku
kona inyama ku Alale umuntu a
be munye, ngokuba ku tiwa ku za
'ku fika amadAlozi, a ze 'kudAla
inyama. Ku ti kusasa a si boni
lapa amadAlozi e dAlile kona; si
bona izito zenkomo zi pelele zonke,
nenyama e b' i sodengezini a i
dAliwanga *luto ; i sa Alezi njenga-
loku i be i njalo ; a si boni *luto
olu dAliweyo.

Kodwa si buza si ti, " AmadAlo-
zi a dAla ni na ? loku inyama ku
sa si sa i bona yonke," ba ti aba-
dala, "Amatongo a ya i kota."
Si nga bi namandAla oku ba piki-
sa, si tula, ngokuba ba be badala
ngapambili kwetu, be si tshela
izinto zonke, si zi lalele ; ngokuba
si tshelwa zonke, si zi vume, si zi

when the missionaries speak, they
say, " It is a fable ; a plaything."
They do not admit that what is
spoken is the truth.

When they slaughter cattle, they
first praise the snake, and then the
bullock is killed. When it is
killed they skin it ; and a little of
the fat^^ is taken, and put in the
upper part of the hut on a sherd ;
and fire is placed on it. When
the flesh of the bullock burns, the
Amatongo eat (if they do come to
eat the flesh of a bullock). The
flesh of the bullock is taken and
put in a housa One man stays in
the house where the flesh is put,
for it is said the Amatongo will
come and eat flesh. But in the
morning we do not see where the
Amadhlozi have eaten ; we see the
limbs of the bullock all there, and
the meat that was on the sherd
has not been eaten by any thing ;
it remains just as it was ; we do
not see any that has been eaten*

But when we ask, " What do
the Amadhlozi eat ? for in the
morning we still see all the meat,"
the old men say, " The Amatongo
lick it" And we are unable to
conti-adict them; but are silent,
for they are older than we, and
tell us all things, and we
listen ; for we are told all things,

^^ The fat of the cawl or omentum is used with incense.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULt;.

vume . kodwa, si nga boni kaAle
ukuba ba k^nisile ini na.

Uma ku ya ngena inyoka en-
dAlini a i bulawa; ku tiwa,
" IdAlozi likabani," ku tshiwo iga-
ma lomuntu owa fayo ; ku tiwe
le 'nyoka i pume kuye ekufeni
kwake. I yekwe, i Alale njalo
end^lini Ku tatwe imbuzi, ku
Alatshwe yoaa, ku Alatshiswa in-
yoka. A i bonwa umuntu lapa i
86 i muka.

Abantu abamnyama lapa be ha-
mbayo baya dumisa inyoka. Lapa
umuntu e limala wa sinda, a gwa-
ze inkomo, ngokuba e bonga idAlo-
zi, e ti li m sindisile. Lapa umu-
ntu e zuza nezinkomo, a bonge
inyoka^ a ti, i yona e m nikileyo
izinkomo eziningL

A ti o nga se nayise, a ti, lapa
e za ^uAlaba inkomo, a bonge
uyise, a ti, uyise a ka m bheke
njalo, a mu pc konke a ku tanda-
yo, a mu pe izinkomo namabele, —
konke.

Ukuma umuntu e gula ku bu-
Iwe ezinyangeni ; inyanga i fike i
ti, ma ba dAle inkomo. Ba i dhle
inkomo, i ti inyanga umuntu u ya
'kusinda. Ba ti se be i dAlile
inkomo, a nga sindi, a fe, ku tiwe,
"U ya bizwa abapansi." Ku

and assent without seeing clearly
whether they are true or not.

When a snake comes into a
house it is not killed ; they say,
" It is the Idhlozi of So-and-so,"
mentioning the name of a man
who is dead ; it is said the snake
came out of him at his death. It
is left, and remains always in the
house. They take a goat and
sacrifice it, sacrificing to the snake.
No one sees it when it goes away.

When black men are on a jour-
ney they honour the snake. When
a man is injured and gets well, he
kills a bullock, for he thanks the
Idhlozi, thinking that it has saved
him. When a man obtains cattle
also, he thanks the snake, thinking
it is the snake which has given him
many cattle.

A man whose father is dead,
when he is about to kill a bullock,
worships his father, praying him
to look on him continually, and
give him all that he wishes, and
give him cattle and com, — every
thing.

When a man is ill, they enquire
of diviners ; the diviner comes and
tells them to eat a bullock. And
they eat a bullock, the diviner
saying that the man will get well.
K when they have eaten the bul-
lock he does not get well, but dies,
they say, "He is summoned by
those who are beneatL"^ They

^ Ahapcmsif i e., the Amatongo, they who are beneath. Some

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UKKULUKKULU.

tiwe, '' U bulewe amadAlozi ngo-
kuba e tanda um' 'eze 'kuAlala
kuwona."

Uma kubantu abamnyama ku fe
umuntu, ku ya kalwa kakulu,
kw enziwe umsindo omkulu. Ku
ti e se la^Iiwe, ku tatwe izinto
lake zonke, zi baselwe umlilo
omlculu, ku nga bi ko na lodwa
uto Iwake a be lu binca emzimbeni
wake olu salayo ; zi tshiswe zonke,
ngokuba ku y esatsbwa ukubinca
impaAla yomuntu ofileyo.

Ufulatela Sitole.

say, " He haa been killed by the
Amadhlozi because they wish the
man to go and dwell with them."
When any one dies among black
men, they lament very much and
make a great noise. And when he
is buried, all his things are taken,
and a large fire kindled to burn
them ; not a single thing which he
wore on his body is left; all is
burnt, for they are afraid to wear
the property of a dead man.

Ku tiwa ekukulumeni kwabantu
abamnyama, uma umuntu w enza
indaba emangalisayo abantu a ba
nge namandAla oku y enza, noma
uku i k^eda uma imbi, ba tsho ke,
^' Au ! yeka ! abantu bansondo
V enza nje."

Noma izulu li ya na kakulu
imivimbi eminingi, li veza ukumar
ngalisa, ku tshiwo ngokuti, ^^ La
na izulu lansondo ! '' njalo fiiti

Na ngomAlaba futi uma u luku-
ni ekulimeni, ku ya tshiwo ku
tiwe, " Au ! wa ba lukuni, umAla-
ba wansondo ! ''

Ik the speech of black men, when
a man does a wonderful thing
which other men cannot do, or
brings a bad matter to a good issue,
men say, " Au ! go to ! the people
of Unsondo2» do thus."

Or if the heaven rains exces-
sively great torrents, and causes
wonder, it is also constantly said,
" How ^the heaven of Unsondo
rains !"

And of the earth also, if it is
hard to dig, it is said, <' Au I
how hard it is, the earth of Unso-
ndo!"

natives say, so called, because they have been buried beneath tlie earth.
But we cannot avoid beheving that we have an intimation of an old
^th in a Hades or Tartarus, which has become lost and is no
longer understood. Stibterraneans is an exact translation of abapansi,
and as we proceed we shall find that similar characteristics and actions
are ascribed to the Amatongo as to the Subterraneans in the mytho-
logy of other people,

^ AbmUu bansondo J or it is sometimes said, bakansondo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Okunye futi, uma u kona umu-
ntu omuAle impela, abantu ba
tanda ukumangala ngaye, ba ti,
" Au ! wa ba mnAle, umuntu wa-
nsondo."

Futi, uma ku puma impi, i ya
'kuMasela enye inkosi, ku ya tshi-
wo ngamakosi, ku tiwe, " Au I
Ai ! amakosi ansondo wona, ngo-
kuba na ngesikati sokwinAla a ya
kipa impi, na ngesobusika a ya
kipa impi"

Okunye, ku tiwa abantu ngaba-
fazi, ngokuba abafazi ba nokuma
kwabo, a tsho amadoda a ti, " Au !
Ai ! Abafazi bansondo."

Ku njalo ke ekupeleni si zwa
kungati Unsondo lo umuntu nge-
zwi lokuti, "Unsondo wa fa e
yaleza e ti, * Nampa abantu ngo-
kuti na ngokuti.' " Si ti ke nga-

Besides also, if there is a very
handsome man, whom people like
to make a wonder, they say,
" Au ! how beautiful he is, a man
of Unsondo."30 '

Again, if an army goes out to
invade another king, it is said of
kings, " Au ! No I they are kings
of Unsondo, for in the time of
firstfruits and in the time of win-
ter they lead out their army."

Again, men say it of women,
for women have their characteris-
tics, and the men say, " Au ! No 1
Women of Unsondo."

So finally we hear that Unsondo
is, as it were, a man by the saying
which is used, " Unsondo died
uttering this his last word, * Those
are men because they are so and
so.* "^^ Therefore we say that this

^^ UtJdanga is also used to express beauty. " Si tshele ni uAla-
nga oluAle lapa Iwentombi," Tell us which is the prettiest girl here.
They also say, "Inkosi yoAlanga," that is, a chief who refers his
descent to Uthlanga, that is, to him whom they regard as the creator
or source of all things. We may compare this with Stoycviys jSaa-iXevs
of Homer.

^1 By this we are to understand that at his death Unsondo
uttered a prophecy of the future of his children, telling them by what
kind of conduct, good and bad, they would be characterised. Thus it
is said not only of a good man, " Wa muAle ! umuntu wansondo ! "
How good he is ! a man of Unsondo ! to express the perfection of
goodness, but also of the wicked, " Au ! wa mubi ! umuntu wanso-
ndo ! " O ! how wicked he is ! a man of Unsondo ! to express ntter
wickedness. We may compare this with the Hebrew idiom, which
without being identical is i*emarkably similar; that of designating
any thing of surpassing excellence as Grod's, e.g. "A very great
trembling," lit, a trembling of God (1 Sam. xiv. 15) ; and in Gren.
XXXV. 5, " The terror of G<)d (that is, an exceeding great terror) was
upon the cities." (JSee Gesenitis.J

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TJNKULUNKULU.

loko Unsondo lo Unkiilunkulu
lowo, e si ti wa fa ; ngokuba lelo
'lizwi lokuti, " Unsondo wa fa e
yaleza," si ti ku u yena lowo, a ku
ko mumbe.

Kepa abanye abantu ba ti
Unsondo izwi nje lokupela kwen-
daba; a ku 'siminya ; kepa lona
ngokuma kwalo li ya ku shiya
loko 'kutsho kwabo, li veze ukg'obo.

Ngi li sbiyile futi izwi eli tshi-
woyo Unsondo; a si namandAla
oknti la vela esizweni esitile; li
izwi e si vele li kona njalo ; a li
litsha, lidala kakulu ; a si V azi
ubudala balo.

Umpengula Mbanda.

Unsondo is the same as Unkulu-
nkulu, who, we say, died ; on ac-
count of that saying, " Unsondo
died uttering his last word," it is
he indeed, and not another.

But some say that Unsondo is
nothing more than the last word
of a matter ; it has no allusion to
a £ict ; but the use of this saying
sets at naught that word of theirs,
and brings out a person.

But I have omitted one thing
about this word Unsondo; we
cannot say it had its origin in a
particular tribe ; it is a word
which was in constant use when
we were bom; it is not a new
word ; it is very old ; we do not
know its age.

In illustration and confirmation of the above I insert the follow-
ing. Returning from the Umzimkulu with a young Ibakca for my
guide, I availed myself of the opportunity to discover whether there
existed among the Amabakca the same traditions as among the Amazulu.
I therefore requested him to tell me what he knew about the tradition
of the chameleon. He told me the ordinary tale, but instead of say-
ing it was sent by Unknlunkulu, he said, " Kwa tunywa unwaba,"
There was sent a chameleon. I enquired by whom it was sent He
replied, "By Unsondo." — "And who was he?" — "He was he who
came out first at the breaking off of all things (dkudabukeni kwezinto
zonke)." — " Explain what you mean by ekudabukeni." — " When tliis
earth and all things broke off from Uthlanga." — " What is Uthla-
nga 1 " — " He who begat (zala) Unsondo." — " You do not mean then
a reed, such as those in that bed of reeds in the valley ? " — " No ; but
Uthlanga who begat Unsondo." — " Where is he now ? "

" O, ka se ko. Njengaloku
ubaba-mkulu ka se ko, naye ka se
ko ; wa fa. Wa fa, kwa vela oku-

"O, he exists no longer. As
my grandfather no longer exists,
he too no longer exists ; he died.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

nye oku bizwa ngokunye. UAla-
nga wa zala Unsondo; Unsondo
wa zala okoko; okoko ba zala
okulu; okulu ba zala obabamku-
hi ; nobabamkulu ba zala obaba ;
nobaba ba si zala tina.''

When he died, there arose others,
who were caDed by other names,
Uthlanga begat Unsondo; Unso-
ndo begat the ancestors ; the an-
cestors begat the great grand-
fathers; the great grandfiithers
begat the grand^ithers ; and the
grand£kthers begat our fathers ;
and our fathers begat us."^^

"Are there any who are called Uthlanga now 1 "-:— " Yes." — " Are
you married ? " — " Yes." — " And have children 1 " — " Yebo. U mina
e ngi uthlanga." (Yes. It is I myself who am an uthlanga.) — " Be-
cause you have become the fitther of children 1 " — " Yes ; I am an
uthlanga on that account." As he said this he tapped himself on his
breast.

KoDWA mina ngi ti labo ba k^ini-
sile ngokuti Unkulunkulu Umve-
lin^angi. Kepa le 'ndawo a ba i
tshoyo ngokuti wa e nomfazi, a
ngi i zwanga. Loko e nga ku
zwayo ukuti abantu ba vela ku-
nkulunkulu, njengokuba wa V e-
nza ngokuba-ko kwake; a ku
tshiwongo ukuti Unkulunkulu wa
e 4)omfazi. I loku e si kw aziyo.

Kepa ukubongwa, ba kginisile
labo aba tshoyo ukuti, ka bongwa-

BuT for my part I say they speak
truly^^ who say that Unkulunkulu
is named Umvelin^ngL But as
for what they say respecting his
having a wife, I have not heard of
it. What I have heard is this,
that men sprang from Unkulu-
nkulu, as if he made them because
he existed (before them) f^ it was
not said that Unkulunkulu had a
wife. This is what we know.

And as regards worship, they
speak truly who say, he was not

^2 This portion I wrote at his dictation in my study ; the rest
from memory.

^3 The native thus begins his statement because I had previously
read to him what other natives had said on the subject.

^^ He means by this that he had heard that Uukulimkulu was
the first that existed, and that existing he made others. But we shall
see by and bye that this man is mistaken. Unkulunkulu is supposed
to have a wife.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULT7NKULTJ.

nga ; nami ngi ya ba vumela. A
si ko ukubonga loko, uma abantu
be bona izinto, noma imvula, noma
iikndAIa amabele, be be tsho aba-
ntu ukutiy ** Yebo, lea 'zinto z' e-
aziwe TJnknlunkulu." Kepa a ba
banga nalo izwi lake lokuti, ** Ngi
n' enzele lezi 'zinto ukuae ni ng* a-
Mi ngazo/' Wa z* enza ukuba aba-
ntu ba dAle, ba bone nje. Ngemva
kwaloko ba ba nako uku zi pendu-
la, zi be ezamadAlozi. Ba m amu-
ka Unkulunkulu lezi 'zinta

Kukgala sa bona ukuba s* enzi-
wa Unkulunkulu. Kepa lapo si
gulayo a sa m pata, a sa koela luto
kuyen& Sa pata labo e si ba
bonile ngameAIo, uku& kwabo
aokuAlala kwabo nati Ngaloko
ke izinto zonke sa kgala uku zi
kcela emadAlozini, noma amabele,

worshipped;*^ and I agree with
them. For it is not worship^
when people see things, as rain, or
food, such as com, and say, " Yes,
these things were made by XJi&u-
lunkulu." But no such word has
come to them from him as this,
" I have made for you these things
that you might know me by
them." He made them that men
might eat and «ee them and no-
thing mcare. Afterwards they
had power to change those things,
that they might become the Ama-
tongo's. They took them away
from Unkulunkulu.*^

At first we saw that we were
made by Unkulunkulu. But
when we were ill we did not wor-
ship him, nor ask any thing of
him. We worshipped those whom
we had seen with oar eyes, their
death and their life amongst us.
So then we b^an to ask all things
of the Amadhlozi, whether com^

•* A mistake has no doubt often arisen on the question of whether
Unkulunkulu is worshipped by the natives or not, from the failure to
recognise the fact that there are many Onkulunkulu ; and the state-
ments of natives have been wrongly supposed to be contradictory.
The Unkulunkulu pa/r excellence, the first man, is no where worship-
ped. No isibongo of his is known. The worship, therefore, of him
according to native worship is no longer possible. But the Onkulu-
nkulu of tribes and houses, whose izibongo are still known, are wor-
shipped, each by his respective descendents,

** He means by this that he is not sure whether in the beginning
they worshipped him or not ; but they no longer worship him, but the
Amatongo, and thank the Amatongo for the things which they believe
were created by Unkulunkulu.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNttULU.

noma abantwana, noma iziukomo,
uoma ukiipila. Kwa k^ala nga-
loko ukuba ku bonakale ukuba
Unkulunkulu ka se nayo indodana
yake e Dga m dumisako ; kwa
sweleka ukubuyela emva, ngokuba
abantu b' an da, ba Alakazeka, ba
bambaua ngezindMu zabo ; ka ba
ko o ti, " Mina ngi se i leyo *ndAlu
yak wankulunknlu. "

TJnkuliuikulu kutina bantu aba-
mnyama ii njengoAlanga lombila.
Lona lu nga veza isikwebu, si
kiwe, lu shiy we lona ; lu sale In
bola kuleyo 'ndawo ; iziuAlamvu
zaleso *sikwebu zi Onkulunkulu
bezind/tlu e se zi ya bongana
zodwa njengokulandelana kwoku-
niila kwazo esikwebini. Ku njalo
ke ukula/tleka kwezibongo zika-
ukuluukulu.

or children, or cattle, or health.
By that it began to be evident
that Unkulunkulu had no longer
a son^7 who could worship him ;
there was no going back to the
beginning, for people increased,
and were scattered abroad, and
each house had its own connec-
tions ; there was no one who said,
" For my part I am of the house
of Unkulunkulu."

To us black men Unkulunkulu
is as a stalk of maize. It may
produce the ear, it be plucked,
and the stalk be left, and decay in
the place where it grew ; the
grains of the cob are Onkulunkulu
of houses, which now worship
those only of their own family
according to the order of their
gix)wth on the cob.^ It is on this
account that the praise-giving
names of Unkulunkulu are lost.

^'^ Tliis implies that he had a son ; but the isibongo or
praise-giving name of Unkulunkulu is lost ; by the process of time
,and many wanderings, other names have been taken up, each house
liaving its own isibongo,

^^ He here uses a metaphor comparing men, or their houses,
to the grains on an ear of maize ; Unkulunkiilu is the stalk,
which having done its work dies ; the seeds are the men, who sprang
from him and became centres of families, each having its distinct
family name or isibongo, and the children of successive generations
worship those who preceded them. But the native adds as I amr
making this note, " Lelo *zwi lokuti izinAlamvu zi bongana zodwa loko
ukuti i leyo 'nAlamvu endAlini yayo se i unkulunkulu enzalweni yayo,
leyo na leyo njalo," As for the saying, Each grain worships those
which belong to itself, it means that each gitiin in its own house is an
unkulunkulu to its oifspring, each to its own offspring throughout —
Thus although the First Out-comer, Unkulunkulu, is not worshipped,
other Onkulunkulu are worshipped, that is, their names are known
and used in acts of adoration. But we shall see this more clearly by
and bye.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKtTLfNKULir.

Futi le *nkoBi e pezulu a si i
2wanga ngabelungu. Ku be ku ti
ngesikati seAlobo, uma izulu 11
ya diima, ku tiwe, " I ya dAlala
inkosi" Ku ti uma ku kona
ow esabayo, ku tiwe abakulu,
" W esaba nje. XJ dhle ni yenkosi
nal" I loko ke e Dgi tshoyo
n^ko ukuti le 'iikosi e si i zwa
ngani ukuba i kona, sa si i zwile
pambilL

Kepa i nge njengonkulunkulu
lowo, e si ti w* enza iziuto zonke.
Kepa yona si ya i biza ngokuti
inkosi, ngokuba si ti, yona i pezu-
lu. Uukulunkulu u pansi ; izinto
lezi ezi pansi z* enziwe u ye. Si
nga tsbo luto ngaleyo inkosi e
pezulu, 'kupela loko e si ku tsboyo
kumuntu ow esabayo, ukuti,
" W one ni yenkosi 1" S* azi loko
ukuba o y onileyo u ya tshaywa i

And the King which is above*^^
we did not hear of him [first] from
whitemen. In summer time,
when it thunders, we say, " The
king is playing. "*° And if there
is one who is afraid, the elder
people say to him, " It is nothing
but fear. What thing belonging
to the king have you eaten 1 "
This is why I say, that the Lord
of whom we hear through you, we
had already heard of before you
came.

But he is not like that Uuku-
lunkulu who, we say, made all
things. But the former we call a
king, for we say, he is above.
Uukulunkulu is beneath ; the
things which are beneath wer€^
made by him. We said nothing
about that king which is above but
that which we say to a man who
is afraid, " What have you injured
which belongs to the king V* We
know that he who has sinned
against him is struck by him ;*^

^ Inkosi may be translated king, lord, chief, &c. And we may
either say, the king, lord, chief, &c., which is above, — or the king of
heaven, — or the heavenly king.

^ Is pla3ring, or sporting, not angry. He is enjoying himself, as
their chie& do on great festivals, when it is said, " Inkosi i d/elala
umkosi," The chief is playing a festival.

It is worth noting that So or Khevioso is the thunder god of the
West African natives ; and, says Capt. Burton, " according to Barbot,
on the Gold Coast, (I have heard the same eveiy where from that place
to the Camaroons,) * when it thunders they say the Deity — with rever-
ence be it spoken — ^is diverting himself with his wives.' " (Burton. A
Mission to the Xing of Dahome. Vol. II,, p, 14:2. J

*i That is, by lightning.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

XrNKULlTNKULr,

but we know nothing that can save
us from being smitten. Neither
do we see in what reipeci we have
sinned eith^ in his sight cr in
that of Unknhmkulu, We si^^
"We are righteous, for all that

we do we were permitted to do by
Unkulunkulu-"4i

And as regards that heavenlj
king whom we knew because the
heaven thundered, saying, "The
king is playing," we do not say
also that he springs from XJnkulu-
nkulu. We say that TJnkulunku-
lu was first ; we do not know what
belongs to that king. There re-
mained** that word only about the
heaven ; we know nothing of his
mode of life, nor of the principles
of his government. His smiting
is the only thing we knew, be-
cause we said to a man who was
afraid, " Why are you afraid when
the king is playing for his own
pleasure? What sin have you
done in his sight T That is alL
There is no connection between
our knowledge of Unkulunkula
and of him. For we can give
some account of what belongs to
Unkulunkulu ; we can scarcely
give any account of what belongs
to the heavenly king. We know

*' That is, we live in accordance with the laws and conditions of
our nature.

*^ This implies that there might have been once other words
which are now lost.

yo ; kepa si ng* azi luto olu nga si
sindisa ekutshayweni. Si nga
boni nakcala e lona s' ona ngalo
kuyo na kunkulunkulu. Si ti, " Si
lungile, loko e si kw enzayo konke
si ku nikwe Unkulunkulu."

Kepa leyo ^nkosi e pezulu e sa
y azi ngokuba izulu li duma, si ti,
^I ya dAlala inkoeo," a si tsho
nokuba i vela kunkidmnkulu.
Unkulunkulu si ya tsho yena
ukuti u ukuk^la ; yona a si
kw azi okwayo. Kwa Alala ilizwi
kodwa lezulu lelo ; a s' azi uku-
hamba kwayo nemibuso yayo.
Ukutshaya loko e sa kw aziyo,
ngokuti kumuntu ow esabayo,
" Ini ukuba w esabe lapa inkosi i
zidAlalela 1 W one ni kuyo na ? "
Kupela. A ku Alangani loko
^kwazi kwetu nokukankulunkulu
nokwayo. Ngokuba okukankulu-
nkulu, si nga ku landalanda ;
okwayo si nge ku lande kakulu,
ku nga ba kancane nje. S' azisa

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

okukankulunkulu, ngokuba yena
wa be kona kulo 'mAlaba, izindaba
zake si Dga zi landa. Ilanga nen-
yanga sa ku nika Unkulunkulu
lapa, nezulu li kona sa li nika
Unkulunkulu. Kodwa leyo 'nko-
81, noma i Alezi kulo, a si tshongo
ukuti elayo ; ngokuba sa ti konke
kw enziwe Unkulunkulu.

Ku nge ti ngokuba namAla si
zwa si tshelwa i ni ngale 'nkosi e
pezulu, si k^le ukuba si ti konke
okwayo ; loko okwalabo aba si
tshelayo ; tina sa si nga tsbo uku-
ba y* enza konke, sa si ti Unkulu-
nkulu kupela. Kepa tina bantu,
noma abanye abafundisi ba si tshe-
la ngokuti le 'nkosi u ye Unkulu-
nkulu lowo, tina a si tshongo
nkuba Unkulunkulu u pezulu ; sa
ti, wa ba, wa fa ; kupela okwetu.

Umpengula Mbanda.

much of what belongs to Unkulu-
nkulu, for he was on this earth,
and we can give an account of
matters concerning him. The sun
and moon we referred to Unkulu-
nkulu together with the things of
this world ; and yonder heaven we
refen-ed to Unkiilunkulu. But
we did not say that the heaven
belonged to this king, although he
dwells there ; for we said all was
made by Unkulunkulu.

It is not proper, because we now
hear from you about that king of
heaven, that we should begin to
say all is his [as though that be-
longed to our original opinions] ;**
that knowledge is theirs who tell
us ; for our parts, we used not to
say that the king of heaven made
all things, we said that Unkulu-
nkulu alone made them. And we
black men, although some mission-
aries tell us that this king and
that Unkulunkulu iet the same, did
not say that Unkulunkulu was in
heaven ; we said, he came to be,**
and died ; that is all we said.

** He means to say, It would not be right because you have told
us what we did not before know about a heavenly Lord, that we
should claim to have known more than we really did before you came.
We knew nothing about him, but that he dwelt above, and presided
over the thunder.

*^ This is the exact meaning of wa ba. He came to be, that is^
came into being.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

LoKU 'kutsho kwabantu abamnya-
ma ukuti Unkulunkuhi, noma
UAlanga, noma Umenzi, lelo 'zwi
linye. Kepa loku 'kutsho kwabo
a ku nanAloko ; ku aman^'indi nje.
Ngokuba izindaba zonke ezi ngaye
XJnkulunkulu, kubantu abamnya-
ma a ku ko 'muntu kubo, noma
amakosi wona, e uamandAla oku-
veza indaba, ukuba nabantu ba i
k^'onde iikuma kwayo iima i mi
kanjani-na. Kepa ukwazi kwetu
a ku si k^ubi ukuba si ku bone
izimpande zako lapa ku mila ko-
na ; a si lingi uku zi bona ; uma
ku kona o kcabangayo, ku be ku-
ndnyane nje, a yeke, a d/ilulele
kw a ku bona ngameAlo ; na loko
A ku bona ngame/Jo ka kg'ondi
'kuma kwako uma kn mi kanjani
na. Ku njalo ke ukuma kwa-
leyo 'ndaba kankulunkulu e si i
tshoyo. Si ti si ya kw azi e si ku
bona ngameAlo ; kepa uma ku ko-
na aba bona ngenAliziyo, ba nga si
kupa masinyane kuloko e si ti si
ya ku bona noku ku k^onda futi.

Ukuma kwetu kwokukg^ala na'
lezo 'zindaba zikankulunkulu si
nge zi Alanganise naloku 'kuhamba
kwetu e sa ba nako ngemuva kwa-

When black men say XJnkulu-
nkulu or Uthlanga or the Creator
they mean one and the same
thing. But what they say has no
point; it is altogether blunl**
For there is not one among black
men, not even the chiefs them-
selves, who can so interpret such
accounts as those about XJnkulu-
nkulu as to bring out the truth,
that others too may understand
what the truth of the matter really
is. But our knowledge does not
urge us to search out the roots of
it ; we do not try to see them ; if
any one thinks ever so little, he
soon gives it up, and passes on to
what he sees with his eyes ; and
he does not understand the real
state of even what he sees. Such
then is the real facts as regards
what we know about XJnkulu-
nkulu, of which we speak. We
say we know what we see with
our eyes ; but if there are any
who see with their hearts, they
can at once make manifest our
ignorance of that which we say
we see with our eyes and under-
stand too.

As to our primitive condition
and what was done by XJnkulu-
nkulu we cannot connect them
with the course of life on which
we entered when he ceased to be.

** It is altogether blunt. The natives not only use our saying
that a thing is without point, but also the opposite, it is blunt, — ^that
is, it does not enter into the understanding ; it is unintelligible.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

ke. IndAlela yake Unkulunkulu
ngokweduka kwetu ku njengokuba
a i zi kitina ; i ya le lapo si ng* a-
ziko.

Kepa ngi ti mina, uma ku kona
umuntu o ti u namandAla okwazi
izindaba zikankuluukulu, ugi uga
ti u ya z' azi njengokuba si mw a-
zi, iikuba wa si pa konke. Kepa
loku 'ku si pa kwake a ku nan-
dAlela kitina yalezi 'zinto e si uazo.
Ngaloko ke uma e ti umuntu u ya
z* azi indaba zake, e tsho ngaloko
e si ku bonayo, ngi nga ti ku nga
ba kuAle uku mw azi kwake uku-
ba a ngene kuleyo *nd/Jela lapa
nati si tshoyo ukuti Unkulunkulu,
Umvelin^ngi, wa si pa izinto
zonke, e si pa ngokuba e ti kakulu
u ai pa nje, nokuba si be abantu,
'enzela ukuze si be nento e yona a
s' enzela yona.

. Ku ngaloko ngi tr mina ka ko
'muntu pakati kwetu o nga ti u ya
z* azi izindaba zikankulunkulu ;

The path of Unkulunkulu, through
our wandering, has not, as it were,
come to us ; it goes yonder whi-
ther we know not.

But for my part I should say, if
there be any one who says he can
understand the matters about
Unkulunkulu, that he knows them
just as we know him, to wit, that
he gave us all things. But so far
as we see, there is no connection
between his gift and the things we
now possess. So then if any one
says he knows all about Unkulu-
nkulu, meaning that he knows
them by means of what we see, I
should say it would be well for
him to begin where we begin, and
travel by the path we know until
he comes to us ; for we say,
Unkulunkulu, the First Out-
comer, gave us all things, and that
he gave them to us and also mad«
us men, in order that we should
possess the things which he made
for us.*''

I say then that there is not one
amongst us who can say that he
knows all about Unkulunkulu;

*^ This is a most difficult piece of Zulu, which has been neces-
sarily translated with great freedom ; a literal translation would be
wholly unintelligible to the English reader. I have produced the
above translation under the immediate direction of the native who
first dictated it to me. What he means to say is this, that they really
know nothing more about Unkulunkulu than that he made all things,
and gave them to mankind ; having made men proper for the things,
and the things proper for the men ; but that there is not known to be
any connection between the present state of things and the primitive
gift of the creator.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TJNKULUKKULtr.

ngokuba si tsbo ngaloku ukuti,
^* Impels se s' azi igama lodwa
lake ; indAlela yake a yona e s' e-
Dzele ukiize si hambe ngayo, a si
sa i boni ; se ku mi ukuk^^baDga
kodwa ngezinto e si zi tandayo;
kulukiini ukuza^l^anisa nazo, se
«i m enza ika^ki, ngokuba ububi
lobo si bu taoda ngokwetu si ya
namatela kakulu kubo ngokuzi-
k^inisa." Uma ku kona izwi eli ti,
^* Le ^nto a i faiiele ukuba u nga
y enza ; uma u y ensa, u ya 'kuba
u ya ziAlaza ; " kepa si y enz^
ngokuti, " Loku y* enziwa Unku-
lunkulu le into na, ububi bwayo
bu ngapi na ] "

Njengaloku sa zeka abafazi aba-
ningi ngokuti, " Wau I si nge zi-
ticitshe kuloku 'kudAla okungaka
Unkulunkulu a si pe kona ; a si
aenzele nje." Kepa lelo 'zwi loku-
ba uma si tanda ukungena ebubini
«i ngena ngaye, si be njengabantu
iaba sa pete ukutsho kwake ; kanti \
»e si tula si zenzele kodwa, s' enza ;
ngaye; kepa a si s' azani naye
Unkulunkulu, na loko a tanda
ukuba si kw enze ngoku s' enza
kwake.

for we say, " Truly we know no-
thing but bis name; but we no
longer see bis path which he mad«
for us to walk in ^ all that re-
mains is mere thought about the
things which we like ;*• it is difl^
cult to separate ourselves from
these things, and we make him a
liar, for t^at evil which we like of
our own accord, we adhere to with
the utmost tenacity." If any one
says, " It is not proper for you to
do that ; if you do it you will dis-
grace yourself;" yet we do it,
saying, "Since it was made by
Unkulunkulu, where is the evil of
itr'

Just as we married many wives
saying, " Hau ! we cannot deny
ourselves as regards the abund-
ance^ which Unkulunkulu has
given us : let us do just what we
like." And if we wish to enter
into sin, we enter into it in his
name, and are like people who are
stin in possession of his word ; but
we do not really possess it, but do
our own will only, doing it in his
name ; but we have no union with
Unkulunkulu, nor with that which
he wished we should do by creating
us.

*® That is, we are not acquainted with any laws which he left us
for the regulation of our lives.

** That is, we do not trouble ourselves to ask what he willed or
what was his purpose in creating us, but simply do just what pleases
us, and make our own wills the measure and determiner of our
actions.

^^ Lit., abundance of food.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

A si banga nako, tina bantu
abamnyama, ukuba si bone ubu-
kulu bnkankulunkulu, nokuba wa
si tanda ngokuba wa s' enza. Ke-
pa, yena si ya m bonga ngezwi lo-
knba uma si ya dAla si y' esuta,
noma si ya dakwa, noma si ya
senzela loko e si tanda ukuzenzela ;
si se njengabantwana be shiyiwe
uyise nonina ; bona se be ya 'ku-
aenzela loko a be be nga yi 'ku
kw enza, uma uyise u se kona no-
nina ; kepa ba se be kw enza, ngo-
kuba be ti, iAlane, a ba bonwa
'muntu.

Uku m bonga kwetu XJnkulu-
nkulu i loku, ukuba uma ku kona
umuntu o funa uku si sola ngoku-
ti, loku si kw enza ngani na, si ya
'kuti kuye masinyane, " Kepa,
loku wena u ti, a ku fanele uma
kw enziwe ; kepa okubi Unkulu-
nkulu wa ku veza ngani 1" A
yeke omunya Ku njalo ke uku m
bonga kwetu. A si m bongi ngo-
kuba si ti Unkulunkulu ka si
londe njalo endAleleni yake ukuba
si nga koAlwa i yo ; se si m bonga
ngokudakwa na ngokwesuta lezo
'zinto e si z* enza ngobubi

We black men could not see the
greatness of Unkulunkulu, nor
that he loved us by creating us.
And we worship^^ him when we
eat and are filled, or when we get
drunk, or do our own will in mat-
ters in which we love to have our
own will ; and are now like chil-
dren who have no father or mo-
ther, who have their own wills
about things which they would not
do, if their father and mother
were still living ; but they do it,
for they imagine they are in a wil-
derness where no one can see
them.

This is the way in which we
worship Unkulunkulu. When*
any one would find fault with us,
asking us why we do so-and-so,
we should say to him at once, '*But
since you say it is not proper that
this thing should be done, why
did Unkulunkulu create what is
evil ? " And the other is silent.
That is how we woi'ship him. We
do not worship him by praying
Unkulunkulu to keep us ever in
his path, that we might never for-
get it j but we now worship him
by drunkenness and a greedy pur-
suit of those things which we
do by our own wickedness. ^^

5^ This is said ironically in contradiction of statements which are
sometimes made that Unkulunkulu is an object of worship.

^2 All this is intended to show that the name of Unkulunkulu
is only used as an excuse for evil, and never as an incentive to do
good.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Kepa a ku ko 'zibongo e si m
bonga ngazo njengaloku amadAlozi
si wa bonga ngezibongo zokuti no-
kuti nokuti. Ku njalo ke ngi ti
miDa, uma ku kona o tshoyo uku-
ti, " Yebo, uma u funa IndAlela
kankulunkulu, ngi se nayo," ngi
nga ti, ^^ O, indaba kanti i sa hle-
lekile, si se za 'uke si bone lapo
s' aAlukana kona nankulunkulu ;
si bone nokutsho kwetu ngokuti,
* Unkulunkulu lezi 'zinto wa z* enza
nje, ngokuba zinAle.' "

Ngi ti mina Unkulunkulu ka se
njengomenzi, ngokuba si y* ona
ngaye, si mw enza o yena a s* e-
nzele ububi bonke; kanti a ku
njalo, ku se ku njalo ngokuba lezo
*zInto se kulukuni ukuzaAlukanisa
nazo, si sizakale ngokuti, "O, a
ku 'kcala noma ku tiwa ng* enze
kabi ; kepa mina ngi ti Unkulu-
nkulu wa e nge 'kuvezi okubi, no-
ma be tsho, kuAle nje."

I loko ke ukutsbo kwami e ngi
tsho ngako uma umuntu e ti,
"Ngi se nonkulunkulu, izindaba
zake." Ngi ti bonke abantu ba
nga tan da ukuba lowo *muntu o
tsho njalo, *ke V eze 'ku m bona
noku mu zwa ; loku tina se si ze
si bonge amadAlozi nje, ngokuba si

But there are no praise-giving
names with which we praise him
similar to the gicat number of
them, with which we praise the
AmadhlozL' For my paj*t, then,
if any one saya, " Yes, if you seek
the path of Unkulunkulu, I am
still acquainted with it," I should
say, " O, the matter, forsooth, is
now set in order, now we shall see
where we separated from Unkulu-
nkulu ; and perceive too what we
meant by saying, * Unkulunkulu
made these things because they are
good/ "

For my part I say that Unku-
lunkulu is no longer like the Cre-
ator, for we sin in his name, and
maintain that he made all evil for
us ; but it is not so, but it now
appeal's to be so, because it is now
difficult to separate ourselves from
those things, and we are helped
by saying, " O, it is no matter,
although they say I have done
wrong; but I say Unkulunkulu
was unable to create what is evil,
and although they say it is evil, it
is really good."

This, then, is what I maintain,
if any one says he understands all
about Unkulunkulu. I say all
men would be glad to go to the
man who says this to see him and
to hear him ; for in process of time
we have come to worship the
Amadhlozi only, because we knew

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

ko/Jwe ukuba si nga ti dI ngonku-
lunkulu ; loku si nga s* azi nokwa-
Mukana kwetu naye, nezwi a si
shiya nalo. I ngaloko si zifunela
amadMozi, ukuze si libale si nga
Alali si kcamanga ngonkulunkulu,
ukuti, " Unkiilunkulu wa si shi-
ya ;" nokuti, " U s' enzele ni nal"

Sa zenzela ke amad/dozi etu,
nabanye awabo, nabanye awabo.
Se si fulatelene abanye nabanye ;
a ku se ko o ti, " DAlozi lakwa-
bani." Bonke se be ti, " DAlozi
lakwiti, ekutinitini, \i ngi bheke.*
Ku njalo ke ukunia kwetu.

Na kulawo 'madAlozi a si nasi-
minya ; ngoba na labo 'bantu e si
ba boDgayo, si bonga abantu aba
te nabo b' emuka kulo *mAlaba, ba
be nga vumi ukumuka, ba b* ala
kakulu, be si kataza ngokuti a si
ba funele izinyanga zoku b* elapa,
se si tanda ukuba ba tshone. Na
kulezo 'zinyanga si ya ya kuzona
si nyakeme ngamazwi a ba si Alaba
ngawo. Kepa uma e se e file si
k^le ukukala nokuzitshaya pansi,

not what to say about Unkulu-
nkulu ; for we do not even know
where we separated from him, nor
the word which he left with us.
It is on that account then that we
seek out for ourselves the Ama-
dhlozi, that we may not always be
thinking about TJnkulunkulu, say-
ing, " Unkulunkulu has left us ; "
or, " What has he done for us ] "

So we made for ourselves our
own Amadhlozi, and others made
theirs for themselves, and others
theira for themselves. And now
we have turned the back one on
the other j and no one says,
" Spirit of such a family." But
all now say, ** Spirit of our family,
of such a tribe, look on me." Such
then is our condition.

And as regards the Amadhlozi
we do not possess the truth ; for
as regards the men we worship,
we worship men who, when they
too were departing from the world,
did not wish to depart, but were
very unwilling to depart, worrying
us excessively, telling us to go and
seek doctors for them, and that we
wished them to die. And we go
to the doctors with sorrowful
countenances on account of the
words with which they have pierc-
ed our hearts. And when one
has died we begin to weep and to
throw ourselves on the ground to

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

ukubonakalisa ukuba si dabukile ;
si be si nga tandi ukuba a si shije ;
naye e be nga tandi ukuba a si
shiyc. Kepa s' aAlukaniswe uku&

Ku ti ngangomso loku izolo si
be si kala, ku vele isikcana som-
Moyana, si ti, " Ake si ye 'kuzwa
uma loku ku vele nje, ku vela
ngani, loku izolo si hJile Ubani."
Kepa ku tiwe izazi, "O, Ubani
lowo e ni m lo/ilileyo izolo, u ti, u
ti," Kepa si kgale ukuba si m
bonge, loku izolo si kalile, a si ku
bonanga ukuba u ye 'kuAlangana
nabanye abafileyo, ukuba ba s* e-
nzele ugange oluk^'inileyo olu nga
yi 'kufoAlwa na ukufa. Lokupela
wona amadAlozi si ti ukufa ku ku-
wo ; uma e nga vumi, ku nge
ngeiie. Kepa na loko si ku tsho
nje j a si ku bonisisi ; uma si funa
ukuba si ku k^onde kaAle, si y' a-
Aluleka, ngokuba laba 'bantu e si

show that we are sorrowful; we
do not wish him to leave us ;
neither did he wish to leave
us. But we have been sepai'ated
by death.

And on the morrow after the
day of our funeral lamentation, if
there arise some little omen,*^ we
say, " Just let us go to the diviner
and hear of him, since this thing
has happened, for yesterday we
buried So-and-so."^* And it is
said by the knowing ones, " O,
that So-and-so, whom you buried
yesterday, says so-and-so." And
we begin to worship him, although
the day before we wept and did
not see^^ that he had gone to unite
with the rest of the dead, that
they might make a strong rampart
around us which shall not be
penetrated even by death. For
we say that death is in the power
of the Amadhlozi, and if they do
not wish, it cannot enter. And
that too we say merely ; we do
not thoroughly understand it ; if
we seek thoroughly to comprehend
it, we do not siicceed, for the men

^^ Such as a dog mounting on a hut, or a snake coming and
taking up its abode in it. We shall hereafter give an account of their
" Omens."

^* They suppose the omen is sent to warn them of something re-
specting the dead, either that he has been killed by witchcraft, or that
he has sent it to comfort them by the assurance of his continued
regard for them, he being one of the spirits.

^^ Yesterday they saw death only and the loss of their friend ;
now an omen makes them believe in his continued existence, and that
he has united with other spirits to be the rampart of his people.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

ti ba si mele, V aAlulwa isifo;
kepa si tsho kubantu nabo aV e-
muke kulo 'mAlaba, be nga tandl
uku u shiya ; ba donswa ngama-
ndAla okufa ; a ba tsliongo nokuti,
'' Ni nga si kaleli, lokupela tina si
ya 'ku u' enzela ugange ukaze ni
nga fi." Ba fa, nabo be nga tandi
ukufa.

^ Kepa uma si ba Alabisa, si ti,
" CTkufo okutile a ku pele," ku
nga peli, si k^ale iikupikisana nabo
noku ba pika, xikuti, *' A wa ko
amadAlozi; noma abanye be ti a
ko, kepa mina ngi ti awakiti a fa
njalo ; a ku kona na linye ; si ya
zibambela nje ; a si sizwa 'dAlozL"

Kepa na namAla nje ku se nja-
lo ; si ya wa vuma, si wa pika ; si
sa hamba emkatini waloko ; a ku
ka bi ko okonakona; si z' enza
izigabavu njalonjalo; uma si ne-
nAlanMa si ti, ''A kona ; " uma si
nezinsizi si ti, " A wa ko. Si zi-
pilela nje ; a si sizwa 'dAlozL"

whom we say are our defenders
were conquered by disease; and
we say they are our rampart to
protect us from death, who have
themselves left the world, not
wishing to leave it ; they were
dragged away by the power of
death; and they did not tell us
not to weep for them, because they
were about to make a rampart
around us to preserve us from
death. They too died against their
wish.

But when we sacrifice to them
and pray that a certain disease
may cease, and it does not cease,
then we begin to quarrel with
them, and to deny their existence.
And the man who has sacrificed
exclaims, " There are no Ama-
dhlozi ; although others say there
are ; but for my part I say that
the Amadhlozi of our house died
for ever; there is not even one
left ; we just take care of our-
selves ; there is not a single Idhlo-
zi who helps us."

And it is thus to the present
time ; we acknowledge them and
deny their existence ; we still walk
between the two opinions ; there
is not as yet any certainty; we
are constantly making fruitless
efforts; when we are prosperous
we say, " There are Amadhlozi ; "
if we are in trouble we say,
" There are not. "We owe life
to ourselves alone; we are not
helped by the Idhlozi."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Ku njalo ke na namAla nje.
Kwaba pakati kwobanzima uma u
buza u ti, ** Bani, namAla nga ku
fumana u nje, lokupela nina ni ti
ni namadAlozi 1 " a nga ti uku ku
pendula, "O, wena kabani, ngi
yeke nje ; a nalabo aba nawo ; mi-
na a ngi nalo. Ngi ya bona
manje li kona idAlozi eli ko eli
tanda uma umuntu a ze a be mpo-
fu, a k^'ede izinto zake." Kepa
ku tiwe lapo ku kona idAlozi a ku
ko *dAlozi.

Uma u dAlulela ngapambili
kwaba se nenAlanAla, u ti umAla-
umbe u za 'kuzwa izwi li linye
nalo ; kepa uma u kuluma nabo
ngedAlozi, u nga ba u ba tunukile,
ukuba ba ku tshele ubuAle bed/do-
zi, noku ba siza kwalo. U fike

So it is to the present time. If
you ask of those who are in trou-
ble, " So-and-so, hOw is it that I
find you in this stat^, since you
say you have Amadhlozi ]" he may
say in answer, " O, Son of So-and-
so, just leave me alone ; the Ama-
dhlozi dwell with those who have
them ; as for me, I have no Idhlo-
zL I now see that there is a kind
of Idhlozi that wishes a man to
become poor, and make an end of
his property, "^^ Thus it is said
by those who believe in the Idhlo-
zi, that it has no existence. ^^

If you pass onward to those
who are in prosperity, you think
perhaps that you shall hear one
and the same word there too ; but
when you speak with them about
the Idhlozi, you bring up old
thoughts,^^ and they speak to you
about the excellence of the Idhlo-
zi, and the assistance it has given
them. You have come to a place

^® That is, by sacrificing to the Amadhlozi, and by paying the
diviners and doctors.

^"^ Even those who really believe in the Amadhlozi, irreverently
deny their existence in time of trouble. Compare with this the fol-
lowing extract from the French ballad, L^nore : —

— " O ma fille ! invoquons le Createnr supreme ;

Ce qu'il tait est bien fait ; il nous garde et nous aime. —
— Et pourtant son courroux nous accable aujourd'hui,
A quoi sert d* implorer ses bont6s souveraines 1
A quoi sert de prier ? les pridres sont vaines,
Et ne montent pas jusqu' k lui."

^^ Lit., You perhaps open an old sore ; as we say, We have
opened his satirical vein, <fec., — ^that is, have set off on a subject on
which they are fond of speaking.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tTNKULUNKULU.

lapo idAlozi li kona kakulu, u kga-
le ukubona ukuti, " O, kanti oko-
nakona a ku ka fiki ; loku ku se
ukwesuta ukuti li kona ; na loku
ukuti a li ko ku vela ngezinsizL"

Umpengula Mbanda.

where there is great faith in the
Idhlozi, and you begin to see that
the people do not yet possess the
very truth of the matter ; for it is
fulness which declares that the
Itongo exists ; whilst aflliction
says, it does not exist. ^^

Abantu abadala ba ti, " Kwa vela
Unkulunkulu, wa veza abantu.
Wa vela emAlangeni ; wa dabuka
emMangeni." Si ti tina bantwana,
" UmAlanga u pi na owa vela
Unkulunkulu na ? Lo ni ti, * XJ
kona umAlanga,* u kulipi ilizwe
na ? Loku abantu se be li hamba
lonke 'lizwe, u kulipi ilizwe, um-
Alanga owa dabuka Unkulunkulu
u kulipi ilizwe na 1 " Ba ti uku-
pendula kwabadala, ba ti, "A si
w azi nati ; ba kona abadala futi
aba tsho umAlanga nabo a ba w a-
zi njalo, umAlanga owa dabula
Unkulunkulu.'* Ba ti ba kjinisile

The old men say, " Unkulunkulu
came into being,^^ and gave being
to man. He came out of a bed of
reeds ; he broke off- from a bed of
reeds." We children ask, " Where
is the bed of reeds out of which
Unkulunkulu camel Since you
say there is a bed of reeds, in what
country is it ? For men have now
gone into every country ; in which
of them is the bed of reeds from
which Unkulunkulu broke off? "
They say in answer, " Neither do
we know ; and there were other
old men before us who said that
neither did they know the bed of
reeds which broke off*^ Unkulu-
nkulu." They say they speak the

^* Thfe reader should note that this is an account derived from an
educated, intelligent. Christian native.

^° Came into being, — sprang up, — appeared, — ^had an origin ;
with a slight shade of difference in meaning vela is used in the same
way as dabula,

^^ Here my MS. says dahvla, which makes Umthlanga the active
agent in the origin of Unkulunkulu, just as Uthlanga is constantly
represented in other forms of the tradition. But the native teacher
thinks it a mistake for dabuka, a repetition of what is said just
above.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKXJLUNKULr.

u kona umAlanga ; ba ti ba k^ini-
sile bona ukuti u kona; kodwa
tina si ti, "A u ko ; loku ilizwe
eli' nawo si nga T azi a ba nga li
tsho ukuti li sekutinL" Ku tiwa
Unkulunkulu wa vela, wa zala
abantu; wa veza abantu, wa ba
zala.

Si ya kuleka kunkulunkulu, si
ti, " Ka ngi blieke njalo Unkulu-
nkulu wetu," owa zala aukulu,
ukuti obaba-mkulu. Ngokuba owa
zala ubaba-mkulu ukoko wami ;
owa zala ubaba-mkulu kababa
Unkulunkulu kambe o pambili.

Kepa lapa a ngi sa kulumi ngalo-
wo 'nkulunkulu owa vela emAla-
ngeni; ngi ya kuluma ngonkulu-
nkulu ow* elamana nokoko wami.
Ngokuba izindAlu zonke zi nokoko
bazo ngokwelamana kwazo, nabo
onkulunkulu bazo.

Abadala ba ti, "UmAlanga u
l^ona." Kepa upi na umAlanga
na 1 A ba tsho ukuti Unkulunku-
lu, owa vela emAlangeni, u kona.

truth in saying, there is a bed of
reeds ; but we say, there is not ;
for we do not know the land in
which it is, of which they can say,
it is in such and such a country. It
is said, Unkulunkulu came into
being, and begat men; he gave
them being ; he begat them.

"We pray to Unkulunkulu, say-
ing, " May our Unkulunkulu ever
look upon us." [The Unkulu-
nkulu] who begat our grand-
fathers. For he who begat my
grandfather, is my great-great-
grandfather; and he who begat
my father's grandfather is Unku-
lunkulu, the first of our family.^

But here I am no longer speak-
ing of that Unkuluukulu who
came out of the bed of reeds ; I
am speaking of the Unkulunkulu
who belonged to the generation
preceding my gi*eat-great-grand-
father. For all families have their
great-great-grand^thers by their
orders of succession, and their
Onkulunkulu.

The old men say, " The bed of
reeds still exists." But where is
that bed of reeds? They do not
say that Unkulunkulu, who sprang
from the bed of reeds, still exists.

^ I have hitherto given the several forms of the tradition in the
order of time in which they were written, with the exception of the
account given by the young Ibakca, p. 15. This (1860) was the fii-st
intimation I received that there are many Onkulunkulu, that each
house has its own, and is an object of worship, his name being the
chief isibongo or surname, by which the Spirits or Amatongo of his
family are addressed.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

X7NKULXJNKULU.

Ba ti, " Ka se ko TJnkulunkulu,
owa vela emAlangeni'' Ba ti, '' A
fii m azi uma u pi na.''

Utshange isibongo sakwiti ; ye-
na a k^ala abantu bakwiti, unku-
lunkulu wetu, owa kgala indAlu
yakwitL Si kuleka kuyena, si ti,
^' Matshange ! Nina bakwatsha-
nge ! '* Si kuleka kuye uma si
tanda luto e si lu funayo ; si ku-
leka iiabakwiti kwatshange. Si ti
uma si tanda inkomo, si ti, " Nina
bakwiti" U tole inkomo. " Ni-
na bakwiti, bakwat^liange, bakwa-
dumakade ! "

TJngqeto Wakwatshange.

They say that Unkulunkulu, who
sprang from the bed of reeds, is
dead. They say, "We do not
know where he is."

Utshange is the praise-giving
name of our house ; he was the
first man of our family, — our
Unkulunkulu, who founded our
house. We pray to him, saying,
" Matshange \^ Ye people of the
house of Utshange ! " We pray
to him for anything we wish to
have ; we and all of the family of
Utshange pray to him. If we
wish to have cattle, we say, " Ye
people of our house."^* [And if
you pray thus] you will get cattle.
We say, " Ye people of our house,
people of the house of Utshange,
people of the house of Uduma-
kade ! "

Umfezi, a native living in the neighbourhood, called on me. I
had never spoken to him on the subject of Unkulunkulu ; I availed
myself of the opportunity for gaining information. It was very diffi-
cult to write anything seriatim ; I was therefore obliged to content
myself by writing what I could, and remembering what I could.

He said, " Unkulunkulu wa vela emAlangeni" Unkulunkulu
sprang from a bed of reeds.

But he did not know where the bed of reeds was. But, " Wa
vel* enzansi," that is, by the sea ; that is, the bed of reeds from which
he sprang was by the sea-side» He also said, " Kwa dabuka abantu,

^ Matshange ! that is, a plural of Utshange, meaning all his
people.

®* The prayer id either in this simple form of adoration, the sup-
pliant taking it for granted that the Amatongo will know what he
wants ; or the thing he wants is also mentioned, as " Ye people of our
house! cattle."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

34 UNKUiUNKULU.

be datshulwa Unkulunkulu." Men broke off, being broken off by
Unkulunkulu. He added,

Abany* abantu ba ti, ba boAlwa
inkomo. Abanye ba ti ba dabuka
etsheni ela k^kezeka kabili, ba
puma. Unkulunkulu wa ba kg'e-
zula etsheni

Some men say that they were
belched up by a cow.^* Others
that they sprang from a stone^
which split in two and they came
out. Unkulunkulu split them out
of a stone.
When asked if they prayed to Unkulunkulu, he replied.

Ka ba ko aba koela kunkulu-
nktilu, Ba kcela kubakubo nje.

There are none who pray to
Unkulunkulu. They pray to their
own people only.
I enquired what they said about thunder ; he said,

Si ti, " O nkosi, si dAle ni \
S' one ni ? As' oni *luto."

"We say, " O Lord, what have
we destroyed 1 What sin have we
done 1 We have done no sin."

He also related the following legend of the manner in which
Amabele (native com) was introduced as an article of food : —

The first woman that Unkulunkulu produced had a child before
any of the rest. There was another woman who was jealous when
she saw her with a child, and hated her and wished to poison her.
She looked about her to find some plant possessed of poisonous pro-
perties ; she saw the Amabele, which at that time was not cultivated,
but grew like the grass. She plucked the seeds, and gave them to the
woman. She watched, expecting to see her die ; but she did not die,
as she had hoped, but grew plump, and better-looking than ever. At
length she asked her if the Amabele was nice. She replied, " Nice
indeed ! " And from that time the women cultivated Amabele, and it
became an article of food.

^^ We are not to understand this as a tradition of the origin of
men. It is a saying among the natives when they see an exquisitely
handsome man, or when they wish to flatter a chief, to say, " Ka
zalwanga ; wa boWwa inkomo nje," He was not bom ; he was belched
up by a cow ; that is, he did not go through the ordinary and tedious
and painful process of being bom, but came into being already a per-
fected man.

^ Compare this with the Jewish simile, " Look unto the rock
whence ye were hewn," that is, to Abraham, their father. (Isaiah IL
1, 2.) Here again we have the notion of Unkulunkulu being the
means of helping the human race into being.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tJNKULUNKULU.

The next legend gives an account of the mode in which men first be-
came acquainted with food, and of two female Onkulunkulu ; the two
following give — ^the first an account of the origin of medicines, and
the second of two male OnkulimktiliL

I, Unolala,*^ [say] that when I
was still a very little child, I heard
numerous old tales of our peopla
Unok^^poza said :

There were at first two women

MiXA nolala, kwa ti lapa ngi se
umfana omncinane kakulu, ng* e-
2Wa indaba ngendoda yakwiti en-
dala. Unokgopoza wa ti :

Kwa ku kona ekuk^aleni aba-
fazi be babili omAlangeni ; omunye
wa zala umuntu omAlope, nomu-
nye wa zala omnyama. Labo 'ba-
fazi bobabili ku tiwa i bona be
Unkulunkulu wamandulo. Kepa
umAlanga lowo sa u buza ; ka tsho
ukuti u sekutini ; wa ti, " Kami
ngi u zwe ngabadala; a ku ko
'muntu o y aziyo indawo yalo 'm-
Alangana." Futi tina bantwana
aba zalwa abadala si be si nge nje-
ngabanamAla nje ; bona be zika-
taza ngokufunisisa ukwazi : tina si
be si nga buzi kumuntu omkulu ;
uma e si tshela indaba, si be si zwa
nje ngokuba sa si iziula; si ya
bona manje loko e nga sa si ku
buza, a sa ku buza ngobuula betu.

Kepa labo 'ba&zi ba zala aba-

in a bed of reeds ; one gave birth
to a white man, and one to a black
man. It is said that these two
women were the Unkulunkulu*^
of the primitive men. And as
regards that bed of reeds, we en-
quired of him, but he did not say,
it is in such a place ; but he said,
" I too heard it of the old men ;
no man knows the situation of
that bed of reeds." Further, we
children who are the of&pring of
men of old were not like those of
the present time, who worry
themselves with finding out know-
ledge : for our parts we used not
to question a great man ; when he
told us a tale we used just to
listen because we were fools ; we
now see tha* which we ought *to
have enquired about, but about
which we did not enquire because
of our folly.

And those women gave birth to

•^ A common mode of commencing a narrative.

^ He here speaks of the two women as being one unkulunhidu
of primitive men. So in conversation with anofiier heathen native,
he spoke of the first man and first woman, together, as one unhdu-
7iktdu.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

VKKTJLUKKULU;

ntwana, ku nge ko 'kudAla oku-
dAliwayo. Ba bona amabele nom-
bila namatanga, ku vutiwe. Um-
fazi wa ka itanga, wa, li peka, wa
funza umntwaua, e nga l^ho ukn-
ba ukudAla, e ti ubuti, kumbe a
nga fa masinjane, a nga zinge e m
kataza ngokukala, e kalela uku-
dAla. Kepa lelo 'tanga la m ku-
lupalisa umntwana ; wa kgabuka
um£m nomunje ukuti, '' O, kantd
si ti ukufa nje, kanti ukudAla."
Kw' aziwa ke amabele nombila
namatanga ukuba ukudAla kanti.
Ba wa dAla, ba kulupala. Ba wa
vuna, ba wa londoloza, ba sizakala.

TJnolala Zondi.

Ekukqaleni kwa tiwa, ** Insimu
y* esuka, i sukela pezulu."®^ Ke-
pa ke wa ti omunye umfazi, wa ti,
*'Ma si muke, si yosika umAla-
nga." Wa fika wa t' omunye, wa
ti ukuba ba u sike umAlanga, '* I
ni le na ? " wa ti, " KendAlela eya-
ni na 1 " "Wa vela umuntu, wa ti,
" Eyetu." Wa tsho e se sesizibeni
emanzim. Wa ti omunye, " TJ si
buza nje : a u s* azi ini na f ' Wa
ti, " Si Alezi lapa nje, si Alezi em-
zini wetu." Kwa tiwa, " Ni ng' a-
bakwabani nina na V* Wa ti, " Si

children, there being no food which
was eaten. They saw com, and
maize, and pumpkins ; they were
all ripe. One of the women took
a pumpkin and boiled it, and gave
her child a mouthful, not regarding
it as food, but poison, and thinking
perhaps he would die at once, and
no longer worry her without ceaa-
ing by his crying, when he waa
crying for food. But the pumpkin
fattened the child ; and the other
woman looked and said, *^ O, for-
sooth, we thought it was nothing
but poison, and in fact it was
food." Thus then it became known
that com and maize and pump-
kins are food. They ate them and
became fat. They harvested them
and hoarded them and were helped.

Once on a time in the beginning,
a woman said, '* Let us go and cut
reeds.'' Another said when they
were cutting reeds, "What is this?
And of what is this the path ? "
A man appeared and said, " It is
ours." He said this, he being still
in the pool, in the water. Another
said, " You ask of us : do you not
know usi We are just living
here in our kraal." They asked,
" Of what nation are you 1 " He
replied, "We are the people of

^^ A mode of beginning a fiction.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UKKULUNKULU.

ng' abakwazimase." "Inkoei ye-
nu ng' ubani 1 " " Usango-li-
ngenzansi." "Kupuka ke. Po,
ni Alalele ni ngapansi, abantu se
be ngapezulu nje nal" Ba ti,
" Si Alezi nemiti yetu." " N* enza
ni ngayo na]" "S* elap' ama-
kosL'' B' emuka ke aba^usi, ba ja,
'kutshela inkosL Ba ti, << Nampa
'bantu. Be ti, ng' abakazimase.
Ba ti, V elapa amakosL Ba ti,
umuuta o ng' eza 'ku ba tata, a
ng* eza nenoni, a fike a li tshise
ngapezu kwesiziba. Uzimase ka
yi 'kukupuka nemiti nxa, ku nga
tshiswa inonL''

Ya fika ke leyo 'nkosi, ya ba
nenkomo, ya Matshelwa kona, kwa
tshiswa inoni Wa kupuka ke
Uzimase nemiti yake, w' elapa ke
emakosini

"Wa ti ke nrca e ya *kumba imiti,
wa binca isikaka, 'esaba uba ku
vele amapambili esifazeneni. Ke-
pa ke ba ti ukuvela, abakubo aba
be puma kukgula ba ti, " U ya u
fikile ke lesi 'sikakana.'* Ba ti
abakwiti, " XJ ya se ba Alezi nga-
pezulu ke la 'malembana.** Se ku

Uzimase." " Who is your king ?'
" Usango-li-ngenzansi."7® "Come
up then. But why are you living
underground, since people are now
living above 1 " They said, " We
are liviug here with our medi-
cines." " What do you do with
themi" "We administer medi-
cines to kings." So the women
went away to tell the king. They
said, " Behold, there are men.
They say they are the people of
Uzimase. They say they adminis-
ter medicines to kings. They say
the man who goes to fetch them
must take fat, and bum it on the
bank of the pool Uzimase will
not come up with his medicines if
fjEit is not burnt"

So the king went with an ox,,
and it was slaughtered at that
place, and the fat was burnt. And
so Uzimase came up with hia
medicines, and administered medi-
cines among kings.

When he went to dig up medi-
cines, he put on a petticoat, fear-
ing to expose himself to women*
But on his appearance, the people
who came up first said, "This
little petticoat has at length come."
Our people said in reply, " These
little picks are living above."^^ So

^® Lower-gate-man.

71 This shows that the natives believe in a succession of emigra-
tions from below of different tribes of men, each having its own
Unkulunkulu.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKXJLUNKUtU.

bangwa imiti ke uabakupuka nga-
pansi uaba ngapezulu. Ba ti kwa-
bakwiti, ^' Abakwasikakana." Ba
ti ke kwabakubo^ '^Abakwale-
mbe."

Ba be zalwa indoda nje ; indoda
leyo IJmbala. B' aAluka ke ; aba-
nye ba hamba kwenye, nabanye
ba hamba kwenya

Ngi ti ke Uzimase TJnkulunku-
lu wakwiti A ngi m asd omunye
XJnkulunkulu wabantu. Kodwa
nowakwiti V aAluka oAlangeni o
kw' aAluka kulo abantu bonke.
Abanye ba ti uma si buza, ** Lwa
lu 'mibala 'miningi ; " ba ti,
" Ngenicenyelwa luniAlope, ngeiia»-
nye lunmyama, ngenrcenye lunama-
AlatL" Si ti ke tina, " Nga ba be
bona ububhwan^ lobu, be ti iAlati
njalo/' Ba ti abantu laba naye
wa ba veza ngoku ba zala.

USHUNOUIWANE ZiMASE.

there was a dispute about medi*
cines betweea those who came up
from below and those who were
already above. Our people were
called, " People of the little petti-
coat" And they called them,
" People of the pick."

They were begotten by a man ;
that man was IJmbala. They
separated from each other; and
some went in one direction, and
some in another.

I say, then, that Uzimase is the
XJukulunkulu of our tribe. I do
not know another^^ Unkulunkulu
of all men. But the Unkulunkulu
of our tribe was derived from
IJthlanga, frx)m whence all people
were derived. Some say in answer
to our enquiries, IJthlanga was of
many colours ; they say, " He was
white on one side, on the other
black ; and on another side he was
covered with bush." So we say,
" Perhaps they spoke of the hairi-
ness of his body, and so called it
busL"^* And people say that he
too gave them existence by beget-
ting them.

7^ That is, his name.

7' Compare this with the fabulous monster Ugunggn-kubantwana
(Nursery Tides, p, 176^, or Usilosimapundu (Id,^ />. 185^.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUKKULU.

Abakte ba ti omunye TJnkulu-
nkulu wa vela pansi ; omunye
w* eAla nenkungu pezulu. A ba m
k^ndanga lowo ow' ehh, nenku-
ngu. Ba ti, umAlope uknpela
kwake. Ba ti, " Kw* ehlo, Unga-
lokwelitshe." Ba ti, labo abapansi
ba m etuka. Wa ti yena, "Ni
ng' etuka ni, loku nami ngi umu-
ntu, ngi fana nani nje na 1" Ba
ti, kwa tatwa izinkomo lapa 'e^lele
kona ; wa Alatshiswa ; ba ti ko-
dwa, ka zi dWa ; wa dhY okwake
a like nako. Wa Alala, wa Alala,
wa Alala, wa Alala lapo ke. Kwa
buya kwa vela inkungu, wa nya-
malala, a ba be be sa m bona.

Kga ngi zwa le 'ndaba kumadi-
gane, uyise-mkulu kamdutshane,
inkosi enkulu yamabakca. Nga
ng' isik<»ka sake esikulu.

USHUNGUIWANE ZiMASE.

Some say, one Unkulunkulu came
from beneath; and another de-
scended from above in a fog.
They did not understand him who
came down in a fog. They say
he was altogether white. They
say, "There descended TJngalo-
kwelitshe."''* They say, those
who were beneath started on see-
ing him. He said, " Why do you
start at me, since I too am a man,
and resemble youl" They say,
cattle were taken at the place
where he descended, and they
slaughtered them for him; but
they say he did not eat them ; he
ate that which he brought with
him. He stayed there a long time.
Another fog came, and he disap-
peared, and they saw him no more.

I heard this tale from TJmadi-
gane, Umdutshane's grandfather,
the great chief of the Amabakca.
I used to be his chief servant.

Two natives, perfect strangers to us both, came up as I was ask-
ing Umpengula some questions on the subject of the previous state-
ments. They overheard what I was saying, and asked, " Are you
talking about the origin of men V* I replied that was the subject of
our conversation, and asked if they could tell us any thing about itb
The elder of them replied, " Ba vela emAlangeni,'' They sprang from
a bed of reeds.

I asked what he knew of Unkulunkulu ; he replied,

^* That is, He-who-came-fix)m-the-otherHside-of-the-rock.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUHKULU.

Wa ba veza abantu, naye e ve-
ziwe emAlang^ii

He gave origin to men, lie too
having had an origin given^^ him
from a bed of reeds.

I asked, " Wa vezwa ubani na 1 " Who gave him an origin ? He
said he did not know ; and added,

Unkulunkolu told men saying,
"I too sprang from a bed of
reeds."7«

TTnkulunkulu wa tshela abantu
wa ti, ** Nami ngi vela emAlange-
m.

I asked how men were pi-oduced, and got for a reply only a repe-
tition of the statement that they sprang from a bed of reeds. — ^I asked
if he had heard anything of a woman ; he replied,

Unkulunkulu wa vela em^la-
ngeni, nomfazi wa vela emMangeni
-emva kwaka Ba 'bizo linye uku-
ti TJnkulimkulu.

XJnkulunkulu sprang from a bed
of reeds, and a woman (a wife)
sprang from the bed of reeds after
him. They had one name, viz.,
TJnkulunkulu.^

I then took him to my study, and wrote the following at his dic-
tation : —

S' EZWA ku tiwa XJnkulunkulu wa
vela emAlangeni Kwa vela in-
doda kukgala; ya landelwa um-
fazi. Ku tiwa XJnkulunkulu bo-

We heard it said XJnkulimkulu
sprang from a bed of reeds. There
first appeared a man, who was fol-
lowed by a woman. Both are

■^^ This is die nearest rendering we can give to vezkoe ; it is equi-
valent to created. It is passive, and necessarily implies an agent by
which he had an origin given to him. l^o native would hear such a
phrase as " Naye e veziwe," He too having had an origin given him,
without putting the question. By whom 1

^^ XJnkulunkulu was an unbegotten though a created man. He
was the first man ; by this statement he is to be imderstood as depre-
cating the ascription to himself of something higher and more exalted.
He is, as it were, telling his children the history of creation as he had
witnessed it. They appear to be desirous of making him the creator ;
but he replies, " No ; I too sprang from the bed of reeds."

^^ This is very precise. The first man and woman sprang, the
man first and then the woman, from the bed of reeds ; and bo& are
called by one name, XJnkulunkulu ; that is, Great-great-grandparent.
According to Moses, the male and female were both called Adam.
<Gen. V. 3.)

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tnTKULUNKXTLXT,

babili Ya ti, " Ni si bona nje si
vela emAlangeni," i tsho kubantii
aba vela ngemva. Abantu bonke,
ku tiwa, abautu bonke ba vela
kunkulunkulu, yena owa vela ku-
k^ala.

Ku tiwa TJnkulunkulu wa vela
emfundeni, lapo kwa ku kona um-
Alanga emAlabatini lapa. Abantu
ba vela kunkulunkulu ngokuzalwa.

XJmvelingnngi u yena Unkulu-
nkuln. UmAlaba wa U kona ku-
k^ula, e nga ka bi ko Unkulunku-
lu. Wa vela kuwo eniAlangeni

Izinto zonke za vela naye
Unkulunkulu emAlangeni ; konke,
nezinyamazane namabele, konke
ku vela naye TJnkulunkula

"Wa li bona ilanga se li bumbe-
ke, wa ti, " Nant* ubakga olu za
'ku ni kanyisela uba ni bone/'
Wa bona inkomo, wa ti, " Nanzi
inkomo. Dabuka ni, ni bone in-
komo, zi be ukudAla kwenu, ni
dAle inyama namasi." Wa bona
inyamazane, wa ti, " Inyamazane

named Unkulunkulu. Tbe man
said, "You see us because we
sprang from the bed of reeds,"
speaking to the people who came
into being after him. It is said all
men sprang from Unkulunkulu,
the one who sprang up first. "^^

It is said Unkulunkulu had his
origin in a valley where there was
a bed of reeds in this world. And
men sprang fix)m Unkulunkulu by
generation. *

Umvelin^'angi is the same as
Unkulunkulu. The earth was in
existence first, before Unkulunku-
lu as yet existed. He had his
origin from the earth in a bed of
reeds.

All things as well as Unkulu^
nkulu sprang from a bed of reeds,
— every thing, both animals and
corn, every thing, coming into
being with Unkulunkulu.

He looked on the sun when it
was finished,'*'* and said, " There is
a torch which will give you light,
that you may see." He looked on
the cattle and said, " These are
cattle. Be ye broken off,®^ and
see the cattle ; and let them be
your food ; eat their flesh and their
milk." He looked on wild ani-
mals and said, " That is such an

■^^ He is called " he who sprang up at first " to distinguish him
from the many other Onkulunkulu who in the progress of generation
sprang up after him.

"* Lit., worked into form as a potter works clay.

^ The simile here is that men were existing as young bulbs
ready to separate from the parent bulb.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

XTKKULUNKXTLtr.

yokutL'' Wati, '^IndAlovuleya.'*
Wa ti, " Ingamba leya." Wa u
bona umlilo, wa ti, " U base ni, ni
peke, n* ote, ni dAle ngawo inya-
ma." Wa ku bona konke, wa ti,
'' Ukuti nokuti konke."

animal. That ia an elepbant.
That is a buffalo." He looked on
the lire and said, ** Kindle it, and
cook, and warm yourself; and eat
meat when it has been dressed by
the fire." He looked on all things
and said, '^ So-and-so is the name
of every thing."

KwA vela fndoda, kwa vela um-
fazL Kwa tiwa Unkulunkulu
bobabili igama labo. Ba vela elu-
/dangeni, uManga lolu olu kema-
nzinL®^ UAlanga Iw* enziwa Um-
velingangl XJmvelin^angi wa mi-
lisa utshani, wa veza imiti, wa
veza zonke izilwane nenkomo, ne-
nyamazane, nenyoka, nenyoni, na-
manzi, nentaba.

W enza uAlanga ; uAlanga Iwa

There sprang up a man and a
woman. The name of both was
Unkulunkulu. They sprang from
a reed, the reed which is in the
water. The reed was made by
Umvelin^angL Umvelin^ngi

caused grass and trees to grow ; he
created all wild animals, and cattle,
and game, and fimakes, and birds^
and water, and mountains.

He made a reed;^^ the reed

^^ Olu kemarmiu, — ^The k is used among some tribes, as the
Amakuza, the Amalala, <&c., instead of 8, as among the Amazulu.

^ The account here given of Uthlanga is peculiar. The native
who gave it, clearly understood by it a re^. Yet one cannot avoid
believing that h^ did not understand the import of the tradition. It
is said ^at XJmvelin^ngi made the reed, and that the reed gave origin
to Unkulunkulu and his wife. It is said also that Umveliii^ngi be-
gat them with a reed fnohlangaj ; and from a reed (el/tihlangeni).
Both these forms are used of the female in generalaon. . A child ia
begotten from the woman, or with her. And it is the belief of the
native teacher that the real meaning of this tradition is that Umveli-
n^angi made Uthlanga, a female, and with her became the parent of
the human race. Uthlanga, therefore, in this form of the tradition,
has a feminine import ; whilst in others it has a masculine. Yet the
same men in speaking of the origin of Umvelingangi (pronounced by
this tribe Umvelik^ngi) said he sprang from Uthlanga. — ^There is
really no conti*adiction in such statements. For the term Uthlanga
is applied not only to the Primal Source of Being, but to any other

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU. 43

yeza TJnkulankulu nomfazi wake* i gave ongiu t6 Unkiilunkulu and

source of being, as a father, or to a mother, as in the following sen*
tence: —

TJAlanga IwendAlu yakwabani
ubani ? Ku tshiwo igama lendoda

e inAloko yaleyo *ndAlu. A i lu- , the name of the man, who is the

Alanga yodwa ; inye nowesifazana ;
ngokuba a kii ko liiAlanga Iwen-
doda yodwa e nge ko wesHazana.

Who is the Uthlanga of such a
family? They answer by giving

head of that house. But he is
not the Uthlanga by himself ; he
is the Uthlanga in conjunction
with the female ; for there is not
a man who is an Uthlanga by
himself, there being no female*

Compare this with the following legends of the Hindus, where
Brahma corresponds with Umvelin^angi ; and where there is the same
confusion between Brahma, the Creator, — ^the First Man, — " and the
male half of his individuality/' Umvelin^angi is both the Primal
Source of Being and the First Man ; he is the creator of the first
woman and her husband. And Satarupa, ''the great universal
mother," is equivalent to Uthlanga, the female Unkulunkulu, — the
great-great mother of the human race : —

" According to one view, Brahma, the God of Creation, converted
himself into two persons, the first man, or the Manu Swayambhuva,
and the first woman, or Satarupa : this division into halves expressing',,
it would seem, the general distinction of corporeal substance into two
sexes, and Satarupa, as hinted by the etymology of the word itself,
denoting the great universal mother, the one parent of * a hundred
forms.' " (Hcvrdwich Op. cU., Vol /., p. 297. J

** As the old traditions of their ancestors were gradually distorted,
the Hindus appear to have identified the first man (Mami Swayamr
bhuva) with Brahma himself, of whom, as of the primary cause, he-
was the brightest emanation ; while Satarupa, the wife and counter-
part of Manu, was similarly converted into the bride of the creative
principle itselfl Brahma, in other words, was * confounded with the
male Jialf of his individuality.' " (Id.^ p. 305. J

A similar apparent contradiction to that which runs throughout
these Zulu legends is also found in the Myth of Prometheus, who
though a man — the son of Japetus — ^is said to be the creator of the
human rads : —

" Sive hunc divino semine fecit
Hie opifex renim, mundi melioris origo :
Sive i-ecens tellus, seductaque nuper ab alto
JBthere, cognati retinebat semina coeli.
Quam satus lapeto, mistam fluvialibus undis
Finxit in effigiem moderantum cuncta deorum.'*
COvid.J

Digitized by VjOOQIC

mSKVJATSKVLXr.

Unkiilunkulu wa zala abantu
bendulo. Unknlunkulu wa ti,
" Mina 'nkulunkulu nomfazi wami
si ng* abakamvelin^^angi. Umve-
lin^ngi wa si zala uoAlanga lu
semanzini." Wa ti ekuveleni
kwake, " Si ya 'kulw' impi, si gwa-
zane ngemikonto, ku bonakale aba
namand^la, aw aAlulayo omtinye ;
a z* a ti ow aAlula omunye a be u
yena o inkosi enkulu ; ow a/tluli-
we a be umfokazL Bonke abantu
ba ya 'kuya kwo inkosi ow' aAliila
omunye,"

TJmvelin^/angi wa e umuntu
owa zala Unkuluukxilu eluAlange-
ni lu semanzini, owa zala umfazi
wake.

Unsitkuzonke Memela.

bis wife* Unkulunkulu begat
primitive men. Unkulunkulu
said, " I, Unkulunkulu, and my
wife are the oflfepring of Umveli-
ngangi ; he begat us with a reed,
it being in the water.®* At his
origin he said, " We will fight and
stab each other with spears, that
the strongest may be manifest
who overcomes the oth^' ; and he
who overcomes the other shall be
the great king; and he who is
overcome shall be the depend-
ent. And all people shall wait
upon him who is the king who
overcomes the other."

Umvelin^angi was a man who
begat Unkulunkulu by a reed
whilst it was in the water, and
who begat his wife.

Abadala a ba tshongo ukuba i
kona inkosi pezulu. Unkulunku-
lu a si m azi Unkulunkulu ukuba
u nezwi lake. Si pata amatongo.
Unkulunkulu izwi lake e sa li
patayo elokuti a kona amatongo.

The ancients did not say there
is a Lord in heaven. As for
Unkulunkulu, we do not know
that he left any word for man.
We worship the Amatongo.* The
word of Unkulunkulu which we
reverence is that which says thei-e
are Amatongo.

®' It being in the water, — ^That is, according to ihe notion of the
narrator, the reed which Umvelingangi made and by which he begat
the first parents of the human race, was in the water. It is probably
only another way of saying men sprang from a bed of reeds. But
some forms of the tradition represent tribes at least, if not the human
race, as being born in or derived from the water. See p. 36.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Si nga sa vela elu/dangeni ; a
8* azi lapa sa bunjwa kona. Tina
bantu 'bamnyama sa vela kiinye
nani *belungu. Kodwa tina 'bantu
'bamnyama ukuvela kwetu sa vela
sa nikwa izinkomo namagejo oku-
lima ngemikono nezikali zokulwa.
Kwa tiwa ke, " Okuningi ; se ni
ya 'knzenzela." S* emuka ke, s* e-
za neno. Nina 'belungu na sala
nezinto zouke ezinAle nemiteto fiiti
e si nga banga nayo tina.

Sa si va uma si i zekelwa boba-
ba, be ti nabo ba i va, ba ti, kwa
"kqsla. kwa vela umuntu o indoda ;
kwa vela emuva umfazL Kwa ti
ngemva kwa vela inkomo ; ya
vela i kamba nenkunzi ; kwa ti
emva injakazana, kwa ti emva
kwa vela inja e induna ; kwa ti
ngemva zonke ke izilwanyane ezi-
ncinane lezi, nezindAlovu, zi vela
ngambili njalo.

Kwa ti hgemva kwa vela *Kbe-
le ; li ti 'libele uba li vele li ti nya,
wa ti lo 'muntu kumfieizi, "Ku
'nto o ku bona nje ke, mfazi ndini,
e si za 'ku ku dAla. Si za 'udAla.
Nanti 'libele."

It is as though we sprang fi'oni
Uthlanga ; we do not know where
we were made. We black men
had the same origin as you, white-
men. But we black men at our
origin were given cattle, and picks,
for digging with the arms, and
weapons of war. It was said, " It is
enough; you shall now shift for
yourselves." So we departed, and
came in this direction. You
whitemen staid behind with all
good things and with laws also
which we did not possess. u—

"We used to hear it said by our
fathers, they too having heard of
others, that a man first came into
being ; and then a woman after
him. After that a cow came into
being; it appeared walking with
a bull. After that a female dog^
and after her a dog f^ and after
that all the little animals, and ele-
phants; all came into being in
pairs.

After that com came into being.
When the com had come to per-
fection, the man said to the wo-
man, " That which you now see,
true^* woman, is something for us
to eat. We shall eat at once.
Behold com."

^^ It is worth notice that the female of animals is represented as
preceding the male.

^^ Ndiniy here translated imie, is a word rarely met with ; it is
used as an appendage to a vocative ; it ascribes reality or speciality to
the name to which it is appended. '' Mfaa ndini," Thou who art my
wife indeed, — very wife. Should a bridegroom address the bride thus,
it would be a& insult, and imply a loss of virtue, and if not founded
in tmth, would be resented probably by absolute refusal to marry.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU

Wa biiza um&zi, wa ti, " Li ya
'wenziwa nj&ni ukudAliwa kwalo
nal" Ya ti indoda, " Lok' uU
bona li mile nje ke, ma li yokuai-
kwa. Tat* intonga, u li bule ; fu-
na 'litshe, funa elinye li be imbo-
kondo."

Ya ti ke, " Tata, nanku umAla-
ba, u u bumbe, u z* 'utela 'manzi/'

Wa se yena ke e gaula umtana,
uluzi ; wa se e pe/Ja umlUo ke.
Wa ti ke, " Basa ke ; se ku za 'u-
pekwa ke." Be se kw* epulwa ke,
se ku telwa esitshenL Ba ya dAla
ke bona ke ; ba ti ke, '* A si zoze
sa fa uma si dAle lo 'mati."

Wa ti ke inkomo ke wa zi tshe-
nisa ukuti zi za 'udAla ingca. Wa
zi tshenisa izinyamazaue lezi e zi
kombisa yona ingca. Wa ti, ma
zi nga Alali ekaya lap&

Ku te mAlenikweni ku dabuka
umuntu, wa ti ukwenza emAlange-
ni apa, wa ti, a ba ku bonanga
ukudabuka kwabo ; ba bona se be
k^iik^bele nje em/^langeni, be
nga boni 'muntu owa ba veza.

XJmAlanga lo ku tiwa ukwenza

The woman asked, saying, " In
what way shall it be eaten T The
man replied, "Since you see it
growing thus, let it be cut Take
a rod, and thrash it ; find a stone,
and then find a second that it may
be an upper stone. "^*

He said, " There is clay ; take
it and mould it, and pour water
into the vessel"

For his work, he cut down a
small tree, the uluzi ; and obtained
fire by friction. He said, " Make
a fire ; we can now cook." The
food when cooked was taken out
of the pot, and put into a vessel.
And so they ate, and said, " We
shall never die if we eat this
corn."

He told the cattle to eat grass ;
and he told game the same, point-
ing out to them the same grass.
And he told them not to remain
all at home.®^

On the day the fiinst man was
created he said, as to what happen-
ed to them in the bed of reeds, that
they did not see their own crea-
tion. When lie and his wife
first saw, they found themselves
crouching in a bed of reeds, and
saw no one who had created them.

As regards the bed of reeds, on

^* Viz., foB grinding.

^7 Viz., that all were not to be domeetic animala

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TTKKULUNKULTT.

kwawo xunAla ba vela wa k^ma ;
wa t' u dabukile, kwa se kii puma
bona ke. Kwa se ku dabuka
Iwenkomo ke naso zonke izilwane.

UOXUMELA.

the day they came into being, it
swelled,^^ and when it had borst
they came out. After that there
broke off the uthlanga®^ of cattle
and of all other animals.

Ukoto, a very old Izulu, one of the Isilangeni tribe, whose father's
sister, Unandi, was the mother of XJtshaka, gave me the following
accounts : —

Noi ti mina, Unkulunkulu s' azi
yena o zala Utshaka ; Usenzanga-
kona o zala Utshaka. Kgasemva
kukasenzangakona kambe se ku
yena Utshaka. Utshaka ka zala-
nga yena ; ka bonanga e ba naba-
ntwana Utshaka. Kwa buya kwa
bekwa Udingane. Kwa buya ba
bulala Udingane, ba beka Umpa-
nde namAla nje, e nga zalanga
omabili lawo 'makosi Utshaka no-
dingane.

I SAY for my part that the Unku-
lunkulu whom we know is he who
was the father of Utshaka ; Use-
nzangakoua was Utshaka's father.
After Usenzangakona comes U-
tshaka. Utshaka had no children.
After him Udingane was made
king. After that they killed
Udingane, and made Umpande
king to this day, those two kings,
Utshaka and Udingane, having
no children.

*® This makes it perfectly clear what the natives understand by
Unkulunkulu coming out of the earth. The earth is the mother of
Unkulunkulu, the first man, as of every other creature. Compare
Milton :—

" The Earth obeyed, and straight
Opening her fertile womb, teemed at a birth
Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms
Limbed and full grown.''
Compare also Ovid, Met, B. I., 1. 416 — 421. — This, too, corre-
sponds with the Scripture account of Creation ; Gen. L 20, 24.
It is also philosophically correct to refer the origin of things
secondarily to the eartii. The material organisms of all living
things consist of elements derived from the earth. The poetic imagi-
nation, to which time and space impose no limits, o^presents as occur-
ring at a point in time what, it may be, took myriads of years for its
production in accordance with laws imposed on the Universe by the
fiat of the Creator.

^^ Lwenkomo, i. e., uthlanga. This is worth noting, the uthlanga
of cattle, — ^that is, either the reed — ^primal source— from which they
came ; or it may mean, the first pair from ^v^ch all others sprang.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

XTNKTJLUNKULU.

XJjama kambe o zala TJsenza-
ngakona, u^^ise waotshaka, a jena
o Unkulunkulu, Ba kona Omve-

Ujama was tlie father of Use-
nzangakona, the £^ther of the
Utshakas; it is he who is XJuku-
lunkulu.*® There are Omvelin^

^^ As the question has been raised whether the natives do not
call the First Man, or Being, Unkulunkulu, and an Ancestor Ukulu-
kulu, in order to prevent all misunderstanding I asked him if he was
not speaking of XJkulukuhi. He replied Ukulukulu and Unkulu-
nkulu is one and the same word ; the Amazulu say TJnkulunkulu ;
other tribes Ukulukulu ; but the word is one. I enquired what he
meant by Unkulunkulu ; he answered,

We have employed the word
great [father] to designate the
father of our father ; and we call
that man great [father]. And
there was a great-great [mther], to
wit, one who was before him.

We do not speak of power when
we say Unkulunkidu, but espe-
ciaUy of age. For the word great
does not say he was old by twice,
but he is old by once ; and if the
children of that man has children,
they will speak by the reduplicated
name, and unite their other's
name with his, and say Unkulu-
nkulu, that is, one who is very
old.

What has been said above, then, together with what is here
stated, is sufficient to settle all doubt on the subject I shall not
therefore give all the similar statements derived from a great number
of different natives to confirm the feet, that by Unkulunkulu or Uku-
lukulu they mean a great-great-grandfether, and hence a very ancient
man much further removed from the present generation than a great-
^reat-grandfather. Hence it is applied to the founders of dynasties,
tribes, and femilies. The order is as follows : —

Si bambisise elikakulu o zala
ubaba ; kepa si ti ukulu ke lowo.
Kepa a be kona Unkulunkulu
yena o pambilL

A si kulumi ngamand/tla ukuti
Unkulunkulu; si kuluma ngobu-
dala kakulu. Ngokuba leli 'lizwi
lokuti ukulu a li tsho ukuti mu-
<iala kabili, 11 ti mudala kanye ;
kepa uma ind/Ju yalowo i pinda i
zale amadodana, a se ya 'kuti nge-
lobubili igama, a Alanganise neli-
kayise nelalowo, a ti unkulunkulu,
xikuti omdala kakulu.

Ubaba, my father
Ubaba-mkulu, or Ukulu
Ukoko
Unkulunkulu

Umame, my mother
Umame-mkulu, or Ukulu
Ukoko
Unkulunkulu

Ukoko is a general term for Ancestor who preceded the grandfethers.
And Unkulunkulu is a general term for Ancient Men, who " were
first " among tribes, femilies, or kings. See Appendix.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TJITKULUNKULU.

lingangi Si be si zwa XJndaba
wakakubayeni Abona aba zala
Ujama.

ngi*^ We used to hear of XTndar
ba,** the son of Ukubayeni They
were the anoestora of Ujama.

As it was quite clear that he understood my question on the sub-
ject of Unkulunkulu to have reference to the names of the immediate
ancestors of the Amazulu, I asked him if he knew anything about the
first man. He replied : —

Kwa tiwa kwa puma abantu
ababili o^langenL Kwa puma
indoda, kwa puma um&zL Be ti
kwa puma yonke imisebenzi le e
si i bonayo, neyezinkomo neyoku-
dAla, — konke ukudAla loko e si ku
dAlaya

It was said that two people
came out of a reed.^^ There
came out a man and a woman.
At their word^* there came out
all those works which we see, both
those of cattle and of food, — ^all
the food which we eat.

•* Let us note this plural of Umvelin^angi ; and that the Omve-
lin^ungi are the fathers of the generation preceding that of the Onku-
lunkulu ; iMkt is, they are the Others of the Onkulunkulu ; that is,
the great-great-great-grand&thers,

Usobekase, a petty chief over a portion of the Amabele, when
speaking of the origin of things, said they were made by Umveliti^a-
ngi ; that there was a first man and a fii-st woman ; they were Aba-
velin^angi, and that men sprang from them by generation. He did
not use ^e word Unkulunkulu at alL — Umk^umbela, also, a very old
man of the Amangwane, spoke of the Omvelin^'aiigi in the
plural, and used the word as strictly synonymous with Unkulu-
nkulu, and, like that word, applicable not only to the first man, but
to the founder of families, dynasties, tribes, <&c.

•^ The origin of Undaba is thus given by Uncinjana, an
Ibele:—

Undaba wa dabuka kupunga,
wa zala Usenzangakona. Usenza-
ngakona wa dabuka kundaba, wa
zala Utshaka. Undaba Unkulu-
nkulu.

Undaba sprang from Upunga,
and was the father of Usenzanga-
kona. Usenzangakona sprang
from Undaba, and was the father
of Utshaka. Undaba is the
Unkulunkulu.

The attention of the Zulu scholar is directed to the use of dabvJca
in this statement.

Whilst travelling lately among a wholly uncultivated tribe, on
asking what they meant by the ukudabuka of men from Unkulunkulu,
they replied, " Ba dabuka esiswini sake," They broke off from her
bowels ; that is, of the first female Unkulunkulu.

^ Or, from Uthlanga.

^* In this remarkable sentence the origin of things is ascribed to
the joint woxd of the man and woman.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

He said he did not know their
said of a Ci-eator. He answered :—

Si vele ku tshiwo ku tiwa, " In-
kosi i pezulu." Be si zwa ku
njalo ke ekuveleni kwetn ; inkosi
ya be i konjwa pezulu ; a si ii
zwanga ibizo layo ; si zwa kodwa
ku tiwa inkosi i pezulu. Si zwa
ku tiwa umdabuko wezwe kwa
tiwa inkosi e pezulu. Ngi te ngi
mila kwa ku tiwa umdabuko we-
zwe u pezulu; abantu be komba
pezulu njalo.

Ukoto Mhlongo.

namea — I asked what the natives

When we were children it was
said, **The Lord is in heaven."
We used constantly to hear this
when we were children ; they used
to point to the Lord on high ; we
did not hear his name ; we heard
only that the Lord is on high.
We heard it said that the creator
of the world^^ is the Lord which
is above. When I was growing
up it used to be said, the creator
of the world is above ; people used
always to point towards heaven.

^^ This and two or three other statements are the only instances
I have met with of the word Umdabuko for the source of creation,
but its meaning is evident. It is equivalent to XJmdayi of the Ama-
k^'wabe, the Umdali of the Amakax>sa, and the Umenzi of the Ama-
Zulu.

Umddhukoy however, is derived from ukadahiika^ to be broken .
oST (see Note 3, page 1), and therefore has a passive signi*
fication, and thus ditiers from Umenzi and Umdali, which are active.
It more resembles Uthlanga, and thougji in some places apparently
used for an active ci*eator, would mean rather a passive, though poten-
tial source of being, — passive, that is, as a female, or as a seed, which
have however wrapped up in them potentially the future o£&pring.

We may compare with this the legend of the Bechuanas : —
" Morimo, as well as man, with all the different species of ani-
mals, came out of a hole or cave in the Bakone country, to the north,
where, say they, their footmarks are still to be seen in the indurated
rock, which was at that time sand. In one of Mr. Hamilton's early
journals, he records that a native had informed him that the footmarka
of Morimo were distinguished by being without toes. Once I heard
a man of influence telling his story on the subject. I of course could
not say that I believed the wondrous tale, but very mildly hinted that
he might be misinformed ; on which he became indignant, and swore
by his ancestors and his king, that he had visited the spot, and paid a
tax to see the wonder ; and that, consequently, his testimony was in-
dubitable. I very soon cooled his rage by telling him that as I should
likely one day visit those regions, I should certainly think myself very
fortunate if I could get him as a guide to that wonderful source of
animated nature. Smiling, he said, ^ Ha, and I shall show you the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULtJ.

XJngwadi, Ujani, Umafiumpa)
Umatiwana, XJzikali, ubaba. Un-
gwadi unkulunkulu. Ujani a zala
Umasampa. A ti Umasumpa a
zala Umatiwana. A ti Umatiwar
na a zala UzikaU. A ti XJzikali a
zala abautwaaa. Wa zala XJnga-
zana, wa zala Umfundisi A td
b' azi abanje. Unzwadi wa zala
Uswanalibomvu. XJswaualibomyu
wa zala UngabazL

Izizwe zonke zi nonkulunkulu
wazo. I leso si nowaso, na leso si
nowaso njala Unkuliinkiilu wa-
kiti Ungenamafu noluAlongwana
nosangolibanzL Ukugcina ku ti-
wa " Nkosi '* kumatiwana, okwa
vela Onkulunknlu bakwitL Ba
vela be pete umkonto ukuba ku
ponswane, si dAlane inkomo. Ba
vela emdabukweni Umdabuko

TJngwadi, Ujani, Umasumpa,
Umatiwana, Uzikali, our father.
Ungwadi is Unkulunkulu. Ujani
was the father of Umasumpa.
Umasumpa was the father of
Umatiwana. Umatiwana was the
father of Uzikali. tJzikali had
many children. He had Ungazana
and UmfundisL We do not know
others. Unzwadi was the father
of Uswanalibomvu. Uswanali-
bomvu was the fSsither of Ungabazi.
All nations have their own
Unkulunkulu. Each has its own.
The Unkulunkulu of our tribe is
Ungenamafu and Uluthlongwana
and Usangolibanzi.*^ At last men
said " King " to Umatiwana, in
whose house the Onkulunkulu of
oui' tribe were born.*'^ At their
birth thej handled spears that
they might be thi'own, and we eat
each other's cattla They sprang
from the Umdabuko.®^ The Um-

footatepa of tlie very first man,* This is the sum-total of the know-
ledge which the Bechuanas possessed of the origin of what they call
Morimo, prior to the period when they were visited by missionaries."
(Missiona/ry Lcibowrs and Scenes in South Africa, Moffat^ p, 262, J
See also a corresponding legend among the Basutos : —
"A l^end says that both men and animals came out of the
bowels of the earth by an immense hole, the opening of which was in
a cavern, and that the animals appeared first. Another ti-adition,
more generally received among the Basutos, is, that man sprang up in
a marshy place, where reeds were growing." (Tlie Basutos. CascUiSy
p. 2iO,J

^ That is, at a certain period the tribe divided into three, each
having its own Unkulunkulu. So Umahhaule, who has formed a
small tribe, says, in a few years he shall be an Unkulunkulu.

•-^ That is, the Onkulunkulu whose names he has given not only
belonged to the Amangwane, but to the family of Umatiwana.

^' Umdabuko, Creator. See above, Note 94.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

V^KVLVKKVLV.

owa s' abela izinto zonke^ wa si I dabuko is he "who gave as all
patisa nezlAlangu. things^ and gave us shields also to

Uludonga (an Ingwane), ' cany.

In the neighbourhood there is a very old woman, with whom I had
some C£usual conversation which appeared to be calculated to throw
some light on their traditions ; I therefore sent XJmpengula to obtain
from her a connected statement. On his return he related the sub-
stance of her remarks as follows : —

Unina kabapa u ti : — ^Kwa ti eku-
veleni, lokupela Utshaka u te e ba
indoda e ngena ebukosini, sa si
k^la ukwenda ngaleso 'sikati 3
kepa ngi be ngi za ngi zwa ku
tiwa, "Amabele lawa e si wa
dAlajo a vela emAlangeni ; kwa
ku um^langa ; ku vutiwe, ku bo-
mvu." Kepa abantu ba zinge be
bona into e bukeka emAlangenL
Ba za ba ti, " Ake si zwe uma le
into i ini na.'' Ba wa ka, a dAli-
wa. Kwa tiwa, " O, kanti, ku
mnandiy ukudAla.'' A goduka ke,
a ya 'kulinywa.

Si kuluma ngaloku 'kuvela
kwamabele, si ti, "Kwa vela pi
loku naT' kepa abadala ba ti,
** Kwa vela kumdabuko owa dabu-
la konke. Kepa si nga m azi."
Si zinge si buza si ti, " Lowo 'm-

The mother of XJbapa says : — At
first, that is, when Utshaka was a
man and was entering into the
kingdom ; we girls were beginning
to marry at that time; I used
continually to hear it said that the
com which we eat sprang from a
bed of reeds ; there was a bed of
reeds; when it was ripe it was
red. And people saw constantly
a beautiful thing in the bed of reeds.
At length they said, " Just let us
taste what kind of a thing this is.*'
They plucked it, and ate it, and
said, " O, forsooth, it is good, it is
food." So it was taken home^*
and cultivated.

When we spoke of the origin
of com, asking, "Whence came
this?" the old people said, "It
came from the creator who created
all things. But we do not know
him." When we asked continu-

^^ Lit., The com went home and was cultivated ; that is, became
a cultivated article of food.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

dabuko n pi na f Loku amakosi
akwiti si ya wa bona ) '' kepa aba-
dala b' ale ukuti, " Na lawa 'ma-
kofid e si wa bonako, u kona um-
dabuko owa wa dabulajo."

Xepa si buze si ti, '' U pi na ?
Ka bonakali nje. U pi na?"
kepa si zwe bobaba be komba
pezulu, be td, " Umdabnko wako
konke u pezulu. Futi ka kona
nesizwe aabantu kona." Kepa si
nga ze sa bona kaAle ukuba lowo
'mdabuko u ya *uze a bonwe nini
na. Ku be ku tiwe njalo, ku
tiwa, ** Inkosi yamakosi"

Si zwa futi ku tiwa uma izulu
li dAle izinkomo kwabani, ku tiwe,
" Inkosi i tate izinkomo kwabani"
Futi si zwe ku tiwa uma li ya
duma, abantu ba zimise isibindi,
ngokuti, "I ya dAlala inkosi."
Kepa si ze sa kula ku i loko njalo.

Kepa ngonkulunkulu 4:a m ve-
zanga ngokwake. Kepa ngi be
ngi linga uku m kombisa kuye, a

ally, " Where is the creator ? For
our chiefs we see f'^^ the old men
denied, saying, " And those chiefs
too whom we see, they were cre-
ated by the creator."

And when we asked, " Where
is he ? for he is not visible at all.
Where is he then ? " we heard our
Others pointing towards heaven
and saying, " The Creator of all
things is in heaven. And there is
a nation of people there too."
But we could not well understand
when that Creator would be visi-
ble. It used to be said constantly,
" He is the chief of chiefs."^

Also when we heard it said that
the heaven had eaten^ the cattle
at such a village, we said, " The
Lord has taken the cattle from
such a village." And when it
thundered the people took courage
by saying, " The Lord is playing."
That was the state of the matter
till we grew up.

But as for Unkulunkulu, Uba-
pa's mother did not mention him
of her own accord. But I tried
to direct her attention to him, that
she might speak of him of h^

100 By tjiig is meant, that they denied the existence of a Creator
whom they could not see ; and declared their belief that their kings^
whom they could see, were the Creators of all things. Just as at the
end this old woman declares that the whitemeu made all things.

1 Inkosi may be rendered chief, king, lord. We can therefore
say either Chief of Chiefs,— or King of Kings, — or Lord of Lords.

^ That is, the lightning had struck.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

54 UNKULUNttULU.

zitsholo ngokwake. Kepa kwa ba i own accord.* But I could not get
lukuni loko ukukuluma ngok wake. I her to mention him of her own

• This is a very common occurrence. Veiy old Amazulu, when
asked about Unkulunkulu, are apt to speak, not of the first Unkulu-
nkulu, but the onkulunkulu of their tribes.

Mr. HuUy, a missionary for some years connected with the Wes-
leyans, went up to the Zulu country as interpreter to Mr. Owen, in
1837. He says the word XJnkulunkulu was not then in use among
the natives ; but that Captain Gardiner introduced it to express the
Greatest, or the Maker of all men. Mr. Hully refused to use it in
this sense. He allowed that the word halu meant great, but denied
that Unkulunkulu existed in the language to express that which Capt.
Gardiner wished. But he persisted in using it through a young man
named Verity.

The following remarks from Captain Ckkrdiner's work appear to
justify this statement of Mr. Hully : —

'* The conversation which took place I will now relate, as nearly
as I can, in the precise words : —

" * Have you any knowledge of the power by whom the world
was made % When you see the sun rising and setting, and the trees
growing, do you know who made them and who governs them % '

" Tpai (after a little pause, apparently deep in thought) — * No ;
we see them, but cannot tell bow they come : we suppose that they
come of themselves.*

" * To whom then do you attribute your success or £Edlure in
warr

" Tpai — * When we are unsuccessfiil, and do not take cattle, we
think that our father ' [Itongo] * has not looked upon us.'

"* Do you think your fsither's spirits' [Ajbaatongo} 'made the
world?'

« Tpai—* No.'

" * Where do you suppose the spirit of a man goes after it leaves
the body % '

"Tpai— * We cannot telL'

" * Do you think it lives for ever ? '

" Tpai — * That we cannot tell ; we believe that the spirit of our
forefathers looks upon us when we go out to war ; but we do not
think about it at any other time.*

*' ' You admit that you cannot contit)! the sun or the moon, or
even make a hair of your head to grow. Have you no idea of any
power capable of doing this % '

" Tpai — * No ; we know of none : we know that we cannot do
these things, and we suppose that they come of themselves.' " (Nar^
rative of a Journey to the Zoolu Country. Capt, Allen F, Gardiry&t^
E.N, ; undertaken in 1835, p. 2S3.J

He thus speaks of a tribe on the Umzimvubu : —

<< On the subject of religion they are equally as dark as their

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Nga 2sa nga m gazalela ibizo lika-
nkultmkulu ; kepa jena wa bona
wa ti, " A I u yena pela lowo *m-
dabuko o pezulu owa e tshiwo
abadala.'' Kepa Ubapa wa ti,
'' Ai ! u se k^ala ukapambauisa
amazwi. Izolo u be nga tshongo
njalo kumfundisL Unknlunkiilu
u be m kombisa pansi. Kepa
manje u se m kombe pezulu."
Kepa wa ti yena, " Ehe ! wa
buya V enyuka, wa ya pezulu."
Wa yeka leyo 'ndAlela yake yoku-
k^la, wa ngeua ngokuti, " Kanti
XJnkulunkulu u yena lo o pezulu.
Futi nabelungu laba kanti i bona
amakosi aw' enza konke.''

accord. At length I mentioned
the name of Unkulunkulu ; and
she understood and said, " Ah ! it
is he in fact who is the creator
which is in heaven, of whom the
ancients spoka" But Ubapa said,
" No ! she now begins to speak at
cross purposes. She did not say
this to the Missionary yesterday.
She said Unkulunkulu was from
beneath. But now she says he
was from above." And she said,
" Yes, yes I * he went up to
heaven afterwards." She left the
first account, and began to say,
" Truly Unkulunkulu is he who is
in heaven. And the whitemen,
they are the lords who made all
things."

neighbours the Zoolus. They acknowledged, indeed, a traditionary
account of a Supreme Being, whom they called Oukoolukoolu "
[Ukulukulu] " (literally the Great-Great), but knew nothing further
respecting him, than that he originally issued from the reeds, created
men and cattle, and taught them the use of the assagaL They knew
not how long the issitoota," [isituta] " or spirit of a deceased person,
existed after its departure from the body, but attributed every un-
toward occurrence to its influence, slaughtering a beast to propitiate
its fiivour on every occasion of severe sickness, &c. As is customary
among all these nations, a similar offering is made by the ruling chief
to the spirit of his immediate ancestor preparatory to any warlike or
hunting expedition, and it is to the humour of this capricious spirit
that every degi*ee of failure or success is ascribed."- (Id,, p. 314.^

^ That is, she assents to the statement that Unkulunkulu sprang
from the ecyrth. But asserts also that he is the heavenly Lord, of
whom she has been speaking.

This account is in many respects very remarkable. It is not at
all necessary to conclude that the mind of the old woman was wan-
dering. There appears to be in the account rather the intermixture
of several faiths, which might have met and contended or amalgamated
at the time to which she alludes : — 1. A primitive faith in a heavenly
Lord or Creator. 2. The ancestor- worshipping faith, which confounck

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UHKULUKKULU^

Ubebe, who related the following, was a very old man, belonging to
the Amantanja tribe. He had seen much. His people were scattered
by the armies of (Jtshaka, and he showed four wounds, received at
different times : —

Inkosi i ya buza kambe indaba
yaobaba.

Aobaba ba be ti indaba yabo
jrendulo, be ti, " TJnkulunkulu u
kona o indoda, o pansi yena."
Obaba ba be ti, "Inkosi i kona
pezulu.^' Uma li leta, li duma, ba
ti, " Inkosi i ya Aloma, i ya leta.
Lungisa nL'' Be tsho kubo 'ma-

The chiefs enquires then what
our fore£stthers believed.

The primitive fidth of our fa-
thers was this, they said, ** There
is TJnkulunkulu, who is a man,®
who is of the earth." And
they used to say, " There is a lord
in heaven." When it hailed, and
thundered, they said, " The lord is
arming ; he will cause it to hail.
Put things in oi-der."^ They

the Creator with the First Man. 3. The Christian fidth again direct-
ing the attention of the natives to a €rod, which is not anthropomorphia
But she may intend to refer to the supposed ascent of Usenzar
ngakona, the father of Utshaka, into heaven, which is recounted in
the following izibongo, that is, flattering declamations by which the
praises of the living or the dead are celebrated : —

There were lauds of Usenza-
ngakona, by which he was lauded
by his people ; they said,

"Child of Ujama, who twisted
a large rope which reached to
heaven, where the Spiiits of the
Amageba will not arrive. They
will again and again make fruitless
efforts, and break their little toes."

Amageba is an ancient name of
the Amazulu. It means the sha-
dows caused by the departing sun ;
they recline on the mountains.
Amageba are the people of Uma-
geba, the Unkulunkulu of the
Amazulu. Umageba begat Uja-
ma ; he begat Usenzangakona ; he
begat Utshaka. And as regards
Umageba, there is his unkulunku-
lu where we know not.

^ The chief, that is, myself. A respectful mode of addressing
the enquirer, as though the answer was being given to a third person.
^ Indoda, that is, a male.
^ That they may not be injured by the haiL

Kwa ku izibongo zikasenzanga-
kona, e bongwa abantu bake, be

" Mntakajama, owa pota igoda

la ya la fika ezulwini, lapa izituta

2akwamageba zi nga yi 'kufika.

Zo ba 'kiikwela z* apuke amazwa-

nyana."

Amageba ibizo elidala lamazulu.
Li ti, amatunzi okumuka kwela-
•nga ; a ya geba ezintabeni. Amsr
geba abakamageba, Unkulunkulu
wakwazulu. Umageba u zala
Ujama, a zale Usenzangakona, a
zale Utshaka. Nomagel^ u kona
Unkulunkulu wake, lapa tina si
ng' aziko.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

me, ku lungiswe impaAla zonke
neadnkomo namabele.

Ku ti lapa inkosi i dAlaJayo
ngokuduma, ba ti uma ku kona
ow esabayo, " W etuka ni, loku ku
dAlala inkosi na ? 17 tate ni yayo
nar

Kwa tiwa XJnkulunkulu u te,
a si be abantn, si lime ukudAla,
si dAle. Kwa ti utshani bwa ve-
zwa XJnkulunkulu, wa ti, " A ku
dAIe izinkomo." Wa ti, "A ku
tezwe izinkuni, ku be kona um-
lilo, ku vut' ukudAla." Wa ti
XJnkulunkulu, "A ku zalwane,
ku be kona abalanda, ku zalwe,
kw and' abantu emAlabenL Ku
be kona amakosi amnyama, inkosi
y aziwe ngabantu bayo, ukuba
' Inkosi le : ni butane nina nonke
ni ye enkosinL' "

A si kw azi ukuvela kwake.
Si zwa ku tiwa, " Abantu ba za-
Iwa XJnkulunkulu.'^ Aobaba ba

said this to our mothers, and they
set all things in order, cattle and
com.

And when the lord played by
thundering they said, if there was
any one afraid, "Why do you
start, because the lord plays 1
What have you taken which be-
longs to him 1 "

It was said, XJnkulunkulu said,
" Let there be men, and let them
cultivate food and eat" And the
grass was created by XJnkulunku-
lu, and he told the cattle to eat.
He said, " Let firewood be fetched,
that a fire may be kindled, and
food be dressed." XJnkulunkulu
said, "Let there be marriage
among men,^ that there may be
those who can intermarry, that
children may be bom and men in-
crease on the earth." He said,
" Let there be black chiefs ; and
the chief be known by his people,
and it be said, ' That is the chief :
assemble all of you and go to your
chief.'"

We do not know the origin of
XJnkulunkulu. We hear it said,
" Men are the children of XJnku-
lunkulu." Our fathei*s used to

^ A ku zalwane. Lit., Let children be begotten or bom one
with another. An allusion to a supposed period in which if blood
relations did not marry there could be no marriage. The meaning
really is, — Let brothers and sisters marry, that in the progress of time
there may arise those who are sufficiently removed from close relation-
ship, that there may be abalanda, that is, persons who may lawfully
intermarry.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

rUKULUNKITLTr.

be ti, "Unkulunkulu lowo owa
zala abantu eluAlangeni. Si nga
m azi ke XJluAlanga uma wa e
puma ngapi na; noma Unkulu-
nkulu ba be puma oAlangeni lunye
ini na. A s* azi ukuba UAlanga
umfazi ini, loku aobaba ba be ti si
zalwa Unkulunkulu.

Sa si m buza Unkulunkulu
kwobawo, si ti, " U pi Unkulu-
nkulu e ni m tshoyo na ] " Ba ti,
" Ka se ko. NoAlanga futi," ba
ti, " ka se ko." Ba ti aobawo,
*' Nati s' ezwa si tshelwa ukuti, sa
zalwa Unkulunkulu no^langa. Na
kwobaba s' ezwa be tsho."

Unkulunkulu wa e mnyama,
ngokuba si bona abantu bonke e si
vela kubo bemnyama, nenwele
zabo zimnyama. B' esoka ngoku-
ba kwa tsho Unkulunkulu, wa ti,
"A ba soke abantu, ba nga bi
amakwenkwe." Unkulunkulu na-
ye wa soka, ngokuba wa si tshela
ukusoka.

say, " Unkulunkulu is he who be-
gat men by Uthlanga.* "We do
not know whence Uthlanga came ;
or whether Unkulunkulu and
Uthlanga both came from one
Uthlanga or not. We do not
know whether Uthlanga was a
woman, for our fathers said we
were begotten by Unkulunkulu.^^

We used to ask our fathers
about Unkulunkulu, saying,
" Where is Unkulunkulu of whom
you speak ? " They said, " He is
dead, and Uthlanga also is dead,"
Our fe,thers said, " We were told
that we are the children^^ of
Unkulunkulu and Uthlanga. And
our fathers told us they were
told."

Unkulunkulu was a black man,
for we see that all the people
from whom we sprang are blacky
and their hair is black. They
circumcised because Unkulunkulu
sajd, " Let men circumcise, that
they may not be boys." And
Unkulunkulu also circumcised,
for he commanded us to circum-

cise.

^ Here very distinctly Uthlanga is a proper name, — that of the
first woman. But the origin of Uthlanga is not known ; it is sug-
gested that she came forth from Uthlanga together with Unkulunkulu
— ^that is, an anterior Uthlanga. — Compare this with the legend above
given, where it is said Umvelin^-angi made an Uthlanga and begat
children by her. See below, wliere it is said, " UAlanga ka se ko,"
Uthlanga is dead ; not, A lu se ko.

^0 This is a mode of asserting his belief that since the fSsithers said
Unkulunkulu begat men, he could not do so without a wife, and that
therefore Uthlanga was a woman.

^^ Zala is to beget and to give birth to : they were derived, viz.,
by generation from Unkulunkidu, and hy birth finom Uthlanga,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKXJLUNKULU.

Umdabuko ng' azi o pezula wo-
dwa. Ba be ti abendulo, " Um-
dabuko u pezulu owona opilisajfip
abantu ; ngoknba abantu V esuta,
ba nga fi iDdAlala, ngoba inkosi i
ba nika ukupila, ukuba ba hambe
kaAle emAlabatini, ba nga fi in-
dAlala."

Uma r omile, ku Alangana aba-
numnzana namakosi, ba ye enko-
sini emnyama ; ba ya kuluma, be
tandaza wona umbete. XJkutanda-
za kwabo ukuba abanumuzaua ba
tshaye izinkabi ezimuyama, i nga
bi ko emAlope. Zi nga Alatshwa ;
b' enze ngeinilomo ; ku Alatshwe i
be nye, ezinye zi Male. Kwa ku
tiwa kuk(^ala imvula i puma enko-
sini, nelanga li puma enkosini,
nenyanga e kanyisa ngobum/Jope,
ku Mwile, abantu ba hambe be
ng' apuki Uma inyanga i nga se
ko, ku tiwa, " Abantu a ba nga
hambi, kumnyama ; ba ya 'kuli-
mala."

As to the source^2 q{ being I
know that only which is in heaven.
The ancient men said, " The source
of being is above,^* which gives
life to men ; for men are satisfied,
and do not die of famine, for the
lord gives them life, that they may
live prosperously on the earth and
not die of famine.

If it does not rain, the heads of
villages and petty chiefs assemble
and go to a black chief; they con-
verse, and pray for rain. Their
pi'aying is this : — The heads of
villages select some black oxen ;^*
there is not one white among
them. They are not slaughtered ;
they merely mention them ; one is
killed, the others are left. It was
said at first, the rain came from
the lord, and that the sun came
from him, and the moon which
gives a white light during the
night, that men may go and not
be injured. K there is no moon,
it is said, " Let not men go, it is
dark ; they will injure themselves.'*

^ ^ Umdabuko , Source of Being, — ^local or personal, — the place in
which man was created, or the person who created him. But if a
place, it is possessed of a special potentiality. See Note 95, p. 50.
But here the Umdabuko is called *' the lord which gives them life."

^^ The argument is, since we see that life-giving influences, — tlie
rain and sun,— come from heaven, we conclude that there too is the
original source of life.

^* It is supposed that black cattle are chosen because when it is
about to rain tiie sky is overcast with dark clouds. "When the ox is
killed, its flesh is eaten in the house, and perfect silence is maintained
till the whole is consumed, in token of humble submission to the lord
of heaven, from whom, and not of the chief, the rain is asked. The
bones, are burnt outside the village. After eating the flesh in silence,
they sing a song. The songs sung on such occasions consist merely of
musical sounds, and are witiLout words.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UKKULmiKTTLXT.

XJma izulu li be 11 tshayile izm-
komo, ku be ku nga Alupekwa.
Ku be ku tiwa, " Inkosi i Alabile
ekudAleni kwaya" Ku tiwa,
" Okwenu ini na, loku ku ng* o-
kwenkosi nat I lambile; i ya
ziAlabela." Uma umuzi u tshaywe
unjazi, uma ku inkomo e bulewe,
ku tiwa, " Ku za 'kuba inAlanAla
kulo 'muzf Uma umuntu e
tehaywe, wa &, ku tiwa, " U soli-
we inkosL"

XJbebe.

If lightning struck cattle, the
people were not distreased.^^ It
Mfied to be said, <<The lord has
slaughtered for himself among his
own food. Is it yours ) is it not
the lord's 1 He is hungry ; he
kills for himsel£" If a village is
struck with lightning, and a cow
killed, it is said, ''This village
will be prosperous." If a man is
struck and dies, it is said, <' The
lord has found fikult with him."

Having requested Umpengula to ascertain from TJbebe the mean-
ing of XJmdabuko more exactly, he made the following report : —

No* enze njengokutsho kwako ke, 1 1 have done as you directed,
mfundisi, nga buza kubebe ukuti, ' Teacher, and asked of TJbebe what

^5 Contrast this with what Arbousset says of the superstition
found among the Lighoyas : —

" When it thunders every one trembles ; if there are several
together, one asks the other with uneasiness, * Is there any one amongst
us who devours the wealth of others 1 ' All then spit on the ground,
saying, * We do not devour the wealth of others.' If a thunderbolt
strikes and kills one of them, no one complains, none weep ; instead
of being grieved, all unite in saying that the Lord is delighted (that is
to say, he has done right), with killing that man ; they say also that
the i^ef eats thunderbolts, that is to say, does things which draw
down upon men such judgments. There can be no doubt, they sup-
pose, that the victim in such a case must have been guilty of some
crime, of stealing most probably, a vice from which very few of the
Bechuanas are exempt, and that it is on this account that fire from
heaven has fallen upon him-" ( Eocphratory Towr in S(mth Africa, p,
323.;

Casalis says that, among the Basutos, '' If any one is struck dead
by lightning, no murmur is heard and tears are suppressed. ' The
Lord has killed him,* they say ; * he is, doubtless, rejoicing : let us be
carefrd not to disturb his joy.' " (The Basutos, p. 24c2,J

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UHKULUNKULU.

^'Bebe, lapa ku tiwa umdabuko
wabantu, li ti ni leli 'zwi lokuti
umdabuko naT Kepa Ubebe wa
ti, '' Lapa si ti umdabuko, si kulu-
ma lapa kwa vela abantu bonke
kona, si ti ke umdabuko wabantu.
Futi le inkosi e pezulu a ngi zwa-
nga kwobaba be ti, ''I nonina
nom&LzL" A ngi ku zwanga lo^o.
Unkulunkulu yedwa e kwa tiwa
wa veza abantu o^langeni ; sa ti,
umdabuko u uAlanga.''

men meant by the word Umda-
buko, when they say, " The Um-
dabuko of men." He replied,
" When we say Umdabuko we
speak of that^* from which men
sprang ; and because they sprang
from that, we say, * The Umdabu-
ko of men.' Further, as r^ards
that lord who is above, I never
heard our Others say he had a
mother or wife. I never heard
such a thing. It is Unkulunkulu
only of whom it was said he gave
men origin by means of Uthla-
nga,^^ and so we Said, the Umda-
buko is Uthlanga."

I REQUESTED Umpengula to enquire of Unjan, of the Abambo tribe,
a petty chief, who came to the village, what he knew about Unkulu-
nkulu. He reported the following : —

Wa ti ngoku m buza kwami uku-
ti, " Njan, u ti ni wena ngonku-
lunkulu lowo, e sa m tshoyo tina
'bantu abamnyama na?" wa ti,
'' Lo, e sa ti, w* enza konke na t "
Nga ti min% "Yebo. Ngi ya

When I asked him, saying, " U-
njan, what do you say about that
Unkulunkulu, of whom we black
men. used to talkl" he replied,
''Him who, we said, made all
things r'i8 I repHed, « Yes. I en-

i« See Note 95, p. 50.

^^ Or, <nU of Uthlanga ; " and so we said the Umdabuko is Uthla-
liga," either r^;arding Umdabuko as a female, or referring to that
Uthlanga or Source of being from which Unkulunkulu himself and
all things else sprang. But we are here, no doubt, to imderstand the
latter, for above he states that the old men believed in an Umdabuko
which is above, and which he calls, '' the Lord which gives them
life."

^^ Litimating that there are other Onkulunkulu about whom he
might wish to enquire.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

buxa ukuze ng* azi loko oku isimi-
nya imi/Jayonke ngaye." Wa ti,
" Ehe ! A u boni ini ukuba
Unkulunkiilu, sa ti, w* enza konke
e si ku bonayo ne si ku patayo
konke 1 "^ Nga ti, " Ehe ! Ha^
mbisa kainl>e. Ngi sa lalele lapa
u za 'kuya 'kugcina kona." Kepa
wa ti, " O, noma kwa tshiwo kwa
tiwa, V enza konke ; kepa mina
ngi bona ukuti loku kwa tiwa
umuntu omkulu wetu, umuntu
njengati ; ngokuba tiha sa si nga
kombi *ndawo lapo e koua, kodwa
kwa tiwa umuntu owa vela ku-
k^ala kubantu bonke, o yena em-
kulu kwiti sonke, Umvelingangi.
Kanti ngi ya bona ukuti ngelizwi
letu sa ti, Unkulunkulu w' enza
konke, kepa a s' azi lap' a vela
kona." Nga m buza nga ti,
" Manje u pi na] ** Wa ti, " O,
ka se ko." Nga ti, " "Wa ya ngapi
na 1" Wa ti, " Nati si be si buza,
ku tiwe, * Ka se ko/ Kepa nga-
loko ku ya bonakala ukuti konke
loko a kw enziwanga umuntu o
nga se ko ; kw* enziwa o se kona."

Kepa ngi buza kuye ngokuti,
^ Abafundisi bak wini a ba tsho ini
ukuti le inkosi e pezulu i Unku-
lunkulu na 1 " Wa ti, " Hau ! "

quire that T might know what has
always been the truth about him."
He said, " Yes, yes ! Do you not,
understand that we said Unkulu-
nkulu made all things that we see
or touch]" I said, "Yes I Jiist
go on. I am listening for the
conclusion." And he said, "Al-
though it was said he made all
things, yet for my part I see that
it was said,^^ he was an old man
of ours, a man like us ; for we did
not point to any place where he
was, but said he was a man who
came into being first of all other
men, who was older than all of us,
Umvelin^'angi. So then I see that
by our word we said Unkulunkulu
made all things, but we know not
whence he sprang." I asked,
" Where is he now 1 " He said,
" O, he is dead." I asked, " Where
is he gone 1 " He replied, " We
too used to ask, and it was an-
swered, * he is dead.' But by that
it is evident that all things were
not made by a man, who is now
dead ; they were made by one who
now is."^

And when I enquired, saying,
" Do not your teachers^i tell you
that the lord which is in heaven is
Unkulunkulu 1 " he replied with a

^^ I see that it was said and nothing moi-e; there was no truth in it.

20 It is clear that this reasoning is the result of a certain amount
of light When once he had been induced to think, he said that the
things around him could not, as the old men said, have had a mere
human author, who came into being and passed away.

21 This chief and his people live in the neighbourhood of the
Boman Catholic Mission about fifteen miles from this place.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tTNKin:.tmKt;Lt;.

ngokwetuka, ''Nakanye. A ngi
zwanga be li tsho lelo 'lizwi ; no-
kuba ba kulume ngalo nje a ngi
ku zwanga. Kupela umfundisi
yedwa e nga kuluma naye ngalo."

start, **Hau! by no means. I
never beard such a word, neither
did I ever hear them even mention
the nama It is your teacher^*
alone with whom I have ever
spoken about it."

The next day I asked him myself, when he made the following
statement : —

Ba ti abendulo ba ti IJnkulu-
nkulu owa veza abantu, wa veza
konke nezinkomo,konke nezilwane
ezasendAla Ba ti omdala umuntu
owa veza lezo 'zindaba, e se ku
tiwa ke umuntu omdala u inkosi,
ku tiwa u inkosi e pezulu. Se si
zwa ngani ukuti inkosi e pezulu e
yona ey* enza konke. Abantu
abadala ba be ti XJnkulunkulu
ukoko nje, umuntu omdala owa.
zala abantu, wa veza konke.

The ancients said that it was
XJnkulunkulu who gave origin to
men, and every thing besides, both
cattle and wild animals. They
said it was an ancient man who
gave origin to these things, of
whom it is now said that ancient
man is lord ; it is said, he is the
Lord which is above. ^^ We have
now heard from you that the Lord
which is in heaven is he who made
every thing. The old men said
that XJnkulunkulu was an ancestor
and nothing more, an ancient man
who begat men, and gave origin to
all things.

Ulangeni, umuntu omdala wase-
makvoseni, kepa u sesikoleni, wa
fika lapa kwitL Nga ya kuye,
ngi ya 'kubuza le 'ndaba kanku-
lunkulu, ngi bona emdala kakulu.
Kepa ekungeneni kwami endAlini

XJlanoeni, an old Ikxoaa,, but one
living at a mission-station, paid us
a visit. I went to him and en-
quired of him what he knew about
XJnkulunkulu, because I saw he
was a very old man. When I en-
tered the house where XJlangeni

22 Some years ago whilst travelling I had had a conversation with
him on the subject.

25 This is rather obscure, but I prefer not to give a free trans-
lation. The meaning is, Our old men told us that it was an ancient
man who created all things ; but we hear from the missionaries that
the heavenly Lord is he who created.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKUIiUNKULU.

iapa e kona iTlangeni) nga m buza
hgokutiy " Baba, ngi size ngale 'n-
dawo yokuti XJtikax), uma lelo
'gama kwa tiwa Utika;o o pi na ?
Koma li vele se ku fike abafimdisi
ininat"

Kepa UlaDgeni wa ti, " Kga ;
leli 'gama lokuti Utikeo a si lo e
si li xwa kumangisi ; igama lakwi-
ti elidala ; kii be ku ti ngeadkati
zonke, uma ku timula umuDtu a
ti, ' Tikax>, u ngi bheke kade/ ''

Kepa nga buza ngokuti, " Ni
be ni ti tikax> nje, ni tsho ni na?
Loku izidumbu zake na ni nga
z* azi, na ni tsho ni na ? " Wa ti,
*' Le 'ndaba yokuti tikoso indaba
kwiti e be ku tiwa, uma li ya du-
ma izulu, kw aziwe njalo ukuti a
kona amandAla a ngapezulu; ku
ngaloku kwa za kwa tiwa opezulu
Utikax). A ku tshiwongo kodwa
ukuti u sendaweui etile pezulu;

was, I enquired of him, saying,
" My £stther, help me in the matter
of TJtikax), and tell me where
Utikax> is said to be ? And whe-
ther the word came into use after
the arrival of the missionaries 1 "

And Ulangeni answered, " No ;
the word TJUkxo is not a word we
learnt of the English ; it is an old
word of our own. It used to be
always said when a man sneezed,
' May Utikox) ever regard me with
favour.' "24

Then I asked, " Since you
merely used the word XJtikax>,
what did you mean 1 Since what
is very truth about him you knew
not, what did you mean)" He
replied, " As regards the use of
XJtikax), we used to say it when
it thundered, and we thus knew
that there is a power which is in
heaven ; and at length we adopted
the custom of saying, Utikax) is he
who is above alL But it was not
said that he was in a certain place

^ Just as among other people sneezing is associated with some
superstitious feeling. In England and C^ermany old people will say,
**' God bless you," when a person sneezes. Among the Amazulu, if a
child sneeze, it is r^arded as a good sign ; and if it be ill, they be-
lieve it will recover. On such an occasion they exclaim, " Tutuka,"
Orow. When a grown up person sneezes, he says, '^Bakiti, ngi
hambe kade," Spirits of our people, grant me a loug lifa As he
believes that at the time of sneezing the Spirit of his house is in some
€special proximity to him, he believes it is a time especially £Ekvourable
to prayer, and that whatever he asks for will be given ; hence he may
Bay, " Bakwiti, inkomo," Spirits of our people, give me cattle ; or,
" Bakwiti, abantwana," Spirits of our people, give me children.
Diviners among the natives are very apt to sneeze, which they regard
as an indication of the presence of the Spirits ; the diviner adores by
saying, '' Makosi," Lords, or Masters.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

kwa ku tiwa lonke izulu u kulo
lonka A kw aAlukaniswanga."

Kepa nga ti, '* Amalau a e ti ni
wona ibizo lokubiza TJdio ? " "Wa
ti, " Hail ! U tsho 'malau mani
na 1 " Nga ti, " Lawa 'malau
abomvana." Wa ti, "Ngi y* e-
zwa. Kepa ba be pi labo 'bantu
aba nga ze ba be notika;o na?
Angiti ba be Alala ezintabeni ; ba
tolwe Aniabunu, nokuze ba be
pakati kwabantu na? A si lo
igama lamalau ukuti tikax>. O-
kwamalau kwa duka konke ngam-
Ala be Alangene namabnnu. A si
rwa 'luto Iwawo."

I loko ke e nga ku zwa ngola-
ngeni. Kga buza ke ngokuti,
" XJnkulunkulu ku m zwanga na V
Kepa yena wa ti, " Uku mu zwa
kwami XJnkulunkulu, ngi mu zwe
kakulu lapo ku bekwa amatsbe
pezu kwesivivane ; umuntu a ti

in Heaven; it was said he filled
the whole heaven. No distinction
of place was made."25

I asked, " By what name did
the Hottentots call God?" He
said, " Hau ! what Hottentots do
you mean ? "^ I replied, " Those
reddish Hottentots." He said,
" I hear. But where were those
people that they should use the
word Utikajo ? Is it not the fact
that they used to live in the
mountains ; and were taken into
the households of the Dutch, and
so came to live among the people ?
Utikax) is not a Hottentot word.
Every thing belonging to the Hot-
tentots was thi'own into confusion
when they united with the Dutch.
We have learnt nothing of them."

This, then, is what I heard of
XJlangeni So I enquired further,
" Have you never heard of XJnku-
lunkulu ? " He replied, " I have
for the most part heard XJnkulu-
nkulu mentioned when stones are
thrown on an isivivane f^ when a

25 It may be worth noting here that what the Amazulu say of
the lord of heaven, for whom they have no name, the Amakax>sa say
of XJtikajo.

2^ This is to be understood as expressing his utter contempt for
the Hottentots, and unwillingness to suimit that the Kafir could learn
any thing from them. It cannot, however, be doubted that he is mis-
taken in supposing that they did not derive the word from the Hot-
tentots.

27 Iswivane. — ^Isivivane ama-
tshe a Manganiselwa 'ndawo nye,
'enziwe ink^waba enkulu ; ku po-

The isivivane consists of stones
which are collected together in
one place, and form a large heap ;

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULtr.

lapa e ponsa itshe, a ti, ' Zizuku-
Iwane zikankulunkulu/ a dAlule."
Nga ti ke, " E tsho mupi TJnku-

man throws a stone, he

* Generations of Unkulunkulu,'

and passes on." So I said, " What

nswe kona aba dAlulako kuso
isivivane, amancane amatshe na-
makulu e ponswa kona, ku tiwa,
" Sivivane saokoko, ngi ti ketshe-
ketshe nkuhamba kalula."

Umpengula Mbanda.

those who pass by the isivivane
cast stones on it ; the stonea
which are thrown on it are both
small and great ; and it is said,
" Isivivane of our ancestors, may
I live without care."

The isivivane, then, is a heap of stones, the meaning of which the
natives of these parts are unacquainted with. When liey pass such
a heap, they spit on a stone and throw it on the heap. Sometimes
they salute it by saying, " Sa ku bona, bantwana bakasivivane," Good
day, children of XJsivivane ; thus personifying Isivivane, and acting
in coirespondence with the Kajosa salutation to Unkulunkulu. — Sir
James E. Alexander relates the following of the Namaquas : — " In
the country theie are occasionally found large heaps of stones on which
had been thrown a few bushes ; and if the Namaquas are asked what
they are, they say that Heije lObib, their Great Father, is below the
heap ; they do not know what he is like, or what he does ; they only
imagine that he also came from the East, and had plenty of sheep and
goats ; and when they add a stone or branch to the heap, they mutter,
* Give us plenty of cattle.' " — ^Among the Hottentots there are many
such heaps, wluch they say are the graves of Heitsi Kabip, who, ac-
cording to them, died several times and came to life again. (Bleek,
HotterUot FahleSy p. 76. J — Thus the Heitsi Eibip of the Hottentots
appears to have some relation to the Unkulunkulu of the Kafirs.

Such heaps of stones are common in the South Sea Islands, and
^ are there memorial heaps, as, it appears from the Scripture naiTative,
was that which Jacob raised (Gen. xxxL 45 — 55) ; or they may have
been raised over graves, as is still the custom among the Bedouins.

" The bearers of the corpse reached the newly dug grave at the
head of the procession, and standing over it they slowly lowered the
l)ody, still rolled in its rough camel-hair shroud, into it, as the solemn
chant suddenly ceased, and the silence which ensued seemed rendered
deeper by the contrast. The corpse having been stretched out in its
sandy couch, all those nearest the spot, with hands and feet, raked
back the loose earth over the grave and closed it up. Ali and the
other chieftain with him, each taking up a stone from the ground, now
cast it in turn on the tomb, uttering, * Allah yerdano,' God have
mercy on him ! Naif, silent and brooding, approached the spot, and
with the same prayer cast his stone likewise over his brother's tomb,
adding, * The duty of revenging thee weighs upon me.'

" All the other members of the tribe present followed their
chiefs example, and pressed forward to pay their last tribute to the
dead, a stone cast on the grave, and a muttered prayer for his peace ;

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tJNKTJLUNKULU.

lunkulu na?" Ukupendula ku-
kalangeni, wa ti, " E tsho umuntu
wokiik^ala kubo bonke abantu,
owa vezwa Utikico kukgala. Ke-
pa abautu ba m bona. Utikax)
wa sita kunkulunkulu, ka bonwa-
nga umuntu ; abautu ba bona
yena TJnkulunkulu, ba ti umenzi
wako konke, Umveling'angi, be
tsho ngokuba lowo ow' enza
Unkulunkulu be nga m bonanga.
Ba ti ke u yena e Utikajo. I loko
e ngi kw aziyo ngonkulunkulu."

Nga ti mina, " Ebe ! langeni.
Ngi ya bona impela ukuba loko o
ku tshoyo into nami e be ngi i
tsho. Kodwa kuloko, loko *ku-
pendula kwako ku ukupendula
kwomuntu o se punyelwe ilanga ;
ngokuba u bona loko ubaningi a
ba bheki nakanye kuloko ^kubona
kwaka"

Wa ti, " Ku te ekufikeni kwa-
mangisi kulo 'mAlaba kwiti, kwa
k^a umfundisi o ku tiwa ibizo
lake Uyegana. Wa fika wa fu-
ndisa abantu, nokukuluma kwake

Unkulunkulu does he meanl"
Ulangeni said in reply, " He
means the first man before all
other men, who was created by
XJtikajo first. And men saw him.
Utikajo was concealed by Unkulu-
ukidu, and was seen by no one ;
men saw Unkulunkulu, and said
he was the creator of all things,
Umvelin^'angi ; they said thus
because they did not see Him who
made Unkulunkulu. And so they
said Unkulunkulu was God.^^
This is what I know about Unku-
lunkulu."

I replied, " Yes, yes ! Ulangeni.
I see clearly that what you say
accords with what I said. But
further, your answer is the answer
of a man on whom the sun has
risen,; for you see that which
many do not regard in the least."

He said, " On the arrival of the
English in this land of ours, the
first who came was a missionary
named Uyegana. On his arrival
he taught the people, but they did

the multitudes crowding in succession round the spot, or spreading
over the plain to find a stone to cast on the tomb in their turn. A
high mound of loose stones rose fast over the grave, increasing in size
every minute as men, women, and children continued swarming
around it in turn, adding stone after stone to the funereal pile."
(" Sketches of the Desert and Bedouin Life." The Ghv/rchmamla Gom-
pcmion. No, XII, December^ 1867, p. 524:,J

Is our ceremony of throwing earth into the grave a relic of this
ancient custom?

2* This is a very concise and simple explanation of the way in^
which the First Man came to be confounded with the Creator.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU,

not understand wHat lie said ; lie
used to sleep in the open air, and
not in a house > but when he saw
a village he went to it, and al-
though he did not understand the
people's language, he jabbered
constantly to the people, and they
Gould not understand what he said.
At length he went up the country,
and met with two men— a Dutch-
man and a Hottentot ; he returned
with them, and they interpreted
for him. We began to understand
his worda He made enquiries
amongst us, asking, 'What do
you say about the creation of all
things]' We replied, *We call
him who made all things XJtikax)/
And he enquired, * Where is he ? *
We replied, *In heaven.' XJye-
gana said, *Very well. I bring
that very one^ to you of this
country.* And there were two
men, both men of consequence ;
one was named Unsikana, and the
other TJnajele. Both became be-
lievers. XJnajele continued to live
at his own village. Unsikana
united with Uyegana, the mission-
ary. These men began to dispute
about the name Utikax). XJnrcele
said, 'Utikajo is beneath.' Unsi-
kana denied, saying, ' No ! Unrce-
le. Utikox) is above. I see that
he is above from whence power
proceeds.''® The two disputed on
that subject, until at length Uno^e-

^ That very one, — ^that is, all that relates to or concerns him»
f Compare this with Note 13, p. 59.

ku ng* aziwa uma u ti ni na, e
lal' endAle, e nga lali ekaya ; kepa
uma e bona umuzi a ye kuwo;
nakuba ukukuluma kwabantu e
nga kw azi, a kwitize njalo kuba-
ntu, ba koAlwe uma u ti ni na.
Wa za w' enyuka wa beka enAla ;
wa fumana abantu ababili — Ibunu
nelau ; wa buya nabo labo 'bantu,
ba m kumushela. Sa k^la uku
w' ezwa amazwi a wa tshoyo. Wa
buza pakati kwetu ngokuti, * Ni ti
ni ngokwenza konke na 1 ' Sa ti,

* Ow' enza konke, si ti Utikojo.'
Kepa wa buza wa ti, * U pi na ? '
Sa ti, *U sezulwini.' Uyegana
wa ti, * Ehe. Ngi lete yena lowo
ke pakati kwenu lapa.' Kepa
kwa ku kona abantu ababili, be
bakulu ; omunye Unsikana, omu-
nye Unojele. Ba kolwa bobabili.
Unscele wa e Alala emzini wake.
Unsikana wa Mangana noyegana,
umfundisL Laba 'bantu ba k^a
ukubanga igama lokuti Utikox).
Unajele wa ti, ' Utikajo u pansi.'
Unsikana wa n<^aba, ngokuti,

* Hai ! Najele. Utikajo u pezulu.
Ngi m bona e pezulu mina, lapa
ku vela amandAla onke.' Ba
pikisana ngaloko bobabili, wa za

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULTJNKULU.

V aAlolwa JJnxeie, ngokuba wa
tiy * E pans!/ e tsho Unkulunkulu '
ngokuti, * XJ pansi.* Kepa XJnsi-
kana wa ti, ^Hai! Utikeo u
sempakamenL' La za lelo 'gama
lokuti Utikco la duma kakulu
ngokufikakwabafundisL !Ngokuba
tina sa si kuluma ngezultt lonke,
gi id, * Ku kona XJtikso kulo lo-
nke ; ' ku nga te ntsa ukukanya
kuleyo 'ndawo. Kepa lo 'nsikana

ukukolwa kwake ku ya mangalisa.
A si kw azi uma kwa ku njani na,
ngokuba ekwa^luleni kwake XJ-
no^ele, wa m kgambela ingoma
enkulu, wa ti * Ekatikax) * lelo *ga-
ma ; na namAla nje li into enkulu
emakcoseni Li ya baliswa nga-
mandAla amaningi katikox). Ku

le was overcome, for he said, * He
is beneath,' meaning Unkulunkulu
when he said * He is beneath J
But Unsikana said, * No ! Utikax>-
is in the high place.* At length
the word Utikojo was universally
accepted on the arrival of the mis-
sionaries. For we used to speak
of the whole heaven, sayings
* Utikax) dwells in the whole hea-
ven ; ' but did not clearly under-
stand what we meant. But the
Mth of Unsikana is wonderfuL
We do not understand what it waa
like, for when he had refuted
Una?ele, he composed a great hymn
for him, which he called *The
Hymn of God ; ' and to this day
that hymn is a great treasure-
among the Amak2X>sa. It cele-
brates the great power of God.^^

*^ The following is the translation of the hymn alluded to given
by Appleyard, Grammar, j». 48 ;—

Thou art the great God — He who is in heaven.

It is Thou, Thou Shield of Truth.

It is Thou, Thou Tower of Truth.

It is Thou, Thou Bush of Truth.

It is Thou, Thou who sittest in the highest.

Thou art the Creator of life. Thou madest the regions above.

The Creator who madest the heavens also.

The Maker of the stars and the Pleiades.

The shooting stars declare it unto us.

The Maker of the blind, of thine own will didst thou make them.

The Trumpet speaks, — ^for us it calls.

Thou art the Hunter who hunts for souls.

Thou art the Leader who goes before us.

Thou art the great Mantle which covers us.

Thou art He whose hands are with wounds.

Thou art He whose feet are with wounds.

Thou art He whose blood is a trickling stream — and why 1

Thou art He whose blood waa spilled for us.

For this great price we calL

For thine own place we call

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

te lowo 'muntu o ku tiwa Unsika-
na w' enza ummangaliso ngamAla
e fayo. W emuka wa ya eAlatini
e nomfaiia waka Wa ngena
e^latini, wa funa tunuti omkulu o
ku tiwa umumbu ibizo lawo ; wa
u tola, wa u gaula^ wa u n^ma ;
wa u lingauisa naye, wa u baza,
wa w enza umpongolo ; wa funa
nesivalo, e u baza, e zilinganisa
pakati kwawo. Ku te uma u pele
wa u twala, wa goduka nawo, wa
Alanganisa abantwaua bake, wa
ti, ^Bantabami, ni bona nje ngi
gaule lo 'muti, iig' enzile ukuze ku
ti uma se ngi file ni ngi fake ku-
wo, ni nga boni ubuncunu bamL'
Nembala wa fa ngalezo 'zinsukwa-
na."

XJmpengula Mbanda.

And the man Uusikana did a
wonderful thing at his death. He
went with his son into the forest.
When he entered the forest he
sought for a large tree called the
Umumbu ; he found one and cut
it down; he measured it by his
own size ; he carved it and made a
box of it, and a cover for it, hol-
lowing it so as to be equal to him-
self inside. When it was finished
he carried it home ; he assembled
his children and said to them,
* My children, you see I have cut
this tree, that when I am dead
you may place me in it, and not
look on my nakedness.' And in
fact he died a few days after."

Leli 'lizwi lokubiza TJnkulunkulu
e bizwa abantwanyana noma aba-
£EUia ekwaluseni, u ya bizwa ngo-
kuba ku tsho abadala. A ngi tsho
ukuti a se be gugile, ngi tsho aba-
kulileyo kimabanye. Ba ya tu-
mela ukuti a ba ye 'ku m biza
abantwana. Ngokuba ku nge ko
namunye o ya 'kuti, " Ku ngani
ukuba ni tanda ukudAlala ngesi-
Mobo sami na ? A n' azi ini uku-

As regards calling Unkulunkuln,
when he is called by little children
or by boys when they are herding
cattle, he is called at the bidding of
old people. I do not mean those
who are really old, but those who
are grown up more than others ;
they send children to go and call
him. For there is no one who
will say, "Why do you like to
make sport with a relative of
mine P^ Do you not know that

^^ A very common answer received from a native when asked
who XJnkulunkulu is, is, " XJkoko wetu," Our ancestor. But now,
through the course of years, no one regards him as a relative ; he is
80 £eu: removed from aU at present living by intervening generations.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULtJNKULU.

ba kamina kubuAlungu na T Kii
ngokuba indAlu yake XJnkuluiiku-
lu e nga m euzela umunyu, a i se
ko. Labo 'bantu bonke aba tume-
la abantwana ukuti a ba ye 'ku m
biza, b' enza ngokii nga m naka-
keli ngaluto. Loku 'kuAlekisa
ngaye Unkulnnkulu ku vela nga-
lokn. Ngokuba uma abantwana
ba ya buza ukuti, " XJnkulunkulu
u ubani na T ba ti abadala, " XJm-
velin^ungi ow' enza izinto zonke."
Kepa ba buze ukuti, " XJpi manje
lapo e kona na % " ba ti, " Wa fa ;
a si sa r azi izwe lapo a fela kona,
neliba lake. I loku kodwa e si
kw aziyo ukuti, lezi 'zinto zonke e
si nazo sa zi nikwa u ye." Kepa
ku i^ bi ko 'nAlgko yezwi eli
veza ukuti, "IndAlu e sa lunge
nonkulunkulu eyakwabani lo."

Ku ti uma ku landwa ukuma
kwake XJnkulunkulu, ku pelele
etafeni nje, ku nga sondeli ngase-
ziudAlini zokwelamana naye ku-
laba 'bantu aba se kona.

Ku njalo ke, u bona nje, uku-
bizwa kukankulunkulu ; ku nga ti
u se inganekwane ; ka si yo inga-

it is painful to me T It is because
the house of XJnkulunkulu, which
can feel pain for him, no longer
exists. All the people who send
children to go and call him, do so
because they care nothing about
him. That sport about XJnkulu-
nkulu springs from this. For if
children ask who XJnkulunkulu is,
the old people answer, " XJmveli-
n^-angi, who made all things."
But when they ask where is the
place where he now is, they say,
" He died, and we no longer know
the place where he died, nor his
grave. This only is what we
know, that all these things which
we have, he gave us." But there
is no such conclusion as this come
to, " The house which is descended
from XJnkulunkulu is the house of
So-and-so."33

When the standing of XJnkulu-
nkulu is sought out, it terminates
in the open plain, and makes no
approach to houses which have
followed him in succession till
those men who now exist are
reached.**

Such then, you see, is the call-
ing of XJnkulunkulu; it is as
though he was the subject of a

83 That is, no one can trace up his ancestry to the First Man.
Suclv a notion manifests the utter ignorance of the natives of the
lapse of time since man was created.

'4 We know that XJnkulunkulu was the first man, but if we were
to attempt to give the names of his children we could not make up a
genealogy, for we are at once lost, and cannot in any way connect
him with people who are now left.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULT7NKULU.

nekwane impela, ukuze a nge u
inganekwane ; ku ngokuba u umu-
ntu wokuk^'ala ; ngapambili kwar
ke ka ko omunye umuntu kutina
'bantu ; u yena e sekukgaleni
kwabantu ; tina sonke si nganeno
kwake. I ugaloko XJnkulunkulu
bonke abantwana ku tiwa a ba ye
'ku m biza. A ku tshiwo ukuti,
'^ Si biza idAlozi na 1 Si li bizela
ize 1 A s' azi ini ukuba li ya 'ku-
tukutela, li si bulale na ? " A ku
ko loko 'kukcabanga okunjalo
ngaye XJnkulunkulu, ukuti u
id/Jozi. Kepa noma u idAlozi, ka
ko o namandAla oku m pata lapa
■e Alabile inkomo ; ngokuba ka na-
mandAla okubalisa, njengaloko e
nga balisa ngamadAlozi akubo a
'w' aziyo. Kubantu abamnyama
igama likankulunkulu a 11 Aloni-
peki ; ngokuba a ku se ko 'ndAlu
yake. Se 11 njengegama lesalukazi
esidala kakulu, si nge namandAla
okuzenzela nokunoinyane, se si
Alala lapo si Alezi kona kusasa li
-se li tshone ilanga. Abantwana
ba se be dAlala ngaso, ngokuba a
si namandAla oku ba fumana no-
ku ba tshaya ; se si kuluma ngom-
lomokodwa. Ku njalo ke negama
leli likankulunkulu, ukuba aba-
ntwana bonke ku tiwa a ba ye 'ku
m biza. U se isikoAliso sabantwa-
na.

mei*e nursery tale; he is not a
£Eible indeed, though he may be
like one ; it is because he was the
first man; before him there was
not another man from whom we
are derived ; it is he who is the
first among men ; we stand this
side of him. It is on that account
that all children are told to go
and call XJnkulunkulu. They do
not say, "Are we calling an
Idhlozi? Do we call it for no-
thing 1 Do we not know that it
will be angry and kill us ]" There
is no such thought as this about
XJnkidunkulu, that he is an
IdhlozL But if he is an Idhlozi,
there is no one who can worship
him when he kills a bidlock ; for
he is not able to repeat his praise-
giving names, as he can those of
the Amadhlozi of his people which
he knows. The name of XJnku-
lunkulu has no respect paid to it
-among black men ; for his house
no longer exists. It is now like
the name of a very old crone,
which has no power to do even a
little thing for herself, but sits
continually where she sat in the
morning till the sun sets. And
the children make sport of her,
for she cannot catch them and flog
them, but only talk with her
mouth. Just so is the name of
XJnkidunkulu when all the chil-
dren are told to go and call him.
He is now a means of making
sport of children.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UmOTLUlfKULV.

A ku tsliiwo kodwa ukuba u
ize. TJ umuntu impela; kodwa
ku ya koAliswa ngaje abantwana,
ukuti a ba ye 'ku m biza. Ngo-
kuba ku y* aziwa impela ukuti wa
fa. Kodwa i loku oku bonakala
ngako ukuba u isikoAliso saba-
ntwana, ngokuba na lapo a fela
kona a k' aziwa na abadala. Ko-
dwa uma ku iunywa abantwana,
ku tiwa a ba ye lapaya ; noma u
Bgalapa eduze, na lapa e kona.
Kepa abantwana ba bize ba bize
kakulu kakulu, a nge sabele ; ba
buye ba ye 'kubika ukuti ka sabe-
li ; ku tiwe, '' A ni bize kakulu ;
memeza ni kakulu." Abantwana
b' ^zwe loku 'kutsho ngoknti, " A
ku memezwe," ba memeze kakulu,
a ze amaswi abo a tshe, ba hho-
tehoze; ba k^le ukubona ukuti,
*' Si ya ko^liswa. Ini ukuba
Unkulunkulu a ng' ezwa ngama-
iEwi a 'bukali e si memeze ngawo
kuk^ida ? Manje u sa ya 'kuzwa
ngani, loku e se e tshile amazwi
naf" Kepa ngaloko, noma a
tshile, a ba nako ukuyeka uku-
biza. Ukupela kwokumemeza
kwabo ukuba ku suke umkuiwana
a ye 'bu ba biza, ukuti, ^'Sani
buya.'' TJ tsho njalo ngokuba be
Be be k^edile loko a be be tanda

But it is not said he is nothing.
He is really a man ; but children
are made sport of through him,
when they are told to go and call
him. For it is well known that
he died. Biit it is this which
makes it clear that he is the means
of making a sport of children, for
even the place where he died is
not known even to the old men.
But when children are sent, they
are told to go yonder ; or they say
that he is here near at hand, or
that he is at this very place. And
children call and call again and
again ; but he cannot answer.
They return to report that he does
not answer. The people say,
" Shout aloud ; call him with a
loud voice." When the children
hear it said that they are to shout
aloud, they shout aloud imtil they
are hoarse, and their voice is
scarcely audible ; and they begin
to see that they are deceived, and
ask, ''How is it that Unkulunkulu
does not hear shrill words with
which we first shouted? Now,
how can he any longer hear, since
we are now hoarse V But because
they have been told to shout, even
though they are hoarse they can-
not leave ojff shouting. The end
of their shouting is this : — One of
the bigger boys goes to call them,
saying, "Come back now." He
says this because the people have
now finished what they wished to

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tTNKULUNKULV.

uku kw enza ngapandAle kwaba-
ntwana. Ba buya ke abantwana,
ba ti, "K' esabeli." Ku tiwe,
" O, u kude lapo e kona. A ku
se 'kcala."

Ngaloko ^kumemeza a ba bongi
Unkulunkulu ngako. Kodwa
abantwana ngoku ng* azi 'kwabo
ba memeza isiminya ; ngokuba be
ti, u za 'iivela. Elanti laV aba ba
tumileya ba y' azi ukuti ka yi *ku-
vela. Ngokuba kubo a nge tu-
nywe o se bhekile ukuya 'kubiza
Unkulunkulu ; a nga ti uma ku
tiwa, " Bani, hamba u ye *kubiza
Unkulunkulu," a nga ti ukupe-
ndula kwake, "Uma ni tanda
ukwenza into yenu, noma ni tanda
ukuba ni dAle ukudAla okutile
kwenu e ni nga tandi ukuba ngi
ku bone, noma ngi ku dAle ; woti
ni a ngi suke, ngi ye kwenye *n-
dawo, ngi Alale kona, ni ze ni k^
de loko kwenu ; miisa ukuti a ngi
ye 'kubiza Unkulunkulu, njenga-
bantwana laba aba ng* aziyo." Ku
njalo ke abadala a ba tunywa.

Le 'ndaba kankulunkulu manje
se si i bona ezincrwadini, ukuti i
ya sondela. Loku tina si be si ti,
" Unkulunkulu umuntu woku-
k^'ala." A si m bonganga, noma

do without the children. So the
children return, and say, " He did
not answer." The people reply,
" O, he is a great way off. It is
now no longer of consequence."

By this shouting they do not
w(M^hip Unkulunkulu. But the
children, through their ignorance,
shout with sincerity, for they think
he will appear. But those who
send them know that he will not*
For a person who is shrewd among
them cannot be sent to go and call
Unkulunkulu ; if he is told to go
and call Unkulunkulu, he may say
in reply, '* If you wish to do some-
thing in private ; or if you wish
to eat that food of yours, which
you do not wish me to see, or eat,
tell me to go away to some other
place ; don't tell me to go and call
Unkulunkulu, like children who
know nothing." So old people
are not sent^

The account of Unkulunkulu
we now see in books, that is, it is
coming near to us, whilst we our-
selves used to say, " Unkulunkulu
is the first man."^ We did not
worship him, though we all sprang

35 He means to say, that as regards the natives themselves,
Unkulunkulu was something so far off that they never thought of
him ; but that now this old man is being brought forward by others
as the object of a reverence which they never rendered to him.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

trNKXTLUNKULtr.

from him. We worship our Onku-
lunkulu whom we know [by
name] ; we cannot worship him,
for all of us in our childhood were
deceived through him, when we
were told to go and call him ; we
shouted and shouted ; but he did
not appear in the least But now
if a man tell us to worship Unku-
luukulu, how shall we forsake
these our own Onkulunkulu whom
we do worship, and worship him
by whom we have been deceived 1
We cannot assent.^^ For if a man
urge us to worship Unkulunkulu,
the old sores of all of us will
break out again, and we shall ask if
the deception which was practised
on us when young is brought up
again. It is said, " Since we have
grown up [in the presence of this
deceit], have we now forgotten it ]
"We still know that we were much
deceived through him. I do not
mean that we were deceived be-
cause the people thought he was
nothing ; I mean, we were deceiv-
ed by being told to go and call
him and he would appear ; and if
we are told to worship him and he
will give us so-and so and so-and-

^^ By this he means, that praying to Unkulunkulu, the
first man, would prove just as great a deceit as children's calling
to him ; for as he could not appear to them, so he cannot hear our
prayers, for he is but a man like ourselves, dead and buried long
ago.

sa vela kuye sonke. Si bonga
Onkulunkulu betu e si V aziyo ;
yena a si namand/Ja, ngokuba
sonke ebuntwaneni si koAlisiwe
ngaye, kwa tiwa a si ye 'ku m
biza ; sa biza, sa biza ; nya uku-
vela. Kepa manje uma umuntu
e ti, a si bonge Unkulunkulu, laba
Onkulunkulu betu e si ba bongayo
si ya 'ku ba laAla kaujani? si
bonge e si koAlisiwe ngaye na?
Si nge Tume. Ngokuba noma
umuntu e k^nisa ngokuti a si
bonge Unkidunkulu, si ya 'kutu-
nukala sonke, si ti, '^ Ku sa vuswa
isikoAliso e si koAliswe ngaso ebu-
ntwaneni na?" Ku tiwa, "Si
kula nje, se si koAliwe ini? Si
a' azi ukuba si koAlisiwe kakulu
ngaye." A ngi tsho ukuti si ko-
Alisiwe ngokuti u ize; ngi ti, si
koAlisiwe ngokutiwa, a si ye 'ku m
biza, u ya 'kuvela ; nokuba ku
tiwa, a si m bonge, u ya 'ku si pa

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULtmKULir.

ukuti nokuti) noma ukupila, ku sa
ku ba DJengokukoAliswa kweto.
Umpengula Mbanda.

so, or health, it will still be like
our being deceived.*^

Indaba yabantu abamnyama a ba
i tsho kubelungu ngokuvela k wabo.
Ku tiwa abantu abamnyama ba
puma kukgala, lapa kwa datshu-
kwa kona izizwe zonke ; kepa

rTHE accoTxnt which Hack men
give white men of their origin.

It is said the black men came
out first from the place whence all
nations proceeded ;^ but they did

^'^ Tbe native gives the folk)wing explanation of Iris words here :— *

Ngi tanda ukuti ngaloku ^ku-
bonga Unkulunkulu, uma si yeki-
swa Onkulunkulu betu e si ba bo-
ngayo, ku tiwe a si bonge lowo o
kade a yekwa, si nge ze sa vuma,
ngokuba naye u umuntu woku-
kgala, kepa na laba betu ba nje-
ngaye ; a si boni oku nga si sizayo
ngaye ; ku se kunye nje.

I would say as regards the wor-
ship of Unkulunkulu, if we are
made to leave our own Onkulu-
nkulu, whom we worship, and are
told to worship him whom we left
kmg ago^ we ^^11 never assent ;.
for he too is a man — ^the first, and
those which we call our people are
men like him ; we do not see in
what way he can help us; they
are all alike.

^^ We have already seen how piievalent is the tradition that man
and all other things came out of the earth. The natives of these parts
confess they do not know where this place is. But among other South
African tribes, the tradition is associated with a certain locality. Thus
the Basutos and Lighoyas point to a place which ihej call " Instuana-
Tsatsi," which means the East. Arbousset says : —

"This spot is very celebrated amongst the Basutos and the
Lighoyas, not only because the litakua of the tribes are there, but be-
cause of a certain mythos, in which they are told that their ancestors
came originally from that place. There is there a cavern surrounded
with marsh reeds and mud, whence they believe that they have all
proceeded." (ArhovsaeU Op, cit,^ p. 198, J

And among the Baperis, " at the base of a small mountain which
they call Mole, is a deep cavern called McMrimcttle, Jine Bloods or pretty
raceSf because they maintain that men and the other animals came out
of it ; and not ordy so, but that the souls return thither after death ;
an opinion which reminds one of the old pagan doctrine of the infernal
regions." (Id., p, 255, J

Campbell also gives us a similar account : —

" With respect to the origin of mankind, the old men had given
Idm no information ; but there is a great hole in the Marootzee coun-
try out of which men first came, and their fdotmarks are still to be

Digitized by VjOOQIC

trNKULUNKULU.

bona a I)a pxrmanga nanto 'ningi;
kupela izinkomo namabele, okii
ingcozana, nemikonto, namagejo
okulima ngemikono, nokunye oku
kona^ umlilo woknbasa ukuze ba
dAle ngawo, tikudAla okuluAlaza
ku Tutwe ngokupekwa ; nebumba
into a ba y' aziko, ukuba uma si
bamba umAlaba, si w enze isitsba,
ri u yeke, w ome ; lapo se w omi-
le, si ye 'ku u tshisa ngomlilo, u
be bomvu ; s' azi ke nkuba noma
se ku telwa amanzi, a u sa yi 'ku-
bidAlika, ngokuba se u k^inisiwe ;
nokuAlakanipa oku lingene ukuzi-
siza, uma si lambile ; nokuk^kela
isikati sokulima, ukuze si nga
dAluli, si fe indAkla ngoku nga
s* azi isikati esi &nele nesi nga
£inele. Ukwazana kwetu kwa
lingana ukuzisizsC nje; a sa ba
nako ukwazi okukulu.

Sa puma ke si pete loko oku
lingene tina, si ti si nako kOnke, si
Alakanipile, a ku ko 'luto e si nga
Iw aziko. Sa ^Itda, si zincoma
ngokuti si nako konke.

not come out with many things ;
but only with a few cattle and a
little com, and assagais, and picks
for digging with the arms, and
some other things which they
have; fire to kindle, that they
might not eat raw food, but that
which is cooked ; and potters'
earth is a thing which they know,,
to wit, if we temper earth, and
make it a vessel, and leave it that
it may dry ; and when it is dry,,
bum it with fire^ that it may be
red ; we know that although
water be now poured into it, it
will no longer £sJl to pieces, for it
has now become strong ; and wis-
dom which suffices to help our-
selves when we are hungry, and to-
understand the time of digging,,
that it may not pass and we die of
famine, through not knowing suit-
able and unsuitable times. Our
little knowledge just sufficed for
helping ourselves ; we had no
great knowledge.

So we came out possessed of
what sufficed us, we thinking that
we possessed all things, that we
were wise, that there was nothing
which we did not know. We
lived boasting that we possessed
all things.

seen there. One man came out of it long ago, but he went back, and
is there yet Morokey never saw the hole himself, but his uncle, who
is dead, had seen it, and saw the footmarks very plain. The cattle
also came from the same hole." (Tra/ceU in South Africa. GamphelL
Vol. /., p. 306.^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Se ku ti namuAla, uma ku fike
abelungu, ba fike nezin^ola, zi
botshelwe izinkomo, b* embata
ulwembu, be Alakanipile kakulu,
V enza izinto e si ti tina zi ng* e-
nziwe 'muntii, e si nga kcabanga-
nga ngazo nakanye, ukuba zi nga
si siza. Inkomo sa si ng* azi ukii-
ba i nemisebenzi eminingi ; sa si
ti, umsebenzi wenkomo ukuba i
zale, si dAle amasi; inkabi si i
Alabe, si dAle inyama, ku be uku-
pela. Si nga w azi umsebenzi
omunye wenkomo ; e Alatshiweyo
si i pale isikumba sayo, s' enze
amag^la okuvata abesifazana ne-
zipuku zokwambata, ku be uku-
pela ke umsebenzi wenkomo. Sa
mangala si bona inkomo i botshe-
lwe en^'oleni, i twele impaAla, i
dabula izwe, i ya kude, ku nge ko
oku nge ko pakati kwan^ola ; lapa
ku kuDyulwa kona, ku pume izi-
nto zonke zalabo 'bantu; sa ti,
" Ba fikile aomahambanendAl wa-
ne."^* IndAlwane si tsho in^'ola.

Loko ke kwa si mangalisa im-
pela. Sa bona ukuba, kanti tina
abamnyama a si pumanga naluto
nolulodwa ; sa puma-ze ; sa shiya

But now when the white men
have come with wagons, oxen are
yoked, they being clothed in fine
linen, being very wise, and doing
things which for our parts we
thought could not be done by
man ; about which we did not
think in the least, that they could
help us. We did not know that
the ox was useful for many pur-
poses ; we used to say, the purpose
of the cow is, that it should have
calves, and we eat milk ; and of
the ox that we should kill it and
eat flesh, and that was all. We
knew no other purpose of cattle.
When one is killed we prepare its
skin, and make women's clothes,
and blankets; and that is the
whole purpose of the ox. We
wondered when we saw oxen
yoked into a wagon, which had
goods in it, and go through the
country, and go to a distance,
there being nothing that is not in
the wagon; and when the oxen
are loosened, there comes out all
the property of those men ; we
said, " Those are come who go
about with a house," By house
we meant the wagon.

That, then, made us wonder
exceedingly. We saw that, in
fact, we black men came out with-
out a single thing ; we came out
naked ; we left every thing behind,

3^ The name given to snails, caddisworms, <kc.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tTNKULXJKKULXT.

koiike ngokuba sa puma kukgala.
Kepa abelungu sa bona ukuba
bona ba gogoda^® ukuAlakanipa ;
ngoknba a ku ko 'Into olu s' aAlu-
layo tina be nga Iw azi ; ba z* azi
zonke e si nga z' aziyo ; sa bona
ukuba tina sa puma ngamaputu-
putu; kepa bona ba linda izinto
zonke ukuba ba nga zi sbiyi.
Kembala ba puma nazo. Ngaloko
ke si ya ba tusa, ngokuti, ** I bona
ba puma nezinto zonke etongweni
elikulu ; i bona ba puma uobuAle
bonke ; tina sa puma nobuula bo-
ku ng* azi 'luto." Manje se ku
nga i kona si zalwako i bona, bona
be fika nako konke. Se be si
tsliela konke, e nga si kw azi nati
uma sa linda ; u loko si nga linda-
nga se s' abantwana kubo.

Ku ngaloko ke uku s' aAlula
kwabo, a ba s' aAlulanga ngampi ;
ba 8* aAlula ngomAlalapansi — be
Mezi, nati si Alezi ; s* aAlulwa imi-
sebenzi yabo e si mangalisayo ; sa

because we came out first. But
as for the white men, we saw that
they scraped out the last bit of
wisdom ; for there is every thing,
which is too much for us, they
know ; they know all things which
we do not know ; we saw that we
came out in a hurry ; but they
waited for all things, that they
might not leave any behind. So
in truth they came out with them.
Therefore we honour them, saying,
" It is they who came out possess-
ed of all things from the great
Spirit f^ it is they who came out
possessed of all goodness ; we
came out possessed with the folly
of utter ignorance." Now it is as
if they were becoming our fathers^
for they come to us possessed of
all things. Now they tell us all
things, which we too might have
known had we waited ; it is be-
cause we did not wait that we are
now children in comparison of
them.

Therefore, as to their victory
over us, they were not victorious
by armies; they were victorious
by sitting still — ^they sitting still
and we too sitting still ; we were
overcome by their works, which
make us wonder, and say, " These

*^ UJcugogoda, to scrape out the very last portion of food, <fec.,
left in a vessel. Hence, metonymically, to be very wise, — ^perfectly
wise.

*^ There is no doubt that Itongo is Spirit ; it is the general word
employed to express spiritual power, an(^ I think, ought to be used
instead of umoya.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNK^LU^KITLU,

ti, ** Laba aV enze nje, a ku ianele
ukuba si kcabange ngokulwa na-
bo," njengokuba imisebenzi yabo i
ya s' aAlula, na ngezikali ba ya 'ku
s' aAliila fiitL

XJmpekouia Mbakda.

men who can do audi tbings, it is
notpropw that we should think
of contending with them," as, if
becavse their works conquer us,
^ey would conquer us also by
weapons.

Abelungu ba puma nokupelele
etongweni elikulu.

Indaba yetongo elikulu eli tshi-
wo abantu abamnyama, ba ti, eku-
veleni kwetu, tina 'bantu sa puma
nezintwana ezi lingene ukuba si
<dAle si pile ngazo ; ukuMakanipa
kwa ba oku lingene ukuzisizatina.

Ngaloko ke 'kuAlakanipa kwetu
okuDcinane, si se sodwa tiua aba-
mnyama sa si nga tsho ukuti si
nokuncinane; sati, la nokuAlaka-
nipa okukulu e sa piwako XJnku-
iunkulu. Kepa manje se si ti
kuncinane, ngokuba si bona uku-
^lakanipa okukulu kwabelungu
oku sibekela ukwazana kwetu ko-
nke e sa si temba ngako.

Futi, sa si nga tsho ukuti, ba
kona aba sala emuva ekudatshu-
Iweni kwezizwe. Sa si ti, sa pu-
ma kanye souke. Si ya bona ma-
nje ukuti, " Ai ; a si pumanga na-
luto olona sa abantu ngalo." Si

Thb white men came out from a
great Itongo with what is perfect.

As rc^rds the great Itongo
which is spoken of by black men,
they say that we black men at our
origin came out with little thingsi \
which were merely sufficient fory\
us to obtain food and to live ; our \
wisdom was eno«igh to enable us y
to help ourselves.

As regards, then, that little
wisdom, whilst we black men
were by ourselres we used not to
think we had little wisdom; we
thought we had great wisdom,
which TJnkulunkulu gave us. But/
now we say it is little, because w<
see the great wisdom of the whii
men which overshadows all out
little wisdom in which we used to
trust.

Further, we used not to say
that there were those who remain-
ed behind when the nations broke
off. We used to say, we came out
all together. But now we see it
was not so, but that we did not
come out with any thing which
made us really men. We see that

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKUHJNEULU.

bona ukuba abelungu bona ba sala
ba zuza kakulu etongweni elikulu.

Lapa si ti itongo elikulu, kaku-
lu a si tsbo ngomuntu wakwiti ofi-
leyo ukuti u 'litongo elikulu ; ngo-
kuba a ku tsbiwo fiiti ukuba leli
'tongo elikulu XJnkulunkulu, e si
ti wa dabula izizwe. lUzwi lodwa
eli kombako ukuba abelungu ba
puma nako konke, ba k^edela
okobuntu ; ba puma be Mubile, be
nge njengati ; tina sa puma si se
nolwebu, si nga Mubanga. Ldnto
zouke e sa puma nazo a si z' aza-
nga kakulu uku zi k^onda. Ngar
loko ke manje ilizwi lelo li kona
lokuba abeluDgu ba puma nokupe-
lele etongweni elikulu. Kodwa
ngi nga V azi uma leli 'tongo eli-
kulu ku tshiwo XJnkulunkulu ini
ke; kodwa ku be kona ukuba
'litongo elikulu ku nga tshiwo
ukuba itongo lelo u yena XJnkulu-
nkuluy ngokuba naye ku tiwa wa
vela oAlangeni ; a kw azeki ka/de
ke ukuba elona 'tongo i li pi na

the white men remained behind,
and obtained very much fromthe
great Itongo.

When we say the great Itongo,
we do not speak of one of our
dead, that he is a great Itongo.
For it is not said that that great
itongo is Unkulunkulu, who we say
broke off the nations. It is only
a word which points out that the
white men came out with every
thing, and possessed of every
thing that was needed for man-
hood; they came out perfect,*^
not like us who came out imper-
fect, not having cast off the skin
of imperfection. And all those
things with which we came out
we did not know sufficiently to
understand them. On that account
the word has arisen that the white
men came out with what is perfect
from a great Itongo. But I do
not know that that Itongo is said
to be Unkulunkulu ; but it used
not to be said that that Itongo
was one with Unkulunkulu, for
he too spitoig from Uthlanga ; we
cannot well understand whether

*2 The metaphor here is borrowed from the peeling off of the
skin of a new born child, or the casting off of the skin by a snake,
that it might be, as the natives think, more perfect. The white man
cast off the skin of imperfection before leaving the source of being.
The coloured man came out with the skin of imperfection still ad-
hering to him, and it has not been cast off to this day.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UKKtyLUNKULlT.

kunonkulunkulu no^langa na.
ku AlanzekaDga lapo.

XJhpengula Mbanda.

that Itongo is more likely to be
Unkulnnkuln, or Uthlaiiga.^ That
is by no means clear.**

^ Pringle describes Makanna, the great Kafir prophet, as refer-
ring his mission to " Uthlanga, the Great Spirit : " —

" By his spirit-rousing eloquence, his pretended revelations from
Heaven, and his confident predictions of complete success, provided
they would implicitly follow his counsels, he persuaded the great ma-
jority of the AmakiKOsa clans, including some of Hinza's captains, to
unite their forces for a simultaneous attack upon Graham's-town, the
head-quai-ters of the British troops. He told them that he was sent
by Uthlanga, the Great Spirit, to avenge their wrongs ; that he had
power to call up from the grave the spirits of their ancestors to assist
them in battle against the English, whom they should drive, before
they stopped, across the Zwartkops river and into the ocean ; * and
then,' said the prophet, * we will sit down and eat honey ! ' Ignorant
of our vast resom*ces, Makanna probably conceived that, this once
effected, the contest was over for ever with the usurping Europeans."
(Xa/rrative of a Residence in Sovih Africa, Pringle^ p. 299.^

It would be interesting to know what were the exact words used
by Makanna. Did he really use the words ascribed to him 1 or has
Pringle paraphrased for him ? However this, may be, it is clear that
Pringle had been led by his investigations among the Frontier Kafirs
to conclude that their idea of God is to be found in iJie word Uthla-
nga.

Shaw also remarks : —

" Befoi-e Missionaries and other Europeans had intercourse with
the KaflSrs, they seem to have had extremely vague and indistinct
notions concerning the existence of God. The older Kaffirs used to
speak of Umdali, the Creator or Maker of all things, and Uthlanga^
wliich word seems to have been used to denote the source or place
from which all living things came forth*" (Story of My Miesion, p^
451J

There can be no doubt that whilst Uthlanga is used by some to
mean a reed, which is supposed to have given origin to all things ; and
others speak of Uthlanga as the place from which all things came out,
yet the majority give it a personal signification ; and in tracing the
tradition backwai'ds, we rest at last in Uthlanga as the word which of
all others has wrapped up in it the native idea of a Creator.

** This notion of successive egressions from the centre of crea-
tion, which is a new idea among the natives of this country, having
arisen from a wish to explain the difference between themselves and
us, has its counterpart among the native tribes of South America : —
" They believe that their good deities made the world, and that they
fii*st created the Indians in their caves, gave them the lance, the bow
and an-ows, and the stone-bowls, to fight and hunt with, and then
turned them out to shift for themselves. They imagine that the dei-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Thb following account was obtained many years ago. It was in fact
among some of the very first papers written at the dictation of natives.
The native who gave it was an Izulu, who had just come as a refugee
from Zululand. I laid it aside as useless because the first answers the
man gave were absolutely contradictory to those I have recorded,
which he gave when I began to write. But there ia reason to think
from statements made by other natives; which have been given above,
that he was really speaking of two Onkulunkulu, — ^the first man, of
whom he correctly affirmed that no one prayed to him, worshipped
him, or. offered him any honour, but to whom he refers the origin, at
least the ordering, of things and creation ; and of the Unkidunkulu
of the Zulu nation, or of his own tribe, of whom he correctly affirmed
afterwards that the Amazulu pray to and worship Mm : —

Unkulunkulu u ng* ubani na 1

Tina a s* azi Unkulunkulu. A
ngi m azi Unkulunkulu. Ngi
kombela pezulu, ngi ti, " Nanku
Unkulunkulu,"

Who is Unkulunkulu ?

We do not know Unkulunkulu.
I do not know Unkulunkulu.*^
I point to heaven and say, " There
is Unkulunkulu,"^

ties of the Spaniards did the same by them ; but that, instead of
lances, bows, etc., they gave them guns and swords. They suppose
that when the beasts, birds, and lesser animals were created, those of
the more nimble kind came immediately out of their caves ; but that
the bulls and cows being the last, the Indians were so finghtened at
the sight of their horns, that they stopped up the entrance of their
caves with great stones. This is the reason they give why they had
no black cattle in their country till the Spaniards brought them over,
who more wisely had let them out of the caves." (Eeaeojrchea into
the Ewrly History of MankinoL Tylor^ p, 313.^

^ In accordance with the answer invariably given by natives,
when referring to Unkulunkulu, the first man,

*^ The native teacher thinks he must here refer to the legend of
the ascent of Usenzangakona into heaven, Note 4, p. 55. This is
quite possible ; and that in the statements which follow he might be
referring to supposed creative acts, which he ascribed to that chief
Compare Ukoto's statement, p. 50, with that of Ubapa*s mother, p.
55, who sums up her faith with the statement, that <' the whitemen
9XQ the lords who made all things."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

Abantu ba m bonga XJnkulu-
nkulu na?

Yebo, ba m bonga. Si ya m
tanda Unkulunkulu ngokuba si
dAla amabele, si vube amasi ; si
Alabe inyama yetu, si dAle umbila
"wetii, si d/de imT etu. Si ya m
tanda Unkulunkulu, a ti, " Ma si
tate abafazi ba be 'lishumi."
Unkulunkulu si ya m tanda ngo-
kub* a ti, "Ma-^si dAle inyama
yetu." Yena Unkulunkulu w' o-
na ukuV a ti, " Ma si bulawe, si
fe, si shiye inyama yetu." A ti
yena, " Ma si fe, si nga se zi 'ku-
vuka." W ona ke ukuba si fe ke
si nga se zi 'kuvuka. Unkulunku-
lu mu/de ngokuti, "Ma si kipe
iukomo zetu, si tenge umfazi."
Sa m tanda ke ngaloku, ngokuba
si dAla amadumbi ; sa m tanda
ngokuba si dAla umAlaza. Sa m
tanda ngokuV a ti, " Ma si puze
utshwala betu." Si ya m tanda
ngokuba a ti, " Ma si dAle inysr
mazane."

Abantu ba kuleka kunkulunku-
lunal

Yebo, ba kuleka kuye, ba ti,
"Mngane! Nkosi!"

Do the people worship Unkulu-
nkulu ?

Yes, they worship him. We
love Unkulunkulu because we eat
com,*'^ and mix it with amasi;
and kill our cattle, and eat our
maize, and our sweet cana We
love Unkulunkulu because he told
us to take ten wives. We love
Unkulunkulu because he told us
to eat our meat. But Unkulu-
nkulu erred when he said that we
were to be killed, and die, and
leave our meat. He said that we
were to die and never rise again.
He erred therefore when he allow-
ed us to die and rise no more.
Unkulunkulu is good because he
told us to take our cattle and buy
a wife. We love him on this ac-
count, because we eat amadumbi
and umthlaza,*^ and because he
told us to drink our beer. We
love him because he told us to eat
the flesh of game.

Do the people salute Unkulu-
nkulu?

Yes, they salute him, saying,
«0 Friend! Chief I"^*

*7 Compare what is said, p. 25, The worship of Unkulunkulu
consists in rejoicing at what is supposed to be his gift, good or bad,
and by casting on him and his ordinance the responsibility of their
own evil doing.

*® Amadumbi, edible tubers, a kind of arum, which the natives
cultivate. UmMaaa is also an edible tuber.

*» Or, Lord, or King.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKX7LUNKULU.

Ba ya kcela into kuye na 1
Yebo. Ba ti, " Si pe imvula,
nkosi, ku kule umbila wetu."

Abadala ba ti, " Wa be indoda
Unkulunkulu, wa be nomfazi."
A ngi r azi igama na lomfazi.
Abadala ba ti, " Wa e nomfazi, wa
6 zala abantwana." Unkulunkulu
wa veza abautu ngokuzala.

Do they ask him for any thing?

Yes. They say, " Give us rain,
O Chief, that our maize may
grow."^o

The old men say that Unkulu-
nkulu was a man, and had a wife.
Neither do I know the name of
his wife. The old men say that
he had a wife, and that he had
children. Unkulunkulu produced
children by generation.

*® This is the only instance I have met with in which even appa-
rently a native has said that prayer is made to Unkulunkulu, the first
man. On the contrary, every previous account implies the reverse.
I cannot personally enquire of the native who related the above, but
there can be little doubt that he was not alluding to Unkulunkulu,
the first man ; but to the head of the Zulu nation, or of his own
feimily — Onkulunkulu which are admitted on all hands to be objects
of worship and of prayer among the other Amatongo. Mr. Shooter,
in his work on Natal, says : —

" The tradition of the Great-Great (Unkulunkulu) is not univer-
sally known among the people. War, change, and the worship of
fidse deities have gradually darkened their minds and obscured their
remembrance of the true God. Captain Gardiner states that the
generality of the people were ignorant of it in his time." (p, 160. J

See Note 3, p. 54. Captain Gardiner doubtless would find " the
generality of the people " utterly ignorant of an Unkulunkulu in
heaven, except as a part of their faith in such legends as that of the
ascent of Usenzangakona. But I have never yet met with any native
old or young, of Natal or Zululand, or from any part between Natal
and the Cape, who was ignorant of the tradition of an Unkulunkulu
who came out of the earth, the first man, who lived, gave laws to his
children, and died.

Again, Mr. Shooter says : —

" There is a tribe in Natal which still worships the Great-Great
(Unkulunkulu), though the recollection of him is very dim. When
they kill the ox they say, * Hear, Unkulunkulu, may it be always so.' "

This statement also appears to be the result of inaccurate investiga-
tion and misapprehension. I never met with a case, neither have I
met with any native that has, in which Unkulunkulu is thus addressed.
But the Onkulunkulu of houses or tribes are addressed, not by the
name Unkulunkulu, but by their proper names, as Udumakade, Uzi-
mase, &c. Instances of this worship -of the Onkulunkulu have been
already given. When we come to the "Amatongo" wa s^h P^^ ^"^
^ more c learly wha t is real ly the nature of their worship, and thaL
UnSttWhkuiu, tiK first mkn, is oi' necessity sliut out.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ITNKULUNKULU.

Having had some conversation with Mr. Thomas Hancock on the
meaning of Unkulunkulu, he summoned several old Amabakca living
near him on the TJmzimkulu ; and we enquired the names of the
fathers of generations, beginning from the present, and going back-
ward. They gave the following : —

Ubaba

My father

Ubaba-mkulu

My grandfather

Ubaba-mkulu kababa-mkulu

My great-grandfather [lit, the

grandfather of my grandfather]

Ukoko

My great-great-grandfitther

Ukulu

My great-great-great-grandfii-

ther

They did not go further back, but were inclined to give the names of
those who preceded. They said nothing about TJnkulunkulu, until
we mentioned the word, and asked who he was. They then threw
their heads backward and said, " He was a long, long time ago, and
begat many people."

Shortly after, Mr. Hancock sent one Usithlann, an old Izulu, one
of XJtshaka*s soldiers, with a note, in which he says : — " Since you
were here I have questioned the bearer about TJnkulunkulu, as also
others. But unless I first give them the idea, they know very little
or nothing about it but the name, and that he is one that has begotten
a great number of children. He may be the fiftieth grandfather, or
the five-hundreth."

I proceeded to enquire of Usithlanu by the aid of a native, di-
recting him in the first place to ask Usithlanu to go backwards and
tell me what the Amazulu call the fathers of generations, b^inning
with his own father. He answered : —

Owa zala ubaba ubaba-mkulu;
owa zala ubabarmkulu ukoko ; owa
zala ukoko unkulunkulwana ; owa
zala unkulunkulwana unkulunku-
lu.

The fiither of my father is uba-
ba-mkulu ; his feither is ukoko ;
the £a,ther of ukoko is unkulunku-
lwana ;5i the fether of unkulu-
nkulwana is unkulunkulu.

^^ This was the first time I had met with the word Unkulunku-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ITNKULXTNKULi;.

Here be stopped; but wben I requested bim to go on still
reckoning backwards, be added : —

Owa zala unkulunkulu unkulu-
nkulu o ngembili j owa zala unku-
Iiinkulu o ngembili^^ unkulunkulu
o ngembili futi, . UdAlamini, XJ-
Alomo, Ubbadebe, XJngwana, U-
masbwabade.

Tbe fatber of unkulunkulu is
an anterior unkulunkulu ; and tbe
fiitber of tbat anterior unkulunku-
lu a still anterior unkulunkulu,
XJdblamini, Utblomo, Ubbadebe^
XJngwana, XJmasbwabade.

Beyond tbese be could not remember, but added, tbe five names
bere given are tbose by wbieb tbey call tbeir bouses, tbat is, families,
viz., tbeir izibongo or surnames.

I tben requested liim to give me bis own name, and tbe names of
bis fatber, grand&tber, &c., as far back as be could remember, wbicb
be did as follows : —

Iwana in my inta?course witb tbe natives. It is a diminutive, and
means tbe lesser or inferior Unkulunkulu. But Captain Grardiner
mentions it in tbe following extract : —

" It is agreed among tbe Zoolus, tbat tbeir forefatbers believed in,
tbe existence of an oveiTuling spirit, wbom tbey called Villenangi
[XJmvelin^ungi] (literally tbe First Appearer), and wbo soon after
created anotber beavenly being of great power, called Koolukoolwani,
[UnkulunkulwanaJ wbo once visited tbis eartb, in order to publish
tbe news (as tbey express it), as also to separate tbe sexes and colours
among mankind. During tbe period be was below, two messages were
sent to bim fix)m Villenangi, tbe first conveyed by a cameleon, an-
nouncing tbat men were not to die ; tbe second, by a lizard, witb a
contrary decision. Tbe lizard, baving outrun tbe slow-paced cameleon^
arrived first, and delivered bis message before tbe latter made bis ap-
pearance." (p. 17 8, J

In an earlier part of bis journal, after an interview witb Udi-
ngane, be says : —

" But wbat was God, and God's word, and tbe nature of tbe in-
struction I proposed, were subjects wbicb be could not at all compre-
hend." (p.n.j

^2 Ng&mbUJi. — XJsitblanu bas been living for many years among
tbe Amabakca, and uses rigembUi for tbe Zulu ngaparnbUi ; tbe Ama-
lala say ngakembUL

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU.

UsiAlanu

Umantanda

XJsigwakgu

Umlotsha

TJmsele

IJlinda

Uvninandaba

UdAlamini

TJAlomo

Uhbadebe

TJngwana

TJmashwabade

Izibongo zalabo bonke UdAlamini
nohhadebe nomtimkulu.

Ubaba

Ubaba-mkulu

Ukoko

XJnkulunkulwana

Unkulunkulu

Unkulunkulu o ngembili

ditto

The surnames of all of them are
Udhlamini, Uhhadebe, and XJm-
timkulu.^^

Upon further enquiry it appeared that he did not mean that all
the "Onkulunkulu here mentioned were the heads of genei'ations in
regular retrogression, but that the last six were contemporary, and
descended from one father. I asked him to go still further back, but
he was unable ; and added : —

Lapa si gcina kumtimkulu no-
ngwana nomashwabade noAlomo, i
bona aba dabula izizwe, amakosL

We end with XJmtimkulu and
TJngwana and Umashwabade and
Uthlomo, because they were the
chiefs who divided the nations.

As he did not of his own accord go back to the first unkulunkulu,
I asked him to tell me what, when he was a boy, he was told about
the origin of man. He said : —

Ba ti, sa puma emanzini, em-
Alangeni, elwandAle. Si zwe ku
tiwa, " Wa vela umuntu woku-
k^'ala owa puma eluAlangenL Wa

They told us that we came out
of the water, from a bed of reeds,
by the sea. We heard it said,
"There appeared the first man,
who came out of a reed. He

^^ These three were great chiefs, — amakosi oAlanga, — ^who left
their names as izibongo of their'respective tribes.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

mfKiTumKvuj.

komba amabele e milile, wa ti,
**KarninL** Nank' amabele," e
tsbo Unkulunkulu wamandulo,^^
UkjilL Uk^li kambe TJnkulU-
fikulu wokukcjala owa puma em-
^langeniy wa xala abantu.

TTmuntu wokuk^la u tiwa
Unkulunkulu. VTa vela nomfazi ;
nabanye abantu ba Tela emAlange-
ni emva kwake, abantu bonke
bendula Yena owokuk^ala e m-
kulu kambe, yena a zala abantu.
Si tsbo tina 'bantu, si ti, '' Ba za-
Iwa nguye yena a vela kuk^ala."

Abantu bendulo a si V azi uku-
zalwa kwabo. Ba vela emAlangeni
nje ; naye Unkulunkulu wa vela

** Ka-nmif Pluck, for Yika ni,

^^ WamatidiUo. — ^The most ancient Unkulunkulu.

Ba kona abantu bendulo aba-
ningi, kepa e si ti owamandulo o
ngapambili kwalabo bendulo.

pointed to the growing com and
said, "Pluck. Tbat is com."
This was said by the most ancient
Unkulunkulu, Uk^*« For U-
kfili was the first Unkulunkulu
who came out of the bed of reeds,
and begat men.

The first man is called Unkulu-
nkulu. He came out with a wife ;
and other men came out of the
bed of reeds after him, all the pri-
mitive men. He the first was
chief indeed, he who begat men.
We say, " They were begotten by
him who came out first."

We do not know that the pri-
mitive men wei*e begotten. They
came, as they were, out of the bed

There are many ancients, but he
whom we call owaraandulo was
befoi'e all the other ancients.

^ Ckqiliy ik^li made into a proper name. The-wise-ona

Ku tshiwo umuntu ow azi ka-
kulu ; ngaloko ke ngokuAlakanipa
kwake a ku sa tshiwo ukuti ik^i,
se ku tiwa Uk^li. Owokuk^/ala
ku tiwa Uk^ili, ngokuba wa kw e-
nza konke.

It means a man of exceeding
knowledge ; therefore on account
of his wisdom he is not merely
called in general terms wise, but
by the proper name, "The-wise-
one" (or Chiafbman). The first
man is called Ukgili because he
made all things.

Just as he is called Umdali, the breaker o^ because he is supposed to
have been the instrumental agent by which all things were broken off
or separated from the source or place of being ; and Umenzi^ the
maker, because he is supposed to have made all things, so the personal
name Ukqili is applied to him to denote the wisdom manifested in the
act of creation*

Digitized by VjOOQIC

VJXKVlXrSKVLV.

nje. A si m boni, si zwa nje ngo-
/i^langa. Si ti ke wa k^^ala, wa
milisa umAlaba, wa milisa intaba
ke, amanzi, amabele, ukudAla, in-
komo, nako konke. Kwa puma
konke nezinja nenkomo emanzini.
Si ti kw' enziwa u yena, loku si te
si vela kwa se ku kona konke
Ibko.

Unkulunkulii wa puma elu/Ja-
ngeni e nomfazi ; u tiwa nomfazi
Uukuluukulu bobabilL

of reeds f^ and Unkulunkulu
came out as he was. We do not
see him, and hear onlj of Uthla*
nga.*® So we say he was first; he
made^* the earth, and the moun-
tains, the water, com, food, cattley
and every thing. All things came
out of the water, dogs and cattle.
"We say they were made by him,
for when we came into being they
were already all in existence.

TJnkulunkulu came out of U-
thlanga with a wife ; she, as well
as he, is called Uukulimkulu.

I asked him to trace back the female heads of generation^ as he
had already the male heads. He said : —

Owa ngi zala umame.

Owa zala umame umakulu, no-
ma ukulu.

Owa zala umakulu ukoko wami.

Owa zala ukoko wami ukulu-
kulu.

Owa zala ukulukulu unkulu-
nkulu.

who gave birth to me is
umame.

She who gave birth to umame
is umakulu or ukulu.

She who gave birth to umakulu
is my ukoko.

She who gave birth to my uko-
ko is ukulukulu.

She who gave birth to ukuhi-
kulu is unkulunkulu.

^^ This notion appears to be frequently intimated in the l^enda
of the origin of man, — ^that not only TJnkulunkulu came out of the
bed of reeds, but primitive men also (abantu bendulo). TJnkulunkulu
simply came out first ; they followed with cattle, &a The abantu
bendulo therefore were not his offspring, but came out as they were
from the same place as TJnkulunkulu. An old Ikg'wabi, in relating
the legend, said that TJnkulunkulu was a great man ; he sat in a hole,
somewhere near the TJmtshezi, a river in Zululand, appearing with his
body only above the ground, and thus sitting moulded all things. By
this we are to understand that the Amak^abi's traditional centre
from which they sprang is on the TJmtshezi.

58 By TJthlanga meaning apparently the place from which TJnkti-
lunkulu and all other things came.

5^ Milisa, lit., caused to grow ; but = bumba, enza.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

tJNKULUNKULU.

Noma u indoda noma owesi£Eu&ana,
ku sa tiwa unkulunkulu naye uo-
wesidoda.

Whether it is man or woman we
say unkulunkulu, both of the fe<
male and of the male.

Thus, according to this native, the male and female heads of the
fifth generation backwards are called Unkulunkulu. Thus : —

Male : —
Ubaba

TJbabarmkulu
Ukoko

Unkulunkulwana
Unkulunkulu

Female : —
Umame

Umakulu, or Ukulu
Ukoko
Ukulukulu«<>
Unkulunkulu

I said to him, " Where now is the first unkulunkulu 1 "
replied i —

Okwetu sodwa tina, ku fa aba-
ncinane nabakulu, si muke ke isi-
tunzi. Unkulunkulu wetu tina
^bantu u ye lo e si tandaza kuye
ngenkomo zetu, si bonge, si ti,
" Baba !" Si ti, " D/damini ! Hha-
debe !^ Mutimkulu ! Hlomo !

All we know is this, the young
and the old die,^^ and the shade^'^
departs. The Unkulunkulu of us
black men is that one to whom we
pray for our cattle, and worship,
saying, " Father ! " We say, " U-
dhlamini ! Uhhadebe ! Umuti-
mkulu ] Uthlomo ! Let me ob-

•^ I had never before met with a native who thus separated Uku-
lukulu from Unkulunkulu. It is the reduplication of vlculu which is
never, so &r as I know, nasalised ; and is equivalent to unkulunku-
lwana, the diminutive of unkulunkulu. Below we shall find another
native making a similar distinction. But the majority of natives deny
the correctness of this distinction.

^ By this he means to say that Unkulunkulu no longer exists j
that he has died like all others, young and old.

^ IsUunziy shade. — This is, doubtless, a word formerly used for
the spirit of man, just as among the Greeks, Romans, ifec. And
scarcely any thing can more clearly prove the degradation which has
£9dlen on the natives than their not understanding that isitunzi meant
the spirit, and not merely the shadow cast by the body ; for there now
exists among them the strange belief that the dead body oasts no sha-
dow ; and when they say, '^ Liitunzi si muke," The shade has departed^
thej do not mean that the soul has left its tenement^ but that the body
has ceased to cast a shadow.

^ He said Uhhadebe was an Ithlubi^ that is^ one of the tribe of
the Amathlul^i

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ITKKULXTKKULU;

Tebo, ngi tole, nkosi ! ngi nga fi,
ngi pile, ngi hainbe kade." Aba-
ntu abadala ba m bona ebosuku.

tain what I wisb, Lord t Let me
not die, bat live, and walk long on
the earth."** Old people see him at
night in their dreams.

I asked him if, when he was a boy in Zululacd, the people ever
said any thing about a heavenly lord. He replied : —

Mina siAlanu ngi ti, i 1/ i kona
indaba yenkosi e pezuln, ngi tsho
ngemvula, ngi tsho ngemitandazo
yetu uma si kcela imvula. A ku
k^li na kutshaka ; na kwabendii-
lo imitandazo yokukcela imvula
ya i kona. Kepa XJtshaka u fike
wa dAlulisa eyake imitandazo. Wa
mema abantu, umkand^lu omkulii,
wa ba 'mnumuzana ; wa buta inka-
bi ezimnyama nezimvu nezingcama
ezimnyama ; wa za 'utandaza ; wa
vuma ingoma, wa tandaza enkosini
e pezulu ; wa ti kokoko bake, a ba
kulekele imvula enkosini pezulu.
La na izulu. Ligoma : —

Ukuhlahelela —

I ya wn ; a wu ; o ye i ye.
Ukuvnma —

I ya wo.

I, Usithlanu, for my part say
there used to be something said
about a heavenly loid, I mean as
regards rain, and oxnr prayers when
we asked for rain. That did not
begin even with TJtshaka; even
the primitive men used to pray for
rain. But Utshaka came, and
made his prayers greater than
those who preceded him. Ho
summoned the people, a great as-
sembly, consisting of the chiefs of
villages. He collected black^
oxen, and sheep and black rams ;
and went to pray ; he sang a song
and prayed to the lord of heaven ;
and asked his forefathers to pray
for rain to the lord of heaven.
And it rained. This is the song: —
One Part —

I ya wu j a wu ; o ye i ye.
Second Party or Response —

I ya wo.^

** Compare this with the account given p. 84, which it entirely
corroborates; the TJnkulunkulu of each tribe is the object of that
tribe's veneration and worship. It may be as well also to note that,
according to Burton, the Dahomans salute their king by crying,
"Grandfather, grandfather."

^ Black cattle are chosen because they wish black clouds, which
usually pour down much rain, to cover the heavens.

^ This song consists of musical soimds merely, but imperfectly
represented by the above, without any meaning.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

VKKULUNKULU.

Xiezo 'zinkomo ezomzimu ; za
butana 'ndawo nje. Uku/tlinzwa
kwazo ku be ku tatwa imiutsha
yamantombazana, i bincrvre ama-
lunga amakula ezinkalweni ; zi
Alinzwe, zi tutwe ngabanta abar
nye abandnyane, zi tutelwe en-
dAlunkulu, .^ncUlini zezalukazi,
lapa ku nga yi 'kuya 'muntxi. Ku
ya 'kuze ku pume indoda eukulu e
b' i zi Alinza nomuntu o be m ba-
mbela lap' e zi Alinzako ; a zi Ala-
Mele kusasa, zi pekwe ; zi pekwe
ke 'ndawo nye ngembiza eziningL
Li muk' ilanga, a y opule ngezite-
be, a u biza umpakati, a ti, a u
kupuke umpakatL Ukukupuka
umpakati u fike u pelele, i sa Alezi
i nga dAliwa 'muntu ; ba pelele
b' aAluke ngezibaya uku/ilala; ba
i nikwe kuAle inyama ezandAleni,
ba i nikwe, be i pata, ba nga i yisi
emlonyeni, ba ze ba pelele bonke,
ba i yise bonke kanye emlonyeni

Loku be k^'ala ba i hhubela in-
goma be nga ka i dAli, ba Tuma ke
kakulu, ba vuma, kwa duma pansi.
Ba y amukela ke emva kwoku-
hhuba, ba i yise kanye emlonyeni.

These cattle are the cattle of
XJmzimu f* they are collected into
one place. When they are killed^
the chief men gird themselves
with the girdles of young girls ;
they are skinned and carried by
other young persons and put in
the chief village, in the huts of the
old women, where no one enters.
In the morning the great man who
skinned them, and the man who
helped him, go out, and divide
them ; and they are boiled together
in many pots. When the sun is
declining, they take them out and
place them on feeding-mats, and
tell the great men to come up.
All the great men come up, the
flesh not being touched by any
one ; all the people are made to sit
down by their villages ; they have
the meat piit in an orderly manner
in their hands ; they hold it with-
out carrying it to their mouths,
until all are given, and all carry it
to their mouths at the same time^

They begin by singing the
song before they eat ; they sing it
very loud, and the groimd resounds
with the noise of their feet. They
take the meat aft;er singing, and
caiTy it all together to their
mouths. If one has taken a long

*^ Ezomzimu, The cattle of XJmzimu, that is, of the Itongo —
especially dedicated to the Itongo. Captain Burton mentions a word
very much like this, as being used for Ancestral Ghosts, — Muzimos, —
among the people to the South-east of Dahome. (Op. cit. Vol, II,,
p. 20, J

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKULU,

Wa ti ow epuze uku i k^ed% wa i
beka pansi ; wa Dgeza wa liliuba^
ukuba i pele emlonyeni.

time in eating the meat, he puts it
OD the ground, and sings again,
when he ha« swallowed what is iu
his mouth.

During the conversation he remarked : —

Nina 'balungu na sala kweliku- 1 You white men remained behind
lu itongo letu. I with our great Itongo.*®

I asked what he meant by " Itongo " hera TJmpengula an-
swered : —

Lapa e tsho itongo, ka kulumi
ngomuntu o filejo wa buya wa
Tuka ; u kuluma ngesanda selizwe

When he says Itongo, he is not
speaking of a man who has died
and risen again ; he is speaking of
the up-bearer of the earth,** which

*8 Compare p. 80.

Lapa si ti, " Na sala." Futifuti
ku ti^iwo njalo abamnyama ; la{)a
be bona abalungu ba k^edela bona
ukuAlakanipa, ba ti ke bona, ba
sala etongweni elikulu ; tina a si
Alalanga, sa puma, sa hamba si
nge nsduto. Tina si ti, ekwenzi-
weni kwetu nani, nina na Alala, na
k^^edela ukuAlakanipa ; tina sa pu-
ma ngokungati si ya 'ku ku tola
lapa sa ya kona.

Here we say, " You remained."
Black men frequently say this;
when they see white men perfect
in wisdom, they say they remained
with the great Itongo, but we did
not remain, but came out and
went away without any thing.
We say, at our creation together
with you, you remained behind
and perfected wisdom ; we went
out as though we should find it

where we were going.

^ lacmda aelizwe, — Isanda is breadth which supports something
upon it. Thus a table, bed, or sofa may be called an isanda. But
here it means not only breadth supporting ; but the power undemecUh^
from which the support comes. The following was given as an expla-
nation : —

Isanda selizwe ku tiwa inkosi,
XLgokuba a ku ko lapo i nge ko ;
y ande nezwe lonke ; ngaloko ke
ku tshiwo ku tiwa isanda seawa
Njengaloku zi kona izanda eziningi
zamabele ; amabele a ya bekwa
pezu kwesanda, ukuze amabele a
nga boli ugokuAlala pansi, a Alale

The up-bearer of the earth is
said to be the Lord, for there is no
place where he is not ; he is every
where ; he is therefore called the
up-bearer of the earth. Just as
there are many up-bearers of com ;
the corn is put upon the up-bearer
that it may not rot by lying on

Digitized by VjOOQIC

mnCULUKKULU.

es' emisa abantu nenkomo. Isa-
nda umAlaba e si hamba ngawo ;
isanda somAlaba e si hamba ngaso
e nga si Dge ka uma si uge ko, e si
kona ngaso.

supports men and cattle. The
up-bearer is the earth by which
we lire ; and there is the np-bearer
of the earth by which we live, and
without which we could not be,
and by which we are.

He also related the following curious tradition :-

Indaba yetu yendnlo. Kwa ke
kwa ti kw* e^la izinto esculwini
pezulu. Tebo ; za bonwa engainai
kwomuzi enkosini, kungwana ;
into zi nga zi mila uboya, tiuhlef

One of otir old traditions. It
happened that some things came
down from heaven. Yes; they
were seen at the lower part of the
chief Ungwana's village ; they
were as it were covered with hair ;
they were beautiful, and had the

pezulu. Ngaloko ke nendAlu futi
y^bantu y enzelwa isanda sezinti,
ukuze upaAla lu Alale pezu kwesa-
nda, si paswe ukuze si nga wi

Inkosi ke ku tshiwo njalo ngayo
ukuti i isanda sezwe, ngokuba izwe
li paswa i yo.

E tsho na sala kwelitongo eli-
kulu, u kuluma ngenkosi ; ngoku-
ba kwabantu abamnyama lapa be
ti, " Umuntu u bhekwe itongo," a
ba tsho ukuti lelo 'tongo umuntu
otile ; ngaloko leli 'gam^a lokuti
itongo a fi kulumi ngofileyo yedwa.
Si ya bona izinAloko ezimbili, ngo-
kuba abadala ba tsho ukuti, ^' Li
kona itongo elikulu." Futi manje
si y ezwa futifuti ngale inkosi e si
tshelwa ngayo. Abamnyama ba
ya tsho ba ti, ** Tongo elikulu lika-
baba ! '' Omunye a buze ngokuti,
« U tsho idAlozi na T A ti, " K^
Ngi tsho itongo eli pezulu." Nga-
loko ke itongo V enziwa uk^obo
olukulu.

the ground, but lie on a high place.
For the same reason the native hut
also has made for it an up-bearer
of rods, that the roof may rest
upon it, and be held up and not
fall.

In like manner, then, it is said
the Lord is the up-bearer of the
world, for the world is upheld by
him.

When he says you remained
with the great Itongo, he means
the Lord ; for among black men,
when they say, " The Itongo looks
on a man," they do not mean that
the Itongo is a certain man ; for
the word Itongo is not used of a
dead man only. We see it has
two meanings, for the ancients
said, "There is a great Itongo."
And now we continually hear
about that Lord whidi is mention-
ed to us. Black men say, ^* Great
Itongo of my father ! " And an-
other asks, " Do you mean the an-
cestral spirit ?' He replies, " No,
I mean the great Itongo which is
in heaven." So then the Itongo
is made a great person.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

XTITKTJLtTNKtrLtJ.

zi 'meMo a nga ti umuntu, si mili-
«e kwomuntu. Kva tiwa, " Izi-
Iwane, a zi bulawe." Kwa tiwa
sa zirabilk Za bulawa. Izwe la
& ke; iukosi y emuka nomoya,
ngokuba ku bulewe leoo 'zilo ; ne-
sindAlu z' emuka. S' ezwa ke wa
£ka TJgodongwana kajobe.

eyes and form of a man. It was
said, '^ They are wild beasts ; let
them be kilkd.'^ There were two.
They were killed. The whole
country died ; the chief was car^
ried away by the wind, because
those animals were killed ; and the
houses w^e carried away. And
we hear that tliere th^i began to
reign TJgodongwana^ the son of
Ujobe.

XTgofana and Umyeni, two Amakuza, came to see me. I a^s^ed them
to give me the names of the heads of generations on the female side,
^^hey agreed in the main, but XTmyeni made XJnkulunkulu the head
of the fifth generation backwards, and TJgofana of the fourth ; Um-
yeni inserting Ukulukulu as the fourth, like Usithlanu (see p. 91). I
then asked them to give me the heads on the male side, in like man-
ner. The result was as under : —

TJbaba

TJbaba-mkulu

Ukoko

Unkulunkulwana

XJnkulunkulu

TJmame

TJkulu

Ukoko

Ukulukulu

Unkulunkulu

I asked Ugofstna what they said about the Unkulunkulu of all
men. He said they knew nothing about him. They said he came out
of a reed. He could not tell me any thing about that Unkulunkulu,
nor any body else, for no one knew. All he could tell me was about
his own Unkulunkulu, for said he, pointing to two others, " He has
his ; and he his ; and I mine.^

Owa dabuka Umdanga (Umda-
ka) wa zala Umsondo ; Umsondo
wa zala UAlanguza; UAlanguza
wa zala Ujamo, owa zala mina.

Umdanga, who first broke ojBT,
b^at Umsondo; Umsondo begat
Uthlanguza ; Uthlanguza begat
Ujamo, who begat ma

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TTNKULUNKITLU.

1 asked them what they meant by " Owa dabuka," Who first
broke off. Umyeni replied, " Kuyise," From his father. And Ugo-
fena, after a moment's thought, gave his name, " KudAlad/da," From
Udhladhla, the great ancestor of their house, who has given them
their surname.

Two Amahekc&y an old and young man, gave me the heads of gene-
rations as given above, p. 86.

" But," I said, " is there not another word, XJkulukulu or XJnku-
limkulul"

They said, " He is further back (ngembili) ; " and went on to say
that all who were heads of generations anterior to the okoko were
called Ukulukulu, till they came to Umsondwo,'^®

owa vela kuk^ala, u lona uluAla-
nga Iwabantii ; u lona olwa dala
abantu, ba dabuke kulo, olu XJm-
sondwo owa dabuka wa dabula
abantu, umdali, umdali welive.

who came out first; he is the
uthlanga of men ; he is that uthla-
nga who broke - off men, they
having been broken off from him.
The uthlanga is Umsondwo, who
broke off, and then broke off men,
the umdali, the umdali of the
earth. "^^

I asked them what they said about the Okulukulu. They re-
plied: —

Aba ngembili kwokoko ba oku-
lukulu bokoko njalonjalo, ba za ba
yofika kumsondwo, owa vela ku-
k^la, umdali welive.

They who are anterior to the
okoko are the okulukulu of the
okoko in continuous retrogression,
till they reach Umsondwo, who
first appeared, the umdali of the
earth.

'^^ Or, Unsondo, see p. 13.

^^ Umdali is the same as UmdahuU, from ukvdala, the same as
zckudabula. The creator, in the sense understood by the natives.
(See Note 3, p. 1.)

Digitized by VjOOQIC

98 UNKULUNKULU.

I asked what they meant by Uthlanga, They answered :

UAlanga umuntu omdala owa
dala izikci zonke nenkomo, nezi-
nto, ne yonke impaAla.

Uthlanga is an old man who
made all things, both cattle and
things, and all kinds of property.

Umdumo, an old man, one of Ukukulela's people, an Tknza, being
unwilling or unable to give me any account of the traditions of the
people, I asked him to give me the names of the heads of generations
backwards. He gave them thus : —

He who begat me is Upotshiya-
na, my father ; he who begat
Upotshiyana is Umzabani, my
grandfather ; he who begat Umza-
bani is Uthlomo, the father of my
grandfather ; he who begat Uthlo-
mo is Unsele, my ukoko ; he who
begat Unsele is Usivunga, the
ukoko of my grandfather ; he who
begat Usivunga is Ulusibalukulu.
Ulusibalukulu was begotten by
Udhlamini, the ukulukulu who
broke off the nations. When he
came he broke off Ubithla, the
chief; and afterwards Ukukulela
^ and Umaghaga.

I asked him if there was not an Unkulunkulu, He replied,
" Unkulunkulu and Ukulukulu is one."

I again asked him who was the first man. He answered : —

Owa ngi zala Upotshiyana, uba-
ba ; owa zala Upotshiyana, Umza-
bani, ubaba - mkulu ; owa zala
Umzabani, UAlomo, uyise kababa-
mkulu ; owa zala UAlomo, Unsele,
ukoko ; owa zala Unsele, Usivu-
nga, ukoko kababa-mkulu ; owa
zala Usivunga, Ulusibalukulu. U-
lusibalukulu wa zalwa UdAlamini,
ukulukulu owa dabula izizwe.
Wa lika wa dabula UbiAla, inkosi ;
w* elekela Ukukulela nomaghaga.

UdAlamini u yena owa dabuka
kukgala, wa zala Ulusibalukulu,
owa zala Usivunga.

Udhlamini is he who broke off
first ; he begat Ulusibalukulu, who
begat Usivunga.

I again asked him still more pointedly, referring to their tradition
of the origin of man. He replied : —

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNKULUNKtJLU,

UdAlamini ibizo lowokukgala, e
si ti XJkulukulu.

XJdhlamini is the name of the
first man, whom we call Ukulu-
kulu.72

I aaked, " Wa dabuka pi 1 " Where did he break off 1 He said :

Ku tiwa UdAlamini lowo wa da-
buka entabeni, engome, isidabuko
setu.

It is said that XJdhlamini broke
off from the mountain Ingome, the
place of the origin'^3 ^f q^jj, tribe.

I asked him what were the nations he broke off (izizwe owa zi
dabula). He mentioned several, but I did not succeed in writing the
names ; but among them were those of which Ukukulela, XJisidoi,
and XJfodo are chiefe. The isibongo or surname of these chiefs is
XJdhlamini, he being their common ancestor.

I OYEBHEABD Uthlangabeza, one of XJkukulela's people, talking with
dome of the men of the village. He said Unkulunkulu and XJkulu-
kulu is one ; and XJmvelin^^angi and XJnkulunkulu is one ; that all
things came out of a mountain in the north ; and that XJthlabati'^*
is the name of that XJnkulunkulu owa dabuka eluAlangeni, — ^who
broke off from XJthlanga.

^2 Here we have a native distinctly stating that the founder of
his tribe was the first man, — that is, he confounds the first XJnkulu-
nkulu with the founder of his own tribe, who, he asserts was the
creator of all things, in the native sense of creation. Let the reader
consider how easy it is entirely to mistake the meaning of such state-
ments. And how unmistakeably it proves that the natives believe
that the XJnkulunkulu of all men was himself a man.

73 Comp. XJmdabuko, p. 50, Note 95.

7* UthXahati, that is, Earth-man, as Adam means " earthy " or
^' red earth."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

100 UKKULUNKULir.

APPENDIX,
ADDITIONAL NOTES.

Page 4, Note 11.

There is an interesting version of this legend given by Casalis as
existing among the Basutos : —

" * The Lord/ they say, ^ in ages gone by, sent this message to
men : Oh, men, you wUl die, but you will rise again. The messenger
of the Lord was tardy in the performance of his mission, and a wicked
being hastened to precede him, and proclaimed to men : The Lord
saith. You will die, and you will die for ever. When the true mes-
senger arrived, they would not listen to him; but replied, The first
word is the first, the second is nothing.* In the legend the first mes-
senger of the Lord is designated by the name of the Grey Lizard, and
the other who supplanted him, by that of the Chameleon." (The
Bamtos, p, 2i2J

The word here rendered by Casalis " Lord " is no doubt Morimo,
the meaning of which see in the article on Utikax>.

Arbousset again gives another version "aa current in South
Africa," and which connects in a cuiious way the Hottentot legend
with that of the natives of these parts : —

" The Lord (Morena) sent in the former times a grey lizard with

his message to the world, * Men die they will be restored to life

again.' The chameleon set out from his chief, and, arriving in haste,

he said, * Men die they die for ever.* Then the grey lizard came

and cried, *The Lord has spoken, saying. Men die they shall live

again.' But men answered him, * The first word is the first ; that
which is after is nothing.' " (Op, cit,y p, 3i2.J

Campbell gives the following legend of the cause of death on the
authority of a Mashow native : —

" Matoome was the first man, and had a younger brother of the
same name, and a sister whose name was Matoomyan. She was the
first who came out from the hole, and had orders respecting the cattle^
and was appointed to superintend them ; but her brother Matoome
came out, and without leave went and led the cattle round the end of
a mountain, which so enraged his sister, who possessed medicine for
the preservation of life and health, that she returned to the hole, car-
rying with her the precious medicine ; in consequence of which dis-
eases and death came into the world, and prevail in it to this day."
(Op. cit Vol. /., p, 306.^

Page 65, Note 27.

The following extract from the Sire de Joinville's Saint Louis,
King of France, is added as an interesting illustration of the existence
of a custom similar to that of making the Isivivane : —

" He related to us yet another great marveL While he was in

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UNJLULUNKULU.

101

their camp a knight of much means died, and they dug for him a
broad and deep trench in the earth ; and they seated him, very nobly
attired, on a chair, and placed by his side the best horse and the best
sergeant he had, both alive. The sergeant, before he was placed in
the grave with his lord, went round to the King of the Comans, and
the other men of quality, and while he was taking leave of them they
threw into his scarf a large quantity of silver and gold, and said to
him, * When I come to the other world thou shalt retxirn to me what
I now entrust to thee/ And he replied, * I will gladly do so.*

" The great King of the Comans confided to him a letter address-
ed to their first king, in which he informed him that this worthy man
had led a good life and had served him feithfdlly, and begged him to
reward him for his services. When this was done they placed him in
the grave with his lord and the horse, both alive ; then they threw
over the trench boards closely fitted together, and the whole army ran
to pick up stones and earth, so that before they slept they had erected
a great mound over it, in remembrance of those who were interred."

The following letter is republished from the Natal Courier to
establish the feet that Ukulukulu is only a dialectic pronunciation of
Unkulunkulu : —

To the Editor.

Sir, — ^You have thought the
discussion of the meaning of
Unkulunkulu worth a place in the
Courier. Will you grant me space
for a few more remarks ?

I have, for some years, been
perfectly satisfied with the accu-
racy of my views on this subject.
Yet I have not discontinued my
researches. Every fresh objection,
and even every old objection re-
peated by a new objector, has led
to new investigations ; and every
fresh investigation has led to a
confirmation of my previous views,
whilst it has at the same time ex-
tended them and made them more
clear. This has been the case with
A. B.'s objection, that I have con-
founded Unkulunkulu, the nasal-
ized form, with Ukulukulu, the
unnasalized word.

I have for a long time been
aware of the use of the two words
among the natives ; and although
I copied without comment Dr.

Bleek^s remark ; — " perhaps the
unnasalized form is at present
more usual in the signification of
a great-great-grandfather, or the
first ancestor of a family or tribe ;'*
— ^thinking he had authority for
such a statement ; it did not tally
with my own experience, my im-
pression being very decided, that
the nasalized form is by far the
most common, I having very sel-
dom heard the unnasalized word
used by natives. The reason of
this is now obvious. My investi-
gations have been conducted for
the most paii} among the Ama-
zulu : whilst the unnasalized form,
Ukulukulu, is a tribal pronuncia-
tion. So far as I at present know,
it is pronounced thus especially by
the Amalala; but probably it is
also in use among other tribes.
The Amazulu, the Amakicosa, and
the Amakuza use the nasalized
form, Unkulunkulu.

It will perhaps help others to a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

102

UNKULUNKULTJ.

clear understanding of this matter,
if I just detail some conversation
on the subject with two sets of
natives on two difierent occasions,
since my last letter to the Courier,

There were three men working
together. The eldest, Ung^'eto,
some time ago gave me Duma-
kade as the name of the Unkulu-
nkulu of his house. This word
Dumakade is his isibongo, and
all members of his house can be
addressed by it. I addressed him
by the name, " Dumakade !" The
other two smiled at my knowing
his isibongo; and he, laughing,
said — "I told you that name a
year ago, and you remember it
now." — ^I said — "Yes; you told
me Dumakade was the name of
the XJnkulunkulu of your house."
—He said—" Yes."

I turned to another, and said —
" Usibamu, what is the name of
yours?" — He replied, without a
moment's hesitation — " Ubaleni"

I turned to Utombo, and asked
— " And of yours 1 " He answer-
ed—" Ukwele."

Another native here joined us,
and I asked him — " Ulwati, what
is the name of the XJnkulunkulu
of your house 1 " — He said —
" Does he ask our isibongo ? " — I
replied — " I said nothing of isi-
bongo. I asked the name of your
Unkulunkulu." — He answered —
" Uzimande."

At a short distance there was a
fifth man, Ugovana, working. I
had asked him a few weeks ago if
he knew anything of Unkulunku-
lu ; and he gave me the common
version of the tradition of the
origin of man. I went to him ;
and he, having overheard us, said
— " O, you were asking of that !
I thought you were asking me
about the XJnkulunkulu wabantu
bonke (the XJnkulunkulu of all
men)." — I said — "Yes, I was,

when I asked yon a short time
since. But are there not many
Onkulunkulul"— He said—" Yes.
Om^ is Umdaka."

Thus in the space of half an
hour I have the names of five dif-
ferent Oukulunkulu given to me.
And be it remembered that these
Onkulunkulu are the objects of
worship in their respective houses.

I observed, on another occasion,
Umpengula, a native Christian,
standing by the side of three hea-
then natives. Their names are
XJdingezi,XJbulawa, and XJmkonto.
They are all probably more than
sixty years old. I called XJmpe-
ngula and said — " They say I have
confounded XJnkulunkulu with
XJkulukulu. What do you say ? "

He replied — " What do they
mean ? Why, it is one word. The
Amazulu say XJnkulunkulu ; the
Amalala say XJkulukulu."

I said — " I know. But what I
want to ask ii^ whether you re-
member when Ukoto came, and I
asked him about XJnkulunkulu?"

He said — "Yes. I remember
quite well."

" He told me that their XJnku-
lunkulu was XJsenzangakona."

" Do you remember my asking
him whether he did not mean
XJkulukulu, and his answering,
* We (viz., Amazulu) say XJnkulu-
nkulu. But it is all one ? * "

He said — " Yes. I remember."

" And you agree with him 1 "

"Certainly."

I said — " Let us call XJdingezi,
and hear what he will say. Do
you ask him, and I will be silent.
Ask him what the heads of gene-
rations are called."

XJdingezi cama

XJmpengula put his question
thus — "What is the name of
your XJkulukulu (the unnasalized
form)?"

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UlTKULUKKULU.

103

I was vexed with this, because
I had not wished any thing to be
suggested; and said — "No; ask
him thus, What is the father of
your father called, and so on back-
wards."

He began — " He who begat
ubaba is ubaba-mkulu, or ukulu ;
he who begat ubaba-mkulu is uko-
ko ; he who begat ukoko is unku-
lunkulu." Thus using the nasal-
ized form, though the unnasalized
word had been suggested. An
experimentum crude this !

We then went to Ubulawa and
Umkonto, who were still sitting
on the grass at a distance. They
gave the heads of generations in
the same way as TJdingezi, viz.,
Ubaba, Ukulu, Ukoko, Unkulu-
nkulu: each using the nasalized
form.

I asked them what the Amalala
called the head of the fourth gene-
ration back 1

They thought for a little while,
and Ubulawa answered — " Ukulu-
kulu."

I said — "Then Unkulunkulu
and Ukulukulu is one."

They replied— " Yes. The A-
mazulu say Unkulunkulu ; the
Amalala Ukulukulu."

I asked — " Are you Amazulu 1"

They replied — "No; we are
Amakuza."

I continued — " Well, you speak
01 one Unkulunkulu of all men.
What was his name ? "

They replied — "We do not
know him. We know nothing
about him."

I said — " I mean him who first
came out of the bed of reeds, and
brought out all things."

They replied they knew nothing
about him.

We are not to understand this
answer absolutely. Had I wished
it, I could have got each of them
to relate a version of the tradition.

I said — " But some of the
Onkulunkulu have names 1 "

They replied—" Yes."

I asked — " What is the name of
yours, Ubulawa?"

" Umpungulo."

" And of yours, Udingezi 1 "

" UjikitshL"

" Aid of yours, Umkonto 1 "

" UsonL"

" Has the Unkulunkulu of the
Amakuza tribe a name ? "

"Yes; Uthlomo."

And Udingezi added, without
my asking — " Udhlamini is the
name of him who divided the
tribes." 75

'^^ We have met with this saying frequently in the previous pages.
It has been understood to mean that Unkulunkulu created the nations.
But it has no such meaning, and does not even allude to creation at
all, as will be clear from the following explanation of the words : —

Ukudabula izizwe i loku ukwa-
Alukanisa indAlu etile netile, zi
hamba ngokwaAlukana, zi zibusela.
Ukudabuka ke loku ; ngokuba a
zi sa yi 'kubuyela emuva, se zi ya
pambili njalo.

Njengaloku ku tiwa ku kona
ukudabuka kwegode mAla Udinga-
ne 'aAlukana nompande. Kwa

To divide (or break ofi") the
nations is this, to separate house
from house, that they may go in
different directions, and have their
own government. This, then, is
division ; for they will never again
return to their first position, but
separate further and further from,
each other.

For instance, it is said there
was a division of the rope when
Udingane separated fix)m Umpa-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

104

UNKULUNKULU.

From these conversations we
conclude that there are many who
are called Unknlimkulu : —

1. Great-great-grandfathers, of
whom eight are here named.

2. The heads of tribes, of whom
one is named.

3. The dividers of tribes, of
whom one is named.

4. The Fnkulunkulu of all
men, whose name is unknown.

This last I have been accustomed
to call, for the sake of distinction,
Unkulunkulu the Fifst, and the
others, Secondary Onknlunknlu.
Dr. Bleek feels the need of a dis-
tinctive epithet, and says, the
XJnkulu nkulu 'pa/r eaxellence. "^ We
find a native making the distinc-
tion of his own accord, by saying
the Unkulunkulu of all rnen. We
have also the separate testimony
of several natives that Ukulukulu
is all one with Unkulunkulu, and

that the former is a tribal pronun-
ciation.

I think, Sir, that entirely inde-
pendently of other materials in
my possession, the position is fully
established by what I have here
written, that Unkulunkulu is,
both on critical and religious
grounds, an utterly unfit word
with which to translate GrOD. The
error of supposing it to be, ap-
pears to me to have arisen from
the fact that the natives ascribe in
some sort the divine act of Crea-
tion to the first man. But I think
I shall be able, at a future time, to
show that their notions of creation
axe so widely opposed to ours, that
most of the words they use to ex-
press it are unfit to be used for the
purpose by the missionary, imply-
ing as they do a theory of creation
utterly inadmissible in Christian
theology, which is founded on the
Word of God. H. C.

nde. It was said, " Umpande has
broken otf from Udingane, and
goes by himself; and Udingane
too is by himself." That is to
divide or break oiT.

The dividing (or breaking off)
of the nations at first is this, that
a primitive chief should make a
division in his many houses, say-
ing, "So-and-so, live in such a
place. Depart from this place,
and go and reign for yourself."
He says the same to another, and
to all his children.

This, then, is to divide (or break
off) the nations. And those be-
come nations who are taken out
together with their villages. For
example, Umahhaule broke off
from the Abambo, and Unjan also,
and Umunyu, and Ungangezwe.
All these came from Uzithlanthlo,
their great chief.

^^ Usithlanu calls him "Unkulimkulu wamandulo," The most
ancient Unkulunkulu, see p. 89.

tiwa, " Umpande u dabukile ku-
diugane, u se zihambela yedwa ;
nodiiigane u se yedwa." Nako
ukudabuka.

Ukudabuka kwezizwe kuk^'ala
ukuba inkosi yo/Janga y aAluka-
nise ezind/dini zayo eziningi, i ti,
" Bani, yaka ekutini, u pume lapa,
u zimele." Na komunye, kubo
bonke i tsho njalo.

I loko ke ukudabula izizwe ; se
be izizwe labo aba kitshiwe nemizi.
Njengaloku Umahhaule u dabuke
embo, nonjan, nomunyu, nonga-
ngezwe. Bonke labo ba puma
kuziAlanMo, inkosi yabo enkulu.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UTIKXO.

105

UTIKXO.

XJtikxo, the word adopted for God
by the early missionaries among
the Ko^osa or Frontier Kafirs, was
not a word known to the natives of
these parts, but was introduced by
missionaries and others. And it
is generally supposed that the
word does not properly belong to
the Kcosa or any other of the
alliteratiye dialects spoken iu South
Africa;^ but has been derived
from the Hottentots. The word
TTtikax) has the nearest resem-
blance to the TikiBwoa of the Cape
Hottentot dialect

We cannot doubt that this is
the word which Kolb means to
express as the Hottentot name for
Gkni* Having declared his un-
doubting conviction that the Hot-
tentots generally " believe in a
supreme Being, the Creator of
heaven and earth, and of every
thing in them ; the arbiter of the
world, through whose omnipotence

all things live and moVe and have
their being. And that he is en-
dowed with unsearchable attributes
and perfections," he goes on to
say : — " The Hottentots call him
Gounja Grounja or Gounja Ticquoa;
that is, the God of all gods ; and
say he is a good man, who does
nobody any hurt ; and from whom
none need be apprehensive of any ;
and that he dwells far above the
moon.***

If the investigations of Moffat,
Appleyard, Casalis, and others are
correct, Kolb very much exagge-
rated the Hottentot notion re-
specting God, and substituted in^
stead of what they really believed,
the belief of a. Christian man.
Nothing is more easy than to en-
quire of heathen savages the cha-
racter of their creed, and during
the conversation to impart to them
great truths and ideas which they
never heard before, and presently

* Bleek. Comparative Grammar, p. 92, sec. 397. — Moffiit. Mis-
ffiionary Labours, pp. 257, 258. — ^Appleyard. Kafir Grammar, p. 13.

> The Present State of the Cape of Good Hope, <&c. Written
originally in High German. By Peter Kolben, AM. Done into
English. from the original, by Mr. Medley* Kolb's Work was pub-
lished in German, Folio, 1729. I quote fix>m the translation by
Medley, 2 Vols. 8vo., published 1731.

8 Id., YoL L, p. 93.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

106

trriKxo.

to have tlies^ come back again as
articles of their own original &ith,
when in reality they are but the
echoes of one's own thoughts.
But even here in KolVs statement
we have the idea, more clearly and
distinctly enunciated by after in-
vestigators, that great^ and mighty
and good, as, according to him, the
Hottentots might have regarded
their Tikarvroa, they believed that
he was but " a good man."

And further on Kolb tells us
they also " worship an evil deity
whom they look upon as the father
of mischief, and source of all
plagues. They call him Touquoa ;
and say he is a little, crabbed, in-
ferior captain, whose malice against
the Hottentots will seldom let him
rest ; and who never did, nor has
it in his nature to do, any good to
any body. They worship him
therefore, say they, in order to
sweeten him and to avert his
malice."^

The two words — Ticquoa and
Touquoa — ^here given for a good
and evil deity, are remarkably
alike ; and it is not improbable
that Kolb mistook two words,
identical in meaning, and applied
to one imaginary being, for the
name of two beings, a good and
evil one. If not, then we must
suppose that since the time of
Kolb a great corruption has taken

* Id., p. 104.

^ Comparative Grammar, p. 9

place in the original creed of the
Hottentots, and that the good and
evil, which were formerly kept
distinct and referred to different
agents, have become confused, and
are indiscriminately ascribed to
one being.

Observing that Dr. Bleek speaks
of Tikxwoa as being one with
" KolVs Tikquoa or touquoa," I
supposed he might have more
ample reason for thinking them
identical than I had.^ His rea-
sons, However, a*^ sinnply philolo-
gical. I quote from his letter on
the subject : — "By identifying
this Toukquoa with Tikquoa, the
name for God found in the voca-
bulary (where Cham-ouna is tliat
for the devil, who is called in Na-
ma Hottentot Kau-ap), I do not
think I exceeded the probability.
But it may yet be that Kolb meant
a different word. However, con-
sidering it fiilly, I have not much
doubt it is really the same word,
identical with the Kama Tsui-
kxoap, which contain both the
vowels in the first syllable <^
which the two renderings of Kolb
give only each one."

I may add that whilst recently
on a visit among the Griquas I
met with several persons who
were acquainted with the Hotten-
tots, find understood their lan-
guage. They told me that the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

trriKxa

107

name they used for Crod was
Tikqwa. They did not know any
other name for an evil principle
resembling it. They also under-
stood the language of the Bush-
men, and told me that their word
for Crod was Ik^um'n; and that
the meaning of the word was,
" Father who is abova"

Moffat quotes from Dr. Yandeiv
kemp the following, which appears
to justify the surmise that Kolb
was mistaken in supposing the
two words referred to two beings
£rom not observing that he was
dealing with a merely tribal dif-
ference of pronunciation;^ — "A
decisive proof of what I here say
with I'espect to the national athe-
ism of the Kafii's, is, that they
have no word in their language to
express the idea of Deity ; the in-
dividuals just mentioned calling
him 'Thiko, which is a corruption
of a name by which God is called
in the language of the Hottentots,
literally signifying one that indtices

But Moffat is equally decisive

that the Hottentots and Namaquas
are just as ignorant of God, and
their language just as devoid of a
word for God, as Dr. Vanderkemp
and others have represented the
Kafirs. Whilst pursuing his in-
vestigations among the inhabitants
of Great Namaqualand, he says :
— " I met with an ancient sorcei'er
or doctor, who stated that he had
always undei^tood that Tsui^kuap
was a notable warrior, of great
physical strength ; that in a des-
perate struggle with another chief-
tain, he received a wound in the
knee, but having vanquished his
enemy, his name was lost in the
mighty combat which rendered
the nation independent; for no
one could conq\ier the Tsui'kuap
(wounded-knee). When I refeired
to the import of the word, one
who inflicts pain or a sore knee,
manifesting my surprise that they
should give such a name to the
Creator and Benefactor, he replied
in a way that induced the belief
that he applied the term to what
we should caU the devil, or to

• Dr. Bleek gives the following variations of the Hottentot name
of God, which, not having the requisite characters, I shall spell in
accordance with the principles laid down in the Preface to Vol. I. of
^tUu Nwr%ery Tales : —

" I add here the Hottentot name for God, which is Tsuikqwap
(Schmelen's Tsoeikwap) or Tsuigax>ap (Wallmanu's Zuigjcoap) in the
l^ama ; and Tshukowap in the K^ora dialect ; Thuikxwe (Van der
Kemp's Thuickwe) among the Eastern Hottentots; and Tikcwoa
(KolVs Tik^oa or Toukgwoa) near the Cape." fComp, Gram., p, 92. J

It will be seen that most of these words differ from each other
more than the two words of Kolb.

J Moffat Op. cit, p. 257.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

108

TJTIKZO.

death itself j adding that he
thought death, or the power caus-
ing death, was very sore indeed."^

And then he asks : — " May not
the Tsui'kuap of these people be
like the Thlanga of the Elafirs, an
ancient hero; or represent some
power whidi they superstitioufily
dread, from its causing death or
pain?"»

We see, then, that Mo£[at comes
to a conclusion somewhat similar
to that of Kolb, that there is an
evil principle or being, feared by
the Hottentots, and which has re-
ceived the name of Tsui'kuap,
which is equivalent to TJtikox).
But he does not appear to have
heard any thing of the good prin-
ciple or being, of which Kolb

Again, Oasalis expresses an
equally decided opinion as to the
'* endemical atheism " of the inha-
bitants of South Africa generally.
He says : — " The l^bes had en-
tirely lost the idea of a Creator.
All the natives whom we have
questioned on the subject have
assured us that it never entered
their heads that the earth and sky

might be the work of an inviiible
being."io

Shaw also says: — '^The Kafir
nations cannot be said to possess
any religion."^^ And again: —
'^Before Missionaries and other
Europeans had intercourse with
the Kafirs, they seem to have had
extremely vague and indistinct
notions of Ckni The older Kafirs
used to speak of Umdali, the
Creator or Maker of all things,
and TJthlanga, which word seems
to have been used to denote the
source or place from which all
living things came forth."^^

A similar statement is made by
Arbousset. He says : — " They
have scarcely retained the idea of
a Supreme Being. The more en-
lightened admit that there is a
M(yrena in heaven, whom they call
the powerfid master of things, but
the multitude deny that there is,
and even this name of morena is
the same as they give to the lowest
of their chiefs. All the blacks
whom I have known are atheists,
but it would not be difficult to find
amongst them some theists. Their
atheism, however, does not prevent

• Moffat. Op. dt., p. 259,
» Id., p. 259.

10 Casalis. The Basutos, p. 238.

11 Story of My Mission, p. 444.

1* Id., p. 451. — ^My reasons for thinking that these views require
very considerable modification are given in another place.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UTIKXO.

109

their being esiremelj superstitious,
or from rendering a kind of wor-
ship to their ancestors, whom they
call barimoSf or in the singular

He says of the Mountain Bush-
men's faith : — " They say that
there is a Kacmg or Chief in the
sky, called also Ktie^Akeng-teng,
the Man, that is to say, the Master
of all things. According to their
expression, ' one does not see him
with the eyes, but knows him with
the heart' He is to be worshipped
in times of &inine and before
going to war, and that throughout
the whole night, performing the
dance of the niokoma,''^^

The same notion of malevolence
is connected in the native mind
among the Bechuanas with the
word Morimo, which the Mission-
aries have adopted for God. The
meaning of Morimo as given by
Mo£Q9it,^^ and of Molimo as given
by Casalis,^^ is, like that given to
the Bushmen's Ik^iim'n, " He that
is in heaven." But, says Moffat,
** Morimo, to those who knew any
thing about it, had been represent-
ed as a malevolent selo or thing "^"^
And again, " According to native
testimony Morimo, as well as man,

with all the different species of
animals, came out of a cave or
hole in the Bakone country."^*
" There is," says Casalis, " an ob-
vious contradiction between the
language and the received ideas. "^*
— That is, I presume, Casalis sup-
poses that the word Morimo or
Molimo, — a heavenly one, — ^is a
testimony preserved in the lan-
guage of the people against their
present infidelity and corruption
of fEiith. And Archbishop Trench,
in his work on " The Study of
Words," has brought this word
forward as a remarkable instance
of the disappearing of an important
word from a language, and with it
" the disappearing as well of the
great spiritual fact and truth
whereof that word was once the
vehicle and the guardian. "^^

But Dr. Bleek has made it more
than probable that Mc^at and
Casalis are mistaken in the deriva-
tion and meaning of this word ;
and that Molimo has a sound by
accident only similar to Moh^olimo
— " one who is in heaven." He
says : — " In other South African
languages, different words are
found indicating the idea of a su-
preme being ; but in Se-tshuana at

^ Op. dt., p. 69.
15 Op. dt, p. 260.
" Op. dt, p. 261.
i» Op. dt, p. 248.

" Op. cit, p. 363.
i« Op. cit, p. 248.
18 Id., p. 263.
20 P. 18.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

110

rrnxxa.

least the word for * God ' has a
similar reference to their ancestor
worship as the Zulu UnkultmktUtL
Thus in Se-suto Mo-limo means
€rod, and me-limo gods, but mo-
limo, ancestral spirits, plur. bar
limo:'^^

This is a far more probable de-
rivation. And when we remember
that Morimo is supposed to have
come out of the same hole that
gave origin to man and beasts, as
XJnkulunkulu came out of the
same bed of reeds ; and that in the
native mind there is no connection
of thought between a heavenly
being and this Morimo, there can
be little doubt of the correctness
of the view taken by Dr. Bleek.

Further, it may be added in
corroboration that although the
Amazulu do not say XJnkulunkulu
is an Itongo, — ^an ancestral spirit ;
they say he was an Ukoko, — an
ancestor : and not only does it ap-
pear that they suppose that at one
time he was regarded as an Itongo,
and was worshipped among other
Amatongo by his own laud-giving
names, but we find them incident-
ally giving intimations of a belief
in a great Itongo from whom all
things proceeded. Thus they are
heard to say in explanation of the
superiority of the white man to
the coloured that the former re-

mained longer with a great Itongo
than the blacks, and therefore
came into being more perfect, with
better habits and accoutrements. ^

This view brings the notions of
different people of South Africa
into a certain similarity and con*
sistency. Whilst on the other
view they are neither consistent
with themselves nor with each
other.

Appleyard gives a somewhat
similar account to that of Mo^
fat as to the meaning of Utika».
He says : — " Tshoei'koap is the
word from which the Kafirs have
probably derived their Utixo, a
term which they have invariably
applied, like the Hottentots, to de-
signate the Divine Being, since
the introduction of Christianity.
Its derivation is curious. It con-
sists of two words which together
mean 'the broken knee.' It is
said to have been originally applied
to a doctor or sorcerer of consider-
able notoriety and skill among the
Hottentots or Namaquas, some
generations back, in consequence
of his having received some injury
of the knee. Having been held
in high repute for extraordinary
powers during life, he continued
to be invoked, even affcer death, as
one who could relieve and pro-
tect j^^ and hence, in process of

21 Op. cit., p. 91. 22 See p. 80.

23 That is, strictly in accoixlance with the custom of an ancestor-
worshipping people.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ITTIKXa

111

time, he became the nearest in
idea to their first conceptions of
God."«*

If this account be oorrecti and
tiiere appears no reason whatever
for doubting its accuracy, it is
dear that the early Missionaries,
in using the word XJtikaK> for God,
adopted an isibongo, or laud-giving
name, of some old brave.

To my mind nothing here found
conveys the idea that the notion of
divinity was ever in the unedu-
cated native mind connected with
Utikax) ; much less that XJtikox)
ever meant God : on the contrary
that it meant something very dif-
fei'ent from God ; in 9ome in-
stances, at least, an evil spirit,
which was worshipped just on the
same grounds as the Yezidis wor-
ship Satan, '< because he must be
conciliated and reverenced ; for as
he now has the means of doing
evil to mankind, so will he here-
after have the power of rewarding
them.''^ And it appears to me to
have been unwisely and improperly
adopted by the early Missionaries ;
to be explained and excused only
on the ground that at first the
teachers and taught were unable
freely to communicate ideas one to
the other.

The term Molimo or Morimo

appears equally improper. How
very objectionable is it to use a
word for God in teaching savages
the doctrines of Christianity, to
which they have a natural or
rather educated repugnance, and
of the Being whom it is meant to
represent they can speak as a
native chief spoke to Mr. Mof^t :
— "When we assured him that
God (Morimo) was in the heavens,
and that He did whatever He
pleased, they blamed us for giving
Him a high position beyond their
reach ; for they viewed their Mo-
rimo as a noxious reptile. * Would
that I could catch it, I would
transfix it with my spear,' ex-
claimed S., a chief, whose judg-
ment on other subjects woidd com-
mand attention."*®

At the same time it is quite
possible that the confusion of ideas
between good and evil, — ^the asso-
ciation of the idea of evil with
God, — ^which we here meet with,
is a confusion of comparatively
recent times ; that originally there
existed a defined belief in a good
and an evil Being; but that the
common multiform natural phe-
nomena, which are constantly ex-
hibiting the Creator's beneficence,
were lost to these afflicted populi^
tions amidst phenomena of an ap-

2* Grammar, p. 13.

25 Layard's Nineveh. Yol. L, p. 298.

2« Op. dt, p. 265.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

112

^CJTIKXO.

pareutly opposite diaracter, and
especially amidst the stiff^ngs and
wants of their daily life ; nntil
created things spoke to them only
of suffering, and fixed their atten-
tion on a pain-creating being,
whom they feared more than re-
verenced, and whom if they wor-
shipped, it was to deprecate wrath,
rather than to express their faith
in his love.

And may not the legend, — so
bizarre and bald, — given by Dr.
Bleek in the " Hottentot Tales "^r
of a contest between Heitsi Eibip
and G^ag^rip be a confiised tra-
dition of some old faith, the fun-
damental principle of which was
that of a contest between good and
evil in nature ; but which in pro-
cess of time has been lost, and the
good and the evil come to be con-
fbunded, and referred alike to one
fabulous being.

According to Du Chaillu, we
find even at the present time
among the inhabitants of the
Western coast of Africa the wor-
ship of a good and evil spirit He

" Aniambia enjoys the protec-
tion of two spirits of very gi'eat
power, named Abambou and
Mbuirri. The former is an evil
spirit, the latter is beneficent.
They are both worshipped; and
their accommodations, so far as I

was permitted to see, were exaetly
alike.

" Abambou is the devil of the
Gamma. He is a wi<^ed mis-
chievous le^Hrit, who lives near
graves and in burial grounds. He
takes occaaional walks through the
country ; and if he is angry at any
one, has the power to ca\ise sick-
ness and deai^ In worshipping
him they cry, * Now are we well !
Now are we satisfied! Now be
our friend, and do not hurt us ! *

" Mbuirri, whose house I next
visited, is lodged and kept much as
his rivaL He is a good spirit, but
has powers much the same as
Abambou, so far as I could see.
Being less wicked, he is less zea-
loudy worshipped. "^^

This coincides remarkably with
Kolb*s statement ; and leads to a
reasonable suspicion that his Tou-
quoa, — ^probably only some local
or tribal variation of the word now
come down to the Kafirs as TJti-
ka», — and the Morimo of the Be-
chuanas and Basutos, is the same
as the Abambou of the people c^
Aniambia. Yet what missdonary
would choose Abambou as the
name for God, even though he
should have ascribed to him, in
addition to his own, the only '' less
wicked " attributes of Mbxdrri ?

Dr. Block's Hottentot legend
just alluded to, begins with the

27 P. 77.

28 Op. cit., pp. 202, 203.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TrriKxo.

113

significant words, " At first there
were two." And among the na-
tives of these parts we have the
two words TJnembeza and Ugova-
na to express the good and evil
hearts which are supposed to be
contending within them. And
they ascribe good and evil to the
Amatongo which they worship,
and worship more sedulously to
avert evU than to acknowledge
good.

Be this as 4t may, the impres-
sion so generally existing among
those who have laboured long in
South Africa of the '^endemic
atheism '' of the different peoples,
and the difficulty universally con-
fessed of being able to determine
whether the name, applied to some
being to whom certain supreme
acts are referred, is in the native
mind any thing more than the
name of their great forefather, or
of some great hero-benefactor of
times gone by, to whom with per-
fect consistency an ancestor-wor-
sdiipping people would refer such
acts, suggest that it would be^both
more wise and i-everent, and more
likely to be effectual in attempting
to teach them a new faith, to in-
troduce a new name, — a name not
really newer to them than the idea
of the supreme Being itself. I am
myself persuaded that such a new
name is very desirable, aye more.

very necessary. For there is no
name, whether UtikflX), or Morimo,
or Unkulunkulu, which, without
possessing any primary significa-
tion referring to divinity, has not
much, both etymologically and
traditionally, which is highly ob-
jectionable^ and calculated to mis-
lead the young convert Bishop
Colenso felt this on his first intro-
duction to mission work. And I
do not doubt that his impression
was the result of devout and in-
telligent thought, which is not at
all invalidated by a change of
opinion, which led him to attempt
to introduce an equally objection-
able word for God, and to which
exception has been justly taken by
many on grounds similar to those
which may be taken against TJti-
kax).

In connection with the word
Utikrco, "the broken knee," the
following interesting and curious
corroboration of the idea that
TJtikax) is but the isibongo or laud-
giving name of some ancient brave,
is well worth considering. Among
the Amazulu there is a word,
clearly an isibongo, U-guk<\a-har
dele, which means. He kneels and
they get enough of it. And the
following explanations appear to
show the character and circum-
stances of the conflict from which
he obtained the name :—

Digitized by VjOOQIC

114

VTIKXO.

XJ-guk^ba-dele, mnunta o Alar
nganyelwe abantu abaningi, be zi-
temba ubimingi, be ya 'ku m enza
ameAlo 'nmyama ngoku m bha-
k^, a fe e nga bonisisi loko a nga
kw enzako. Ku ti ngesikati so
kulwa nabo, 'end. Ka ti ba nga
m Alaba^ noma be nga m Alabile,
ba bone e ti kiti ngedolo, ba ti,
" U ya wa; si m Alabile.*' Ba
sondele kakulu, ku nga bi njengo-
kuba be be sondele e s' emi, ku
dAlulisise ukusondela kwabo kuye,
e se wile, ngokuti, " E, manje ke,
a si m k^'ede.'* Kepa ba ze ba
dAlulwe isikati be nga m k^edi ; e
u yena yedwa o ba k^eda nganAla-
nye, be ng* azi uma uluknni ngen-
dawo enjani ; ba ze ba ti, " Hau !
sa za sa pela umuntu emunye na ?
A si m shiye."

Ba m shiye ke, e se kuyo leyo
'ndawo lapa be fike e kona. Ngar
loko ke lapa se be mukile be m
shiya be m bona, ba hambe be
bbeka, be m bona e sa guk^le, e
ba lindile ukuti, kumbe ba ya
'utatela amandAla okubuya. Ku
ti, ngoku nga buyi kwabo, *esuke,
a hambe.

Kanti ke ba delile, ukuti b* esu-
ti, a ba sa m ftini. TJ lowo ke

We apply the name TJ-gok^a-
ba-dele to a man who has been
surrounded by many others, who
trust to their number, and expect
to be able to confuse him by sur-*
rounding him, and so kill him be-
fore he can well see what to do ;
and perhaps they stab him, or
without having stabbed him, they
see him sink on his knee, and say,
" He is falling ; we have stabbed
him.'' And they draw near to
him, no longer now as when he
was standing ; they go quite close
to him now he has &llen, saying,
" Ah, now then, let us make an
end of him." But a long time
passes without their killing him ;
it is he alone who kills them, they
not und«:'standing in what way he
is so difficult to kill; until at
length they say, "Hau! are we
then at length all killed by one
man 9 Let us let him alone."

And so they leave him still in
the same place where they first
found him. So then when they
have left, going away with their
faxies towards him, they go on
looking back and see him still
kneeling and watching them, for
he thinks they may take heart and
come back to him again. But
when they do not return he arises
and goes away.

They have had enough of it for-
sooth, that is, they are satisfied.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

UTIKXO.

115

U-gukga-bardele. Leli 'gama lo-
kuti U-gukga-ba-dele, a si lo igama
lomuntu DJe ; igama e si li zwe li
fika iiabantu ekufikeni kwamabu-
nu, e vela emakxoseai ; a fika na-
bantu basemakoMsem ; be funga be
ti, " Tikajo o pezulu. Guk^'a-ba-
dele/' Kodwa lelo lokuti "gu-
k^a '' a li k^ondeki kaAle, uma la
£ka kanyekanye na, nelokuti
" Tikax> " na. Sa li zwa ke nga-
makax>sa ukuba Utikax> iukosi e
pezulu.

Ekuk^leni amakosi a e puma
impi, a Alasele nayo ; kepa ku ti,
ngokukalipa kwezita, z* enze ikce-
bo lazo lokuti, *^ Ukuze laba 'bantu
a. ba n^obe, a si bulale inkosi
yabo le, ukuze ba pele amandAla."
Kembala ke ku ti ba nga i bulala
inkosi^ ba i kcite leyo 'mpi ; ngo-
kuba amakosi lawo a e puma ngo-
kuti, '^ Kona abantn bami be ya
'kuba nesibiudi, be bona ngi kona.''

Kwa yekwa ke loko ; a ku sa
vamile ; se ku kona kwezinye izi-

zwe ; kwazulti, a ku

njala

and do not go after him any more.
Such a man, then, is called TJ-gu-
k^'a-ba-dele. It is not the name of
a common person. It is a name
which we heard fi*om people when
the Dutch first came from the
Kax)sa tribes ; they brought some
Kojosa people with them; when
they took an oath, they said, " Ti-
kax) who is above. Gukga-ba-dele."
But it is by no means clear whe-
ther the word "guk$'a" (kneel)
came at precisely the same time as
the word Utikajo, We heard from
the Amakvosa that XTtikox) is the
Lord who is above. ^^

At first chiefe used to go out
with the army, and invade other
people with it; but it happened
through their shrewdness that the
enemy devised a plan, saying, " In
order that we may conquer these
people, let us kill their king, that
they may be discoiu^ed." And
in fact they might kill the king
and scatter the army ; for the
kings used to go out, saying,
" Then my people will be brave,
when they see me there."

So the custom of accompanying
the army was given up ; it is no
longer usual ; it may still be among
some nations ; it is no longer the
custom among the Amazulu.

^ Compare the Bushman word, which is said to have a similar
meaning, p. 64 ; and the dispute between the two Kxosa, natives as to
the use of Utika») and Unkulunkulu, p. 68.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

116

UTIKXO,

Kwaziilu inkosi i bongwa ngokwe-
nza kwabantu bajo, a ba kw enze
eziteni ; ba n^'obe ; a ku tshiwo
ukuti, kw enze abantu bayo.
Njengokuba, uma impi e nama-
ndAla ya vela ngenAla, enye i nge-
nzansi, i ti induna eMakanipile,
" O, indawo imbi ; si ya 'utateka ; a
si mi ka^le ; guk^a ni ngamadolo,
ni ba n^ume amatumbu." Nga-
lelo 'kcebo, uma ba nqoha. ngalo,
inkosi yabo i nga tiwa i U-gukg'ar
ba-dele, njengokungati kw enze
yona ; kanti kw enze abantu bayo
ngeaibindi sokukumbula inkosi
yabo. Ku tshiwo njalo ke uku-
bizwa kwenkosi ; njengaloku ku
tiwa ukubongwa kwenkosi yakwar
Zulu, ku tiwe, " Wena, wa dAla
Ubani e be zalwa ng' Ubani; a
kwa ba 'ndaba zaluto." I bongwa
ke ngokwenza kwempi yayo. La-
wo 'mandAla aw enziwa impi, i ye
'kutata izibongo zokuba ku bongwe
inkosi ngazo. Ku njalo ke a ku
bonakali ukuba kw enze yona
uk^'obo, noma kw enze abantu
bayo na.

Among the -Amazulu the chief is
praised for the conduct of his peo-
ple among the enemy ; they con-
quer, and it is not said that the
conquest was made by the king's
people. For instance, if a power-
ful army appears on the high lands,
and the other army is below, a
wise officer says, " O, the place
is bad j we shall be borne
down ; oiu* position is bad ; kneel,
and stab them in the bowels." If
they succeed by this stratagem,
their chief may be called by the
name XJ-guk5'a43a-dele, as though
it was he who did it, when for-
sooth it was his people through
the bravery which the recollection
of their chief gave them. This is
the manner, then, in which kings
get names ; as it is said when
lauding the king of the Amazulu,
" You who ate up So-and-so, the
son of So-and-so ; and it was no-
thing to you." So the chief is
praised for the conduct of his
army. The power which is exhi-
bited by the army is the source
from which the lauds of the chief
are taken. So it is that it is not
clear whether it was done by him
in person or by his people.

Hence it appears certain that the word XJtikax) is the laud-giving
name of an ancient hero, and that it was given in consequence of
some conflict in which he repulsed enemies more powerful from num-
bers than himself by the stratagem of kneeling, and so causing them
to approach him under the impression that they could make an easy
prpy of him.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

THE LORD OF HEAVEN, 117

THE LORD OF HEAVEN.

In the previous pages we meet with frequent allusions to a lord above
or heavenly lord. Thunder and lightning and aerial changes appear
to be the only natural phenomena which have attracted the notice of
the natives of this part of Africa, and led them to believe in a per-
sonal power above nature. Struck with ten-or by a thunder storm,
they encourage each other by asserting that they have committed no
crime against the powerful being in heaven who wields the lightning,
aud that he is not angry, but merely playing. But we shall be much
mistaken if we hasten to conclude from this that because they speak
of a heavenly lord, they have any conception of him which identifies
him with God.

In almost every country there is some such notion of a heavenly
being, — a relic possibly of heaven- worship ; or it may be merely a
iia.tural suggestion of the human mind, springing up spontaneously
among different peoples, and every where leading to a similar conclu-
sion, that where there are such manifestations of power, there is also
a personal cause.

There is the Indian Indra, called also " the lord of heaven ;" the
Zeus and Jupiter of the Greeks and Romans ; the Esquimaux Pirk-
soma j the Mau or Ye-whe of Whydah ; the So or Khevioso of Da-
home ; the Kaang or chief in the sky of the Bushmen ; and the Thor
of our own ancestors.

We have already seen that the Dahomans speak of thunder in
the same way as the natives of these parts ; they do not say it is the
sign of an angry chief, but of a chief who is rejoicing or playing.
Arbousset says that among the Bechuanas, " when it thunders every
one trembles ; if there are several together, one asks the other with
uneasiness, * Is there any one amongst us that devours the wealth of
others ]' All then spit on the ground, saying, * We do not devour the
wealth of others.* If a thunderbolt strikes and kills one of them, no
one complains, none weep ; instead of being grieved, all unite in say-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

118

THB LORD OP HEAVEN.

ing that the lord is delighted, (that is to say, he has done right,) with
killing that man." (Op» city p, 323.^ In like manner among the
natives of Natal, if the lightning kills their cattle, they neither com-
plain nor mourn, but say, " The lord has taken his own." Neither do
they cry the funeral wail over those who have been killed in this
manner, lest, as they say, they should summon the lightning to kill
them too. It is not lawful for them to touch the body of a persop.
killed with lightning, until the doctor has come and applied medicines
to the dead, and to the li%ing of the village to which he belonged. —
Among the Komans those struck with lightning were not buried,
neither are they among the Dahomans ; but they cut from the corpse
lumps of flesh, which they chew without eating, crying to the passers
by, " We sell you meat \ — fine meat ! — ^Come and buy 1 " (Burton,
Mission to the King of Daliome, Vol. II, y p. li2,J

The following statement by an intelligent, educated Christiaa
native will show how utterly indistinct and undeveloped is their
notion respecting a heavenly lord : —

Indaba ngenkosi yezulu a ku
bonakali kakulu okona ku tshiwo-
yo ngayo. Ngokuba lapa izulu li
tshaye kona, ku tiwa, " Inkosi i
tukut^le." Ku tshiwo ngokutsha-
ya kwalo. A kw aAlukaniswa
kakulu ukuti e yona 'nkosi i tsha-
yayo i i pi, noma unyazi, noma
unyazi lu amandAla ayo. Ku
tshiwo ngonyazi ku tiwe, " Inkosi
i tshayile." Kepa maningi ama-
kosi a tshiwo abantu, nezilwane
amakosi, inAlatu nebubesi; kepa
loko noma ku tshiwo ku ya bula-
wa ; ku ya bonakala ukuti a ku
lingani nenkosi yezulu.

It is by no means clear what is
really said about the lord of hea-
ven. For when the heaven [light-
ning] has struck any place, it is
said, " The lord is angry." This
is said because of the lightning
stroke. It is not very clear which
is the lord that strikes — whether
it is the lightning, or whether the
lightning is the lord's power. It
is said of the lightning, " The lord
has struck." But there are many
who are called lords by men, and
even beasts, as the boa and the lion ;
but although they are thus named,
they are notwithstanding killed,
that is, their being called lords is
not the same as giving the name
lord to the lord of heaven.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

THE LORD OF HEAVEK.

119

Ku kona iuyoni yezulu ; i ya
bolawa nayo ; j ehh, ngesikati so-
kntshaya kwonyazi, i sale pansi ;
a ku tshiwo futi ukuti i yona i in-
kosi ; a kw aAlukile kakulu ngen-
kosi ukuba i i pi ktmonyazi kuDa-
yo e sezulwini. Si zwa ku tiwa
ku kona abantu nje ezulwini na
pansi kwomAlaba futi. Kulukuni
ke ukwazi labo 'bantu aba ngapa-
nsi kwomAlaba ukuba ukuma
kwabo ku njani na, na ngapezulu
futi a V aziwa uma ba njani noku-
ma kwabo. Izwi lodwa eli tshoyo
ukuti ba kona.

There is a bird of heaven f^ it
too is killed ; it conies down when
the lightning strikes the earth,
and remains on the ground ; but
neither is it said to be the lord ; it
is not veiy clear which is meant
by lord, the lightning, or the lord
which is in heaven. We hear it
said there are men in heaven and
under the earth. But it is hard
to understand what is the con-
dition of these underground men ;
neither do we know what is the
condition of those who are above.
All we know is that it is said they
are there.

Among the Amazulu, when there is a thunder storm, they say ;

Li ya duma, li ya na likamjo-
kwane, likapunga nomageba; li-
kaguk^badele.

The heaven of TJmjokwane is
thundering and raining, the heaven
of TJpunga and of Umageba ; the
heaven of TJguk^'abadele.

The first three of these names are izibongo of the Amazulu, that
is, of the royal family, the names of ancient chiefs. But Uguk^^aba-

80 « The bird of heaven " is a bird which is said to descend from
the sky when it thunders, and to be found in the neighbourhood of the
place where the lightning has struck. The heaven-doctors place a large
vessel of amasi mixed with various medicines near a pool such as is
frequently met with on the tops of hills ; this is done to attract the
lightning, that it may strike in that place. The doctor remains at
hand watching, and when the lightning strikes the bird descends, and
he rushes forward and kills it. It is said to have a red bill, red legs,
and a short red tail like fire ; its feathers are bright and dazzling, and
it is very fat The bird is boiled for the sake of the fat, which is
mixed with other medicines and used by the heaven-doctors to puff on
their bodies (pepeta) and to anoint, their lightning-rods, that they may
be able to act on the heavens without injury to themselves. The body
is used for olJier purposes as medicine. A few years ago some pea-
cocks' feathers were sold at a great price among the natives of Katal,
being supposed to be the feathers of this bird.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

120

THE LOKD OF HEAYEK,

dele is said to be a new name, invented for that Lord of heaven of
whom the white man speaks to them. It means the Unconquerable
(see p. 114). This is explained in ike following account : —

Le *ndaba yokuti, " Izulu lika-
punga nomageba nomjokwane," a
ku vuiiywanga ukuba ku be kona
into enkulu kunenkosL Ubukulu
bezulu kwa tiwa obukapunga, ye-
na e inkosi enkulu yakwazulu;
ngokuba u nga bona ngaloku uku-
ba into yokukukumeza umuntu a
bizwe ngokutiwa nezulu elake.

Ku be ku ti uma ku kona um-
Alola o vela pakati kwomuzi, w' e-
nziwa inkosL Njengaloku Utsha-
ka wa ka wa Maza igazi lenkomo
esigodAlweni ebusuku, e ti i kona
e ya *kubona uma izinyanga zi k^i-
nisile ini ngokunuka abantu.
Kepa a zi nukanga ka/tle ; wa zi
bulala zonke, kupela ya ba nye eya
ti, " Kw enziwe izulu." Loko ke
ukuti, " Ngi za 'kunuka izulu na 1"
Kupela ke ; abantu b* azi ukuba u
tsho izulu njalo, u tsho Utshaka ;
ngokuba nezulu ku tiwa elake.
Loko a ku 'siminya ; ukukuliswa
kwenkosi nje. Ngokuba ku tshi-
wo ku tiwa, i ngangezintaba, ku
tshiwo izintaba ezinkulu. Kepa
ku be ku nge njalo, ngokuba uma

As regards the saying, "The
heaven of TJpunga and of TJma-
geba and Umjokwane, it is not
permitted that there should be any
thing greater than the chief. The
greatness of the heaven was said
to belong to TJpunga, who was a
great Zulu chief; for you can see
by this that it is merely something
done for the purpose of exalting a
man when it is said that the hea-
ven too belongs to him.

It used to be said if any omen
happened in a village, that it was
occasioned by the chief For in-
stance, Utshaka once sprinkled the
blood of a bullock in the royal
house during the night, saying by
that means he should know if the
diviners were time when they
pointed out offenders. But they
did not divine rightly, and he kill-
ed them all but one, who said, " It
was done by the heaven," and ask-
ed, if he could point out the hea-
ven as the offender ? That was all
he said j and the people understood
that by the heaven he meant
Utshaka ; for the heaven too was
said to be his. This is not true ;
it is a mere exaltation of the chief
For they say he is as big as the
mountains, meaning great moun-
tains. But it is not so ; for if he
is standing or sitting at the foot of

Digitized by VjOOQIC

THE LORD OF WEUlTES.

121

e pansi kwalejo 'ntaba, 'emi noma
e Mezi, i nga m fiAla, a nga bona-
kalL Ukukoliswa kwomuntu nja

Futi, leli 'zwi lokuti TJgak^aba-
dele, a si lo igama likatsbaka noma
Usenzangakona. Leli 'lizwi li ve-
le lapa esilungwini ; kwa tiwa iga-
ma lenkosi e pezulu. Kgokuba
knk^a, lapa kwa fika Amabunu,
kwa ba kona nkufiinga ngokuti
inyaniso, si fimgiswa abalungu ;
ngokuba awakiti amakosi a ba
V azi noma umuntu u ti ni Kwa
ba kona nokuti, "Tikajo o pezu-
lu;" nokuti, " Ngi funga inkosi e
pezulu/' nokufela umunwe nga-
mate a kombe pezulu a ti, '' I nga
ngi tabata, a ngi kw azi loko."
Izwi lokuti XJgukgabadele, ku
tshiwo inkosi e pezulu. Kepa
ukugukg^a isibonakaliso samandAla,
ngokuba ku tiwa uma indoda i
funa ukuba i zipase impela, i tate
amandAla onke, i ya guk^a nge-
dolOy ukuze i nga suswa kuleyo 'n-
dawo ; lowo *muntu o Iwa najo u
ya 'ku i shiya. I lona ke izwi lo-
kuti " ba-dele," ukuti, ba m shiya
lapo e guk^e kona.

the mountain it would hide him,
and he oould not be seen. It is
the mere exaltation of a human
being.

Further, the word TJgukguba-
dele is not a name of TJtshaka or
Usenzangakona. It is a name
which has arisen here among the
English, as a name for the l<Hd of
heaven. For at first, when the
Dutch came, the white men used
to make us swear to the truth of
what we said ; for they did not
understand what a man said when
he swore by our chiefe; so the
oath was, "Utika» o pezulu,"
God of heaven ; or, " I swear by
the Lord of heaven," and one spat
on his finger and pointed towards
heaven and said, " May He take
me if I know this thing." The
word Ugukgubadele means the
Lord of heaven. And kneeling is
a sign of strength ; for it is said,
if a man wish to make himself
very firm, and avail himself of all
his strength, he kneels, that he
may not be moved from his place ;
and the man who is fighting with
him will go away. That, then, is
what is meant by " ba-dele," They
pass on or have enough, that is,
they leave him when he has knelt.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

122

THE LORD OF HEAVEN.

An old native, in expressing his gratitude for some act of kindness,
said, pointing towards heaven, " Nkosi, elako ilanga,'' Sir, the sun is
yours. On asking the meaning of this, I received the following ex-
planation :- —

Kwazulu kwa tatwa igama le-
zulu ; uma li duma, kwa tiwa,
" La duma izulu lenkosi" Ku
nga tshiwo umninilo owa V enza-
yo; ku tshiwo umuntu o inkosi
nje; wa kuliswa ngokuti izulu
elake. Abantu abaningi se be
kideka kwabanye ngokuti, " Wena
wapakati, nezulu elako ; konke
okwako."

Be tsho ngokuba ngapambili
kwabo be nga boni 'mumbe, ku-
pela inkosi leyo, e yona i nga ti
uma i tsho ngaleso 'sikati ukuti,
" Ubaiii ka fe manje," nembala ku
be njalo. Ba tsho ke ba ti, " Lo-
wo ^muntu umninizulu ; konke
okwake." A kw anele kubo uku-
dumisa omkulu uma be ng' etula-
nga izulu li be pezu kwake ; a ba
kolwa ; ba ya tanda ukutola ubu-
• kulu bonke, ba bu beke pezu kwa-
lowo 'muntu.

Ku njalo ke ukukuleka kwaba-
ntu abamnyama ; ngokuba inkosi
i V i nga tsho ukuti, "Ai; ni
y* eduka ; a si lo lami izulu nela-
nga ; ku nomniniko ; ngi mndbia-
ne mina." I V i bheka ukuba ku

Among the Amazulu they use
the name of heaven ; and when it
thunders they say, " The heaven
of the chief thundered." They
do not mean the owner of the
heaven who made it, but a mere
man who is a chief; he is exalted
by sayiog the heaven is his. And
many are now in the habit of
making obeisance to others, saying,
"Thou of the inner circle of
greatness, the heaven is thine ; all
things are thine."

They say thus because they see
no one else but the chief himself,
who if he choose can command
any particular person to die, and
he will die at once. And so they
say, " That man is the owner of
heaven ; and every thing is his."
It does not suffice them to honour
a great man, unless they place the
heaven on his shoulders ; they do
not believe what they say; they
merely wish to ascribe all great-
ness to him.

Such, then, is the reverence of
black men ; for the chief did not
say, "No; you are ascribing to
me what does not belong to me ;
the heaven and the sun are not
mine ; they have their own owner ;
for my part I am insignificant,^*
Ke expected to have it said always

Digitized by VjOOQIC

THE LORD OF HEAVEN.

123

tiwe elayo njalo ; se be tsho ojalo
ab&witi kwabam/ilope.

Ku kona indaba pakati kwaba-
ntu abamnyaina. Ku ti ngosuku
lapa ku puma impi ugalo, lokupela
inkosi se i Alanganise amabandAla
onke ayo, i kuluma nawo ; nge-
mva kwaloko kw enziwe ihhubo
eU Yusa iisikisiki lokuba izinAliziyo
zi fudumale ngokunga impi i nga
ba koua ngaleso 'sikati ; lokupela
izulu li kcwebile, li pendule ngo-
moya omubi, ku tiwe, " Izulu len-
kosi li y ezwa ukuba inkosi ibu-
Alungu." Ngaloko ke kwa k^ini-
swa ngokuti, " Izulu elenkosi,"
emakosini amakulu ; iigokuba lapa
i Alanganise impi yayo, nezulu li
ya pendula, noma li be li sile. |

that the heaven was his ; and now
our people address white men in
the same way.

It happens among black men
when the chief calls out an army
and he has collected all his bands,
he addresses them, and then they
sing a song which excites their
passions, that their hearts burn
with the desire of seeing their
enemy ; and though the heaven is
clear, it becomes clouded by a
great wind which arises. And the
people say, '* The heaven of the
chief feels that the chief is suf-
fering." Therefore it was affirmed
among great chiefe, that the heaven
is the chiefs ; for when he assem-
bles his troops the heaven clouds
over, although it had been quite
bright.

Another native, named Ududula, who was a great courtier, whose
highest notion of politeness was the highest hyperbole of praise, wish-
ed to borrow half-a^irown, which I had no wish to lend. At length
he said, " Mfundisi, u ng* ubaba," Teacher, you are my i^ther. I
asked, " How ? " He replied, " Wa dabuka emAlabeni, wa kula, wa
ba ngaka ; mina be ngi ngaka nje," You broke off from the earth, and
grew as big as this, (placing his hand six feet above the ground ;) but
for my part I only grew as high as this, (placing his hand about a foot
and a half from it.) By this he meant to say that I was not born like
other men, but came out of the ground, like Unkulunkulu.^^

^^ Arbousset appears to have noticed a similar custom. Yet his
statement may have been made from not understanding the meaning
of such phrases as " Inkosi yo^langa " (see Note 30, p. 14) : — " They

Digitized by VjOOQIC

124 THE LORD OF HEAvM

It appears, therefore, that in the native mind there is scarcely any
notion of Deity, if any at all, wrapt up in their sayings about a hea-
venly chie£ When it is applied to God, it is simply the result of
teaching. Among themselves he is not regarded as the Creator, nor
as the Preserver of men ; but as a power, it may be nothing more
than an earthly chief, still celebrated by name, — a relic of the king-
worship of the Egyptians ; another form merely of ancestor-worship.

A lad of the Waiau or Ajawa tribe, living on the Eastern coast
of Lake Nyassa, informs me that among them the Bainbow is called
Umlungu, that is, God ; for Umlungu is the word they there use for
the Supreme Being and supernatural powers. They also call the
Supreme Being lisoka, the Invisible, when they wish to distinguish
him from the Rainbow, ^a — ^Among the Dahomans, the Rainbow is wor-

have no idol but he ; it is before him, literally, that they prostrate
themselves. He grants them permission to live, or he slaughters them
according to his caprice. Can the devil really have whispered to the
Zula (the celestial) that he is a god 1 Be this as it may, many of the
Matebeles, of the same people, believe, on the word of their princes,
that the ancestors of these have sprung from the reeds of a fountain,
instead of being bom of a woman, as other men are." (Op. cU,, p.
231, J — But the Amazulu are so called, not because they have arro-
gated to themsTelves the title of "Celestials," but from Uzulu, an
ancient chief. He, however, may have obtained that name fix)m the
ascription to him of heavenly power. U-izulu, Thou art the heaven,
became soon convei-ted into the proper name, Uzulu.

^^ In Rowley's Story of the Universities^ Mission to Central
Africa we find the following account of the religion of the people in
the neighbourhood of Lake Nyassa : —

" Both Manganja and Ajawa seemed to have a better idea of the
Deity than most savage tribes. The Manganja called God, Pambi, or
Mpambi ; the Ajawa, Mulungu. Neither, as I have elsewhere said,
looked upon Him as a God of wrath ; indeed, they did not appear to
assign any wrathful attribute to Him, nor did they in any way make
Him the author of evil ; they supposed evil to proceed from malevo-
lent spirits — ^the Mfiti. We never, therefore, found them offering up
human sacrifices in order to avert God's anger. If great danger, either
famine or war, threatened them, they would assemble at an appointed
place, and in an appointed way, offer up prayer to God to deliver them
from the famine, or to give them the victory in the war. We saw
instances of this. At Magomero, soon after the commencement of the
fii-st rainy season after we were in the land, there was a solemn assem-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

THJS LORD OF HEAVEN. 125

shipped under the tiaine of Danh, the heavenly snake. (Burton, Op.
cii., p. U8.)

blage for prayer. The ground had been prepared, the seed sown ; the
rains came, the com sprang up — all seemed as we desired it ; and then
the rains ceased : day by day, week by week, and no rain ; the fierce
sun seemed withering the young com, famine appeared imminent.
Chigunda assembled his people in the bush outside the village, then
marched with them in procession to the appointed place for prayer, a
plot of ground cleared and fenced in, and in the middle of which was
a hut, called the prayer hut The women attended as well as the men,
and in the procession the women preceded the men. All entered the
enclosure, the women sitting on one side of the hut, the men on the
other ; Chigunda sat some distance apart by himself. Then a woman
named Mbudzi, the sister of Chigunda it was said, stood forth, and
she acted as priestess. In one hand she had a small basket containing
Indian com meal, in the other a small earthen pot containing the
native beer, pombi — ^the equivalent, doubtless, to the ancient offering
of com and wine. She went just into the hut, not so far but what
she could be seen and heard. She put the basket and the pot down
on either side of her. Then she took up a handful of the meal and
dropped it on the floor, and in doing this called out in a high-pitched
voice, * Imva Mpambi ! Adza mvula ! * (Hear thou, O GkKl, and
send rain !) and the assembled people responded, clapping their hands
softly, and intoning — ^they always intone their prayers — * Imva Mpa-
mbi !' (Hear thou, O Grod !) This was done again and again until the
meal was expended, and then, after arranging it in the form of a sugar
loaf, the beer was poured, as a libation, round about it. The suppli-
cations ceased, Mbudzi came out of the hut, fastened up the door, sat
on the ground, threw herself on her back ; all the people followed her
example, and while in this position they clapped their hands and re-
peated their supplication for several minutes. This over, they stood
up, clapped hands again, bowing themselves to the earth repeatedly
while doing so ; then marched to where Chigunda was sitting, and
danced round about him like mad things. When the dance ceased, a
large jar of water was brought and placed before the chief; first Mbu-
dzi washed her hands, arms, and face ; then water was poured over her
by another woman ; then all the women rushed forward with cala-
bashes in their hands, and dipping them into the jar threw the water
into the air with loud cries and wild gesticulations. And so the cere-
monies ended."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

126

NOTE.

SiNCB writing Note 62, p. 91, on the Shade or Shadow of a man, I
have found that many of the natives connect the shade with the spirit
to a much greater extent than I supposed.

Their theory is not very consistent with itself nor very intelligi-
ble, neither is it easy to underatand on what kind of observation it is
founded. It is something of this kind. They say the shadow — ^that
evidently cast by the body — is that which will ultimately become the
itongo or spirit when the body dies. In order to ascertain if this was
really the meaning, I asked, "Is the shadow which my body casts when
I am walking, my spirit % " The reply was, " No \ it is not your ito-
ngo or spirit," — (evidently imderstanding me to mean by " my spirit "
an ancestral guardian spirit watching over me, and not my own spirit)
— "but it will be the itongo or ancestral spirit for your children when
you are dead." It is said that the long shadow shortens as a man ap-
proaches his end, and contracts into a very little thing. When they
see the shadow of a man thus contracting, they know he will dia The
long shadow goes away when a man is dead ; and it is that which is
meant when it is said, "The shadow has departed." There is, how-
ever, a short shadow which remains with the corj^se and is buried with
it The long shadow becomes an itongo or ancestral spirit.

In connection with this, the natives have another superstition.
If a friend has gone out to battle, and they are anxious about him,
they take his sleeping-mat and stand it upright in the sun. If it
throws a long shadow, he is still living. If a shoi*t one, or none at
all, he is dead !

Digitized by VjOOQIC

PART II.

AMATONGO ;

OB,

ANCESTOR WORSHIP.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ADVERTISEMENTS.

NURSERY TALES, TRADITIONS, AND fflSTORIES OP
THE ZULUS.

Now ready, Demy 8w, pp. 400,
Nursery Tales * of the Zulus,

IN their own Words, with a Translation into English, and Notes.
By the Rev. Oanon Callaway, M.D. Vol. I.

Natal: John A. Blair, Springvale; Davis and Sons, Pieter-
maritzburg. Capetown : J. C. Juta, Wale Street London :
Triibner and Co., 60, Paternoster Row.

^ Opinions of the Pbess.

*' By this time the study of popular tales has beoome a recognised
branch of the study of mankind. ......

It is highly creditable to Dr. Callaway, Dr. Bleek, and others to have
made a beginning in a field of research which at first sight is not very
attractive or promising. Many people, no doubt, will treat these sto*
ries with contempt, and declare they are not worth the paper on which
they are printed. The same thing was said of Grimm's Mahrchen ;
nay, it was said by Sir William Jones of the Zendavesta, and, by less
distinguished scholars, of the Veda. But fifty years hence the collec-
tion (xf these stories may become as valuable as the few remaining
)3ones of the dodo." — Saturday Review,

** In order to give us true images of the native mind, Dr. Calla-
way was right to leave the Zulu tales in his first edition quite unal-
tered, giving them just as they came to him from the mouths of the
natives ; and even as they are, some of them are told in a most effec-
tive manner." — Cape Argua,

<' Some portions of the tale of Ukcombekcansini are as beautiful
and graceful as a classic idyll." — Noted Witness,

" The work will well repay a careful perusal by all desirous of
becoming acquainted with native l^ends, and, in this case, with the
pure Zulu language, as spoken without adulteration by the natives." —
Times of NataL

*^ The matter continues most interesting to all persons who care
to compare the varieties of Hfe amongst different people and races."-^
Natal Mercury.

" Dr. Callaway has £sdrly earned the title of the Giimm of Kafir
Nursery Literature, but he has by no means confined his researches to
this one class." — Noted Herald.

" Turning to the East -Coast, we find that a like work is being
done for the Zulus of Natal by the Rev. Dr. Callaway, who, at his
mission station of Springvale, has already printed six parts, amount-
ing to a good-sized volume, of * Nursery Tales, Traditions, and His-
tories of the Zulus, in their own words, with a Translation into Eng-
li^, and Notes.' It is, in fact, the same kind of service as has been
done so admirably for the Celts of Scotland by Campbell's recent col-
lection of Highland Tales, and for the Scsundinavians of Norway by
Dr. Dasent's Icelandic Sagas." — Professor Noble.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ADVERTISEMENTS.

In the press J in One Vohimey Demy Svo.,

The Religious System of the Amazulu.

Part I.

UNKULUNKULTJ ; or, THE TRADITION OF CREATION
(Now Ready).

Part H
A MATONGO; or, ANCESTOR WORSHIP. (In the Press.)

Part IH
ZINYANGA ZOKUBULA; or, DIVINERS.

Natal: John A. Blair, Springvale; Davis and Soirg, Pieter-
maritzburg. London : Trubner and Co., 60, Paternoster Row.
Capetown : J. C. Juta, Wale Street.

THE following, printed in Zulu at Springvalb Mission Press,
may still be had at the Station : —

EIGHT HYMNS. 8 pages, 8m 3d.

HYMNS IN ZULU. By William Ngcwensa. Witb a
Translation into English. 8 pages, Svo. 3d,

1?HE TE DEUM, divided for Chanting. On a sheet Id.

.In the press,

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER of the United Church of
England and Ireland. Translated into Zulu.

Completed to the end of the Litany.

The Baptismal Service has also been printed.

[The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels being out of print, and a new
edition being in course of preparation, any suggestions regarding the
translation will be thankfully received.]

Digitized by VjOOQIC

X^^2X^(fi£;i]i£C6ei2A2AM£^^

fggrpy»;fflayo>sgYW>y?<y^^

SSaSSS

WOTOflOTWTiJffWTOJ^^

jPAe Religious System of the Amazulu.

PART II.

AMATOIf GO ;

OR,

ANCESTOR WORSHIP,

AS EXISTING AMONG

THE AMAZULU,
IN THEIR OWN WORDS,

WITH

A TRAIfSLATION IN^TO ENGLISH,

AND NOTES.
THE REV. HENRY C^ALLAWAY, M.D.

'* I cannot but admire the incuriousness of so many travellers who have visited
Dahome and have described its customs without an attempt to master, or
at least to explain, the faith that underlies them." — ^Burton.

I
I

i
I

Jigitized by

Google

TO THE READER.

THE information in this Part has been derived from a comparatively
small number of natives, it being diffictdt to get the heathen to
speak on the subject of the Amatoftgo in a connected manner, so as to
commit what they say to writing. But it is perfectly reliable, although
probably not exhaustive.

H. C.
SpringvcUe, N<xtdli
Jvly, 1869.
-^ ■

The Right of Translation and Reproduction is Reserved.

FRIEDRICH KLmCKSIECK

LIBBAIBE DE L'INSTITUT IMPI:EIAL DE FRANCE.
, BUE DE LILLE, PARIS.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

f >•

"^ AMATONGO;

OR,

ANCESTOR WORSHIP.

Ba ti amatongo into a ba vela nayo
kuk^dla ekuvekni kwaba Ba
vela se ku tiwa, '^ Ku kona ama-
tongo ; '' kwa ba ukuba nabo b* a*
zi ukuti ku kona amatonga A
ku 'nto a ba vela nje ba se be ya
bona ukuti amatonga

A ai *nto e velayo ngasemva
kwokuvela kwabantu, uma ba wa
bone ba ti, " Nank' amatongo.*'
Izinkomo kambe za vela, ba zi
bona, ba ti, " Nazi izinkomo,** zi
vela ngemva kwabo. Ku ya bo-
nakala nkiiba a si kulumi ngoku-
vela kwomuntu wokuk^ala; lapa

Mbn say they possessed Amatongo
as soon as they came into being.^
When tbey came into being,
men already spoke of there being
Amatongo; and hence they too
knew that they existed. It is not
something which as soon as they
w«re bora they saw to be Amato-
ngo.

It is not something which
came into being immediately after
men, which when they saw they
SMd, ^< Those are Amatongo."
They saw cattle indeed, which
came into being, and said, *^ Those
aore cattle,** they having come into
being immediately^ after them-
selves. It is evident that we are not
speaking of the origin of the first

^ Not at the time of the creation, but of their own birtL There
is no one now who can remember when the Amatongo were first
spoken of. As soon as he came to years capable of understanding, he
heard others speak c^ the Amatongo, as they had heard others who
were older th^ themselves.

' Note the distinction between ngm^vmoi and tmva.

Digitized by VjOOQI^

130

AMATONOa

si ti ukuvela kwabantu si kulmna
ngemva kwake, ngokiiba a kw a-
ziwa ukuma kwowokukgala. Si
tsho ke ukuti sa vela nawo tina
'ba vele se ku tshivo ukuti ama-
tongo, ku tshiwo abapambilL

Kwa tsho abokuk^a bonke ke ;
kwa ba aba velayo ba se be vela se
be ba tshela wona amatongo, ba
w' azi ke ukuti a koiia amatongo.
Kw azise futi ukuti kona kukgala
ba ti be vela nje, ba be vela kanye
nezinyanga ezona za ba kcansisela
ukuti a kona. Ba ti ke, 'abiwa
umuntu wokuk^'ala, owa ti, " Ku
kona amatongo a inyoka." Umu-
ntu wokukg^ala Umvelin^angi,
XJnkulunkulu. 'Aadwa ke izizwe
zonke. A kwa ba ko *sizwe esa
ti, " Tina ^basekutini ka li ko kwi-
ti itongo."

Izizwe zonke za bonga amato-
ngo, ngokuba kwa tsho Umveli-

man : when we say ihe origin of
men we speak of those who came
after him, for the standing of the
first man is unknown. So we, who
came into being when men who
preceded us already spoke of there
being Amatongo, say, '' We came
into being possessed of them.**

All the first men, then, spoke of
the Amatongo; and they told
those who came into being after
them, as soon as they came into
being, that there are Amat^
And further in the banning, as I
soon as they came into being, they
had doctors^ who taught them that
there are Amatonga And so they
said that the Amatongo were cre-
ated^ by the first man, who said,
<< There are Amatongo who are
snakes. ** The first man is TJmve-
lin^'angi, IJnkulunkulu. And
thus all nations knew of the Ama-
tongo. There was not a single
nation which said, " We people of
such a country have no Itonga"

All nations WQ|;shipped the
Aq^atongo, because Umvelinijaiigi

3 The izinyanga or doctors are thus represented as the appointed
teachers of the people. They are, no doubt, the relic of an ancient
priesthood

^ The native who relates this does not, he says, mean that when
Unkulunkulu was speaking to primitive men, Amatongo were already
in existence ; but speaking of the ftiture as alr^y present, he appointed
the spirits of the dead to be the protectors and helpers of the living: —
that he said, " There are Amatongo," but the people looked around,
but were unable to see them until death had deprived them of their
parents, and then they addressed prayers to them, received visits from
them in dreams, or in the form of snakes ; and sacrificed to them.

Digitized by VjOOQIC .

AMATOHGO.

131

n^ungiy owa ba tshelako, wa ti,
** Ki bona nje, into e ngi ni tshela
yona ; ngi ni tshela amatongo, ni
bonge wona ; ngi ni tshela izinya-
Bga zokubula, ni bule kuzo, zi ni
tshele uma mnuntu e gula, e gnli-
8wa amatongo ; zi ja 'ku li zwa
ukuti u gula nje, u guliswa ama-
tongo."

Zonke ke izizwe ke za se zi ti,
noma be ya 'koAlasela empini ;
noko i ba bulala, ba ti, abakubo
labo abafileyo be bule we impi, ba
ti, " li si fulatele elakwiti itongo."
Ba ti, ^' Ini nkuba abantu ba ze ba
pele bonke, impi ku nga buyi no-
yedwa na, nomuntu na 1 '^

A ti um' e kona osindileyo, a ti,
'* Mina, ngi k^buke, ngi sinda
ke ; ku be se ku tiwa nje, ma si
pele sonke ; kw ale umuntu wa ba
munyej ngabe si te si kgedwa
impi nje, yena owa be pi na? Ngi
k^buke, ngi sinda; ngi be ngi
nga 8* azi uma ngi za 'usinda, ngi
bona abantu bonke bakwiti se be
pelila"

commanded them to do so, saying,
" You see, then,^ I tell you about
the Amatongo, that you may wor-
ship them. I tell you about di-
vining Izinyanga,^ that you may
enquire of them, and they tell you
when a man has been made ill by
the Amatongo; they shall hear
the Itongo dedaiing that he has
been made ill by the Amatonga"
So all nations used to think
when they were about to attack an
army, that they should be assisted
by the Itongo ; and although they
were killed by the army, the
friends of those who were killed
said, " The Itongo of our peopla
hafi turned ite back on us." They
asked, '^How is it that all our
people have at length come to an
end, and not one man come back
from the armyl"

If there is one who has escaped,
he says, '< As for me I escaped I
know not how. The Amatongo
had decreed that we should all
die ; one man^ would not assent ;
when we were destroyed by the
enemy, where was he I wonder I
I escaped I know not how ; I no
longer expected to be saved, when
I saw all our people destroyed."

^ A mode of claiming attention, or commanding silence.

* Izim/cmga, — ^It is, perhaps, better to retain the native word
than to translate it by a woni which does not fedrly represent it.
Inyanga, generally rendered doUor^ means a man skilled in any par-
ticular matter = magna. Thus, an inyanga yokubula is a doctor or
wise man of smiting, that is, with divining rods — a diviner. Inyanga
yemiti, a doctor of medicines. Inyanga yensimbi, a smith, kc,

^ That iS; one man among the Amatongo — one of the Amatongo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

132

AXATOHGO.

Ba ti ukuk^la kwabo, ba ti,
''AmadAlozi akwiti mabi! Ini
ukuba umazi u pelele empini wo-
nke nal Amadoda angaka na!
Impi ukupela na i kgedwe impi
na ! Kangaka a be fulatele, kw e-
nze njani i Into a be nga i tsho
si zwe uma kV enza njani na ? A
ze a k^ede umuzi na ? u pele wo-
nke na ? Yena o k^buke e siudi-
sa ubani lo, u be ye ngapi na ? XT
be nga bambi ini pakati kwama-
nye amadAlozi na V* Ba tsho njalo
abakalayo.

Na labo abafayo empini se be ya
'kuba a wona amadAlozi f uti

Ba ti abasindileyo ab' amadAlozi
akubo e ba bhekile, ba sinde, ba ti,
<<Si sindiswe amadAlozi akwiti.*'
Ba fike ba buye, be vela empini,
ba fike, ba wa gwazele izinkomo ;
ba bonge ukuba be ti a ba pilisile ;
ba zitele ngenyongo emzimbeni, be
ti, " Ma kcakcambe, a be mMope,
a nga bi mnyama," ukuze a ba pi-
lise ngolunye usuku futi. Ba
bonge ku be kuMe.

Ku be ku kalwangalapabe file,

At first the people say, ^^The
Amatongo of our people are good
for nothing ! Why has the whole
village periled in the fight! S&
many men as there were! Our
whole army destroyed by the
enemy ! How did it lumpen
that they turned the back on
so manyl How is it that they
never mentioned any thing to us
that we might understand why
they were angry ? Have th^ at
last destroyed the whole village ?
has it come utterly to an end!
Where had the Itongo who saved
So-and-so gone 1 Why was he not
among the other Amatongo i'*
Those who weep for the dead say
thus.

And those who died in the fight
will now become Amatonga

And those who escaped, whose
national Amatongo looked on them
and saved them, say, ''We have
been saved by the Amadhlozi of
our peopla" When they come
back fix>m the army, they sacrifice
cattle to the Amatongo] they
return thanks because they think
they have saved them ; they poiu?
the gall of the sacrifices on their bo-
dies, saying, " Let the Amatongo
be bright and white, and not dark,
that they may save us on another
occasion." They return thanks
with glad hearts.

And there is funeral lamenta-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOHGO.

133

ku tiwe, idAlozi labo limnyama.
Ba ze b' enzele ukiize ba ti noko
nga inkoBi yabo i ba pindelisa em-
pini, i tiy ma ba Alasele, amadAlozi
akubo a nga soli luto, ngokuba ba
wa lungisile, ba wa kcakcambisa ;
se be ya 'kuti noko be fika kuyo
imp! se b' azi iikuti^ '^Umakazi
loku sa wa lungisaamadAlozi, a ya
'kuti s' ona ngani na T' Lapa se
be bona impi a ba ya *kulwa nayo,
ba kumbule amadAlozi, ba kcaba-
ng* izinto a ba z' enzayo, be wa
kcola um' a be maAle ; ba ka bone
loko enAliziyweni zabo, b' az* uku-
ti, sa wa lungisa amadAlozi akwi-
ti-; noko si &, ka si yi 'kutsho
ukuti i kona into a wa be e i ka-
lela.

Mbala, ba tukutele ke, ba ti,
"A ya Icaba a si fulatele nje."
Ngokuba uma be ya empini, ba ti,
** Si hamba nawo amadAlozi akwi-
ti," ba Iwe ke nenye impi. A ti
um' amadAlozi akubo emAlope, 'ale
ukuba ba fe, ku be i bona be bula-
la abantu nganAlanye, ba bone ke
ukuti si be si hambe namadAlozi

tion where they have lost their
people ; they say, their Idhlozi is
dark. At length they sacrifice,
that if perchance their chief lead
them again to attack the enemy,
the Amatongo of their people may
have no cause* of complaint, be-
cause they have made amends to
them, and made them bright ; and
now when they reach the enemy
they know what they have done,
and say, ^'Gan it be, since we
have made amends to the Ama-
dhlozi, that they will say we
have wronged them by anything V*
When they see the enemy with
which they are about to fight, they
remember the Amadhlosi, and
think of what they have done for
them, by sacrificing to them that
they may be propitious ; they see
that in their hearts, and know that
they have made amends to the
Amadhlozi of their people, and
that though they die they cannot
say there is any thing of which
the Amadhlozi have reason to
complain.

So truly they are very brave,
saying, " The Amatongo will turn
their backs on us without cause."
For when they go to the enemy
they say, ** The Amadhlozi of our
people go with us ; " and so they
fight with the enemy. And if
their Amadhlozi are white and do
not allow them to die, and they
kill on their side only, then they
see that their Amadhlozi go with

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATONGO.

akwiti. Ku ti kulabo abafileyo
ba pike abaselejo, ba ti, ''A si
namadAlozi. Ini uma si fe si pele
nal AmadAIozi akwiti 'a41ulwe
amadAlozi akwabanye abantu na f
Ngokuba be ti aba nga feinga, ba
ti, '^ 'AAluliwe amadAlozi akwaba-
ni, 'aAlulwe akwiti"

Ku njalo ke kubantu abamnya-
lua ; a ba velanga nje ukuba be ti,
"Amatongo ka wa ko." Ba vela
se ku tiwa, '' Amatongo a kona."
Kodwa ke nati ke ka s' aad uma
lowo 'muntu owa vela kukgala wa
za wa ti nje, '^ Ku kona amato-
ngo." U kona ini umuntu owa
ke wa ti e hamba wa be inyoka
na ? Ngokuba nati si ya koAlwa
lapo, uma XJmvelingangi wa za wa
ti, idAlozi li inyoka nje, ngani
Loku umuntu e suka a fe nje e
nge namaila ; nati lapo ka si kolwa
enyokeni; loku noma abantu be
lele, u ti a nga pupa inyoka, a pa-
pame masinyane, 'etuke ; a ti uma
6 pupa umimtu owa &.yo, a kulu-
me naye izindaba ekupupesi ; in-
yoka umuntu e i pupa ka kalumi
nayo izindaba^ u y* etuka. Ngi ti
mina, amadAlozi ka wa ko a nemi-
sila. UmvelingBngi tina si ti
w' eduka yena um' a t' abantu ba
izinyoka^ Ngokuba nabaatu aba-

them. But on the part of those
who are conquered, those who
survive say, " We have no
AmadhlozL Why have we died
utterly? Why have our Ama-
dhlozi been conquered by ihe
Amadhlozi of other people T For
those who have not died say, " The
Amadhlozi of So-and-so have been
conquered by the Amadhlozi of
our tribe."

Thus it is with black men ; they
did not come into being when it
was said, " There are no Amato-
ngo," They came into being when
it was already said, ^' There are
Amatongo." But we do not know
why the man which first came
into being said, ** There are Ama-
tonga" Was there ever a man
who whilst living said he was a
snake t For we too do not under-
stand why XJmvelin^ngi said^
"Theldhloziisasnake." For a man
dies having no tail ; and even we
in that respect do not believe in a
snake ; for if a man is asleep, and
dreams of a snake, he awakes im-
mediately and starts ; but if he
dream of a dead man, he speaks
with him of affiurs in a dream;
but if he dream of a snake, he
does not talk with it ; he starts.
For my part^ I say there are no
Amadhlozi with tails. And we
say Umvelin jBngi made a mistake
when he said, <' People are snakes."
For old meUi when we ask why it

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKOO.

las

dala aba 'madoda si ti lapa si bn-
zayo SI ti, '^ AmadAlozi lawa ku
tiwa a izinyoka nje ngani 9 " ba ti,
*' Ngoba kw amadAlozi" Si buze
tina, si ti, '^ Ake iii si tshele aba-
ntu abafa be nemisila naT' Ba
koAlwe lapa, ba nga si tsheli. Si
ti ke, '*0, ini ukuba ni nga si
tsheli amadAlozi a izinyoka na)"
Ba tsho njalo ke ; ba koAlwa, ba
nga si tsbeli uma si zwe. Si y* e-
zwa uma be tsho amadAlozi enyo-
keni; ka si zwa uma inyoka i
idAlozi. i_^

is said that the Amadhlozi are
snakes, say, '< Because they are
AmadhlozL" And we ask saying,
'' Just tell us if dead men have
tails." They are puzzled there,
and cannot tell us. And so we
say, *^ O, how is it that you do not
tell us whether the Amadhlozi are
snakes f ' So they repeat the same
words; they are puzzled and do
not tell us, that we may under-
stand. We understand if they
say, " The Amadhlozi are in
gBftto?^' wft do not understand if

they say, '^ The snake is an Idhlo-

ZL"

Ukwaba equivalent to Create,

Njengaloko lapo inkosi ya tsho,
ya ti, " A ku be kona ukukanya,"
kwa ba kona njengokutsho kwayo
inkosi ; si ti, " Kw* abiwa inkosi
ukukanya.'' Ku njalo ke abantu
ba ti, " 'Abiwa amatongo XJmveli-
n^ungi" Ba ti futi, "XJmuntu
wokukgala V aba amatongo, tiku-
ti, wa wa veza." Ba ti, " Zonke
izinto z' abiwa umuntu wokukga-
la, Unkulunkulu ; z' enziwa uye f
ngokuba ku ya lingana ukwalnwa
nokwenziwa.

Lapa tina ke, tina 'bantu si ve-
layo, si ti, " Abantu abamnyama

Just as when the Lord said, " Let
there be light," and there was
light in accordance with the word
of the Lord ; we say, ** The light
was created [abiwa] by the Lord."
So the people say, "The Amato-
ngo were created [abiwa] by Um-
velin^ngL" So they say, **The
first man crea.ted.|ftbft], the Ama-

tongo, that is, he gave them be- ^
mg.^'^ They say, ** A ll things were

made^^ the finit man, Unkulu-
nkulu ; they were made by him ;"
for ukwabiwa and ukwenziwaT K&
one meaning.

We then, who come into being
at the present time, now say,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

136

AMAT0N60.

ba laAleka. Ini ukuba ba ti ka ba
m azi Umvelingangi na ? Abantu
abaziyo abafundisi ; bona be kulu-
Tua ngemiteto yenkosi Yoaa si i
zwayo igama laya, nendodana ya-
yo. Si ya koMwa nma yena umu-
ntu wokuk^^la wa be ubani ; loku
si zwa Unkulunkulu XJmveling'a-
ngi ; si ng* azi tiba yena Unkulu-
nkulu lo wa zalwa ubani

Loku abelungu ba fika nje naba-
fundisi, sa si li zwa igama lokuti,
u kona XJtifcro. Ku ya s' aAlula
okutshiwo abantu, uma ku nga bi
ko umuntu o ti Unkulunkulu wa
dabuka kuk^ala nje, umfazi wake
kwa ku ubani, nendodana yake.
Loku indodana katika?o si ya i
zwa ngabafiindisi ukuti Ujesu. Si
y' aAluleka ; tina si ti ba laAleka.
Ini uma ba si tshele Unkulunku-
lu 1 Si zwe ukuti be ti wa dabula
izizwe zonke ezinmyama ; si nga i
zwa indawo lap' e kona a zi dabu-
lela kona.

Si koMwe ke lapokulabo 'bantu
uma be ti s* enziwa Unkulunkidu,
XJmveling'angi, (ukuti Umvelin^'a-
i^ nje, ngokuba a vela kuk^'ala

" Black men are mistaken. Why
do they say that they do n<rt know
Umvelingangil The people who
know are the missionaries^ who
speak of the commandments of
the Lord. We hear His name, and
that of His Son, We do not know
who the first man was ; this only
we hear, that Unkulunkulu is one
with Umvelin^^gi ; not knowing
who was the f&iher of Unkulu-
nkulu.

But since the white men came
and the missionaries we have
heard it said that ihere is God.
We cannot understand what the
black men say, for there is no one
who tells us that Unkulunkulu
first came into being, and what
was his wife's name, and that he
had a son. But we hear the mis-
sionaries say that Jesus is the son
of God. We do not understand
what the black men say. We say,
"They are mistaken. Why do
they tell us about Unkulunkulu I
We hear them say that he created
all the black nations ; but we do
not hear of the place where he
created them."

So we do not understand what
these people mean, when they say
we were made by Unkulunkulu,
Umvelingangi. He is called Um-
velin^angi for no other reason but
because he came into being first

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKGO.

137

ngapambili kwabantii.) Ba ti ke,
^* Wa memjei^, "wa ti, * Ma ku vele
abafitu, ku vele izinto zonke, nezi-
nja, nezinkomo, nezintete, nemiti,
notsham.*" Kepa ke si ng* eze
8* azi ezinAliziy weni zetu uma si
zwa be tsho njalo, be ti izinto z' e-
nziwe TJnkulunkulu ; si nga u zwa
nmfula owa be zi dabulela kona
izizwe a z' aba Uukulunkulu.

Si ti into e ize leyo kankulu-
nkulu. B* eduka nobuula. A si
i zwa into eyona y* enziwa Unku-
lunknlu. Tina si velayo si vela se
be si tshela be ti s' enziwa XJnku-
lunkulu. Si ti, " Into e ize. Ka
i ko into yek^iniso lapo ; ngoba a
ba ko aba ti si y' azi lapa XJnkulu-
ukulu a dabulela kona abantu."

Si ti tina si zwa abelungu, — ^zo-
na izindaba zenkosi zi sezincwadini.
Si ti, " Nampa abakuluma ik^ini-
so, be ti, * Inkosi i kona.' " Na
manje inkosi i kona. Nati si ti si
vela kwa ku tiwa i kona inkosi ; i
sezulwini, ukuti Utikico. Indaba

immediately before men. ^ So
they say, "He shouted saying,
' Let men come forth ; let all
things come forth, — ^both dogs
and cattle, and grasshoppers,
and trees and grass.'" But we
could never understand in our
hearts when we heard them say
that all things were made by
TJnkulunkulu; and did not hear
the name of the river where
XJnkulunkulu broke off the na-
tions which he created [aba].

We say this matter about
Unkulimkulu is a vain thing.
They wandered with folly as
a companion. We do not know
a single thii\g that was cre-
ated by TJnkulunkulu. As soon
as we were bom they told us
we were made by TJnkulunku-
lu. We say, it is a vain thing.
There is no truth in it ; for there
are none who say, they know the
place where TJnkulunkulu broke
off the people.

We say we understand the
white men, — the true accounts of
the Lord which are in books. We
say, " Behold the men who speak
the truth, when they say, *The
Lord is.'" And even now the
Lord is. And we too say that
from our birth it was said, the
Lord is ; He is in heaven ; that is,

® Note again the force of Tiga before pambili : panibili, before —
any indefinite time before ; ngapambili, just before, immediately or a
short time before.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

138

AMATONGO.

kankuluukulu a si 7 azi ; a i k^
udeki ka^Ie j insumansumane nje.
Loku noma be ti, XJnkulunkulu
wa tuma unwaba, wa ti, a lu yo-
kuti ezizweni zabantu, lu yokuti,
abantu ma ba nga fi ; ba ti, kwa
ti ngasemva kwonwaba wa tuma
intulwa ngasemva kwonwaba, u-
nwaba se lu hambile ukuya *kuti,
abantu ma ba nga fi ; ya hamba
ngasemuva intulo ukuya *kuti, ma
ba fe. Kwa za kwa fika intulo
kuk^ala; ya fika, ya ti intulo,
abantu ma ba fe. Kanti unwaba
lu libele ubukwebezane, ya za ya
buya intulwa ; kanti imwaba ohi
tuny wa ukuk^'ala, ka lu ka fiki, lu
libele ubukwebezane. Lu te se lu
ya 'kufika kubantu, se lu fika lu
ti, " Ku tiwa, abantu ma ba nga
fi." Ba se be ti abantu, kgede lu
memeze unwaba, lu tsho njalo, lu
ti, " Abantu ma ba nga fi,*' b* ala
abantu, ba ti, " Si bambe elentulo ;
se u kuluma ize wena ; izwi e si li
bambileyo, si bambe elentulo, yona
i fike ya ti, * Ku tiwa, Abantu ma
ba fe.' Nant' igama e si li bambi-
leyo. A si y azi leyo 'ndaba o i
tshoyo, lunwaba." Tina ke si ti
ke, mfundisi, si ti, izindaba zama-
nga ; leyo 'ndaba i nge ko. Aba-
ntu b' enziwa inkosi. Unkulu-
nkulu si ti wa kw azi ngani uku-
tuma izilwane ezihhukg^izela nge-
sisu pansi, a ti i zona z' emuka za
ya 'kukuluma kubantu indaba na ?
Si ti, ba kohlwa.

God. We do not understand the
account of Unkuli^^Iu ; it is
not easily understood* it is a mere
fable. For although they say,
TJnkulunkulu sent a chameleon
to go and tell the nations of men
that men were not to die; and
that after the chameleon he sent a
lizard to tell men that they were
to die ; and the lizard arrived first
and said that men must die. The
chameleon foi-sooth loitered at a
bush of ubukwebezane, until the
lizard came back again, and the
chameleon which was sent first
had not yet arrived, stopping to
eat the ubukwebezane. And when
it came to men it said, " TJnkulu-
nkulu says that men are not to
die." And when the chameleon
had made this proclamation, men
refused to listen, and said, " We
have received the word of the
lizard ; what you now say is vain ;
the word which we have received
is that of the lizard, which came
and said, * TJnkulunkulu says,
Man must die.' That is the word
which we have accepted. We do
not understand the matter, Cha-
meleon, of which you speak." We
thus say. Teacher, that these are
l^lse accounts ; the tale is not reaL
Men were made by the Lord,
We ask how could TJnkulunkulu
send animals which creep on their
bellies, to take a message to man ?
We say they are deceived.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMAT0N6O.

139

A si 7 azi indawo lapo Umveli-
n^angi aba«|i a ba vezela kona,
uma babe kona nje. I ya s' a^lu-
la nati le 'ndaba ; iiabadala abafayo
ba fa be nga V azi lelo 'zwe lapa
Unkulunkulu a dabulela kona
abantu uma ba be koaa ; nabadala
abasala kwabafayo ka ba tsho
ukuti, si ya V azi lelo 'zwe lapa
Unkulunkulu a dabulela abantu ;
nabo ba ya dinga nje ukuba nabo
b' ezwe ngendaba ukuti, Unkulu-
nkulu wa dabula izizwe. A b* e-
zwakali abanye Onkulunkulu ba-
lezo 'zizwe a nga dabulanga Unku-
lunkulu wakubo. Tina se si ti
uma si ba buza si ti, *^ Ake ni si
tshele Unkulunkulu, si zwe," ba
ti, "Kas'azi." Si ti, "N'ezwa
kanjani na ukuti kwa ku kona
Unkulunkulu na r Ba ti, « S' e-
zwa ngabantu abadala aba ngapa-
mbili kwetu." Si ti, " Labo aba
be ngapambili kwenu V ezwa ngo-
bani nal" Ba ti ke lapo, " Si ya
koAlwa ; ka s' azi" Si ti, " Unku-
lunkulu wa be into e ize nje. Ini
uma si ng' ezwa izindaba zake
Unkulunkulu uku zi tshela zona
izizwe a be z^ enza Unkulunkulu
na 1 Ku be i loku ni pika ngo-
kuti kwa ku kona Unkulunkulu

We do not know the place
where Umvelin^^gi gave men
being, that they might have life.
Neither can we any more than our
£Eithers understand this matter;
and the ancients who are dead died
without knowing the coimtry
where Unkulunkulu created men
that they might have life ; and the
old people who are still living d6
not say they know the country
where Unkulunkulu created men ;
and they too want to be told about
the creation of the nations by
Unkulunkulu. Other Onkulu-
nkulu of those nations are not
heard of, whom their own Unku-
lunkulu did not create.* And
if we say to them, "Just tell
us about Unkulunkulu, that we
may understand," they reply,
"We do not know." We say,
"How did you hear that there
was Unkulunkulu V They reply,
" We heard it of old men who
were before us." We ask, "Of
whom did those who were before
you heart" They say, "We
cannot telL We do not know."
We say, "Unkulunkulu was a
mere vanity. Why do you not
understand the accounts of Unku-
lunkulu, which he told the nations
which he made ? Since you only
assert continually that Unkulu-
nkulu was, how can we understand

^ He means that there is one supreme Unkulimkulu, from whom
all other Onkulunkulu sprang.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

140

AMATONGO.

njalo n^ 1 Si Dga zi zwa izindaba
zake na? Ela si kolwa."

Umpengula Mbanda.

what relates to him f We do not
believe." M[h

Abantu ba ti ku kona amadAlozi
aba Ba ya kolwa kuloko, ngo-
kuba ka b' azi ukiiba umuutu u ya
njapi ekufeni kwake. Ba fumana
ukuti ukupenduka inyoka ngoku-
kcabanga kwabo. Ba ti umuntu
u ya & j ngemva kwaloku, uma e
se file, a buye a penduke iiiyoka ;
ba ti ibizo lenyoka, ba ti, itongo ;
ba kuleka kulo ngoku li Alabisa
izinkomo, ngokuba ba ti izinkomo
futi ezalo, ba zi piwa ilo ; futi ba
ti, ba pila ngalo ; ku ngaloko be li
Alabisa izinkomo. Ba ti, uma be
za 'ku li Alabisa, ba buyise izinko-
mo enAle, uma be se z* alukile ;
noma zi se sekaya, ba zi butela
'ndawo nye noma zintatu noma zi-
ne ; ka ba zi buti zonke ; ba leta
lezo ezi neyakuAlatshiswa itongo,
ba zi ngenise esibayeni ; ba gakrce
imvalo esangweni, be se be zi k^o-
k^ela. Umnikaziyo e se kuleka
ematongweni, e ti, '' Nansi inkomo
yenu, nina 'bakwiti ;" e se kuleka,
e ba balisa oyise noninakulu a se

The people say their Amadhlozi
exist. They believe in that, for
they do not know where men go
when they die. When they
thought of the matter they dis-
covered that they turned into
snakes. They say a man dies,
and when he is dead, he turns
into a snake ; and they gave that
snake the name of Itongo, and
they worship it by sacrificing cat-
tle, for ihey say the cattle too be-
long to it ; it is it that gives them
cattle; and they say it is by it
they live ; therefore they sacrifice
cattle to it When they are going
to sacrifice, they bring home the
cattle, if they have been driven
out to pasture ; or if they are still
at home, they drive three or four
together ; they do not collect them
all; they select those which are
with the one they are about to
sacrifice to the Itongo, and drive
them into the pen ; they close the
gateway with poles, and then drive
the cattle together in one place.
The owner of the bullock having
prayed to the Amatongo, saying,
" There is your bullock, ye spirits
of our people ; " and as he prays
naming grandfathers and grand-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

' ba fa, 6 ti, " Naku ukiidAla kwe-
nu ; ngi ya^tt&la umzimba omna-
ndi, ukuba ngi hambe ka^le ; na-
we, banibani, n ngi pate ka/Je;
nawe, banibani," e tsho njalo, e
balisa ngabo bonke bakwabo a se
ba j^ Emva kwaloko e be e se
tata umkonto omunye o za Isu i
Alaba, e se nyonyoba, e se i gwaza
emAlabankomo, ukuti eluAlangoti-
ni ; i be se i kala, i ti, " Eh ; " e
be e se ti umniniyo, " Kala, nko-
mo yamadAlozL" E se pinda e
balisa futi ngaloko, ngokuba e ti
ba m nikela abakubo ukuba a
hambe ka^le ngaloko 'kukala
kwenkomo. I be se i Alinzwa, se
i pelile, umniniyo e be e se ka iga-
zana elinmiyane, e se sika um-
MweMwe futi, e se u tshisela nga-
sese negazana, e se H beke ngasese
fiiti, e se tata impepo e se basa
yona, e se beka umAlweAlwana
pezu kwempepo, e ti, u pa aba-
kubo usi olumnandi. Emva
kwaloko ba be se be i dAla ke
inyama. Ku pela.

mothers who are dead, saying,
" There is your food ; I pray for a
healthy body, that I may live
comfortably ; and thou. So-and-so,
treat me with mercy; and thou
So-and-so," mentioning by name
all of their &mily who are dead ;
and then the one who is going to
kill the bullock takes an assagai
and goes cautiously towards it,
and stabs it in the place where the
ox is usually stabbed, that is, in
its side ; and then the ox bellows,
and the owner says, " Cry, ox of
the Amadhlozi" And then he
again mentions the Amatongo by
name, because he thinks they have
given him health, because of the
cry of his ox. It is then skinned.
When the skinning is completed,
the owner takes a little blood, and
cuts off a portion of the caul, and
bums it in a secret place with the
blood, which also he places in a
secret place ; and he takes incense
and burns it, having placed the
caul on the incense, thinking, he
is giving the spirits of their people
a sweet savour. After that they
eat the flesh. That is the end.

Ku ti uma ku fe umuntu kubantu
abamnyama a fulelwe ngamaAla^la.
Ku zinge ku Alolwa njalo umnini-
ye lowo 'muntu ofileya Noma

When a man ^ies among black
men the grave is covered over
with branches. The person to
whom the dead man belongs
watches the grave continually. K

Digitized by VjOOQIC

TOKGO.

ku fe indodana uyise a linde njalo
i/^laMa, ukuze ku ti se be bona
ukuba iAlaAla 11 bunile ba dele,
V a2d a ku ko 'luto olu nga m ki-
pako, ngokuba u se bolile. Kepa
uma e fumana inyoka ngapezulu, a
tsho uma e se bujile lowo 'muntu
o be yoAlola, a ti, " O, ngi m fu-
mene namAla nje e tamele ilauga
ngapezulu kweliba."

Ngaloko ke uma e nga buyi
ukuja ekaya, be nga m pupi, ku
Alatshwe inkomo noma imbuzi, ku
tiwe, u ya buyiswa enMe ukuba
'eze ekaya \ ku ti uma be nga m
pupi noma ku njalo, ba Mupeke
ngokuti, "Lo 'muntu wa fa ka-
njani ? a si m boni ; itongo lake li
ninyama." Ku yiwe enyangeni
yobulawo uma ku umuntu womuzi

a son has died, his &ilJier watches
the branches consta;i9|&r, (hat whea
they see that thajjlraiiches are
rotten they may be satisfied,
knowing that nothing can now
disturb the remains, for they are
rotten. And if he observe a snake
on the grave, the man who went
to look at the grave says on his
return, " O, I have seen him to-
day basking in the sun on the top
of the grave."

So then if the snake does jiot
come home, or if they do not dream
of the dead, they sacrifice an ox or
a goat, and it is said he is brought
back from the open country to his
home. And if they do not dream
of him, though the snake has
come home, they are troubled and
ask, " How did this man die? we»
do not see him; his Itongo is
dark." They go to a doctor of
ubulawo,^® if it is the chief man

^^ Uhulawo, A class of medicines, used for cleansing and bright-
ening. Medicines used with the view of removing from the system
something that causes dislike, and introducing into it something that
will cause love.

There are two kinds used in each case — ^black ubulawo and white
ubulawo ; the black " washes," the white " wipes ; " the black takes
away the " blackness " — " the evil," — ^which causes a man to be dis-
liked ; the white makes him f* white " — causes him to be " bright " —
gives him a " beauty," — which causes him to become an object of love
and admiration.

Both black and white ubulawo are roots of plants.

The black is first used. The roots are bruised, mixed with water,
and " churned : " when a great deal of froth has been produced by the
churning process, it is drunk and the body is washed with it. It is
used for about a month. The first time of using it, the medicines are
taken to some place where the aloe is abundant ; there a large fire is
kindled of aloe ; and the medicine being prepared is drunk in large
quantities ; it is emetic, and the contents of the stomach are ejected

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO,

143

omkulu ; ai, • ku tshiwo ngabantu
kazana nje. aa yanga i fike i peAle
ubulaw5^ kT>:|fiDEit8hwe imbuzi, yo-
na i nomsiiMlo nokukala ; imvu a
i Alatshwa ngokuba ku tiwa itongo
li ya 'kuba mnyama, ngokuba
imvii i isiula, a i namsindo ; a ku
vamile ukuba ku Alatshiswe itongo
ngemvu ; itongo li Alatshiswa
ngembuzi, yona ku ti umuntu e sa
i ti ka;hu ngosungulo, i be se i ba-
ngalasa, ba tokoze ke kakula, ba
ti, *4 Kala, nkomo kabaui, owa ti,
"wa ti, wa ti " (be tsho izenzo zake).
Ba ti, " Si ti, Buya u xe 'kaya, si
ku bone natnAla nje. Si ya Alu-

of a large village ; but nothing is
done as to the poor. The doctor

comes and mixes ubulawo, and a
goafli Elle37it being an animal
which makes a great noise and
cries; but a sheep is not killed,
because it is said it will cause the
Itongo to be dark ; for a sheep is
foolish and makes no noise, and
therefore it is not usual to sacrifice
a sheep to the Itongo. The Itongo
has a goat sacidficed to it ; when a
man piicks it with a needle, it at
once makes a great noise ; and so
they rejoice greatly and say, " Cry,
beast of So-and-so, who did such
and such and such things " (men-
tioning the things he did). " We
say, Come home again, that we
may now see you. We are trou-

into the fire so as to quench it ; the obje<jt being that the " badness,"
which is cast off, may be burnt up and utterly consumed. On subse-
quent occasions the contents of the stomach are ejected on pathways,
that others may walk over it, and take away the " insila " or filth that
is the cause of offence which has been cast out.

When the treatment by the black ubulawo has been continued
for the proper period, the white is used much in the same way. The
roots are bruised, mixed with water, and churned. If the man is
using it because he has been rejected by some damsel, he adds to the
medicine something belonging to her which has been worn next her
skin, especially beads ; whilst churning the medicines he praises the
Amatongo, and prays for success. When the froth is produced and
rises high above the mouth of the pot, he allows it to subside ; and
then takes some of the froth and puts it on his head and sprinkles it
over his body ; and then drinks the contents of the pot. It has an
emetic effect. But the contents of ihe stomach are ejected in the
cattle-pen. This place is selected because the white ubulawo is a
" blessing."

The special circumstances under which such medicines are used
are when a youth has been rejected ; or when a man wishes to obtain
a jGsivour from a chief or great man ; or when he has been summoned
by the chief to answer a charge brought against him ; or under the
circumstances narrated in the text. But in the Case of " bringing
home " the Itongo, the white ubulawo only is used.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

144

AMATONGO.

peka, uma si nge ze sa ku bona, si
ti, u si sola ngani na? loku izin-
komo ezako zi mi nje ; uma u biza
iiiyama, u nga tnho zi Alatshwe,
ku ng* ali 'muutu."

Y elape ke inyanga leyo yobu-
lawo, i bu pe/ile i m biza, bu be-
kwe emsamo. I tsho ukuti, " Ngi
ti u za 'ku m bona nam/da nje, u
kulume naye ; noma kade u nga m
boni, nam^la nje u ya 'uAlambu-
luka.

Ku njalo ke ukuyiswa kwesi-
tuta, si buyiswa ngenkomo na ngo-
bulawo.

bled if we never see^^feo, and ask,
why you are angr?^^kk us? £or j
all the cattle arecSSl i'tiursj
you wish for meat, you can i
and the cattle be slaughter
without any one denying you."

lawo^ calUng^ffiejKI
name, and puts the ubulawo in th\
""Tipper part of the Fut, and says,
" I say, you will see him to-day,
and talk with him ; although 'you
have not seen him for a long time,
to-day he will be clear."

Such then is the means em-
ployed to bring back a ghost ; it is ^
brought back by sacrifice and ubu-
lawo.

TIte people do not worship aU Atnatongo indiffererdly.

ABANtu abamnyama a ba kuleki
ematongweni onke, abantu abafayo
bakubo; kakulu ku kulekwa en-
Alokweni yalowo 'muzi kulabo 'ba-
ntwana balowo 'muzi ; ngokuba
abadala abafako a ba b' azi nezibo-
ngo zabo uma kwa ko obani na.
Kepa uyise a ba m aziko u inMoko
yokuba ba kg'ale ngaye, ba gdne
ngaye ekukulekeni, ngokuba ba ya
m azi yena kakulu, na ngoku ba
tanda kwake abantwana bake ; ba
ya kumbula uku ba pata kwake e
se kona, ba linganise loko 'ku ba

Black people do not worship all
Amatongo indifferently, that is, all
the dead of their tribe. Speaking
generally, the head of each house
is worshipped by the children of
that house ; for they do not know
the ancients who are dead, nor
their laud-giving names, nor their
names. But their father whom
they knew is the head by whom
they begin and end in their prayer,
for they know him best, and bis
love for his children ; they remem-
ber his kindness to them whilst he
was living; they compare his

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONCMX

pata kwake e ae koiia, ba ku mise
nokuti, '' D* sa 'ku si pata kanjalo
noma e file. A s' azi uma u 7a
'kubuje a bheke aobani ngapandAle
kwetu na ; 'kupela u ja 'kubheka
tina."

Ku Bjalo ke noma be kuleka
kwamaningi amatongo akubo, V e-
nza ugange olukulu Iwoku ba vi-
kela; kepa uyise u- dAlulicdsile
ekupatweni kwamatongo amanye.
Uyise u igugu kakulu kubantwana
bake noma e nga se ko. Ku ti
labo a se be kulile be m azdsisa
kakulu ukuba-mnene kwake no-
buk^we bake. Ku ti uma ku ko-
na ubuAlimgu pakati kwomuzi,
indodana enkulu i m bonge ngezi-
bongo zake a zi zuza umAla e Iwa
empini, a wa weze ngamazibukwa-
na onke ; i m tetisa ngokuti, " Ku
nga ze ku fe tina i\je. U se a
bheke iMinit A si fe si pele, si
bone uma u ya 'ungena pi na t U
ya "kudAla izintete ; ku sa yi 'ku-
bizwa 'ndawo uma u bulale owako
umuzL"

treatment of them whilst he was
livingy support themselves by it, and
say, ^ He will still treat us in the
same way now he is dead. We do
not know why he should r^ard
others besides us; he will r^^ard
us only."

So it is then although they wor-
ship the many Amatongo of their
tribe, making a great fence around
them for their protection; yet
their father is far before all others
when they worship the Amatonga
Their fiither is a great treasure to
them even when he is dead. And
those of his children who are al-
ready grown up know him tho-
roughly, his gentleness, and his
bravery. And if ^ere is illness in
the village, the eldest son lauds
him with the laud-ngiving names
which he gained when fighting
with the enemy, and at the same
time lauds all the other Amatongo ;
the son reproves the father, saying,
" We for our parts may just die.
Who are you looking after! Let
us die all of us, that we may see
into whose house you will enter.^*
You will eat grasshoppers; you
will no longer be invited to go any
where, if you destroy your own
viUage."

** That is, they suggest to the Itongo, by whose ill-will or want
of care they sa:e afflicted, that if they should all die in consequence,
and thus his worshippers come to an end, he would have none to wor-
ship him ; and therefore for his own sake, as well as for theirs, he had
better preserve his people, that there may be a village for him to enter,
and meat of th^ sacrifices for him to eat. -

Digitized by VjOOQIC

146

AMATONOa

Ngemva kwaloko ke ngoku m
bonga kwabo, V em' iaibmdi ngo-
kuti, "U zwile; u za 'kwelapa,
izifo si pume.''

Kii njalo ke ukutemba kwaba-
ntwana etongweni eli iiyise.

Futi lima ku kona inkosikazi
yomuzi eyona i zala abantu, noma
indoda i nga file, itongo layo li ya
patwa kakulu indoda yayo naba-
ntwana bonke. Leyo *nkosikazi i
itongo lokubonisa umuzL Kepa
kakulu uyise njalo o yena e in/do-
ko yomuzi

Umpengula Mbanda.

Afiber that, because they have
worshipped him, they take courage
saying, *' He has heard ; he will
come and ti*eat our diseases, and
they will cease/'

Such, then, is the fitith which
children have in the Itongo which
is thejr feither.

And if there is a chief wife of
a village, who has given birth to
children, and if her husband
is not dead, her Itongo is much
reverenced by her husband and all
the children. And that chief wife
becomes an Itongo which takes
great care of the village. But it
is the father especially that is the
head of the village.

Ku tiwa ku kona itongo, inyoka.
Ba pupe. Ba ti, ba nga pupa, a
be se u ya gula ; a ti, " Ngi gula
nje, ngi pupile." Ba buze abanye,
bati, "U pupe ni nal" A ti,
" Ngi pupe umuntu." Uma kwa
buba umfo wabo, a ti, " Ngi bone
umfo wetu." Ba buze, ba ti, " U
be e ti ni na 1 " A ti, " Ngi m
pupe e ngi tshaya, e ti, * Kwa be u
sa ng' azi na ukuti ngi kona na f "
A ti, " Ngi m pendulile, nga ti,
* Uma ngi ya kw azi, nga u bona,
ng* enze njani na 1 Ngi ya kw a-

It is said that there is the Itongo,^'
which is a snake. Men dream.
A man di-eams perhaps, and is
then ill ; he says, " I am ill for no
other reason than because I have
dreamed.'' Others ask hifn what
he has dreamed. He tells them
he has dreamed of a man. If his
brother has died, he says, " I have
seen my brother." They ask what
he said. He says, "I dreamed
that he was beating me, and say-
ing, * How is it that you do no
longer know that I amf I answered
him, saying, *When I do know
you, what can I do that you may
see I know you 1 1 know that you

^2 The Itongoy — ^a collective term meaning the inhabitants of the
spirit-world, or abapansi.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

si, uma umfo wetii/ Wa ngi pe-
ndula, k^ede ngi tsho njalo, wa ti,

* U ti uma n Alaba inkomo, u nga
ngi pati ini na T Nga ti, ' Ngi
ya kn pata, ngi ku bonge ngezibo-
ngo zako/ Nga ti, 'Ake u ngi
tshele inkomo e ngi i Alaba, a nga
ku pata. Loku nga i Alaba inkabi,
nga ku pata; nga i Alaba inyu-
mbakazi, nga ku pata.' Wa pe-
ndula, wa ti, * Ngi* ya i tanda
inyama.' Nga m pikisa, nga ti,

* K5U, mfo wetu, a ngi nankomo ;
a ya a bona ini esibayeni nal'
Wa ti, * Neyodwa, ngi ya i biza.*
U ti, nga ba se ngi ya papama,
kwa se kubu/dungu esikaleni ; nga.
ngi yati ma ngi pefumule, kw' a-
la; kwa n^|amuka umoya; nga
ngi yati ma ngi kulume, kw* ala ;
kwa ngamuka umoya."

Wa k^iuisela, ka vuma uku i
Alaba inkomo. Wa gula kakulu.
Wa ti, " Kona ngi gula nje, ngi
ya si bona isifo esi ngi gulisayo.''
Ba ti abantu, '^ U si bona njalo, ku
si lungisi na? Umuntu a ng* enza
ngamabomu isifo esi mu guliuiyo ;
6 si bona, a tande ukuze a fe na ?
Lok' umAlaba, uma se u tukutelele
umuntu, u ya mu tshonisa na ) "

are my brother.' He answered
me as soon as I said this, and ask-
ed, ^ When you sacrifice a bullock, I
why do you not call upon me r I
replied, ^I do call on you, and
laud you by your laud-giving
names. Just tell me the bullock
which I have killed without call-
ing on you. For I killed an ox, I
called on you ; I killed a barren
cow, I calledr on you.' He an-
swered, sajdng, * I wish for meat.'
I refused him, sajdng, *No, my
brother, I have no bullock; do
you see any in the cattle-pent'
He replied, ' Though there be but
one, I demand it' When I awoke
I had a pain in my side ; when I
tried to breathe, I could not j my
breath was short ; when I tried to
speak, I could not; my breath
was short."

The man^^ was obstinate, and
would not agree to kill a bullock.
He was very ilL He said, " I am
really ill, and I know the disease
with which I am aflfected." The
people said, " If you know it, why
do you not get rid of itt Can a
man purposely cause the disease
which affects him ; when he
knows what it is, does he wish to
diel For when the Itongo^^ is
angry with a man, it destroys
him."

^ The narrator from this point appears to relate something he
has actually known, and not any hypothetical case.

^^ Umhlabaf the earth, is a name given to the Amatongo, that is,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKOO.

A U^ ''Amanga, madoda; ngi
J^^oje ; ng* enziwa umuntu. Ngi
ya m bona ebutougweai, ngi lele ;
u tiy ngokuba u tanda inyama, u
ngi kwde i^makcebo ; u ti, ngi
be ngi sa Alaba iukomo, ngi nga
mu pati« Ngi ya mangala ke
mina, loka izinkomo ngi zi Alaba
kangaka ; a ku ko inkomo e nga i
Alaba, a nga za nga m pata ; conke
izinkomo e ngi zi Alabayo, ngi ya
mu pata ; noma ngi Alaba imbuzi^
ngi ya m pata ; ngi be ngi ya Ma-
ba imvu, ngi m pata Ngi ti ko-
dwa mina, u y' ona ; a nga ti, uma
6 sibizela inyama, a ngi tshele nje,
a Uy * Mfo wetu, ngi tanda inya-
ma.' A ti kimuna, a ngi ze ngi
nga m bonga. Mina ngi tnkutele,
ngi ti, n tanda uku ngi bulala nje."

He rq>lied9 '^Noi so, Sirs; I
am thus ill ; I have been made ill
by a man. I see him in deep,
when I am lying down; because
he wishes for meat^ he has acted
towaxds me with tricks, and says
that when I kill cattle, I do not
call <m him. So I am much sur-
prised for my part^ for I have
killed so many cattle, and there is
not one tiiat I killed without call-
ing on him; I always called on him
when I killed a bullock. And if I
kill a goat, I call on him. And
whenever 1 kill a sheep, I call on
him. But I say, he is guilty of
an offence ; if he wished for meat^
he might just tell me, saying,
'My brother, I wish for meat*'
But he says to me that I never
laud him. I am angry, and say {
he just wants to kill me."

the Abapansi, or Subterraneans. We find such expressions as these :
^.« XT guliswa umiUaba," The Itongo has made hun ilL ^ U bixwa
nmMaba," He is summoned by the Itongo, — ^that is, he will die.
^ U petwe umAlaba," He has been scdzed by ^ Itongo. ** XT tshaywe
omAhba," He has been smitten by the Itongo. «< XJ nomAlaba,"— <'XJ
netongo," An Itongo has entered into Inm and is causing diseasa

Umhlaha is said to be an vJnuhlonipa word. The following words
are also applied to the Ancestral Spirit : — ^Itongo, IdAlozi, Isituta.
We also have Izinkomo zcnnzimu. Among the Amazulu, XJmzimu is
a word used only in this connection, and appears to be a collective
term for the Amatongo. But on the Zambesi, Azimo or Bazimo is
used for the good spirits of the departed. (The Zambesi and its Tri-
buiaries, Lwingstane, p. 520, J Compare also Note above, p. 93.
miere is also another w(»d, XJnyanya, which is used in the same way
as Itongo. Thus a man who has been fortunate says, <* Ngi bhekwe
XJnyanya," I have been r^arded by XJnyanya. Among the Amalala,
we meet with another wonl, XJndAlalane, pL OndAlalane. Thus they
say, ** XJndAlalane u ngi bhddle," XJndAlalane has regarded me, that
as, the Itonga ** OndAlalane ba n^ bhekile," The OndAlalane have
regarded me. — ^These words are probably the names of some great
ancestors, who, though now forgotten, were Ibrmerly especially re-
membered and woi^shipped for their great and good deeds whilst living.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

Ba ti abantu aba m bonayo
lapa « golayOy ba U^ ** Au !
Lo 'muniu, u ti, u sa ku
k^fooda ini ukukuluma naf Si
kaluma nawe nje ke; u pi na,
kona nati iigapana si m bum na ?
Loku nati ku se ii Alaba izinkomo ;
lapa u bonga, si kona u boi^, u m
bonge, u m pate ngeadbongo zake
zobuk^we; nati si zwe. U ti,
uma ku be, wena kabani na, uma
ku be umfo venu lona na, noma
umuntu u & k^ede, a buye a Yuke,
nga si nga m buzi na, ukuti, ' XJ
tsho ngani na? — ^loku Ubani u
Aleze e Alaba isdnkomo idkati zo-
nke, ku se e ku bonga, a ku bonge
ngeabongo zako zobudoda; nati si
awe.'"

Ati "Ehe!" o gulajo; "ati
u gabe ngokuba e ti umfo wetu
cmikulu; ngokuba mina ngi mu-
Btfinyane. Ngi 7a mangala uma u
ti, ma ngi k^ede izinkomo nje.
Yena wa & e nge nazo ini naf ''

Ba ti, ^' Au, umuntu wa fii, we-
na kabanL Tina si ti, uma si
kiihima nawe i\je, ameUo ako e sa

The people who see him when
he is ill say, "Au! Do you
mean to say that the man^^
still understands how to speak?
We speak with you now ; where
is he, that we too mi^t
take him to task? For we too
were present at all times when
you slaughtered cattle ; and when
you lauded, you lauded him, and
called upon him by the laud-giving
names which he received for his
l»n.very; and we heard. And,
Son of So-and-so, if it could really
be that that brother of yours, or
any other man who is already
dead, should rise again, could we
not take him to task, and ask,
* Why do you say so ? — since So-
and-so is continually killing cattle^
and lauds you with the laud-giving
names which you received for your
manliness ; and we too heard.' "

The sick man replies, '^Eh! My
brother acts in this boastful way
because he says he is oldest ; for I
am younger than he. I wcmder
when he tells me just to destroy
all the cattle. Did he die and
leave none behind ? "^^

Thc^ say, " Au, the man died^
Son of So-and-so. For our parts
we say, when we are really speak-
ing with you, and your eyes are

^^ That is, he who is dead.

^^ ** Did he die and leave no cattle behind ? " — Since he did not
■aerifiee all his cattle to the Amatongo, but left some when he died^
why should he be so unreasonable now he is an Itongo as to demand
thtft I should sacrifice all mine ?

Digitized by VjOOQIC

150

AMATONOO;

bhekile nje, — tina si ti, lo 'muntu
u nga u kuliuna nje ; noma u nem-
buzi, u m bonga Kodwa si ti, n
nehhao um' a be se u ya ku bulala,
a Dga ku tsheli kaAle, nawe u kqo-
nde ; u be u sa nga m pupa izikati
sonke, u be se u za 'kugula na.
Ipupo libL Ini umfo wenu u b' u
sa nga m bona u lele, u be se u ya
gula na t Ku nani umuntu e pu-
pe umfb wabo, a vuke umzimba
umnandi, a tshele abantu a ba
lauzele ukuti, ' Umzimba wami u
polile, umnandi' A ti, * Ngi pu-
p' umfo wetu e kuluma izindaba
ezinAle kumina.' A ti, a nga
fika izikati zonke kuwe, u fika
ngempi, se u ya gula; se s' azi
ukuti u gula nje ke, u ya 'kuba u
pupe umfo wenu nje."

A ti, ^* Ehe, madoda, mina se
ngi za 'ku mu nika inyama yake a
i tandako ; lokw e ti kumina ngi
nga m pupa ; u ya i pata inyama ;
u ya ngi bulala ; ngi ti, ku nani
uma a fike kumina ebusuku, ngi
lele, a ngi tshele kaAle, a ti, * Mfo
wetu, ngi tanda ukuti,' d kulume
naye kaAle, ku bonakale ukuti ngi
pupe umfo wetu 1 U y* ona, ku

still really locking upon us, — ^we
say, as regards that man, you
shotild just speak quietly with
him ; and if you have a goat only,
worship him with it. But we say '
it is a shame in him to come and [
kill you, without telling you pro* ^
perly, that you may understand.
But you are dreaming of him con-
stantly, and are then ilL It is a
bad dream. Why do you con- '
stantly see your brother in your
sleep, and become illt It were
well that a man should dream of his
brother, and awake with his body
in health, and tell the people his
dream, saying, * My body is now
restored to health; it is without
pain. I have dreamed of my bro-
ther, telling me pleasant news.^
But now he comes to you at
all times with hostile intent, and
you are ill ; and so we know that
you are ill on that account, be-
cause you dream of your brother.**
He says, " Eh, Sirs, I will now
give him the flesh he loves ; for he I
speaks to me when I dream of ;
him ; he demands flesh ; he kills |
me; I say, what prevents him
from coming to me by night when
I am asleep, and telling me quietly,
saying, 'My brother, I wish so-
and-so,' that we may talk pleasant-
ly with each other, and it be evi-
dent that I have dreamed of my
brother t He wrongs me ; daily I

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATOKOQ.

15J

ya sa ngi ya m pupa, ngi: vuke ugi
neno^eba ; n^^ ti, ka 'rnuntu ; into
e ya be ishiDg% i tanda ukulwa
nabantu. Kodwa, madoda^ si be
si da si 2swa ni ti, * Umuntu owa fa
e ishinga eli nga kuluiniswayo
abantUy idAlozi lake li be liAle naP
Si be si da si zwa ni iaho i^alo, ni
ti u t' a nga &^ itongo lake li lu-
nge, li be liAle. Kanti ku lunga
umuntu owa be lunge kade.
TJmAlaumbe a ti nowa be lungile,
a fike a be mubi uma e file ; nowa
be ishinga, a ti uma 'se file, a lu-
nge, a be umuntu o 'tongo liAle.
Ku ya fiina loko kokobili. Si ya
ni pikisa nina, nina ni ti umuntu
owa £bl e ishinga e nga kulunyiswa,
a ti a nga flBk, a be nedAlozi eliAle.
Tina si ti ku ya £sina nje ; nowa
be lungile, u ya vuka a be uAlanya
lapa 'se file ; ka ku muki ngoku-
lunga kwake um' e sa hamba nga-
pezulu ; no^lanya lu fa, k^ede, lu
Innge^ lu be idAlozi eliAle.''

Ba ti, ** Ehe, si ya ku vumela ;
u kginisila Ku ya fkna kokobili."

A ti, " Ngi ti ke, umfo wetu u

dreiun of him, and then awake
in suffering; I say, he is not a
man ; he was a thing which was a
wretch, which liked to fight with
people. But, Sirs, we hare been
accustomed to hear you say, ' As
to a man who died being a wretch,
one of a wcml and a blow, is the
Idlilozi of such an one good? We
have been accustomed to hear you
say thus, that when he is dead his
Itongo becomes right and is good.
But foi'sooth that man is good who
had been good long before his
death. Perhaps he too who was
good becomes bad when he is dead;
and he who was bad, when he is
dead, is good, and becomes a good
Itongo. Both are alike. We
deny the truth of what you say,
when you assert that a man who
died being a wretch of a word and
a blow, when he is dead, may
have a good spirit. We maintain
that the two things are alike ; both
he who was good will be a wrath-
ful man when he is dead ; it does
not turn out in accordance with
his righteousness which he had
when he was still living on the
earth : and the wretch when he is
dead becomes righteous and be-
comes a good spirit."

They say, " Ehe, we agree with
you; you speak the truth. The
two things are alike."

He replies, "I say then, my

Digitized by VjOOQIC

152

AMATONOa

mnke nobushinga bake luna e sa
bamba ngapezulu kwcmiAlaba ; no-
ma 6 se file, idAlozi lake li &na
naye e sa bamba iigi4)ezulu, ngo-
kuba yena ii be nga kulumiswa.
U be ti umuntu a nga kuluma na-
ye, a tande ukuba a be se u ya
Iwa ni^e. Ku be ku nga fika
ikcala ; 1' enziwe uye, a be se u ya
Iwa, a nga ku boni ukuti, * Konje
nje leli 'koala Y enziwe umina ; a
ku &nele ukuba ngi Iwe nabo laba
'bantu ; ' esuke a tande yena uku
ba bulala abantn. NedMozi lake
li njalo ; libi ; li ya tukutela ; u
ti uma 'se tukutele a lete izilwane.
Kodwa mina ngi ya 'ku mu nika
inyama yake a i funa kumina. Ngi
lele ebutongweni, ngi ya vuka, e
se ngi nike isifo emzimbeni wami
Ngi za 'ku mu nika. Uma ngi bo-
ne ke, ma ngi yeke, ngi pile, ngi
ya 'ku zi Alaba izinkomo kusasa ;
uma e nga ngi yekile, ngi ya 'ku
zi yeka, ngi ya 'kuti, ' Ka. si yena
umfo wetu.' Uma ku uyena, ma
ngi pile, ngi pefumule, ku yeke
ukun^umuka umoya, njengaloku
ngi n^amuka umoya nje."

brother has gone away with his
wickedness whidi he ezhilnted
whilst living on the earth ; and
though he is dead, his spirit re-
semUes him whilst he was alive^
for he was a man of a word and a
blow. K a man spoke to him,
he used to wish at (moe to
fight with him ; and then a di»-
pute might arise ; it was caused by
him, and then he would fight, and
did not see it nor say, ^ So then
the fitult was committed by me ; I
ought not to fij^t with these peo-
ple ; ' but he started up and wish-
ed to injure the people. And his
spirit is like him ; it is wicked ; it
is constantly angry ; and when it
is angry it sends animals. ^^ But
I will g^ve him his flesh which
he demands of me. I sleep,
and when I awake find that he
has affected my body with disease.
I will give him ; if I see that he
leaves me and I am well, I will
kill some cattle in the morning ; if
he does not leave me, I will have
the cattle, and say, ' It is not my
brother.' If it is he, let me get
well and breathe, and my breath
no longer cut me, as it cuts me at
the present time."

'^'^ A lete isilwane, — Ukuleta isi-
Iwane, ngesinye isikati amatongo
a zibonakalisa ngemiAlola, ku nge-
ne isilwane ; amagama ezilwane ku
kona isalukazaua nentulwa ; nge-

They bring Animals, — ^As re-
bringing animals, sometimes
;he Amatongo manifest themselves
>j signs, and animals enter the
'village ; the names of the animals
are isalukazana and other lizards •

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AUATONGa

153

Ba vuma ba ti, " Ehe, vena ka-
bani na; ma ku se kusasa se u
sindile, b' and' iima si bone uma
ilona idAlozi lomfo wenu ; uma ku
sa u sa gula^ a si yi 'kutsho ukuti

They ass^it and say, ^' Yes^yes,
Son of So-and so ; if in the morn-
ing you are well, then we shall see
that it is indeed the spirit of your
brother; if in the morning you
are still ill, we will not say it is

sinye isikati inyoka e nge si lo ito-
ngo; kumbe ku fike inyamazane
ekaya ; ku tatwe izibulo, ku yiwe
enyangeiii ngokwetuka ukuba ku
bonwe into e umAlola ; inyanga i
tsho ukuti, " Loko e ni ku bonile
TJbani, itongo lakwinL XJ ya zi-
bonakalLsa ngako. Bonga ui, ku
muke."

A lete izilwane kwowakwabo
ukuti ka fe, loku e nga vumi uku
wa nika into etile a wa i bizayo ;
Boma ku nge njalo e lungisa, e
ng* oni nganto kuwo ; ku ya vela
\ibubi kuye lo 'muntu. A s* azi
uma kw enza njani ukuti a ti pela
umuntu o Alabisa njalonjalo amar
dAlozi, a banjwe inyoka, noma
isilo, noma 'emuke namanzi, noma
a kalakatele esiweni, noma a hhr
tshwe umuntu enk^neni, noma a
Alatshwe inkomo ; lezi 'zinto zi m
velele. Uma e se file, abantu aba
seleyo ba buzane omunye nomunye,
ba ti, " Au, pela, iiii ukuba Ubani
a fe, loku ngensuku zouke si dAla
inyama yezinkabi kuye, noma im-
buzi, noma imvu, noma utshwala 1
Loko konke ku be kw enza ni na ?
Si be si nga ti tina u bonga Ama-
dAlozi akubo na ? Ini ukuba a fe
pezu kwaloko na ? O, kanti, no-
bongayo k' euzi 'luto ; nongabongi-
yo u ya kolisa. Nga se ku yekwa
nje."

sometimes a snake which is not an
Itongo ; perhaps an suitelope comes
to the house ; the people then take
divining-rods, and go tcTaHmner,
^i)eing'aTraid because an omen has
^jppearedy the diviner says, "TPhat
wKIchye have seen is So-and-so,
the Itongo of your housa He
reveals himself by it Worship,
that it may depart."

The Amatongo bring animals to
some one belonging to the village
that he may die, because he has
not been willing to give them a
certain thing which they demand ;
or on the contrary when he wor-
ships them, and has in nothing
sinned against them ; yet mischief
befalls the man. We do not
understand how it is that a man
who constantly sacrifices to the
Amadhlozi should be seized by a
snake, or a leopard, or bo car-
ried away by a stream; or fell
over a precipice, or be stabbed
by a man in a hunt, or be gored
by a bullock ; these things happen
to him. When he is dead, those
who are living ask one another,
saying, " Oh, then, how is it that
So-and-so is dead, when we daily
ate the flesh of bidlocks at his
house, or of goats or of sheep, or
drank beer 1 What effect had all
that 1 Did we not think he was
worshipping the Amadhlozi of his
people] How is it that he is
dead notwithstanding? O, for-
sooth, the worshipper gains nothing
by his worship ; and the man who
does not worahip does well. Let
it be left alone entirely."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

I5i

AMATOKGCX

uyena umfo wenu; si ya 'kuti,
isifo nje."

La tshona ilanga^ e sa ti kubu-
Mungu; kanti ukusengwa kwezin-
komo wa ti, " Ngi pe ni ukudAla,
ngi dAle.'' Ba buza abafazi bake,
ba ti, « Ku njani na T A ti, " Ni
zwangi ti ni na?" Ba ti, "Si
zwa u fiina ukudAla.''

A ti, "Amanga, banta bami;
nami ngi zwa inAliziyo ; ku nga ti
ni nga ngi pa ukudAlana ; ni nga
ngi pi kakulu ; ngi pe ni ingcoza-
na j ke ngi zwe»"

Ba mu pa abafazi bake, ba mu
pa amasL Wa ti, "Ni nga wa
teli umkcaba kakulu ; u tele ni u
be mundnyane, ku be 'manzana,
ku nga jii, ku tambe ; ke ngi zwe
uma ku sa 'uvunia uma kw eAle
na sempinjeni na.''

Ba mw enzela njengokutsho
kwake; kwa ba 'manzi, ka kwa
jia, kwa ba 'manzi. Ba mu nika,
wa dAIa. Kw* e^la loko 'kudAla,
ku be ku nga sa Tumi uma a ku
dAle. Ka z* a dAla kakulu ; wa
dAla ingcozana ; wa nika abantwa-
na bake. Wa ti, " Ake ni ng* e-
nzele utshwala, ng' omile." Ba
bu tata utshwala, ba mu nika.
B' etemba abafazi bake en7*liziywe-
ni zabo, be bona indoda yabo i

your brother ; we will say it is a
simple disease."

When the sun went down he was
still complaining of pain ; but at the
time of milking the cows he said,
" Give me some food, that I may
eat." His wives asked how the
pain was. He replied, " What do
you hear me say?" They said,
" We hear you asking for food."

He replied, " I don't know, my
children ; even P® feel an inclina-
tion for food ; it is as though you
might give me a little; do not
give me much ; give me a little ;
let me just try."

So his wives gave him amasL
He said, " Do not put mucli
crushed com in it; put a little
only, that it may be waterish, and
not thick — that it may be soft ;
let me just try if the disease will
now allow it to descend by the
swallow."

They did for him as he asked ;
the food was fluid, not thick.
They gave him and he ate. He
was able to swallow, although he
had been unable to eat. He did
not eat much ; he ate a little ; he
gave his children. He said, " Just
give me some beer ; I am thirsty."
They took beer and gave him.
His wives had confidence in their
hearts when they sawtheir husband

IS j^omt, even I who have been so ill.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKOO.

11^5

fiinda ukudAla; ba tokoza enAli-
siyweni zabo, loku be be se be
Alezi be novalo ukuti, '^ Umakazi,
ka ku dAli nje ukudAla, isifo siku-
lu)" Ba ba nokujabula enAlizi-
y weni ; ka ba pumisela emlon jeni,
ba bhekana kodwa ngameMo. Wa
bu puza utshwala, wa kcela ugoai,
wa ti, ^* Banta bami, ngi sbijele ni
noguai, ke ngi beme." Ba m shi-
jela, loku noguai e be e nga sa m
bemi. Abafazi bake ba bhekana,
ba mangala ukubona umuntu e se
bema uguai, loku idAlozi li be li m
Timbele m. knguai, e nga 8a m
bemi Abafazi be pika enAlizi-
yweni zabo, ukuti, ** Elinjani
idAlozi e se li m vimbele na kuguai
naf Ba be nokwesaba^ be ti,
" Lsdfo ; a si lo itongo."

Wa m bema uguai, wa lala ; u
te lima a lale, bwa fika ubutongo,
wa lala. U ti pakati kwamasuku
wa fika umfo wabo, wa ti, '^ Mfo
wetu, konje u tize izinkomo ? u ya
'ku zi Alaba kusasa naT' Wa
vuma oleleyo, wa ti, " Ehe, ngi ya
'ku i Alaba. Ini wena, mfo wetu,
u ti kumina a ngi ze nga ku pata ;
zi be zonke izinkomo, ngi zi Alaba
nje^ ngi ku pate ngezibongo zako ;
ngokuba wa be u ikgawe, u Ala-
banal"

taking a mouthful of food ; they re-
joiced in their hearts, for they had
been fearful, saying, ^* Is it then
that the disease is gi*eat, since he
does not eat 9 " They rejoiced in
their hearts; they did not speak
out their joy, but looked at each
other only. He drank the beer,
and asked for snuff, saying, *' Give
me some snuff too, my children ;
let me just take a little.'' l^ey
gave him some, for he had left off
taking snuff too. His wives look-
ed at each other, and wondered to
see the man now taking snuff; for
the Itongo had restrained him also
from taking snuff His wives had
disputed in their hearts, saying,
" What kind of an Itongo is this
that restrains him even irom
snuff) " They were afraid, think-
ing it was disease and not an Ito-
ngo which was affecting him.

He took snuff, and lay down ;
and when he lay down, sleep
came. And in the middle of the
night his brother came and said,
" So then, my brother, have you
pointed out the cattle? will yoli
kill them in the morning ? " The
sleeper assented, saying, "Yes,
yes, I will kill one. Why do you,
my brother, say to me I never call
on you, whilst whenever I kill
cattle I call on you by your laud-
giving names ; for you were a
brave, and stabbed in the con-
flictJ"

Digitized by VjOOQIC

Id6

AMATONOO.

Wa ii, ''Ehe; ngi taho nga-
kona, ngi funa inyama. Mina
pela se nga fit, nga kn shiya no-
mnzi ; wa ba nomuzi omkulu.**

Wa ti, " Ehe, mfo wetn, wa ngi
ehiya nawo umnziy wa ngi shiya
nawo nje ke; wena wa &, u zi
k^edile ini izinkomo na ?**

Wa id, ^* K^ nga ngi nga zi
kgedile."

A iiy ^ Po, wena kababa, a ti,
mina ma ngi zi kgede ini na ? "

A ti, ** K^ a ngi tsho uknti, zi
kgede. Ngi ti, i kona ngi tanda
lima umnzi wako u be mukulu."

Wa papama. Wa ti uma a pa-
pame, w' ezwa 'se sindile; ubu-
Munga o be bu sesikaleni, se bu
pelile. Wa papama, wa vuka, wa
HIbAb, ; wa mu zamazisa um£etzi, wa
ti, ^'Mwabani, vnka, n kanyise
eziko." Wa vuka umfezi, wa vu-
tela, wa kcataz* uguai, wa bema ;
wa buza nmfazi, wa ti, '' Ku njani
nal" Wa ti, "An, ak'utule;
ngi papama, umzimba wami se u
lula ; kade ngi knluma nomfo we-
tn; ngi papama, se ngi sindile
nje." Wa m bema uguai ezimpu-
mnlweni zake, wa lala ubutongo.
La pinda la fika futi lona lo 'mfo
waboj idAlozL Wa fika wa ti,
** Au, se ngi ku sindisile. Inkomo
zi Alabe kusasa."

He replied, " Yes, yes, I say it
with reason, when I wish for flec^
I indeed died, and left you with a
village ;^® you had a large Tillage."

He said, " Yes, yes, my brother,
yon left me with a Tillage ; but
when you left me with it^ and
died, had you killed all the catUef*

He replied, "No, I had not
killed them alL"

He said, ''Well then, ddld of
my father, do you tell me to de-
stroy them alH"

He replied, '' No, I do not teU
you to destroy them alL But I
tell you to kill, that your Tillage
may be great."

He awoke. When he awoke he
felt that he was now well ; the
pain which was in his side being
no longer thera He awoke^
and safc up; he jogged his wife,
and said, ^ So-and-so, awake,
and light a fire." His wife awoke
and blew up the fire ; she poured
snuff into her hand and took it,
and asked him how he was. He
replied, " Oh ! just be quiet ; on
awaking my body was feeling
light ; I have been speaking with
my brother; on awaking I was
quite welL" He took some snu£^
and went to sleep. The Itongo of
his brother came again. He came
saying, ''See, I have now cured
you. Kill the cattle in the mom-
ing."

^^ Nga ku Mya nomussi, I left you with a village, that is, I died,
leaving you to inherit the property which I possessed.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKGO.

157

Kwa sa kusasa wa Tuka, wa
ngena esibayenL Loko be kona
abafo wabo abanye abaudnyane,
wa ba biza, wa ngena esibayeni,
nabo ba ngena abafo wabo eiuba-
yenL Wa ti, " Ngi ni biza nje, se
ngi sindile. Umfo wetu a t' u se
ngi pilisile." Wa la, ** Kupula ni
inkabL" Ba i kupula. Wa ti,
^Kupula ni inyambakaad leyo."
Ba sd kupula zombili Z& fika
pambi kwake enAla nesibaya, z' e-
ma. Wa bonga, wa ti : —

'* Ebe, yidAla ni, nina bakwitL
Id^oz' eliAle, uma ku pile nezinga-
ne, imizimba i be mnandi ! Ngi
ti, ini wena nkuti u ng* umfo we-
tu, u da u ti u nga £ka kumina
ngi lele, ngi ku pupe, ngi be se ngi
za Inigula na ? IdAlozi eMle eli
fika kumuntu li kulume izindaba
ezinAle. Indaba se ngi ya i kulu-
ma, se ngi ya gula. Ezinjani
izinkomo eziti zi dAliwa umninizo,
zi be zi dAliwa ngokugula na)
Kgi ti mina^ Peza, ngi yeke uku
ngi gulisa. Ngi ti, Fika kumina
ngi lele, u ngi tshele indaba, u ti,
^ Mfo wetu, ngi tanda ukuti.' — ^U
ya fika kumina, u fika ngoku ngi
bulala. Eu ya bonakala uma wa
be umuntu o ishinga : u z* u be
iflhinga na ngapansi emAlabeni na 9

In the morning he arose and
went into the cattle-pen. But he
had some younger brothers; he
called them, and went into the
pen, and his brothers went in with
him. He said, " I just call you,
for I am now welL My brother
says he has now cured me." Then
he told them to bring an ox.
They brought it. He said,
" Bring that barren cow." They
brought them both. They both
came to him to the upper part of
the p^i, and stood there. He
prayed, saying : —

" Well then, eat, ye people of
our house. Let a good Itongo be
with us, that the very children
may be well, and the people be in
health ! I ask, how is it that you,
since you are my brother, come to
me again and again in my sleep,
and I dream of you, and am then
sick ? That Itongo is good which
comes to a man and teUs him good
news. I am always complain-
ing that I am constantly ill.
What cattle are those which their
owner devours, devouring them
through being ill ? I say. Cease ;
leave off making me iU. I say.
Come to me when I am asleep,
and tell me a matter, and say. My
brother, I wish so-and-so. — ^You
come to me, coming for the pur-
pose of killing me. It is clear
that you were a bad fellow when
you were a man : are you still a
bad fellow under the ground ? I

Digitized by VjOOQIC

158

AHATONGO.

Nga ugi Dga ti mina, ku ya IlvlH
itongo lako 11 fike ka^le kiunina,
li ngi tshele izindaba. Ini wena,
u ng' umfo wetu omkulu wokulu-
ngisa umuziy ku jxgsi veil indaba
embi ngapakati kwomuzi, sgoba
mina ng* azi ukuti u ng' umnika-
ziwol"

U teta nazo ke, u ya bonga, e
ti:—

*^ Nazi izinkomo e ngi ku nika
zona — ^nansi inkabi ebomru, nansi
inyumbakazi encokazL Zi Alaba
Mina ngi ti, Indaba ngi tshele
kaAle, ngi vuke umzimba wami
umnandi Ngi ti, A ba pelele
bonke abakwiti, ba butane lapa
kuwena, wena u tanda inyama."

A be se ti ke, " Zi gwaze ni"
A u tate umkonto omunye umfo
wabo, a be se i gwaza inyumbaka-
zi, i we pansL A i gwaze inkabi ;
zi bodAle zombili ; a zi bulale, zi
fe. A ti, « Zi Minze ni" Ba zi
Alinze ke ; zi pele izikumba ; ba i
dhle ke esibayenL Amadoda e
butene onke e zokeela inyama ; a
w esuse ngezito ; a dAle, 'esute, a
bonge, a ti, '* Si ya bonga, wena
kabani Si kulekela idMozi eliAle.
ITma si bone pela, tuna, bala,
idAlozi eligulisayo, si ya 'ubona
ukuti, bala, i lona ishinga eli umfo

used not to think that your Itongo
would come to me with kindness,
and tell me good news. How is
it that you come with evil, you,
my eldest brother, who ought to
bring good to the village, that no
evil might come to it, for I know
that you are its owner 1 "

He says these words about the
cattle, and returns thanks, say-
ing :—

^< There are ihe cattle which I
offer you — ^there is a red ox, there
is a red and white barren cow;
Kill them. I say. Tell me a mat-
ter kindly, that on awaking my
body may be free from pain. I
say. Let all the Amatongo of the
people of our house come here toge-
ther to you, you who are fond of
meat."

And then he says, " Stab them.**
One of his brothers takes an assa-
gai, and stabs the barren cow ; it
falls down. He stabs the ox;
both bellow ; he kills them — ^they
die. He tells them to skin them.
So they skin them ; the hides are
taken off; they eat them in the
cattle-pen. All the men assemble
to ask for food ; they take it away
joint by joint j they eat and are
satisfied, and give thanks, saying,
" We thank you. Son of So-and-
so. We pray that the Itongo may
be propitious. When we see indeed
that it is an Itongo which makes
you ill| we shall see that that Itongo

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

159

wenu. Si be si ng' azi uma inya-
ma si za *ka i dAla nawe ngoku-
gula kwako okukulu kaDgaka. Si
ya bona ukuti leli ishinga li ya ku
bulala ; se si y* etokoza ke ngoku-
ba si ku bona u pilile.'*

Uguaise Mdunga.

is the wretch which is your bro-
ther. We did not know if we
should eat meat with you through
your very severe ilhiess. We now
see it is the wretch which is kill-
ing you ; and so we now are glad
because we see you are well"

The Amatongo a/re felt in the ShovMera.

Amahlobibe omuntu o inyanga
indawo yokuzwa. Konke a ku
zwayo ku vela kuleyo 'ndawo ya-
maAlombe. AmaAlombe indawo
yamatongo kubantu aba izinyanga.
Uma umuntu o inyanga e bambe-
Iwa omunye u ya zonda ; ngoku m
pata lapo ku nga ti u m gwaza
ngomkonto j u y' ezwa masinyane
njengokungati ku kona isilonda.
l^abanye aba nge 'nyanga a ba
vumi ukubanjelwa ema^lombe ;
ngokuba ba ti ku kona oku ba
Alupayo ngokubaujelwa. Futi
uma umuntu 'emi emva kwenya-
nga i ya m susa masinyane ngo-
kuti, " Suka, u ya ng' apula ; nje-
ngokungati u JAed pezu kwami"

Lapa si ti, a li ko itongo kuyena
emzimbeniy si kuluma ngokuba o
be ku tshiwo, ku tiwa ku funwa
amatongo, se kw enziwe ; kepa
uku& ku ng' esuki ; si ti ke, ka
natongo ; a li ko itongo kuye.

The sg asitive part with a doctor is
his should^;s. Every thing he
feels is in the situation of his
shoulders. That Is tbe place where

black men feel the Amatongo. K
a doctor is touched by another per-
sbn he is in pain; if he touches him
there it is as if he stabbed him
with an assagai ; he feels at once
as though there was a sore place
there. And others who are not
doctora do not allow another to
take hold of them by the shoul-
ders ; for they say it causes them
pain to be laid hold of And if a
man stands behind a doctor he
makes him go away directly, say-
ing, " Get away, you are hiurting
me ; it is as if you sat upon me."

When we say there is not an
Itongo in his body, we say so be-
cause when that has been done
which it was said the Amatongo
wished, the disease remains ; there-
fore we say, he has no Itongo;
there is not an Itongo in him.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

160

AMATONOa

Laying the ItongOj or Spirik

Ku ya bizwa inyanga uma ku
kona umimtu o gulayo, kepa e ka-
tazwa umimtu emunye. Ku ti a
nga m pupa lowo 'muntu owa &70,
umzimba wake u nga lungi ; ku se
e wa lauza lawo 'mapupo ngokuti,
" Au, ngi ya Mupeka. Uma ku
fika ubani ebusuku ngi lele, um-
zimba wami a u lungi Ngi ko-
Aliwe ukuba ngi nga ze ng* enze
njani."

Kepa uma nembala loko 'ku m
pupa kwake se ku m gulisa, ku
bizwe inyanga e za *ku m vimba.
I ti, " Bheka ke ; a ko ti ngamAla
u m pupayo, u tate lo 'muti, u u
dAle ; u tate netshe noma isikuni,
u si fele ngalawo 'mate e u m pupe
e semlonyeni ngokuAlanganisa Br
mate na lo 'muti ; u wa fele esiku-
nini, noma itsbe ; u si jigijele nyo-
vane u nga bbeki. Uma u bheka
a ya 'kubuya lawo 'mapupo."
Nembala 'enze njalo.

I loko ke ukwelatshwa kwepu-
pa. Uma ku dAlula, amapupae
buya fiiti, inyanga y enze okunye,
i li vimbe lelo 'pupa lalowo 'mu-
ntu. Ku tatwe umuti o Alangani-
swe neininye ngokwedukisa ukuba
a nga be e sa m bona. A ye 'ku

A DOCTOB

man is ilLjie ^beii^^broubled by
jgSLfiU^^^ He dreams perhaps
of the dead man, and then has
pain in his body ; in the morning
he tells others his dreams. He
says, " O, I am troubled. When
So-and-so comes to me by ni^t,
my body is in pain. I cannot tell
what to do."

And if his dreaming makes him
ill, they summon a doctor to come
and close up the way against him.
The doctor says to him, " Look ;
when you dream of him, take this
medicine and chew it ; then take
a stone or a piece of firewood, and
spit on it the spittle which is in
your mouth when you dream c^
him, mixed with this medicine ;
spit it either on a piece of firewood
or on a stone ; and throw it be-
hind your back without looking.
If you look the dreams will i
And he does so.

This is the way dreaming is^\
treated. If the thing goes on, and
the dreams come back again, the ]
doctor adopts another plan of
treatment, and closes the way
against the man's dream. SeFeral
medicines are mixed together for
the purpose of misleading the Ito-
ngo, iliat he may see it no more.
He goes to a distance to shut him i

2<> That is, one of the Amatongo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMAT0N60.

161

m vimba kude, noma esidulini;
loko a ku pet^o a ku Sake kona,
a goduke ke, a nga be e sa bheka
ngemuva.

Ku njalo kubantu abamnyama.
En tiwa, ^'IdAlozi eli kaiazajo
rnna li gulisa abantu ngoku li
bona^ li ya vinjwa." KakiUu lezi
'ztnto zokuAlupa umuntu n vela
kwabesifaeana aba felwe amadoda,
ba ngenwe abafo wabo, kumbe
abanye abantu« Kepa itongo lalo
'muntu o fileyo li ya landela njalo-
njalo um&zi waka Ku ti uma e
8e e miti, uma li fika itongo lake,
a be se u ya gula, si se si pume
leso 'sisa ; ku ze ku vele nokuba li
vinjwe ngaloko 'kwenza kwalo,

Uma li m Alnpa e kwenye in-
doda e nga ngenwanga ; uma lowo
'm£kzi wa sbiya abantwana baleyo
'ndoda efileyo^ efileyo i ya m landa
Dgokuti kuye, " Abanta bami wa
ba sbiya kubani na ? U zok wenza
ni lapa na? Buyela kubanta bami
Uma u nga vumi, ngi za 'ku ku
bulala." li vinjwe masinyane
kulowo 'muzi ngokuAlupa lowo
'wesifazana.

Kumbe elinye nembala a ze a
bnye kulowo 'mendo wake, a nga
be e s' enda, a buyele ekaya, a ye
Iralonda abantwana. Ku tiwe wa
buyiswa uyise wabantwana. Ku
njalo ke ukuvimba itongo izinya-
nga.

Umpengula Mbanda.

up there, perhaps in an ant-heap ; /
what he has in his hand he puts /
into the heap, and goes home, and i
he never sees it again.

Such is the custom with black
men. It is said, <' A troublesome
spirit which appears to a man and
makes him ill, is laid." These
troublesome things occur most
commonly in women who have
lost their husbands, and are taken
to wife by his brothers or by
others. But the spirit of the dead
husband follows the wife continu-
ally. If she is pr^nant^ and the
spirit of her husband comes to her,
and she is ill and miscarries ; the
Itongo is at length laid because
it has acted thus.

If it trouble her when she has
gone to another man without be-
ing as yet married ; if she has left
her husband's children behind, the
dead husband follows her and
asks, " With whom have you left
my children ? What are you go-
ing to do here ? Go back to my
children. If you do not assent I
will kill you." The spirit is at
once laid in that village because it
harasses the woman.

Perhaps another spirit never
leaves her until she returns to the
village of her dead husband ; she
never marries again, but remains
at home and takes care of her
children. It is said the children's
father brought her back again.
This is how doctors lay a spirit.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

1G2

AMATONGO.

The Amatongo rweal MedicineSy ifcc, in dreams.

Kgesikte isikati kubantu abapata
imiti ba y aAlukanisa imiti yabo
nemiti a ba i boniswa aba nga se
ko. Njengalokii XJndayeni u b' e
kolise ukwad imiti enjalo : ku
tiwe kuye ebusuku, "Hamba, u
ye endaweni etile, u fike u mbe
umuti otile ; lowo 'muti w elapa
vkufa okutile." XJndayeni wa e
nemiti kakulu enjalo a i boniswa
abakubo e lele. Leyo 'miti wa
y aAlukanisa, nemiti a y aziyo na
leyo *miti a i boniswayo.

Futi a ku si ye yedwa kuloko.
Baningi. Ngi be ngi ke ngi bone
nobaba futi, XJnkomidAlilale ; lo-
kupela u be inyanga enkulu yo-
kwelapa izinkomo uma zi fa ; futi
e inyanga neyemiti Ngi be ngi
hamba naye uma e bizwa umuntu,
ku fa izinkomo zake lowo 'muntu.
Kgi zwe e se ngi tshela lapa si
mba imiti, u ti, " Yimba lo 'muti ;
ngi u piwe ebusuku; kwa tiwa,
ngi ya 'ku u Alanganisa nemiti
etile." Nembala ke kwa ba njalo ;

SoHETiKEfl men who have medi-
cines distinguisk between their
own medicines, and those they
have been shown by the dead.
For instance, XJndayeni was fre-
quently given the knowledge of
such medicines : it used to be said
to him in a dream, " Go to such a
place, and when you get there dig
up a certain medicine ; that medi-
cine is the remedy for a certain
disease." XJndayeni had very
many such medicines, which he
was shown by the spirits of his
people whilst he slept. He made
a distinction between the medi-
cines he knew, and the medicines
which were revealed to him.

And XJndayeni was not alone in
this respect. There are many like
him. I have seen my £iither also,
Cnkomidhlilale ;^^ for he was a
great cattle doctor; and he also
had many medicines for men. I
used to go with him when he was
called by any one whose cattle
were ilL I heard him say as we
were digging up medicines, " Dig
up that ; I had that revealed to
me in a dream ; I was told to mix
it with certain other medicines."
And so it was continually ; there

21 U-nkom^-irdhr-irlale, The-bullock-which-eats-and-lies-down.
Implying that as a bullock in abundant pastures eats and lies down,
so he shall have abundance of food and freedom from care, — that he
shall "dwell in a large pasture."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

163

a ku pelanga loko 'kupupa imiti ;
wa ze wa ba nemiti eminingi.
Ngako loko izinkomo uma zi fet u
be e zi siza, a z' elape, a zi n^mi-
sela ilanga li be linye, a ti, " A zi
nga wa puzi amanzi; a zo poza
intelezi ku be ukupela." Nembala
ku bekwa imbiza enkulu esibayeni,
i gcwale imiti namanzi ; lapo ama-
nzi e se kcwebile, imiti i buyele
Dgapansi, zi puze czinje ; ezinye zi
banjwe zi puziswe. Ku ti ngamMa
e se zi nika amanzi, ku letwe leyo
'miti, ku yiwe emfuleni nayo, a
fike a i tele emauzini, zi puze nge-
nzansi izinkoma

U ke wa zi dAla innkomo zaba-
ntu ngaloko 'kwelapa kwake. Wa
duma wa ba inyanga. TJma za
sinda lezo 'zinkomo, u se u puma
nenkomo pakati kwazo. Uma e
fika, ku kona e se zi lele pansi, a
ti, " I nga fa le. Ngi ya 'kuba
ng^ a^lulekila'' Nembala a zi vu-
se^a ngene pakati kwazo kusiAlwa
e pete isiAlanti, e mumata ama-
futa, a si vutele isi/^lanti pakati
kwezinkomo. Izinkomo z' etuke
kakulu zi bona ilangabi elisabeka-
yo e gijima nesibaya sonke a kge-
de ; a ti, " Ku nga buye ngi zwe,
ku tiwa i kona inkomo e sale ya
£t, ni nga be ni s' eza kumi ; ku
ya 'kuba ng' aAlulekile."

was no end of his dreaming of
medicines, until he had a great
many. Therefore he was useful
to cattle when they were ill ; he
gave them physic ; he ordered
them for one day to drink no
water, but only that into which
he had put his medicines. And a
large pot was put in the cattle>pen
full of laedicines and water ; when
"tiie^'lnedicines had simk to the
bottom and the water was clear,
some drank ; others were drench-
ed. When they were allowed to
drink water, the medicines were
taken to the river and put into the
water, and the cattle drank lower
down.

He obtained many cattle fix>m
people for doctoring their cattle.
He became a celebrated doctor. If
the cattle got well he had one given
him. If when he came some were
lying down, he said, "That one
may die. [But if it die] I shall
cure none of them." And so he
roused them up, going into the
midst of them in the evening,
carrying in his hand a torch,
pouring £iit on it, and kindling
it when in the midst of the
cattle. The cattle were much
frightened when they saw the
great flame, as he ran through the
whole cattle-pen ; and he said, " K
I hear that one of these cattle has
died, never come to me again ; I
shall not be able to do anything."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

164

AMATOKGO.

Ngesinye isikati ku kona umu-
ntu o hamba ngasese komunye e
nga m boni ; kepa omunye e ng^ a-
zi luto ngaye lowo 'muntu, e um-
ngane wake. Kepa uma w' ezwa
ebusuku ukuti, " Ubani lo u m e-
nza umngaiie wako nje. A u boni
ini tikuba u ya 'ku ku bulala na f
U ti ku ngani uma u ti u ti 1 '' (e
tsho indaba,) nembda lowo 'muntu
Q ya 'ku i kumbula ukuti, ** Hau.
Nembala, uma ku njalo Ubani a
nga ngi zonda ngendaba leyo." A
k^ale ukupuma kuye ngoku m
kamraya. Kepa lelo 'pupa u ya 'ku
li lauza^ a ti, ''Ngi ya mangala
uma ngi bone Ubani e ngi bulala
ngendaba etile." XT se hambele
kude naye. Noma lowo e ti,
"Baniy manje wa hambela kude
nami Ini na 1 Si pambene nga-
ni 1" Kepa lowo u ya 'ku m
pendula ngezwi loku m dukisa
ngokuti, '' O, wena kabani, kanti
u ti nga ba ku kona indaba e ngi
pambene nawe ngayo na) K^
A ku ko 'luta Ngi libaziswauku-
tinitini, kupela/' e tsho izinbangca-
bangcanje.

TTmpenqula Mbanda.

Sometimes ihere is a man wbo
is acting with a secret intention (^
injuring another without hb bus-
pecting it, and without his know-
ing any thing about him, he being
his fnend. But if he hears in a
dream a voice saying to him, '' So-
andnso is pretending merely to be
your friend. Do you not see that
he will kill you f What do you
think he means by saying such
and such things?" (alluding to
something he has said), he remem-
bers it and exclaims, '' Yes, surely.
So4tnd-so may hate me on that
account" And he b^^s to sepa-
rate from him and to be on his
guard. And he tells the dream
and says, *^ I wonder that I have
se^i So-and-so killing me about
such and such a matter." And he
keeps at a distance from him.
And if he says to him, " So-and-so,
now you keep at a distance from
me. What is it? What difference
has arisen between us ? " the other
puts him off by saying, '' O, S<hi
of So-and-so, can you think there
is any thing which has made mo
quarrel with you ? No. There is
nothing. I am occupied with
such and such concerns. That is
all," saying what is really mere
subterfuge.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKGO.

165

A man's lUmgo resembles him in chacracier. ^,)

Unjikiza kakcuba, UndAlebeka-
zizwa, Unotshelwaezitshelay kwa
kn ik^we elikulu e namandAla
kakuluy e nomsdmba omkulu ; ku
isijak^ba sendoda e lukuni; e
sukile e u dedele umAlaba.

Kwa ti kwanoolosd lapa a e
konza kona, kwa fika Amazulu e
ishnmi e hamba e bulala lapa e
tunyelwe kona. Kepa a nga yi
n^mteto wenkosi ; a zenzele pa-
kati kwemiad lap' e nga tunyelwe
kona, a pate kabi abantu, e dAla
'magola nokudAla ngokuti^ ^' Loku
si abantu bakomkulu, amapandAle
a ya 'kubaleka si sa vela nje.
Ubani wasemapandAleni o ya 'ku-
y a kwomkuln^ a ye 'ku cd manga-
lela na 9 Si ya 'kuzenzela nje, si
diye ngefiisi letu." Nembala ke

Unjikiza, the son of Ukoiba,
Undhlebekazizwa,^ Unotshelwa-
ezitshela,^ was a celebrated brave,
of great strength, and huge body ;
all his muscles were prominent
and hard ; and his head was high
above the ground.^*

It happened among the Ama-
noolosi with whom he was living,
that there came the Amazulu
going and killing wherever they
were sent. But they did not act
in accordance wiiJi the chiefs law,
but acted after their own heart in
villages to which they had not
been sent, treating the people cru-
elly, eating their milk and other
food, sayings <' Since we are the
people of the chie^ the rustics will
fly as soon as they see us. Who
among them will lay a charge
against us before the chief) We
will do just as we like, and set
ourselves our own limit."^ And

^ ^-n{^hfe&0-iflH»i-iW(^, He-is-ears-which-hear-not, or The-ears^
which-hear-not-mcm. Implying a man who refuses to listen to any
counsd or explanation, but at once attempts to conclude a matter by
fighting.

^ U-fiotskehoa^zi-tshela, When-he-has-been-told-he-teDs-the-news.
That is, he pays no attention whatever to what is said to him, but at
once gives his own account of the matter, and insists upon his own
opinion. — ^These two names are izibongo given to him on account <^
his character.

2* That is, he was very talL

^ This is a proverbial saying. '^ You shall set for yourself your
own limit at my village," — thai is, you shall do just as you like.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

16G

AMATONGO.

'enza njalo, a z' a fika kwowakiti
umuzi A fika kwa 'besi^BLzana
bodwa, kn nge ko 'mlisa. A ze-
nzela ekudAleni, a kalisa abantwa-
Ba e b' amuka ukudAla, sabesifa-
zana ba kala be ti, " Uma u kona
UndAlebekazizwa nga ni ng' enzi
nje. Yenza ni belu ; u za 'ufika."

Nembala kwa ti ku 'sikatl wa
fika, V ezwa umsindo wokukala e
sesangwenL Wa tsbaya ngewisa
lake elikulu, e ti, " U lambile ke
UnodAlolamazibuko. U za 'kwe-
suta ke namAla."

indeed they acted tbus, until they
came to our village. When they
came, there were none there but
women ; there was not a single
man there. They did as they
liked with the food; they made
the children cry by taking away
what they were eating; and the
women cried saying, " If XJndhle-
bekazizwa were here, you would
not do so. Go on then ; he will
be here presently."

And indeed after a time he
came, and heard the noise of cry-
ing whilst he was at the gateway.
He smote the ground with his
huge club, saying, " Unothlola-
mazibuko is himgry.^ It shall
have its fill to-day."

^ U-^nothloki-mazilmko, The name of his club. It means, He-
who-watches-the-fords, that is, to prevent an enemy crossing to do
damage. — There is a terrible threat in his words. — ^It is common for
braves among the natives to give names to their clubs, spears, &a
Thus, one calls his assagai which he uses for the purpose of getting
food for his household U-simbela-bantarbami, He-digs-up-for-my-chil-
dren. Another calls his Imhvhuzi^ The-groan-causer, because when it
stabs men or cattle their groans are heard. Igumgehlef the glutton,
is the name of a club, because when used in fighting, the opponents
are destroyed with as much rapidity as a glutton swallows his food.
U'sUo-iirlamfibUe, the name of an assagai, meaning the-himgry-leopard,
is so called because its owner attacks the enemy like a hungiy leopard.
U-dhT-ebusvJcUf The-eater-in-the-dark ; the name of a club, so c^led
because it is used to destroy secretly and by stealth ; the owner of it
coming on his victims by night, or rushing on them from an ambush.

This custom of naming their choice weapons is met with among
other people in olden times. Thus Arthur commenced his career of
greatness by obtaining the miraculous sword Escalibore, which could

" Kerve steel, and yren, and al thing."
(EUU^a Specimens. Vol. /., p. 243.^ He gave names also to his
shield, sword, and spear. Thus : — " Over his shoulders he threw
his shield called Priwen, on which a picture of holy Mary, mother of
God, constantly recalled her to his memory. Girt with Calibum, a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOVGO.

167

'£zwa Amaznlu ; lokupela a ya
m azi ; kwa ti nya umsindo. A
puma Bgokunyiba, e baleka, 'emu-
ka. Kwa ti kusa a e banjwa
kwomunye nmuzi ngokuAlupa
kwawo ; a botshwa, a yiswa emhu-
meni) a ngeniswa kona. Wa ti
Uud/ilebekazizwa, " A ba tshiswe,
ku gaulwe izinkuni" Ba ngena
emhumeni, kwa fakwa izinkuni,
kwa baswa umlilo, kwa bebeze-
Iwa ngamahhau, kwa ngeniswa
umusi. Ba futelana, ba fa bonke.
Ku ze ku be namAla nje a kw azi-
wa kwazulu ukuba ba ya ngapi
na.

Kwa ti ke ekukcitekeni kwezwe
li kcitwa Amazulu, kwa balekwa,
kwa ngenwa ema/^latini nezinko-
mo. A zi fumana zakwitL Ta
Alabana, y* aAlulwa yakwiti ; kwa
sala yena XJndAlebekazizwa. A ti
Amazulu, " NamAla ku namuAla !
Si ya 'ubona ukuba u za 'u s' aAlu-
la na. Loku kade u si Alupa, na»
si suke si bambele emapandAleni."
Ba m Alaba ngemikonto kulelo
'AlatL Wa bulala amashumi ama-

The Amazulu heard; for they
know him ; the noise was at once
hushed ; and they went out steal-
thily and fled away. In the
morning they were caught at an*
other village because of the trouble
they gave ; they were bound and
carried to a den and confined in it.
Undhlebekazizwa told the people
to fetch firewood and burn them.
The people went into the cave and
put down the firewood and lit a
fire, and &nned it with their
shields, and drove the smoke into
the cave. They were unable to
breathe, and all died. And it is
not known to this day by the
Amazulu what became of them.^

It happened when the land was
desolated by the Amazulu, the
people fled into the forests with
their cattle. The Amazulu found
ours. We fought with them, but
our people were conquered; and
Undhlebekazizwa alone remain*
ed. The Amazulu said, " To-day
is to-day ! We shall see if you
will conquer us. For for a long
time you have plagued us when
we have gone to the outer dis-
tricts." They stabbed him with
their assagais in the forest. He

most excellent sword, and fabricated in the isle of Avalon, he graced
his right hand with the lance named Ron. This was a long and broad
spear, well contrived for slaughter." (Id,, p. 60. J — Rolaiid had his
terrible sword Durindale. (Id, Vol, II,, p. ZOi,J Otuel, the Sara-
cen champion, had his sword Corrouge. (Id,, p. 317.^ Charlemagne
had his good sword Joyeuse. Cid,, p, 346.^

27 That is, the matter was kept a secret, and the Amazulu did
not know what had become of their soldiers.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

168

AMATOKGO.

bOi. Wa ti, " Ngi bulale ni ke
manje. Sengi zendAlalela Ngi
sa 'kulida peeu kwabontu." Ba m
gwaza indawo zonke lomzimba.
Kwa ba njengokamila kwomAlsr
nga imikonto emzimbenL Wa
pela ke. I leyo ke indaba yuke.

Isilo u be si bambisa kwengane
njeeyedwa e^latini; a hambe e
kala njengengane^ e gakt/a ngama-
dok>. Isilo si fike koye, si kwele,
a si tate njeugempakane, a si bu-
lala

XT be sabeka. U be nge naluto
lo 'muntu la luAle e Alangane naye
endAleleni, u be m bulala, a tate
loko a ku tandayo. Ba jabula
abaningi ngoku& kwake, ngokuba
wa e Alupa kakolu ; konke u be
kw enza ngenAluzula ; inyewe ya i
Bge ko. Ikcala li be li nga tetwa
emziui wakwiti e se kona ; u be li
k^'eda ngenduku. Li tetwe e nge
ko ; e kona k^ Ku njalo ka

Netongo lake libi. Ea patwa
na namAla nje enudni wakwitL
Uma ku kona o m patayo, u tuli-
swa masinyane, ku tiwe, " Ka pa-
twa lowo pakati kwomuzL A nga
XL bubisa." U patwa ngamAla
kw enziwe ukudAla kupela. Ka
patwa ezindabeni.

Umpekgula Mbanda.

killed twenty of them. He then
said, *' Kill me now. I bare now
spxesA out a mat for mysdf to lie
on. I shall lie on men.'' Th^
stabbed him in every part of his
body. Their spears stuck in him
as tiiick as reeds in a moraaa. So
he died. This is his histcny.

He would lay hold of a leopard
by himself in the forest, as though
it was a mere child ; he would go
along crying like a childy crawling
on his knees. The leopard would
leap on him, and he seize it as
though it was a fly and kill it.

He was much dreaded. Evay
one who had any thing pretty
whom he met with in the way, he
would kill and take what he liked.
Many were glad at his death, for
he gave much trouble, and did
every thing in an arbitrary way ;
he had no patienca No matter
was discussed in our village when
he was there ; he would bring it
to a oondnsion with a stick. It
was discussed when he was absent^
but not when he was at home.

And his Itongo is wicked. His
name is never mentioned to this
day in our village. If any one
mentions him, he is at once
silenced, and told not to mention
his name in the village, for he
might destroy it He is mention-
ed only when any cattle are killed.
He is not mentioned at other

^^ This modem Samsou has all the characteristics of the cham-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

169

A Doctor of Medicine deceived by the Itongo,

Kxj te ngezinsukwana ezi dAlulUe-
yo, kwa ku kona umuntu emaku-
aeni ; w ake enAlavini ngakusi-
gwili kamsengana. Lowo 'mimtu
11 inyanga yemiti. W* esuka ku-
mahaule ngeminyaka edAlulileyo ;
u yena Omahaule nomazwana nofa-
ku ba pambana ngaye, ukuze ba
kdtane nje. Umahaule wa m
kosotsba ', kepa Umazwana nofakii
ba m pikela, ngokuba umukwe
kamazwana; igama lake XJn^a-
n^tiza. Wa fika ke lapa emaku-
Aeni kusigwili, w' aka.

Naku ku ti ngam/Ja ku vela
ukufa okukulu kwembo, se ku
ngene kwasigwili, kwa susa abantu
ababili. Usigwili e nga ka bi na-
kcala, wa fika ke Ungangaza e pete
umuti ; wa ti kusigwili, " Sigwili,
ngi za lapa nje kuwe, ngi letwa
itongo ; li ti, a ngi zoku kw elapa."
Usigwili lowo isidukwane lapa
emakuzeni, kubo inkosana kwam-
banjwa, mukulu kutoi lo kwaba-
kambanjwa.

A LITTLE while ago there was a
man among the Amakuza ; &e lived
on the Inthlavini near Usigwili, the
son of Umsengana. He was a doc-
tor of medicina Some years ago
he left Umahaule ; it is he on ac-
count of whom Umahaule quar-
relled with Umazwana and Ufaku,
until they separated one from the
other. Umahaule drove him away,
and they defended him, for he is
Umazwana's fiither-in-law ; his
name is Ungung^aza. So he came
here among the Amakuza, and
lived with Usigwili.

At the time when severe epi-
demic dysentery prevailed, and
attacked the household of Usi-
gwili, it carried off two people.
Whilst Usigwili was as yet free
from disease, Ung^ang^aza came to
him with medicines, and said to
him, "Usigwili, I come to you
because the Itongo told me to
come and treat yoii." That Usi-
gwili is a great man here among
the Amakuza; among his own
people, the house of Umbanjwa,^
he is a petty chief, the elder brother
of Utoi among the descendants of
Umbanjwa.

pions of old legends. It is difficult to conceive such a description as
is here given to refer to a man of a generation just passed away. He
was the uncle of the narrator.

^^ Umbanjwa, the Unkulunkulu of that family.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

170

AHATOKClO.

XJsigwili naye wa y asd indaba
yetongo, wa kolwa; ka buzanga
ukutiy " Ku ngani uma itongo li
ze kuwe, s^n^^aza, li nga tsheli
Tnina ukuba ngi za 'ugula, ngi &-
nele ng* elatskwe masinyaue uwe T
Ka buza Into ngaleso 'sikati ngo-
valo lokiiba nembala idAIozi li k^i-
nisile ; loku impi naku se i Dgene
emzini wami ukufa.

Wa vumela pezulu ukuti, " Ye-
bo, yelapa." Lokupela lo *muntu
u y* etembeka ngobunyanga bake.
Wa koAlwa ukuba kumabaiile u
ka^otshwe ngokutakata : ngoku m
pikela kwabo kwa fipaza iikukca-
banga kwake ngaloko 'kutukwa
kwake. Wa u puza ke umuti lo-
wo. Wa ti, " Ngi ku puzise wo-
na nje ; u ya 'iipuma ngendAlela e
ngapansi, a u z* ukubuya ngenga-
pezulu ; u ya *kuya ngengapansL"
Kepa umuti wa pambana nokutsho
kwake. Wa hamba ngendAlela
zombili nengapansi ; wa k^nisa
kuzo zombili ; wa tsho ngapezulu
na ngapand; kwa kf/ina kwa ti
nkgi loko 'kuhamba kwawo.

Se be twal' ameAlo, ba ti,
" Kgangaza, lungisa ; umuntu wa

ITdgwili too knew what tie
Itongo had said,^^ and believed;
and so did not ask, " How is it
that the Itongo comes to you,
Un^n^aza, without telling me
that I am about to be ill, and it is
proper that I at once put myself
under your care 1 " He asked no
question at the time because he
was a&aid that the Itongo had
spoken the truth, and said, " See,
death has come like an army into
my village."

He assented at once, saying,
" Yes, take me under your care."
For the man is trusted much for
his knowledge of disease. He
forgot that he was driven from
XJmahaule's tribe for sorcery : be-
cause he had been defended by
XJmazwana and XJfaku, he had no
thought of the bad name which
he had had. So he drank the
medicine. XJn^n^jaza said, "I
give you this medicine ; it will act
as an aperient, not as an emetic.''
But the medicine did not act in
accordance with his word. It
acted both as a purge and an en^e-
tic in an excessive degree.

The people now began to stare,
and said, " VnqKnqsa&y correct the
effects of your medicine; is the
man dead whilst you are looking

30 He knew because he too had dreamed a dream similar to that
of Ungan^aza.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

171

& na r' Kepa n se koAliwe noku
u buyisa iimuti wake, u s' a^lule-
ka ; u se putuzela ; ka sa k^ondi a
kw enzayo. Umuti lowo se u uku-
& ; u se u funa ukutabata isidu-
mbu.

Se ku maDgelwe ngaloko *kwe-
Bza kukan^un^aza. NamAla leso
'situko sokuti u umtakati si ya
kula kubo bonke, ukuti, " Kem-
bala, ubani o nga ti ku nga gulwa
e nga biziwe, a zibize nal Umta-
kati impela."

Ku se i\jalo ka A kw aziwa
uma i za 'uzala 'nkonyana ni na.
Umpengula Mbanda.

at him 1 "^^ But he was now un-
able to regulate the action of his
medicine ; he was quite beaten ;
and acted without reason, no
longer knowing what to do. The
medicine became poison, and now
wished to take away the dead
body.^2

People began to wonder at what
Un^ngaza had done. And now
the word which pronounced him a
sorcerer is heard every where, and
people say, " Who ever went to a
man who was not ill, without
being called by him, of his own
accord to treat him for disease 1*
He is indeed a sorcerer."

Thus the matter stands at jH*e-
sent. We do not know what the
result will be.^^

How the AmaUmgo cure woraJiipped,

Itongo kakulu li vama ukuzibo-
nakalisa kwalo li ngena ngomuntu,
li m bambe endaweni etile yomzi-
mba, a be se u ya gula. Kepa ku
tiwe, " Bani, u njenje, u nani na V

The Itongo for the most pSrT*^
when it reveals itself enters a vil- \
lage through some individual living
there, and seizes on some part of
his body, and so he is ilL And
his friends ask him, "So-and-so,
since you are in such a state, what
is the matter with youl" He

-J

*^ " Umuntu wa &. na ? " — ^We cannot render this literally. The
saying casts the responsibility of death, if it takes place, on Unga-
n^^aza.

^2 Medicine is here personified. The medicine is now Death ;
and is working for the purpose of getting a corpse.

^ lit.. It is not yet known what calf the cow will bring foi-th^
A proverbial saying. — This account waa given to me in 1865. Usi-
gwili died. And XJnjung'aza died soon after, probably privately
murdered.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

172

AMATONGO.

A ti, " O, namAla nje a ngi tokozi,
ngi vuka umzimba wami u shiye-
ne ; ku zonde kakulu kuleyo 'nda-
wo." A bonakale noma e zikginisa
ukuti, '' K^a, lo 'muntu, noma e
zik<2'inisa, u ya fia. ; si ya m bona.'*

Kepa ngoku nga peli masinyane
loko *kufa, , ku ze k\i yiwe enya-
ngeni yokubula. I fike inyanga,
i ku tsho loko a gula iko. Kanti
naye lowo 'muntu o gulayo ka
tshongo *luto ngaloko 'kufa ; ngo-
kuba ku vama ukuba labo 'bantu,
noma be pupile, kwa sa umzimba
ubuAlungu, a ba tandi ukuveza
indaba bona; ngokuba kubantu
abamnyama ukuAlaba izinkomo
kw ande kakulu, kwa tiwa zi bi-
zwa idAlozi ; kepa ku buye ku tiwe
kwomunye, " Hai ! loku ku s' a-
nd' ukuAlatshwa, idAlozi eli ti ni

replies, "O, to-day I am^'noBN

happy, having woke with my body

well in one part and unwell in

another ;3* it is very painful in

this place*" And it is clear that

he is ill, though he makes the best

of it, and they say, " No, the man,

though he makes the best of it, is

ill ; we see that he is not welL"

And because the disease does

f
not cease at once they at length go

to the diviner. The diviner comes /
and tells them the cause of the ill-
ness. But the sick man himself had/
said nothing about his illness ; for
it is generally the case that such
people, although they have dream-
ed and in the morning awoke in ^
pain, do not Hke to talk about it (
themselves ; for among black men
slaughtering cattle has become >
much more common than formerly, ;
on the ground that the Idhlozi has |
demanded them; but they make
reply to one who says so, /
" No ! since a bullock has just »
been slaughtered, what does/
the Itongo say P^ O, people aref

2* " Umzimba wami u shiyene." — lit., My body has left itself, — ^
is affected differently in different parts. " Amasimu a ya shiyana,"
The fields are not all ripe at the same time. " Obani ba shiyene,"
Those men have gone one farther than the other.

^5 " IdAlozi eli ti ni na ? " — ^This Zulu idiom, which places the re-
lative in the inteiTogative sentence, implies what cannot be expressed
in a translation, that the person who asks the question does not believe
that the Idhlozi has said any thing. — ^IdAlozi li ti ni na? is a simple
enquiry for information. — ^Again, a person may say, Abantu a ba ka
pelele, The people have not yet all arrived. If a man replies, O pi
na o nge ko ? Who is absent ? it is understood at once that he sees
that all are present ; and the person who asserted that they were not

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATONOO.

173

leli ? O, abantu se be tanda inya-
ma nje, umuntu a ti, ' Ngi piipe
idAlozi/ kanti w enzela ukuze a
dhle inyama.*' Kepa loko ku nga
tshiwo obala, ku tshiwo ngasese.
Ku ngaloko ke abantu be nga sa
tsho ukuti, "Ngi gula nje, ngi
pupe idAlozL" Se be yeka, ngo-
kuti, " O, lo zi kona izinyanga ezi
ja 'kutsho na loko e ngi ku boni-
leyo." Noma e buzwa ku tiwa,
^' Ku bonanga 'luto ekulaleni
kwako nal" Kepa a landule.
Kanti V a/duleka ukuti itongo li
biza inkomo, a ti, a ku nga pumi
emlonyeni wake loko. A ku pu-
me enjangeni

Ngokuba itongo a li barabi um-
ninimuzi yedwa ; li bamba nabantu
nje bomuzL Kepa umuntu nje, e
nge si ye umninimuzi, ka nama-**
ndAla okuti, " Ku tiwa abapansi,
* A ku Alatshwe.' " Umnininma"
yedwa o nga yi 'kuvuma, uma ku
banjwe yena ngesifo, ukuti a ku
yiwe enyangeni ; u ya 'kuti yena,
noma ku patwa inyanga, a landule,
a ti, " Ai ! Ngi zwila Hlaba ni
inkomo etile; ngi za 'ululama."
Ngokuba yena izinkomo ezake no-
muzi owake ; kubantwana bake a

now very fond of meat, and a man
says he has dreamed of the Idhlo-
zi, and forsooth he says so because
he would eat meat." But this is
not said openly, but secretly.
Therefore a man no longer says,
" I am ilL I have dreamed of the
IdhlozL" They have left off say-
ing so, and a man says, " O, since
there are diviners who will say
what I have seen," [why should I
say any thing 1] And even though
they ask him, " Have you not seen
something in your sleep?" he
denies. For he is unable to sa^
that the Itongo demands a bul- j
lock, determining not to mention |
such a thing ; but to let the divin^>>
mention it.

For the Itongo does not choose
the head of a village only, but
also cormpon people. But a mere
man who is not tne^ head 3^
a" " Vi l l age^is "fiof able to say, ^^TTEe
'3!ffiStOtrgo^(kim®n
be" slaughtered," It is the head of
the village" alone who, if he is
seized by disease, will not allow
them to go to the diviner; if a
diviner is mentioned, he will re-
fuse, saying, " No ! I have heard.
Kill such and such a bullock, and
I shall get welL" For the cattle
and the village are his ; there are
none among his children who can

all there looks again, and says, Nembala, So they ara If he says,
Umu pi na f or Aba pi nal the other mentions the person or persons
not yet come.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

174

AMATONGO.

ba namandAla okuzigabisa ngokuti
a ku Alatshwe inkomo etile ezin-
komeni zikayise, ngokuti i bizwe
itongo. Ai ; noweaifazana ka na-
mandAla ; noma e bonisiwe, ka yi
'kiitsho ; noma e se gula kakuln,
ka yi 'kutsho 'Into ngenkomo ; ku^
pela u gabe ngenyanga yodwa.

Ku ti ke uma se ku yiwe enya-
ngeni, inyanga i ku tsho konke
loko a ku bonayo lowo 'muntu.
Uma se ku buyiwe, ba m tetise
lowo 'muntu ngokuti, '^ Ku ngani
ukuba loku ukufa wa ku bona, si
ku buza kangaka, u nga ze wa si
tshela naf Wa w esaba nil
Kw* enza wena ini, lo kw* enza
abapansi nje na ? '* A ti, '^ Kga
ngi ti, * Tizwa ni ngenyanga.' " A
ku vume loko 'kutsho kwenyanga,
a ti, ^' O, eh ; i tsho konke e nga
ku bonayo."

I Alatshwe ke inkomo. Ku
tiwe lapa i nga ka Alatshwa, a pu-
me umninimuzi, a ngene esibayeni
e pete impepo. Uma ku inkomo
e isidanda, a i pulule ngempepo
njalo emAlana, a ti, '^Teti, nina 'ba-
sekutini," (lelo 'zwi lokuti yeti, izwi
leli lokuti abantu a ba lalele loko
oku za 'utshiwo ngaleso 'sikuleko
e ku kulekwa ngaso ematongweni;

take upon themselves to say, ^' Let
such and such a bullock among
the cattle of my &ther be killed,
for the Itongo has demanded it"
No ; neither can a woman ; even
though the Itongo has made it
most evident to her, she will not
say any thing about itj even
though she is very ill, she wi ll not^
say any thing about a bullock;
^sEelfiSls only totEe divinw.

When they have gonetotEe ]
diviner, he will tell them every
thing which the man has seen. '
When they come back again, the^
scold the man, saying, "Why,
when you knew the disease,
and we asked you so much, did
you not tell us 1 What were you
afraid of 1 Did you make yourself
ill) was it not the Amatongo
onlyl" He replies, "I said,
' Hear the diviner.* " And he as-
s«its to what the diviner has said,
saying, "Yes, yes; he says all that
I saw."

And so the bullock is killed.

the

^rejtisjsaued, tne
village goes into the cattle-pen,
carrying incense in his hand. J£
the bullock is tame, he gently rubs
it again and again with incense on
the back, and says, "All hail.
Spirits of our tribe" (the word
" All hail" tells all the people to
listen to what is about to be said
in the prayer which is made to the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKOO.

175

nembala ke ku tule, ku ti nya
ekaya, ku nga bi ko umsindo wo-
kukulama ; ku kulume yena lowo
'muntu yedwa ; abantu be lalele, e
kiiluma namad/Jozi, e ti,) " KuAle
ini, abantu be njengani nje, ukuba
ni zinge ni ti lapa nga ni kcela
ukudAla; kepa ni zinge ni fika
DgokufiEk ngezikati zonke na ? Ku-
^le loku na 9 Ai ! A ni boni ke
namAla ni Alazekile, ni nukiwe
iuyanga ? Loku ku fanele ukuba
tuna ni biza ukudAla, a ngi yi 'ku-
n^ba. Nako ke ukudAla kwenu.
Bizana ni nonke nina 'bakwitL
A ngi zi 'kutsho ukuti, ' Bani, na-
nk' ukudAla kwako/ ngokuba ni
nomona. Kodwa wena, 'bani, o
gulisa lo 'muntu, mema bonke, ni
ze 'kudAla loku 'kudAla. Uma ku
uwena ngi za 'ubona pela ngalo
'muntu e ku tiwa u patwe uwa
A ng* azi ke loko e u ku bizayo.
Se ngi ku nikile. Ka sinde lo
'muntu. Ni Alangane non^e, nina
'baaekutini, e na ti na ti " (e tsho
e ba weza ngamazibuko e bala
ubukgawe babo uma be sa bamba).

Amatongo; and truly they are
silent — not a sound is beard, nor
the least talking ; the chief man
only speaks, and the people listen
whilst he is speaking to th^ Amsr
tongo, saying) " Is it proper iha,t
people like you should habitually,
instead of asking for food in a
proper manner, — should habitually
come to us at all times in the form
of sickness] Is that proper?
No ! Do you not then see that
you are disgraced this day, having
been smelt out by the diviner?
For it is proper if you demand
food, that I should not refuse it.
There then is your food. All ye
spirits of our tribe, summon one
another. I am not going to say,
* So-and-so, there is thy food,* for
you are jealous.*^ But thou. So-
and-so, who art making this men
ill, call all the spirits ; come all
of you to eat this food. If it is
you I shall then see by the
recovery of this man whom, it is
said, you have made ilL I now
no longer know what you can de-
mand. I have already given you
what you ask. Let the man get
well. Come together all of you of
such-and-such a people, which did
so-and-so and so-and-so " (that is,
he lauds them by recounting the
mighty actions which they did
whilst living). He is very earnest,

^^ So other heathens represent their gods as jealous. The Iliad
is but a history of the results of the jealousy of two goddesses.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

17G

AMATOHOa

A tukutele ngokuti, " Se ngi ya
mangala nawe, 'bani, o te wa ti, u
se u zinge u fikisa kwesela ; lapau
sa hamba kwa ku nge njalo ; wa u
kw enza konke obala. A ku pele
uku ngi nyenyela, Hamba ni
obala, ngi ni bone ; loko e ni ku
bizayo a ngi yi 'kunguba nako;
ngokuba nga ku piwa ini konke —
izinkomo nabantwana namabele.
Nesalukazi sakiti ni si bize, si ze
'kudAla ; nengane eya fayo, a i ze
'kudAla ; si jabule."

Nako ke ukubonga kwabantu,
be bonga idAlozi ; i Alatshwe ke.

Ba ba Alanganisa ngoku babiza,
ngokuba abanye a ba sa b' azi
amagama abo ; kepa bona aba nga-
pansi ba ya V azi bonke, ba sa ba
siza, a ba ba yeki ; kepa ngaloko
aba ngapezulu ba ti, ^Woza ni
nonke, ni zokudAla." Ngokuba
kuk^ala kwa ku bizwa abantu
aV aziwayo ; kepa ngaloko 'kwe-
nza kwa bangwa ukufa, kwa ba
kukulu ; ku yiwe enyangeni ukuti,

saying, **I now greatly wonder
that you too, So-and-so, who used
to do such-and-such mighty things,
now continually come as a thief;
whilst you were still living it was
not so; you used to do every
thing openly. Let this coming to
me stealthily be at an end. €k>
openly, that I may see you, for
that which you ask for I will not
refuse ; for you gave it all to me,
— ^the cattle, the children, and the
com. And thou, old woman^*^ of
our tribe, we call you to come and
eat ; and the in&nt which is dead,
let it come and eat ; that we may
rejoice."

Such, then, is the worship with
which they worship the Itongo;
and so the bullock is killed.

They unite all the Amatongo in
one in'^tation, for some of them
they no longer know by name;
but the dead know all of the
living, and continually help them
and do not forsake them ; and on
that account the living say,
" Come, all of you, and eat," For
at first those who were known
were called by name ; but by doing
so they summoned disease, and it
was very great ; and they went to
the diviner, saying, " Hau ! what

^7 The old woman and the infant are mentioned in conclusion
because he wishes to include all. The old woman and the in£uit are
not regarded in the affairs of the village, but when they have become
members of the spirit-world they are important and must be pro-
pitiated. The Itongo of an old woman is supposed to be malicious
and spiteful ; that of the infiint is pure and beneficent. The diviner
is supposed to divine by the Amatongo of infants.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

177

^Hau I ini pela, k>ka si ^be la-
kulu^^ lungaka 1 wetu inkabi, ed nga
toM ii^kala sdkupef umula na f Se
kn inil" Kepa inyanga i taho,
umuntn o nga patwanga aba nga
m azijo, isalukazi noma ingane ;
labo aba solajo. Kwa vela ke
ukungaketi ; se ku Alanganiswa
bonke.

Nako ke ukubonga kwabantn,
be bonga idAlozi; i Alatshwe ke.
Kn ti uma a i gwa2se omun je^
kale i ti be, a be e se pinda uku-,
bouga, e id, ^' ELala^ nkomo yakwe-
tu, ngokuba kwa ti, kwa ti/' e ba-
iisa amatongo akubo. I we.

is the meaning tken of this, that
we haye killed so great an ox of
otir tribe, and yet cannot get any
breathing time ? What is the
meaning of this t " And the divi-
tter tells them, there is a man whom
ihej have not worshipped, whom
they do not know, an old woman
or an in&nt ; it is they who find
£5iult. And thus arose the custom
of making no distinction ; and all
are now inrited together.

Such then is tiie manner in
whii:hk.^|egnje worship ^e Aml^
LLtongo; and then theTbiillocins
killed, And it when another ap-"
pointed for the purpose stabs it,
the bullock cries,^ the head of the

Ku ti uma i AlinAlwe, i botsho-
8we, ku be se ku tatwa umAlwe-
Alwe kaneinyane nodengezi nela^le
lomlilo nempepo, se ku yiwa en-
dAlini lapa ku gulwayo kona;
noma endAlini enkulu, lapa ku ti-
wa amatongo a Alala kona ; ngo-
kuba pela ku njalo, ku tiwa itongo
li Alala endAlini enkulu. Ku

village again worships, saying, i
" Cry, bullock of our people," and )
he then recounts the valorous
deeds of the dead, mentioning the
names of the Amatongo of their
tribe. The bullock drops.

When it is skinned, it is laid
open and a small piece of the caul
is taken and a sherd, and a live
coal, and incense, and they go
with it into the house of the sick
man ; or into the chief house of
the village where it is said the
Amatongo dwell; for it is said
that the Itongo lives in the great
house. And the smoke arises in

'® That is, tUtUo^ something.

^* l£ the bullock cries it ia considered a good omen, and the man
is expected to get well But if it makes no noise they doubt whether
the sacrifice is accepted and expect death.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

178

AMATOVOO.

tunyiswe ke, ku be se kti nuka
iilwasu endAlini

Inyongo i se i telwa ulowo 'mu-
ntu o gulaya U ya i tda, n ya
teta. (A ngi tsho ukutukiitela ;
nktiteta ngesinye isikati ku tshiwso
ukiibonga.) Ku telwe ke abantu
bouke bale 'muzi ; abauye ba i tela
ednyaweniy abanye ba i tele eka-
nda, abanye ba i puze.

Ku njalo ke indaba yamadAlozi.
Ku ti umswani u falakaAlwe ezin-
dMni zonke, ukuze ba dAle. Ku
be se ku ukupela ke. Se ku dAli-
wa inyama.

Se ku bhekwa ukusinda kulo
'muutu. Uma e nga sindi, ku ya
'kuAlatshwa enye, a ze a zi k^ede
lowo 'muntu. Kanti u nesinye
isifo. Kepa noma ku ujalo, ku
kona isiminya esi tolwayo ema-
dAloziui ; ngokuba abamnyama ba
k/^inisile ukuti, a kona, a ya ba
siza. Ngokuba ukutsho kwabo
ukuti a ya ba siza, a ba tsho nga-
mazwi ezinyauga zabo a ba bulayo
kuzo ; ba tsho a ba ku bona. No-
ma be lele ku fike umuntu owa
fayo, a kuhime nomuntu, a ti,
" Bani, kulo *muzi kuAle ku be
.^ikuti nokuti," e tsho indaba e za

the house^ and there is the odour
of the burnt oauL

Then the sick man pours the
gall on his body. He pours it tm
himself, and talks. (I do not
mean he is angry, for sometimes
ukuteta means to return thanks.)
And all the people of the village
have the gall poured on them ;
some pour it on their feet, some
on their heads, others drink it.

Such then is the account of the
Amatongo. The contents of the
bullock's stomadi are sprinkled in
all the houses, that the Amatongo
may eat And that is the end of
it ; and then the flesh is eaten."" — ^

After that they look for the
recovery of the man. If he does
not get well, another bullock will
be killed, until he kills all he has.
And forsooth he has some other dis-
ease not occasioned by the Ama-
tongo. But notwithstanding^
sometimes what is said about the
Amadhlozi turns out to be true ; \
for black men steadily afl&rm that •
the Amatongo exist and help them. I
For when they say that the Ama- \
tongo help them, they do not say
so fix>m what diviners have said. •
but from what th^ have them-
selves seen. For instance, when
they are asleep, a dead man
appears, and talks with one of
them, and says, " So-and-so, it
is well that such and such be
done in this village," telling him

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMAT0N60.

179

'uvela. Njengaloku ku be ku tiwa
kwabamnyama, "A ku gay we
utshwala obukulu;'' nembala bu
gaywe, ku tiwe, " Ku tsho idAlozi,
li ti, * Ngi za 'ku ni pa amabele.' "
Uma se be wa zusdle ngalo 'njaka,
ba 7a 'ku wa bonga ; fiiti ekupe-
leni kwoojaka ba wa bonge la wo
'mabele e kwa tiwa b' eza 'ku wa
{Awa. I loko ke oku ba fipazayo,
jukuti, '* Kanti ba ya kuluma nati,
si kw enze loko, si pile na ) Ba
bize inkomo etile ngomuutu o gu-
layo, a pile na 1"

something that will happen* Forin-
stance, black men used to be com-
manded to make a great deal of
beer; and so they made it» and
said, '* The Idhlozi says, ^ I will
give you com,' " If they obtain
it that year they bless the Ama-
tongo ; and at the end of the year^^
they return thanks for the corn,
which they were promised. It is
this which blinds them, and they
say, '* But do they not speak with
us, and we do what they tell us to
do and obtain health 1 Do they
not demand a certain bullock of a
man, and he gives it and gets
Weill"

The mode of slaughtering a BvUock.

Lapo ku ^latshiwe, umnininkomo
u misa umuntu ukuze a bheke,
kona inkomo yake i nga yi 'kwe-
nakala ; ku be i lowo o kipa isito,
a si shiyele ukuze a k^edele emuva
isikcubi a si kipe, a fake kweyake
imbiza. Ku ti kwabakipa izito, u
lowo njalo o kipa isito a si shiyele
ukuze ngemva a zi kipele izikcubi,
a zi &ke embizenL Labo abaki-
payo izito ku ya bizwa kakulu
kubo inyama aba seziko; ba ya

When an ox is slaughtered, the
owner of it appoints some one to
watch lest it should be spoilt ; and
each one who cuts off a leg
leaves a portion of it behind, that
he may afterwards take the piece
of flesh thus lefl, and put it in his
own pot. For among those who
separate the legs from the car-
case, each one leaves portions still
attached to the carcase, that he
may afterwards cut them off and
put them in his own pot. Those
who are sitting round the flre ask
for meat of those especially who
cut off the 1^ ; as they cut them

*^ That is, at the end of harvest.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

180

AMATOKOO*

IdpOf ba ya poiuta njalo izikcubMia,
h& J2k dAla, ba ya kala, be kala
nemitama emloDyeni, be ti, ^'Sa
teha." XT lowo njalo n pete urn-
Iconto wake, n cUlela peznlu, i ze i
botshoswe ngapakatl

Loku kunjidonjalo kwoAlinzayo,
n lowo a pete imbiza yake, ukuze
a ke ubttbend& Ku ti uma i tiwe
k^eke, ku vele ububende, ku be se
ka 8uka umtmtn a be mtmye, o za
'ukelela ezimbizem zonke, a zmg* e
ka ngendebe, e tela kuleyo na ku-
leyo, be zinge be dedelana, zi ze zi
gcwale izimbiza. Ku ti ku be
kona amaguga okuAlinza ; a buye
imbiza yake i gcwele, inyama e i
Alome na ngezinti e nga ngenanga
embizenL A fike endAlini yake,
abantwana bake ba i dAle, i ba
dake njengaloko kungati ku Alabe
yena.

I tutwe ke, i dwe endAlini, i
bekelelwe emsamo 'ndawo nye ; i
nga pekwa ngalelo 'langa ; ku
dAliwe ububende ngalelo 'langa;
ku ti ku sa i be i AlaAlelwa, se i za
'upekwa; ku kitshwa nemilenze,
nemiAlubulo noma insonyama ; ku

off they throw continvally small
pieces of flesh to them, and they
shout even with their mouths full,
" We are burnt"** And each one
has his assagai and eats standing
until the bullock is <^ned.

And each one that skins the
bullodc has his owfi pot, thai he
may pour the Mood into it. When
the carcase is completely opened^
one arises to dip out the blood
into all the pots; he dips it out
with a cup and pours it into ea^
vessel, the people giring way for
each other until all the pots are
full The person who skins the
bullock has the power of purloin-
ing ; and he goes home with his
pot full; and meat too stuck on
rods which is not put into the
pots. He enters his house, and
his children eat, and it more than
suffices them, just as though he
had himself killed an ox of his
own*

The meat is carried into the
house and placed at the upper end
in one place ; it is not oooked om
the day it is killed, but the
blood is eaten ; on the follow-
ing morning it is cut up when it is
going to be cooked ; they separate
the legs and the ribs,*^ and the

*^ We a/re scorched or burnt, — ^Meaning by this they are standing
before a fire with nothing between them and the flame. They wish
for meat to put on the fire.

*2 The vmthlufyulo is that portion of the ribs which is left after
cutting away the breast or brisket, and includes the flesh down to the
hip. The flesh of the flank which forms a part of the wnUMvbvlo is
called itehe.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOXOa

181

jUinAliswa ab* elama' naya Ngo-
knba ku ujalo kubautu abamnja-
jna : omkolu vr etulelwa insonya-
2Ba ; o ngapansi a AlinMswe mm-
JUubiilo, noioa umkono; umlenze
u nikwe induna.

Ku ti uma i vutwe, loknpela i
4Aliwa h^pSL ilanga li k^ala uku-
penduka, loku kn njalonjalo ku
kandene kulowo 'muzi abantu be-
iuizi yoiike yaleso 'sizwe abaseduze,
xiakw^amanye amaband^la 'akelene
nalabo 'bantu. Ku ti uma se i za
Icwepulwa, bonke abantu ba ye
esibayeni ngapakati, lokupela in-
komo kubantu abamnyama a i
dAlelwa endAlini^ i dAlelwa kona
^bayeni njalo, ukuze ku bonakale
nodAlayo nongadAliyo. A y epule
ke ngezitebe ngezitebe, i tutwe i
ngeniswe esibayeni, i bekwe *nda-
wo nye ukuba y abiwe ; a y aAlu-
kanise njengokuma kwamaba-
ndAki ; izinsizwa zi be nesitebe
sazp, samakeAla namadoda ama-
kulu ; kw abelwe nabezizwe. Ku
ti uma ku kona noma emunye o
vela kwamanye amabandAla o nge
si ye walapo, isitebe sake si be so-
dwa, ku tiwe, " Nansi yasekutini"
A bonge naye, a tate abantu ba-
Japo ukuze a d/Je nabo.

insonyama;*^ and give to those
wbo are of their house. For this
is the custom with black men t the
insonyama is taken to tibie eldest;
the ribs are given to the next, or
the shoulder ; and the leg is given
to the officer.

When the meat is cooked, for it
is eaten when the sun is declining,
men belonging to all the villages
of the tribe, and strangers who
are neighbours, press togeth^ to
the village. When the meat is
about to be taken from the pots,
all the people go into the cattle-
pen, for among black men cattle
are not eaten indoors, but alwaya
in the cattle-pen, that those who
are eating, and those who are not^
may be seen. The chief of the
village ts^es out the meat and
puts it on the various feeding-mate^
and it is carried into the cattle-
pen, and put in one place, that it
may be distributed ; he distributee
it in accordance with the positions
of the assembly ; the yousig men
have their mats ; those with head-
rings, and the chief men, have
theirs ; and strangers have theirs.
And if there be only one who be-
longs to another people, his feed-
ing-mat is by itself and they say
to him, ^* Here is the meat of such
a place." He thanks them, and
takes people belonging to the place
that he may eat with them.

^ The mB<myamot, is the superficial layer of flesh from the hip to
the ear; including the pectoral muscles.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

182

AHATOXOO.

Ku ii uraa ba dAle bonke^ aba-
nje ba kqede kuk^a, b' esuke
kwesabo isitebe, b' elekela aba sa
dAlako, ba ti, '^ O, a si n' elekele ;
si ya bcma ukuba ui ya Alnpeka."

Ku ti lima i pele i ti du, ba nga
k^i ba valelise ; ku land we um-
hhm^ nobubende obu buya bu pu-
me emva kwenyama, obu salako.

Ku ti uma ku pele konke loku,
'esuke umnimiizana, nomunye
umuntu o pete isitebe, 'enyuke
kancane, a ti, " Tula ni, ni ti nya."
Nembala ku ti nya. A ti, " Ehe ;
nina 'bakwiti, e na ti na ti, ngi ya
kuleka, ngi kuleka ubuAle ngemva
kwale 'nkomo yakwetu. Ngi ti,
ku nge ti, loku|)ela izinkomo lezi
zi kona nje, ngi zi piwa inina.
Kepa uma ni biza ukudAla kumina
e ni ngi pa kona, a ku £tnele ini
ukuba ngi ni pe kona na t Ngi
kuleka izinkomo, ukuba zi gcwale
kulesi 'sibaya. Ngi kulekela ama-
bele, ku ngene abantu abaningi
kulo 'muzi wenu, ba krokozele, ba
dumise nina. Ngi kcela nenzalo,
ukuba lo 'muzi u kcume, ukuze
igama lenu li nga peli" A kgede
ke.

When all have eaten, and some
have finished be£oi*e the rest, they
join themselves with those who
are still eating, and say, ** O, let
us join with you ; we see yoa are
in trouble."

When it is all eaten they do not
begin to take leave ; but the broth,
and the blood which is stall un-
eaten, are brought out aflier the
meat.

When all is finished, the head
man and another man who carries
a feeding-mat go a little towards
the head of the cattle-pen, and
the head man says, " Be perfectly
silent" And the assembly be-
comes very silent He says, " Yes,
yes ; our people, who did such and
such noble acts, I pray to you — I
pray for prosperity, after having
sacrificed this bullock of yours.
I say, I cannot refuse to give you
food, for these cattle which are
here you gave me. And if you
ask food of me which you have
given*me, is it not proper that I
should give it to you ? I pray for
cattle, that they may fill this pen.
I pray for com, that many pec^le
may come to this village of yours,
and make a noise, and glorify you.
I ask also for children, that this
village may have a large popula-
tion, and that your name may
never come to an end." So hd
finishes.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

183

Ba valelise ke bonke basemiziiiiy
ba pume, ba goduka Lokupela
uma ku inala kw enziwe notshwa-
la obnkulu. Ku id eyamaniiia
inyama i be yodwa ; ku ja Alaka-
zeka amabandMa e ti nja, ku Ala-
ngana amanina, 'epnla eyawo.
Nemizi e seduze i bizane ukuza
'kudAla inyama kulowo 'muzi. I
pele ke. Ba goduke bonke.

So all strangers take leave, and
go home. And if it is a time €d
plenty, much beer is also made*
And the meat of the women is by
itself; when the men have depart-
ed and the place is still, the women
come together and take out their
meat. And neighbouring villages
send messages one to another to
come and eat meat at the village*
So it is all eaten, and they go
homa

Laying tlie Spirit of Divination,

Inbaba ngokuvinjwa kwomuntu o
netongo lokubula, uma e ng* azi
ukuba u pupa amapupa a kgonde
pi ; u zinge e pupa njalo izinyoka
eziningi zi m tandela umzimba
wcmke e semanzini, e sesizibeni ; u
ya puma u se sindwa izinyoka : e
wela nomfula u gcwela XJ ze
umzimba wake w enyele, e ng* azi
ukuba lawo 'mapupa emiAla yonke
a komba ui na.

A ze a gule ; ku be kona noku-
dZtla a ziliswa kona, e tshelwa e
lele, ukuti, " UkudAla okutile u
nga ku dAli." Kembala a ku yeke.
Uma e ku dAla ugenkani, umzi-
mba u nga tokozi. A ze a ku
yeke ngokuti, " Ngi petwe."

The account of barring the way
against a spirit of divination which
visits a man when he does not
understand the meaning of his
dreams ; he dreams continually of
many snakes encircling his whole
body whilst he is in a pool of
water ; he quits the water heavy
with snakes: or he dreams he is
crossing a flooded river. At
length his body is relaxed, he not
knowing what is the meaning of
those daily dreams.

At length he becomes ill ; and
there is certain food he is obliged
to abstain from, being told in his
sleep not to eat such and such food.
So he no longer eats that food. If
he eat it from opposition, his
health suffers. At length he leaves
it alone, saying, ''A spirit has
visited me."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

184

AMATOlTGa

IJina e tanda tikuba inyanga, a
ye enyangeni jokubula ; i m pe-
Alele ubulawo obumAlope, i m
k<^cambise, ukuze amapiipa a
kan je, a nga bi lufifi.

XTma e nga taadi, nabakubo be
nga tandi, ku funwe imvu yoku m
vimba, nenyanga e nge si yo yoku-
bula, inyanga eukiilu yoku m vi-
mba. Ku ti ngam/^la e pupile
kakulu amatongo, e m twesa ubu-
nyanga, i bizwe inyanga, i ze ne-
miti emnyama, ku Alatsbwe imvu,
ku tatwe umswani wayo, ku ka-
ndwe imiti emnyama, a puziswe ;
a Alanzele esitsheni, ku &ikwe um-
swani wemvu ; ku yiswe loko em-
humeni o nga neti nakanye, ku
labelwe pansi, ku viigwe ngom^Ua-
T^a ; umuntu a nga bheki ngemuva
a z' a iike 'kaya, e nga bhekanga
emuva. I loko ke ukuvinjwa
kwetongo. Ku ti noma li fika
kuye ngobusukuy li nga be H sa
kanya, ku be mnyama^ a nga be e

If he wii^es to be a diviner, he
goes to a diviner ; the diviner pr^^
pares for him white ubulawo,^^ and
makes him white, that his dreama
may be clear^ aad no longer on-
certain.

If he does not wish to be a
diviner, nor his Mends, they take
a sheep for the purpose of barring
the way of the spirit, and a doctor
who is not a diviner is consulted
— a doctor of celebiity — for the
purpose of barring the way.
When he has dreamed a great deal
of the spirits, and they initiate him
into the knowledge proper to doc-
tors, the doctor is called, and
comes with black medicines;^ a
sheep is killed, and the contents
of the paunch are taken, and the
black medicines bruised, and the
man is made to drink them ; he
throws the contents of his stomach
into a vessel, and the contents d
the sheep's stomach are added to
them ; this is taken to a cave into
which no rain enters ; it is buried
there in the earth, and closed up
with soil ; and the doctor does not
look behind him till he gets home.
This, then, is the method of bar-
ring the way against a spirit
And though it come to him by
night, it is no longer distinctly
visible, but obscure, and the man

^ See Note above, p. 142.

*^ Black medicines, that is, medicines which have th^ power of
rendering the Itongo dark or indistinct.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKOO.

18&

8a bonidsa ksMe njengokuk^la, li
muke ke, a ad dhle zonke izidAlo, a
nga adli 'luta

Kepa kwabanye u vinjwa^ ku
ye ngako ; kwabanye a ku yi nga-
ko ; ku y* aAluleka, lo 'muntu a fe
Dgokubangwa amatongo uabaha-
mbayo; a fe masinyana I loko
ke e ngi ku zwayo.

no longer sees it distincily as at
first; and so it departs^ and be
eats all kinds of food, and abstains
from nothing.

And with some the way is bar-
red successfully ; with others with-
out success ; it is tried to no pur-
pose, and the man dies through
being claimed at the same time by
the Amatongo and by living men^
and dies very soon. This, then, is
what I have heard.

Tab subject of the following narrative was a convert of some eleven
Or twelve years' standing. He has always manifested great uncer^
tainty of character and a very impressible nervous system, and for
many years has had from time to time subjective apparitions, and
been in the habit of dreaming strange, life-like dreama One day he
suddenly left the mission station. The following account was obtamecl
from a native who was sent to enquire of him at the village where ho
Iras living. I have had an opportunity of seeing him since the
underneath was given me. He has many symptoms of hysteria,
appears frdly to believe in his feelings ; and yet at the same time to be
practising deceit on others, and probably too on himsel£

Indaba yokugula kukajames, u
gula ukufa oku nga kgondeki ku-
bantu aba amakolwa ; ngokuba ku
ti noma umuntu ku nga u y' etasa,
ku ti a nga ya eskoleni, ku pele
k>ko ngokuzing* ezwa izwi lenkosL
Baningi aba be njalo, se kwa pela.
Kepa ngaye umuntu omdala ka-
ttgaka, ku ya mangcdisa ukuba a

The account of the illness of
James, which is not intelli-
gible among Christians; for al-
though a person may appear to
be affected with those symptoms
which precede the power of divi-
nation, yet when he goes to a
mission station all that ceases'
through continually hearing the
word of God. There are many
who were so affected, but are now
so no longer. But as regards him
who is now so old, it is marvellous

Digitized by VjOOQIC

186

AMATONG^

k^alwe ile 'nto njengokungati u ya
fika emzini wamakolwa.

Kga fika si nopaulu, si hamba
ngoku m zuma ukuti, '^ Ka Bga si
zwa, ka nga si boni ; ka k^abuke
si ngena nje eiid/dini e nga ka zi-
Inngisi, si bone okuma kwake nma
e nga boni 'mnntu ukuba u se
njani na.'*

Sa fika e lele, 'embete izingubo
ezimbili — enye imnyama, enye i-
mpofu, se i guga. Wa si bona, wa
lala, wa tula. Kga m vusa) nga
ti, "Vuka." Wa abinya, e ti,
" Ake w enze kaAle ; ngi za 'uvu-
ka. Ngi pangise ni ! Ngi pangi-
se ni ! Kw enze njani ekaya na T
Kwa za kwa ba isikati e nga vuki.

Wa vuka ke, wa si bingelela.
Sa vuma. Nga m buzaiikuti, " U
njani, james, nal" Wa ti, " Ngi
ya gula kakulii." Nga ti, " XJ
nani na ? " Wa ti, " Ngi nokufa
e ngi nga kw azi." Nga ti, " Ngi
landise konke." Wa kgala ngo-
kuti:

" O, nembala, u kginisile. XJma
ku buza umfana nje, ngi be ngi
nga yi 'kutsho 'luto nakanye.

that he should begin td be so
affected, as though he had only
just come to a Christian village.

I and Paul i-eached the place
where he is, going with the inten-
tion of taking him by surprise,
saying to each other, " Do not let
him hear or see us ; let him first
see us when we are already in the
hut, before he puts himself to
rights, that we may see what he
does now when no man is looking
at him."

When we came he was lying
down covered with two blankets
— one black, the other grey and
old. When he saw us he re-
mained lying and was silent. I
aroused him, saying, "Arouse."
He writhed himself and said,
" Just have patience. I am about
to arise. Make haste and tell me \
Make haste and tell me ! What
has happened at home ? " But it
was a long time before he arose.

At length he arose and saluted
us ; and we saluted him. I asked
him, saying, "James, how are
you % " He said, " I am very ilL"
I said, " What is the matter with
you 1 " He said, " I have a dis-
ease with which I am not ac-
quainted." I said, " Tell me aU
about it." He b^an by saying :

" O, truly, you are right. If it
were a mere boy who asked, I
would not say a single word. But

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

187

Kepa lok' u buza wena, a ngi zi
'kiishiya 'Into. Kuk^ala nga ng' e-
saba, ngi ti, * Ku za 'utiwa ni ? '
Kepa namMa loku loku 'kiifa se
ku ng* aArlukanisile nani, ngi nge
fiMe'lnto.

" Kade loku 'kufei kwa ngi k^'a-
la, ngi nga ka pumi na sekaya
lapaya, ukubuyela endMini le
entsha yami ; kwa ngi k^la ngi
06 pakati kwomuzL Nabakama-
pontshi laba ba ya kw azL Kepa
kwa buya kwa pela. XJkwenza
kwako kuk^'ala ngokukupuka emi-
uweni na semizwanini, ku kupuke
ngemikono na ngeniilenze ; ku gi-
jima ku ti saka nomzimba wonke;
kw enyuke, ku ze pezulu nomzi-
mba, ku iike ku me emaAlombe,
kw enze umsiti ku be nzima ka-
kulu lapa; ku nga ti ngi twele
into e sindayo.

** Kepa manje a ku se loko ko-
dwa; ngokuba manje se zi kona
izinto e ngi zi bonayo ngesikati
Bokulala. Ekupumeni kwami eka-
ya, ngi ptune se ngi kgambe amar
gama amata4)u, ngi nga V azi uku-
ba a Tela pi na ; ngi zwe igama, se
ngi li Alabelele nje, ngi li hqede
lonke, ngi nga li fundanga.

*^ Kepa into e ngi Alupa kakulu
manje, ukuba izwe leli lonke a ku
ko e ngi nga V aziyo j ngi li kgeda

since it is you who ask, I will tell
you everything. At first I was
afraid, and said, * What will men
say ? ' But now since this disease
has separated me from you, I can
make no concealment.

'^ Long ago this disease began,
even before I quitted the house on
the other side of the river to go to
my new house ; it began whilst I
still lived in the villaga And
the family of Umapontshi know
it. But it passed off again. It
first began by creeping up from
my fingers and toes ; it then crept
up my arms and thighs; it ran
and spread itself over the whole
body, until it reached the upper
part of the body, and stopped in
my shoulders, and caused a sensa-
tion of oppression, and there was
a great weight here on my shoul-
ders ; it was as if I was carrying
a heavy weight.

" But now it is not that only ;
but now there are things which I
see when I lie down. When I
left home I had composed three
songs, without knowing whence
they came ; I heard the song, and
then just sang it, and sang the
whole of it without having ever
learnt it.

^' But that which troubles me
most now is, that there is not a
single place in the whole country
which I do not know ; I go over

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATONOa

Jonke ebuduku ngi lele ; a ng' azi
lapa ngi ng" aaayo uma u pi ua.

''Ngi bona neziadliLovu. nezdiu-
pisi^ nezingonjama nezingwe ne-
zinyoka, Bemifula i gcwala. Ko-
nke l<^u ka /Jangana kumi, ku za
'u ngi bulala. Amasukn ouke, a
ku ko langa ngi ke ngi lale ngi
Bgabonanga

"Futi, ngi bone se ngi ndiza,
;igi nga sa nyateli pansi lapa.''

Nga buza ukuti, '' Loku se kn
njaloy inkosi yako u sa i knmbala
njenana?"

Wa ti, "K^ra. Se ku nkufet
loka Uma ngi linga ukuti, 'A
ngi tandaze,' ku nga ti ngi biza
ukufa konke ukuba ku ngi bulale
masinyane. Indaba yenkosi se i
kitshiwe kumi ilesi 'sifo. Se ku
fulatele sona kupela."

Nga tiy " U ya kumbula indaba
yepupa elidala kko na T'
Wa tiy ''U ^o lemikumbu

Nga ti, « Yebo."

"Wa ti, " Au ! A ngi koMwa

it all by ni|^t in my sleep ; ^esm
is not a single place ^e exact
situation of which I do not know,

'' I see also el^hants and hye-
nas, and lions, and leopards, and
snakes^ and full rivers. All these
things come near to me to kill me.
Not a single day passes without
my seeing such things in lay
sleep,

'' Again, I see that I am flying,^
no longer treading on this earth.''

I asked him, '' Since it is thus
with you, do you still remember
your Lord ? "

He said, '' No. To do so is death
to me. If I try, saying, ' Let me
pmy,' it is as if I summoned all
kinds of death to come and kill
me at once. The Lord's tidings
axe plucked out of me by this dia^
ease. It alone has now the do-
minion over me."

I said, " Do you remember that
old dream*^ of yours 1 "

He said, " Do you speak of thai
of the boats)"

I said, "Yes."

He replied, ^'Oh! t do not

^ This dream was recorded at the time. He dreamt that he was
crossing a river with XJmpengula in a boat When they were in the
middle of the riva*, without any apparent cause, the bottom of the
boat opened and let him through, and, after struggling for a time in
the water, he found himself on a sandbank in the midst of the stream,
and saw IJmpengula on the other side, he having reached without dif-
ficulty the place of their destination. All this time he seemed to
himself as one dead, though not dieprived of sensation — ^that is, he
thought he had died. He found Ipmself surrounded by huge dogs,
which appeared ready to devour hin^, and many black people, among
whom he observed his own mother, who expressed her wonder at find-
ing him among them. — This is just one of those prophetic dreams

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AXATONOa

189

ilo« Kgl li bona kaAle namAla nje
vkuba umkombu lukolo Iwami o
ae lu tshonile namu/ila. Nezinja
lezo e Bga u b<ma zi ya ogi dAla
namAIa igo."

Hga id, ** Kepauma inkosi yako
se isita kuwe, u ya 'kusinda ngo-
bani naf"

Wati, "K^a. Se ngi file ku-
-pela. A Dgi tsho ukuba ngi sa
\iba umnntn wokuba ku ngene
Tikuma ekutsha e ngi nga ku k^'o-
ndi nakanye. A ng' azi nkuba ngi
ini. Bheka, ngokuba ngi umuntu
o tanda abantwana banii kakulu.
Kepa namAla nje a ngi sa V azi
noma ba kona ini. Tnto enkulu i
lesi 'sifo kupela."

Wa ti, " Manje se ngi ke ngi
pnme ebusuku, ngi yaJelwe umuti,
ku tiwe, u sendaweni etile ; a ngi
ye 'ku u mba. Ngi pume, ngi fike
kona, ngi nga u boni, ngi zule nje,
ngi ze ngi buye. Se ku njalo ma-
nje kumi

forget it I see clearly now that
the boat is my fikith, which has'
now sunk into the water. And
the dogs which I saw are now de^
vouring me."

I said, " But if your Lord is
now your enemy, who will save
your'

He replied, "No. I am now
dead altogether. I do not think
that I am still a man who can
enter into a new position, which I
do not in the least imderstand.*^
I do not know what I am. At-
tend, for I am a man who loves
my children dearly. But now I
do not care whether they are alive
or not. The great thing is this
disease alone."

He continued, "And now I
begin to go out by night, having^
an internal intimation about medi-
cine ;^ it is said, * The medicine is
in such a place ; go and dig it up.*^
I go out and reach the place, but
do not find the medicine;^ I
merely walk up and down, and at
length return. This is my present
state.

which is suggested to a man by his own thoughts and wishes, and
whidi help on its own fulfilment by placing before his mind during
deep a distinct tableau of the future such as whilst awake he woidd
be a&uid to form for himself!

*^ That is, he no longer understands the Christian faith, and does
not believe it can again enter him ; or that he can change again.

*^ Lit., Having had a charge given me respecting a medicine, or
plant possessed of medical properties. The charge, of course,, being
supposed to be given by the Itongo,

*^ It is said to be thus with those who Stre about to be diviners ;
they are often deceived before they le^rn to cpi»JH:ehend the voices of
the Itongo by whidh tibiey t^e <;»lled,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

190

AMATONGO.

" Ziningi iziuto e ku nga ti n^
ya zi bona, ngi fike kona ngi nga
zi bom. Ku ze kwa ti ngolunye
usuku ekuseni kakulu, kwa tiwa,
a ngi ye 'kumba umutL Nga ha-
mba^ nga fika kona, a nga u bona ;
nga buya. Ngi te ngi fika ekaya,
kwa ku tiwa, * XJ shiyele ni umuti
na ? i wona lowo o ke wa u bona.
Hamba, u ye 'ku u mba.* Nga za
nga hamba, nga fika nga u mba.
Nga buya nga u laAla, ngokuba
ngi ng' azi ukuba ngi za 'kwenza
ni ngawo. Omunye kwa tiwa, a
ngi ye 'ku u mba esiAlutankungu.
Ng' ala ; na namAla nje a ngi ya-
nga.

" Kepa into enkulu inyama ; ku
tiwa njalonjalo, * A ku Alatshwe.'
Ku nga ti ngi nga dlih. inyama
imiAla yonke. Ku funa inyama
loku 'ku£Et j kepa a ngi vumL

*' Ngi Alutshwa izinja ; ku nga
ti lapa ngi kona inja i nge tsha-
ywe; ngi y' esaba kakulu. Ne-
nyanga yokubula ku nga ti ngi
nge i bone j ku nga fika yona, ngi
ya fa masinyane, ngi we pansi, ngi
fe. I loko ke oku ngi Alupayo.
Manje a ngi sa tandi 'muntu.
InAliziyo yami a i sa ba tandi aba-

" There are many things which
I seem to see, but when I go to
them I cannot see them. At
length it happened one day very
early in the morning, I was told
to go and dig up some medicine.
I went to the place, but did not
see the medicine, and came back
again. When I reached home, it
was said, * Why have you left the
medicine? it is that which you
saw. Go and dig it up.' At
length I went to the place and dug
it up. Again T threw it away, for
I did not know what to do with
it. I was told to go and dig up
another medicine on the Isithlu-
tankungu. I refused, and I have
not been to this day.

'* But the great thing is meat ;
it is said constantly, ' Let a bullock
be kUled'so It is as though I
could eat meat daily. This disease
longs for meat ; but I will not kill
cattle.

'' I am harassed by the dogs ; it
is as if where I am the dogs must
not be beaten j I am greatly afraid
of the noise. And it is as though
I could not look on a diviner ; he
may come, I am at once in a dying
state, and £bi11 down and die. It
is this, then, that troubles me.
And now I no longer love any
one. My heart no longer loves

^^ Not that he likes meat ; he eats only a small quantity ; but it
is the custom with such people to ask to have sacrifices continually
made to the Amatongo. It is therefore common when these symptoms
first manifest themselves to seek means for laying the Itougo, lest the
irequent sacrifices demanded should impoveiish Uiem.

Digitized by VjOOQIG

AMATONaO.

191

nto. Ku, Bga ti ngi nga Alala lapa
ku te nya, ku ng' ezwakali umsi-
ndo nakanye. A ng* azi uma u ti
a ngi buye nje, ngi ya 'knAlala pi,
loka insimbi kwiti i kala futifuti.
A ngi Alangani nomsindo onjalo ;
ngi y esaba kakulu. A ngi yi
'koAlala. Ngi ya 'kukitshwa in-
aimbi'*

Kwa ba njalo ke sa kuluma
ngokiibuya, ngi ti, " Buya, uma u
gtilela lapa, umkako enga ku boni,
ka tsbo ukuba u y' elatshwa naka-
nye. Kuyena u m shiyile nje,
nkuba ku ya *kuti umAla ku fike
uyise a m tate, a hambe uaye. U
y* azi nawe ukuba abafezi betu ba
ya kuluma, noma ku nga guli 'mu-
ntu, ba si tsbele ukuti, * Uma in-
doda i /dubuka, i buyela ngapa-
ndAle, i donswa ubumnandi ba-
kona, kona mina, ngokuba a ngi
b' azi ubumnandi bakona, se ng' a-
Alukana nayo masinyane, ngi nge
fe ngoku& komunye umuntu e zi-
bulala ngamabomu.' A ngi ti u
y* azi ukuba ba tsho njak> abafazi
betunaf"

Wa vuma, wa ti, "Yebo.
Ubannah u fikile lapa ngensuku
ezi dAlalile. Wa ti, a ngi kipe
loka 'ku£si ; uma ku nga pumi, si
jtb 'kwaAlukana* Nga m pendula
Bgokuti^ 'TJkukipauku^ ukwenza

men. It is aa tfaougb I could stay
where it is perfectly still — ^where
there is not the least sound*
When you tell me to return, I do
not know where I could stay, for
the bell of our village sounds
again and again. I do not like
such a sound as that ; I am much
afraid. 1 shall not stay. I shall
be driven away by the bell."

And then we spoke of his re-
turn, I saying, "Come home, if
you arc ill here ; your wife, not see-
ing you, does not suppose at all
that you are under medical treat-
ment. To her way of thinking,
you have merely forsaken her;
therefore when her father comes
he will come and take her away
with him. You know yourself
that our wives talk, and although
a man is not sick, they tell us that
if a husband rebels and returns to
heathen life, attracted by its. plea-
sant things, yet his wife, because
she does not know any pleasant
things of heaUien life, will at once
separate from him, and not die
wiUi the death with which another
wilfully kills himsel£ Do you not
know that our wives say thus 1 **

He assented and said, "Yea
Hannah came here some days ago.
She told me to get rid of this dis-
ease. And if I did not get rid of
it, we should separate. I answ^-
ed her and asked, * What is. meant

Digitized by VjOOQIC

192

AHATOKOa

Djani nal Ngi ya ku tandaini
nal KV enziwa imi ini na ) O,
a ngi kw azi ukukitshwakwokufisL
XJmniDiko o gala iko/ & ai^loka-
na ke. Nami ngi za 'kubnya nga-
lelo *zwi lokuti, *XJma ku nga
pumi, si za 'kwaAlokana.' Se ngi
ea 'ubuya, naye nmkami a zibonele
loko oku nga kipa loku 'ku&.
Ngi nge tsho osuku. Ni ya *ubona
ngi fika nje. Umzimba wami
ubuAlangu, ngokuba ngalobu 'bu-
suku e ni fika ngabo ngi ni bonile
ni za kumi, ni abelungu. Wa ngi
bulala nmlungu ; wa ngena lapa,
wa ngi tshaya emlenzeni lo ow' a-
pukayo, wa w apula. Ng' esuka,
nga m tela ngomlota. Ngi gula
iloko ke. Ngi y* aiiluleka uku ni
tsbela usiiktu

^'A ngi guli imiAla yonke.
Ngolunye usnku ngi ya tokoza nje,
kakulu ngesonta Ku ti ngalo,
noma ngi i^ sa V azi, ngi ja piia
kakulu. 8e ng' azi ngomzimba
^uba isonto namAla nje. Ku
xyalo ke uku& kwamL

^Hambani Ke ngi ni pele-
sele ; ngi za 'kubuya lapa ngape-
j&ulu."

Nembala ke sa hamba nje naye.
Kodwa u se kamba-ze, u se binca
imintsha. Nga ka nga u bona
umuntsha wake, isitobo esimnya-
ma.

by getting rid of it! Am I fond
of it) Did I produce itf O, I
do not know bow the disease can
be got rid o£ The disease is
master of the sick man.' And 80
we separated. And I am now
about to return home for that say-^
ing of hers^ * If the disease does
not cease we shall separate.' I
will now come back, that my wife
may see for herself that which can
get rid of the disease. I cannot
fix the day. Tou will dee me
when I come. My body is in
pain, for on the night before yoa
came I saw you coming to me, but
you were white men. A white
man hurt me; he came in here
and struck me on the thigh which
was broken, and broke it again*
I arose and threw ashes over him.^^
I am ill from that then. I cannot
tell you the day.

'< I am not ill every day. Some
days I am quite well, especially on
Sunday. On Sunday, although I
no longer know it is Sunday, I am
very welL I now know by my
body that it is Sunday. Such
then is my disease.

*^ Go. I will accompany you ;
I will come back from the top of
the hilL"

So then we went with him.
But he now goes naked, and wears
the umuntsha. I just caught
sight of his umuntsha; the hinder
part was black.

^1 That is, in a dream.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

193

Futi nga bu2a ngokuti, ^'Ku
ngani ukuba u pnme ekaya ngo-
kanyenyela nmfundisi, o inyanga
yezifozonke, u nga m tshelanga
nar

Wa ti, "A ngi m tshelanga
ngokuba ngf esaba, nga ti, ' TJma
ngi m tshela, u za 'kuti ngi ya
^lanya^ a ngi bambe, a ngi yise
emgungundAloyu, ngi Alale kona
isikati eside.' Ng* esaba loko ke,
ngi nga m tshelanga nje ngokuti,
* O, loku uAlanya V ana, izinto za-
bantu^ mina a ng' oni 'luto, ngi ya
zigulela nje j — O, k^, a ngi nga m
tsheli Knmbe ngi ya 'kupila uma
ngi Eifunele izinyanga. A ngi
hanibe.' Nga hamba ke. Nga
hamba ngaloko ke.

Sa hamba ke, s' a^lukana naye
enJUa kwomnzi, e hamba e nga
kamgi; umlenze a w omile; u
lingana nomunye nje. Kodwa
ekwe^leni ku ya bonakala ukuba
lo 'muntu wa limala. Kodwa
ekwenyukeni u hambisa kwabantu
nje bonke.

UkudAla a ku dAlayo kutatu
kupela — ^inyama, izinsipo ku ga-
ywe umkcuku ; uma ku nge ko a
dAle imifino yasenAle. Nako uku-
dAla a pila ngako. Araasi ka wa
faki nakanye ; u ya zondana nawo.

Further, I asked him, **Why
did you leave home unknown to
our Teacher, who is a doctor of all
diseases, without telling him? *'

He replied, ** I did not tell him,
for I was afraid, and said, < If I
tell him, he will say I am mad,
and seize me and send me to Pie-
termaritzburg, and I shall stay
there a long time.* I feared that
then, and did not tell him, think-
ing, ' O, since a mad man destroys
people's property, and I do no
harm, but my sickness is an injury
to myself only ; — O, no, let me not
tell him. It may be I shall get well
if I find doctors for myself Let
me go.' So I went away."

So we left, and separated from
him at a place above the village.
He walked without limping ; his
thigh has not dried up, it is of the
same length as the other. But
when he is going down hill, it is
evident that he is a man who has
been injured. But when he goes
up hill, he looks like all other
men.

There are only three kinds of food
that he eats — ^meat, and the dregs
of beer mixed with boiled maize ;
if these cannot be had he eats wild
herbs. That is the food on which
he lives. He does not put amasi
into his mouth by any means ; he
dislikes it, and it disagrees with
him.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

194

AMATONGO.

Futi, ngolunye usuku ebusuku
wa tsbelwa ukuti, " Vuka, ii tsho-
ne ngalapa emfuleni, u za 'kufu-
mana inyamazane i semAlonAlweni
i banjiwe ; bamba, u ye 'ku i tata."
U ti, "Nga vnka ke. Kwa ti
lapa se ngi bambile umfo wetu wa
ngi landela, XJmankamane." Wa
ponsa ngetsbe, wa tsbaya inAlaba.
W etuka Ujames, wa baleka, wa
buyela kuye, wa m tetisa ngoknti,
"W enze ni ukuba u ng* etuse
lapa ngi za 'kutata inyamazane ya-
mi na 1 " Kwa ku pela ke, kwa
pela loko o be ku m kguba ukuba
a yotata inyamazane. Ba goduka
nje ke, ku nga se ko 'luto.

Ku tiwa abakubo, luAlobo olu-
batataka kakulu, lu ba izinyanga.
Ku kona ababili abafo wabo ba-
kwazulu ba izinyanga. Ujames
wa ngi tshela, wa ti, " Kwa fika
Uheber lapa, e vela kwazulu ; wa
ngi tshela ukuti, 'Abafo wenu
kwazulu le se be izinyanga, TJbani
nobani.' " U ti ke Ujames ke,
" Nanko ke umuntu owa ngi
bangela ukufa loku. Wa ti e sa
tsbo nje nga tshaywa uvalo olwe-
sabekayo. A ngi m pendulanga ;
nga tula nje. Se ngi Alabekile,
ngokuba e kuluma indaba ey* e-
nzekayo kumina ; kodwa ngi nga
kulumi ngayo, ngi ng* azi ukuba
isifo sini na. Yena wa ng* azisa,
ku ze ku be namAla nje.

Again, onco at night he was told
to awake and go down to the
river, and he would find an ante-
lope caught in a Euphorbia tree ;
and to go and take it. " So," said
he, " I awoke. When I had set
out, my brother, Umankamane,
followed me." He thi*ew a stone
and struck an aloe. James was
frightened, and ran back to him
and chided him, saying, "Why
did you frighten me when I was
about to lay hold on my antelope."
That was the end of it, and
he was not again told by any
thing to go and fetch the ante-
lope. They went home, there
being nothing there.

James's people say they are of a
family who are very sensitive, and
become doctoi*s. There are two of
his brothers in Zululand who are
doctors. James told me, saying,
" Heber came to us on his arrival
from Zululand; he told me that
my brothers in Zululand are now
doctors, So-and-so and So-and-so."
And so James said, " He then is
the man who brought this disease
on me. Whilst he was telling me
I was seized with a fearfiil dread.
I did not answer him, but remain-
ed silent. I am now ill because he
spoke of what I myself was expe-
riencing ; but I did not speak of it,
for I did not know what disease it
was. He made me understand ;
and I understand it to this day."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

195

Ku tiwa uyise k^james, Ukoke-
la, wa e umuntu o inceku yenkosi
yakwazulu. Kepa wa banjwa iso
lesi *8ifo sokwetasa. Inkosi ya
tukutela uma i zwe loko. Ya mu
dMa iziukomo zonke zake. Wa
Alala nje. Nanko ke umuti owona
w' elapa XJkokela. Kwa p^a.

Abanye ba izinyanga na lapa
esilungwini, Odade wabo ba y' e-
tasa njalo; baningi aba nalesi
'sifo esi kujames. Abanye ba ya
vinjwa, ku pele. Abanye ku ze
ku zipelele nje, ku katale, ku m
yeka Omunye, ka si ye wakubo,
ngi mu zwile lapa kujojo ; intombi
yasembo kanoponya ; ku tiwanaye
u be taaa, *enza njengojames njalo.
Kepa w* elatshwa izinyanga ezi-
ningL Z* aAiuleka, e se bamba
ezintabeni, e nga sa Alali ekaya ;
vaxdkzL Wa za V elatshwa Ujojo
kanianzezulu ; wa m aAlula. Wa
Alaba izimbuzi ezimbili — imvu
nembuzi; imbuzi imAlope, imvu
imnyama. Wa m elapa ngazo;
emnyama ey* enza ukuba itongo li
be mnyama, li nga kanyi ; emAlo-
pe ey* enza ukuba itongo li be
mAlope, li kanye, li m bonise ka^le.

It is said that James's father,
Ukokela, was the steward of the
Zulu king. But he was seized
with the disease which precedes
the power to divina The king
was angry when he heard it. He
ate up all his cattle. That was
the medicine which cured Ukokela.
That was the end of it.

Others are doctors here in the
country of the English. His sis-
ters have the initiatory symptoms ;
there are many who have James's
disease. Some have the Itongo
laid. With others the disease
ceases of its own accord ; it is
tired, and leaves them. Another,
not one of James's relatives, I
heard Ujojo mention her; she was a
girl of the Abambo, the daughter
of Unoponya ; it is said, she was
affected, and did as James does.
But she was treated by many doc-
tors. They could not cure her;
she still went to the mountains,
and did not stay at home ; she was
a married woman. At length she
was treated by Ujojo, the son of
Umanzezulu; he cured her. He
killed two goats — or, rather, a
sheep and a goat; the goat was
white, the sheep black. He treat-
ed her with them ; the black sheep
made the Itongo indistinct, and no
longer bright ; the white goat
made the Itongo white and bright,
that it might make her see clear-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

196

AMATONGO.

Wa m vimba ke, wa m godusa,
wa m Alalia' ekaya. U se umuntu
nje manje. Nami ngi ke nga m
bona. Kwa tiwa, kade e hamba
ezintabeni. Kepa manje ka sa
bonakali ukuba u ke wa hamba.

Izinyanga zokubula zi ti ku-
James, naye u ya tasa, u za l^uba
inyanga. Kodwa ka ng' elatshwa
ngemiti eranyama yoku m vimba ;
u ya 'kufa ; ka yekwe nje. Nga-
loko ke abakubo se be koAliwe
into a ba za 'ku y enza, loku ku
tiwa, u ya *kufa. Se be buka nje.
Izwi lezinyanga li umteto kubo;
ba nge li dAlule nakanye.

Umpengula Mbanda.

ly.^^ So he laid the Itongo, and
she went home ; he caused her to
live at home. And she is now a
human being. It is said, for a
long time she lived in the moun-
tains. But it is now no longer
apparent that she ever did so.

The diviners tell James that
he too is beginning, and will
soon be a doctor. But they
say he must not be treated with
black medicines to lay the Itongo,
for he will die ; he must be just
left alone. His friends therefore
do not know what to do, since it
is said, he will die. They merely
look on. The diviners* word is
their law ; they can on no account
go beyond it.

How to distinguish Siidkes which are Amatongo from common Snakes.

Ukupenduka kwabantu be pendu-
ka izinyoka, lezo *nyoka a ba ba i
zo a ziningi, zi ketiwe, zi y* aziwa,
— ^ukuti, imamba emnyama, nen-
yandezulu e imamba eluAlaza;
amakosi lawo ke. Abantu um-

The snakes into which men turn
are not many; they are distinct
and well known. They are the
black Imamba, and the green
Imamba, which is called Inyande-
Zulu. Chiefs turn into these.

^2 This, as it is told in the text, is not clear. It appears that the
doctor pui-sued two systems of treatment, with opposite objects. And
this was really the case. He first tried the " darkening " system, hj
using together with the black sheep other medicines possessed of a
darkening power ; but not succeeding, he tried the opposite system —
the " brightening " plan, that is, he acted subtlely, making the Itongo
bright and clear, and willing to come near the patient, and then by
suddenly again resorting to the " darkening " system, he made the
Itongo dark for ever, and so " the spirit was laid," and has never
appeared since.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

197

JUwazi, amakosikazi ke lawo. E-
nye ubulube ukuti inkwakwa,
noinziiigandAlu, kupela kwezinjo-
ka ezi abantu.

Kepa ukubonwa kwazo uma zi
abantu, zi bonwa ekungeneni kwar
zo endAlini ; a zi vami ukungena
ngomnyaDgo. Kumbe zi ngena
ku nge ko 'muutu, z* onyoke zi
y emsamo, zi Alale kona, zi zibute.
I nga li dAli isele nempuku, i Alale
Dje, i ze i bonwe umuntu, a bize
abanye ; i ng* etuki ukubaleka, i
ze i shiywe nje. Abanye ba ti,
**A i bulawe." Abcmye ba ti,
"Umuntulof"

Uma i neiueeba oAlangotini, a
vele ow' azi ubanibani wakona
owa&yo, a tsho ukuti, " Ubaiii lo.
A ni li boni ino^eba leli oAlangotmi
nal " I yekwe ke. Ku lalwe.

Ku ti ebuBuku umninimuzi a
pupe ipupo ukuti, *' Ni se ni funa
uku ngi bulala nje ) Se ni koAli-
we ini imina na) Nga ti, ngi zo-
koela ukudAla ; na ngi bulala na?
Ngi UbanL"

Ku 86 kusasa e wa lauza lawo
'mapupo, a ti, *^ A ku ncencezwe
ukuze itongo li nga tukuteli, li si
bulale." Ku funwe inkomo, noma

Common people turn into the Um-
thlwazi, and cbieftainesses. An-
other snake is called Ubulube or
Inkwakwa, and another Umzinga-
ndhlu ; common people turn into
these only.

These snakes are known to be /
human beings when they enter a
hut ; they do not usually enter by
the doorway. Perhaps they enter
when no one is there, and go to
the upper part of the hut, and I
stay there coiled up. A snake of/
this kind does not eat frogs or'
mice ; it remains quiet, until some
one sees it and calls others ; it is
not afraid so as to run away, and '
it is left alone. Some say, '^ Let
it be killed." Others say, « What,
kill a man?''

K the snake has a scar on the
side, someone, who knew a certain
dead man of that place who also
had such a scar, comes forward
and says, ^<It is So-and-sa Do
you not see the scar on his side ) "
It is left alone, and they go to

During the night the chief of
the village dreams, and the dead
man says to him, " Do you now
wish to kill me 1 Do you already
forget me? I thought I would
come and ask for food j and do you
kill me ? I am So-and-so.''

In the morning he tells his
dreams, and says, ^'Let a sin-
offering be sacrificed, lest the Ito-
ngo be angry and kill us." They
fetch a bullock or goat ; and pray

Digitized by VjOOQIC

198

AllATONGO.

imbuziy ku bongwe, ku dAliwe.
Ku k^bukwe i nga se ka Se i
tenya.

Inyoka nje i ngena endAlini, i
talaze, j esab' abantu ; i bulawe,
ngoba i y* adwa ukuba umla-
landAle.

Fuid i y aziwa na ngokgobo
Iwayo nje, ukuba isilwane, i bula-
we noma i nga talazi, ngokuba a i
cd 70 imamba e ku tiwa umuntu,
nenyandezulu i y* aziwa ukuba
umuntu. Z* aAlukene ezi abantu
nezi nge 'bantu ngombala wazo.
Njengebululu nevuzamanzi nen-
^ngwana nemamba empofu, ne-
luMaza i namabala, zi y* aziwa
lezo ukuba imilalandAle. A kw e-
nzeki ukuba i be umuntu ngesinye
icdkati; a zi penduki; zi imilalar
ndMe njala Nezi abantu zi aba-
ntu njalo j zi bonwa k^ede, ku ti-
we abantu; nembala zi kulume
ngamapupo ; noma zi nga kulumi,
kw aziwe ukuba umuntu.

XJkwaziwa kwazo lezo ezi abantu
z' aziwa ngokujwayela ekaya, na
ngokungadAli izimpuku, nokunge-
tuki umsindo wabantu ; zi bonwe
njalo i ng' etuki isitunzi somuntu,
i ng* esabeki kubantu, ku nga bi

and eat the flesh. They look, and
the snake is no longer there. It
has now entirely disappeared.

A mere snake, when it oomesj
into a hut, looks from side to side, I
and is afraid of men ; and it is \
killed because it is known to be a ]
wild snake. -^

A snake is also known by its
mere appearance to be an ani-
mal, even though it does not look
frcMn side to side, because it is
neither an Imamba^^ that is a man,
nor the Inyandezulu,^* which is
known to be a man. Those which
are men and those which are not,
are distinguished by their colour.
The Puffadder, the Ivuzamanzi,
the Inthlangwana, and the grey and
spotted Imamba, are known to be
mere beasts. It is impossible for
them to be ever men ; they never
become men; they are always
beasts. And those which are men
are always men ; as soon as they
are seen they are known to be
men; and truly they speak in
dreams ; and even if they do not,
it is known that they are men.

Those which are men are known
by their frequenting huts, and by
their not eating mice, and by their
not being frightened at the noise
of men ; they are always observed
not to be afraid of the shadow of \
a man ; neither does a snake that /
is an Itongo excite fear in men, I

^^ That is, the black imamba,

54 Or green imamba. There is besides a spotted green, and grey
Imamba.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

199

ko nesitunzi endAIini sokuba ku
kona isilwane, ku pole nje, ku
zwakale ukuba ku fike umnini-
mozL Ekuboneni kwabantu ku
nga ti ngoku i bona nje i ya ku-
luma ukuti, "Ni ng' esabi. XJ-
mina." Ba tola 'mandAla njalo
nkuAlangana naja

Uma i bulewe umiuitu o ng' a-
ziyo, i buye i vuke, i fike nazo
izinduku lezo e b* i bulawa ngazo,
zi semzimbeni imivimbo ; L kulume
ngepupo, i sola ukupatwa kabi
kwayo. Ku ncencezwe emva
kwaloko. I loko ke e z* aziwa
ngako izinyoka*

Ku ti owa e nesikci emzimbeni,
a bonwe ngaso ; nekcide li bonwe
ngeso enyokeni ; nengozi i bonwe
ngayo ; nonyonga lu bonwe ngaka
Zi bonwa ngaloko ke, ngokuba
abantu imvamo ba vame ukuba
nezikci, izinyoka zabo zi njalo.
Aba nge nazikd ba ya kuluma.
Noma ku bonwa ukuba itongo^
kodwa e nge nasikci, ku tiwe,
" Umuntu lo ; " kodwa a si m azL
A ziveze ngokukuluma. Z' aziwa
ngaloko ke.

Futi, uma inyoka e itongo i lala

and there is no feeling of alarm as
though there was a wild beast in
the house ; but there is a happy
feeling, and it is felt that the
chief of the village has come.
When men see it, it is as though
it said as they look at it, '' Be not
a&aid. It is L" So they are able
at all times to associate with it.

If it has been killed by someone
who is ignorant, it comes to life
again, and has the marks of the
rod on its body by which it was
killed j and complains in a dream
of the treatment it has received.
And after that a sin-ofifering is
sacrificed. This, Uien, is how
snakes are distinguished.

He who had a scar is recognised
by that ; and he who had but one
eye is recognised by the snake into
which he has turned having one
eye also ; and another is recognised
by the marks of injuries ; and a
lame man is known by the lame-
ness of the snake. That is how
they are known, for men usually
have some marks, and the snakes
into which they turn have similar
marks. The man who had no
mark speaks in dreams. And if
it is seen that it is an Itongo, but
it has no mark, it is said to be a
man, but we do not know who it
is. He reveals himself by speak-
ing. This is how they are known.

Again, if a snake which is an

Digitized by VjOOQIC

200

AHATCmoO,

, i bekise isisu pezulu,
kn y' esabeka, ku tiwa inkulu
indaba e za 'uvela — ^aoiaa^ ku za
'ubaba umuzi Ku kcolwe, ku
yiwe enyangeni yokubula, i ku
lande loko okwenziwa itongo nga-
ko j ku lungiswe.

Uma i tandela isitsba, i y ala
ukuba si tabatwe, ku ze ku funwe
into, ku tetwe, i suka

Futi, uma inyoka e itongo i
ngena ngenAluzula, kw aziwe uku-
ba itongo lomuntu owa e ihbata-
iiga e sa pila. U sa hamba ngako
ukwenza Ikwake. Ku lungiswe
ngenta

I loko ke e ngi kw aziyo nga-
matongo.

XJmpengula Mbanda.

Itongo lies on its back, with its
belly upwards, it is a cause of
alarm, and it is said something of
consequence is about to happen, —
or, the viUage is about to be
destroyed. The people sacrifice
and pray, and go to a diviner, and
he tells them why the Itongo hasi
done as it has. They do aa they
are directed.

If a snake coils around a vessel
and will not allow any one to take
it, the people bring a sacrifice and
worship, and it goes away.

And if a snake which is an Ito-
ngo enters a house rapidly,^^ it is
known to be the Itongo of a man
who was a liar whilst he lived.
And he is still a liar. They sacri-
fice something to such an Itongo.

This is what I know about ihe
Amatonga

Men turn into momy kinds of Animals.

Ku tiwa abantu ba penduka izi-
Iwane eziningi. Omunye ku tiwa
u ba umnyovu ; omunye a be isa-
lukazana; nomunye imamba; no-
munye inyandezulu ; imvamo ba

It is said that men turn into many I
kinds of animals. It is said that
one becomes a wasp ; another an i
isalukazana f^ another an ima-
mba f^ another an inyandezulu f^ \
but the greater number turn into |

^ Rapidly, or rather, without any shame, — arbitrarily, as one
that has a right to do as he likes, whose will is his law.

^^ Isalukazana, a kind of lizard.

^^ Imamfiba, a poisonous snake.

^^ Inyandezulu, a poisonous snake, the green imamba.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATONOO.

201

pendnka umMwazi oIuAlaza no-
nsundu. L^o 'miAlwaad jombili
umuatu a nga ze a vumey a ti,
'* Yebo, abantu laba,'' e tsho ngo-
kuba i nga twali 'meAlo njengalezo
'zilwanyana ezlne. A w esabi
umAlwazi umuntu, u baraba ka^le;
uma umuntu e u bona u lele, ku
ze ku fike abating! ba u bone;
noma be u vusa, u ti siki, u me.

Ngaloko ke ku tiwa, u itongo,
ngokuba a u bonanga u luma 'mu-
ntu; isilwane e si nge nalulaka
kuzo zonke. OluAlaza nonsundu
i ya &na ngokuba-mnene.

Kepa ezinye, noma ku tiwa zi
amatongo, kepa a zi jwayeleki
eme^weni, ngokuba In u/dobo
Iwezilwane ezi lumaka A i bo-
nakali imamba yasenAle neyaseka-
ya ngombala; umbala wayo mu-
nye,ame^]oayo manye; neyasenAle
ukubbeka kwayo kunye — ukubhe-
ka kwempi okwesabisa umuntu ; a
nga melwa isibindi ukuti, '^ Itongo.
Ngi nga sondela kuyo." Ai; u
tsbo e kude e nga sondelL Kodwa

the ^ gafitfi hmiy? which may be \
green or brown. As regards the ^
two kinds of umthlwazi, a person
may allow that they are men, be-
cause they do not stare fiercely
like the other four. The umthlwazi
is not afraid of a man, it moves
slowly ; if a person sees it lying,
it remains quiet until many come
and look at it ; and if they arouse
it, it moves slightly, and again re-
mains quiet.

Therefore it is said to be an
Itongo, for it never bites any one ;
it is a beast which is less fierce
than all others. The green and
brown kinds resemble each other
in gentleness.

And the others, although they
are called Amatongo, yet the
eyes do not get accustomed to
them,*^ for they belong to a kind of
animal which bites. The imamba
which frequents open places, and
those which frequent houses, are
not distinguishable by colour;
their colour is the same, their eyes
are alike ; and when they are in
an open place, their stare is of the
same character — ^the stare of an
enemy, which makes one afraid ;
and a man does not pluck up
courage by saying, " This snake is
an Itongo. I can approach it.*'
No j he says it is an Itongo when
he is at a distance from it, without

^* Umhlwaziy a harmless snake.

^ They do not become common in the eyes, that is, so as to be
approached familiarly, — ^the eyes do not get accustomed to them.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

202

AMATONGO.

anAiwadni si tsho, si sondela kn-
wo.

Kakuln imamba ku (iwa amsr
kosi; kepa izalukazana ku tiwa
aba£Eizi abadala ; umAlwazi ku tiwa
abantu. Umnyovu a ku tshiwo
ngokubonakalakoy ukuti u itongo,
ngokuba u vela emntwini ; ku nga
u itoiigo ngokutunjwa ; i ilo ngo-
kubonwa kwawo ke, ku tiwe, u
itongo; ngokuba ku tiwa ngawo,
ku nga u isitunywa.

approaching near to it But w«
say the umthlwasd is an Itongo,
and go up to it

But the imamba is said es-
pecially to be chiefs ; the isalukaza-
na, old women ; and the umthlwar
zi, common people. As regards
the wasp, it is not clear that it is
an Itongo, because it appears to
a man ; it is as it were an Itongo
because it is sent ; it is an Itongo
through being seen, and so it is
said to be an Itongo ; for people
say of it, it resembles something
that has been sent.

The order m which the Amatongo cure worshipped.

Ku ya bizwa amatongo onke nge-
tongo lokuk^la eF aziwayo. Li
bizwe njengaloku isizwe, ku tiwa,
esakwabani ; esetu ku tiwa sama-
pepete. Isibongo ku tiwa Gwala,
umuntu wokuk^la, ukuti, unku-
lunkulu wamapepete. TJyena e
inAloko yesizwe sonke ; si kuleka
ngaya Ku ti uma ku ^latshwe,
kutiwe, ''Nina'bakwagwala,pelela
ni nonke, ni ze 'kudAla. Naku
'kudAla kwenu."

Kepa manje ngokuba ku kona
izinyanga, a ku sa k^alwa ngaloko j
ngokuba kwabafsiyo u y* aziwa
oyena e ngenise isifo; w* aziwa

All the Amatcaigo ar e called upon
by t he name of the first Itongo who
is known. It is called justas a na-
tion is called after a certain
person ; ours is the nation of the
Amapepete. The family name is
Gwala, the first man, that is, the
Unkulunkalu of the Amapepete.
It is he who is the head of the
whole nation; we pray by his
nama And when we sacrifice we
say, " Ye people of Gwala, come
all of you to eat. Behold your
food."

But now since there are diviners
we no longer b^n in this way;
for it is known who among the
dead has caused disease; he is

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOHGO.

203

Bgokttbula eanjrangeniy ukuba,
** Ubani lowo a gula nje, a bulawa
TJbani lowo wakini Ni ja m a-
xi; u ti, ku ngani ukuba ku ti
lapa ni pete ukudAla ni nga m
kumbuli nal" Ngaloko ke ku ja
bizwa yena kukgala, ku tiwe,
'' Bani kabani/' e bongwa ngezi-
bongo zake; ku ze ku fikwe na
kujise^ a ngeniswe naye kule *n-
daba yokufa ; ku ze ku fikwe kwo-
wokupela; se ku ya gdnwa ke
umaku tiwa, ** Nina'bakwagwala,
owa ti wa ti " (ku balwa izibongo
zake), " pelela ni nonke."

Ku njalo ke ukwaAlukanisa
amatonga ' AAlukaniswa ngokuba
u ba munye ematongweni o yena e
veza isifo. Abanye ba nga tsho
luto. Ku bizwe yena ke kuk^la,
fijengokuba e kala ngokuti, ** Ku
ngani ukuba ngi nga be ngi sa
patwa nat" Ku njalo ke.

Njengaloku kwiti, kwa ka kwa
gula ubabekazi ; kwa tiwa ezinya-
ngeniy '^U bulawa umfo wabo,
ngokutiy 'Kulo 'muzi, noma ku
petwe ukudAl% a ngi sa kunjulwa/
e tshOy ngokuti, ' Ku ngani ukuba
ku nga k^wa ngaye ukubizwa
ematongweni onke n&V "

Amatongo a sa Alupa abantu
ngaldLa Ilelo li ya banga njalo.

known by enquiring of the di*
viners; they tell us, ''Since So-
andnso is ill, he is made ill by So-
and-so, one of your peopla Y^ou
know him ; he says, how is it that
when you have food you forget
him ? " Therefore he is called
upon firat, and it is said, '' So-and-
so, son of So-and-so," he being
lauded by his laud-giving names ;
then they proceed to his fieither^
and he too is mentioned in con-
nection with the disease ; and so in
time they come to the last ; and
so there is an end, when it is said,
" Ye people of Gwala, who did so
and so" (his great deeds being
mentioned), '' come all of you."

Such then is the distinction be-
tween Amatongo. They are dis-
tinguished, because it is one
among them which causes the dis-
ease. The others say nothing. So
he is called upon first, as though
he complained saying, ** How is it
that my name is no longer men-
tioned ? " That is how it is.

Just as with us, our uncle
was ill ; the diviners said, ** He is
made ill by his brother, because he
says, * In that village when they
have food, I am no longer remem-
bered ; ' and he asks, ' How is it
that you do not b^in with him
when you call on the Amatongo f "

The Amatongo continually trou-
ble men on that account. Each

Digitized by VjOOQIC

204

AMATONOO.

ukuse onke a be nezinkomo atwo,
noma e patwa onke. Kepa otile
u kumbnla ngokuti^ '' Mina, a ba
bonanga be ugi pata kukgula nku
ngi Akbela inkonio etile ; ngi za
'uziveza ngokufik"

I njalo ke indaba yokwaAluka-
nisa amatongo.

TJmpengula Mbakda.

one of them constantly pnts in a
claim, that each may have his
own cattle [sacrificed for him in-
dividtially], though the names of
all be called upon. And a certain
one remembers they never worship
him first by killing for him a cer-
tain cow; and he says, '^I will
reveal myself by disease."

This then is the word about
making a distinction between the
Amatongo.

Tale of an Imcmha.

Indaba yemamba e itongo lakwiti
emapepetenL Inkosi yakona U-
maziya. Leyo 'nkosi ya penduka
imamba ekupumeni emzimbeni
wobuntu. Ya bulawa embo. £wa
ti ekukcitekeni kwezwe lakwazulu,
abantu ba tanda ukuza lapa esilu-
ng¥dm. Kepa yona ya se i file.
Indodana yayo Umyeka owa sala
esikundAleni sikayise, nomfo wabo
XJmgwaduyana wa fa yena, wa
shiya amadodana amabili, enye
XJmadikane, enye. encane, Uba-
fako.

Kq>a ngaleso 'sikati sokukciteka
kwezwe, lowo 'm£uia wa e nesi-
londaesibi etangeni; kepa se ku

The account of the Imamba which
is the Itongo of our people among
the Amapepete. The chief of that
nation was Umaziya.^^ That chief
became an Imamba when he went
out of his human body. He was
killed by the Abamba When the
people were scattered firom the
country of the Amazulu, they
wished to come here to the Eng-
lish. But he had been dead for
some tima It was lus son, Um-
yeka, who remained in his &ther^8
place, and his brother too, Um-
gwaduyana, died, and left two
sons, one named Umadikane^ and
the younger one^ Uba&ka

But at the time of the scatter-
ing of the people the lad UbafiJco
had a bad sore on his thigh ; they

^^ UmasAya, — The z pronounced like z in azure.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKGO.

205

hu^iw^ enAle^ ku panyiwe etna-
kaya, e gala kakolu ileso 'silonda ;
86 kw datahiwe ngemiti; kepa
imiti i nga namateli, si be loku si
Hba njala Ku ze kwa ti ngolunye
usaku, ku Aleziwe emadokodweni
oknbalekay kwa ngeiia imamba;
loku umntwana u lele^ abantu ba
ng^^azaka, b' etoka be bona isilwa-
ne si ngena endAlini ; kepa a i ba
nakanga nokwetuka nje, kupela
ya pikelela ukwenyuka i ye kum-
ntwana; unina e se kala e id,
** Inyoka i jra 'kadAla umntwana.''

Kepa kwa se kw aziwa nkuba
inkosi le; kepa a ba melwanga
'silnndi, ngokuba se i nomunye
nmzimba, a ba nga jwayelani na-
wo— nmzimba wesdlwana Ta
fika, ya beka nmlomo esilondeni,
kwa ba isikatshana i tulisilei y* e-
sukay yapuma.

En ti ngemva kwaloko kwa
yiwa ezinyangeni, ukuba ku zwa-
kale ukuba lo 'mAlola ongaka we-
mamba ini na. Kepa za ti zona
izinyanga, ** Inkosi yakwini leyo ;
i zokwelapa umntwana wendodana
yaya**

Nembala ke kwa Alaliwa; isi-
louda sa buya, sa za sa pola.

were then living in the open
country and had quitted their
homes, when he was ill with that
sore ; and it had been already
treated with medicines; but the
medicines would not adhere, and
the sore ino-eased continually.
At length it hi^pened one day, as
they were living in the temporary
booths erected in their flighty an
Imamba entered; the child was
asleep ; the people started up and
were frightened when they saw
the beast enter the house ; but it
neither took any notice of them
nor was in the least afiaid, but
pressed onward to go up to the
child ; the mother now cried out^
" The snake will kill the diild."

Btit it was already known thai
it was the chief; but they had not
any courage on that account, for
he had now a different body, to
which they were not accustomed,
— ^the body of abeast It reached
the child and placed its mouth on
the sore, and remained still a little
while, and then departed and went
out of the house.

After that they went to the
diviners, that they might hear what
was the meaning of so great an
omen. But the doctors said, '< It
is your chief; he comes to heal the
child of his son."

So the people waited in pa-
tience ; and the . sore contracted,
and at length healed.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

206

AMATOMOa

Ku be ku ti kpaku hanjwa^ ku
siwa^ lapa ku hanjiwei nayo i
bcmwe lapa ku welwa emazibu-
kweni ; i be i wela ngenzansi nja-
lo ; kwa za kwa fikwa lapa emka-
mbatini, lapa ya sala kona ngesi-
kati sokweAla kwendodana, Um-
yeka, e ya euauda, e balekela
Amabunu.

Eepa inkofii leyo y* ala, ya ti,
"A ugi yi 'kuza ezweni lolwa-
ndAle. Ngi za 'ku/ilala lapa, ngi
sidAlele izintete nje." Nembala
ke kwa ba njala Kwa za kwa
gala Umyeka kakulu, e pupa ku
tiwa, "Wa m shiyelani uyiAlo?
U ya ba biza ; u ti, a ba buye."
Kepa a ba vumanga ugokwesaba
umlanjwana wamabunu, ngokuba
kwa dAliwa izinkomo zawo Um-
yeka.

Kwa ba njalo ke, ku ze kwa
kupuka omuuye ubabekazi omku-
lu, e ya kubaba, ow' elamana no
zala tiiUL W esuka lowo 'baba,
e dedela ubabekazi, wa buyela

And it used constantly to hap-
pen, when they were travcJling
towards this country, when tiiey
had set out, the Imamba too waa
aeea where they crossed at the
finxls of rivos ; it used to cross
lower down constantly ; until th^
reached Table Mountain, where it
still was wh^i his son, Umyeka^
went down to the Inanda, flying
&x>m the Dutch.

But the chief ^^ refused, saying,
"I will not go to a country by the
sea. I shall stay here, and eat
grasshoppers."^ And so indeed
it was. At length Umyeka was
very ill, and it was said to him in
a dream, '' Why did you forsake
your father 1^ He is calling the
people; let them return." But
they would not agree, fearing their
feud with the Dutch, for Umyeka
had stolen their cattle.^

So it was imtil our eldest
unde went up to our &ther,^
who was youngs than our own
£skther. Our father departed, leav-
ing our eldest uncle, and returned

^^ That is, the imamba, — the dead chief

^ It is to be understood that this was said to the son in a dream.

^ That is, forsake the place where his Itongo revealed itseIC

^ It is supposed by the narrator that this tribe stole at least a
thousand head of cattle from the Dutch.

06 Both the Ubabakazi, eldest unde, and the Ubaba, £Ekthar, were
uncles. There were three brothers. The eldest is here called Ubaba-
kazi; the second, the &ther, was dead; the youngesti here called
fikther, had diaige of the fionily of tiie leooiuL

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATOKGO.

207

enseiweni eliknlu lenko(d jakwitL
Kodwa wa bhekana nalo j ka Bge-
nanga kulo ; kwa linywa nje kulo.
Ka ze kwa ti ngolunje usiikn
txbaba e lele wa papa inkosi leyo i
kolama naja Lokapela ngaleso
'sikati kwa ku sebasika, amanzi e
banda kakula, ya ti, ''Nggo-
k^wane, koAle tikuba u ng' enzele
ik^maka ezibukweni, ngi wele
ngalo, ngi z' ekaya ; ngokuba ngi
ya godola amakaza, ngi bandwa na
amanzi fatL"

Nembala ng* ezwa ubaba e se
ngi biza, e ti, ** Mntanami, woza,
si ye lapaya ezibukweni eli ya
enadweni lasemzimTaba, amazi
wenkosi, si yokwenzela inkosi ko-
na ik^maka lokuwela." Nembala
ke sa gaala iminga kakala nemi-
senge, sa i n^omisa kabili emfaleni,
sa tela umAlaba ngapezalo.

Ka ngezinsokwana lezo, loka-
pda nga ngi um&na wezinkomo o
TaJa isango, nga libala kakulu
okaya 'uvala, kwa za kwa Aiwa ;
ngi te se ngi ya, nga ngi ya, se ku
dMule isikati sokuvala, Nga i
bona ngi sa ya njeya into e kcwe-
bezela emivalweni Kepa a ngi
nakanga ukuba ini Nga ya nga-
mandAla, ngi tanda ukuvala masi-

to the old site of oar chiefs great
kraal. Bat he was on the other
side of the stream to it ; he did
not baild on the old site, bnt dag
there only. Until on a certain
day oar father whilst asleep
dreamt the chief was talking with
him. And as at that time it was
winter, and the water was very
cold, he said to him, "Unggo-
kjwane, it woald be well for yoa
to make a bridge far me, that I
may cross on it and come home ;
for I am cold, and the water
makes me colder stilL"

And traly I heard my father
calling me and saying, ** My child^
come, let as go yonder to the ford
which leads to the old site of
Umzimvabii, the village of the
chief, and make there a bridge for
the chief to cross OTer.** And
traly we cat down many mimosa
trees and elephant trees, and laid
them across the stream, and poared
earth on the top of them.

A few days alter, for I was then
the herd-boy who closed the cattle
pen, I pat off for a long time go-
ing to close it, antil it was dark ;
and did not set oat to do it antil
the asaal time had passed. As I
was going, I saw yonder something
glistening on tiie poles with which
the gateway was dosed. But I
did not troable myself as to what
it was. I went in a harry, wish-
ing to close the gateway at once,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

208

AMATONOa

Byane, ngokuba nga shiya endAlini
kn za 'udAliwa amasi. Ngaloko
ke nga tanda ukuvala nuudnyane.
Kepa nga tata lowo 'mvalo; wa
idnda, ng' aMiileka; na komunye
kwa ba njalo ; ya ng' a^Jula imi-
vala Nga k^la ukubhekisisa
ukuba namAla nje imivalo i ngi
ainda ngani, loku imivalo emidala
nje na? Nga bbekisisa, kanti
inyoka enkulu e lele pezu kwemi-
vala Nga kala. Kwa panywa
ekaya, kwa buzwa ini na ? Nga
ti, " Nansi inyoka.*'

Ubaba wa fika masinyane, wa
bhekisisa, wa ti, " Yeka ukuvala."
Nga buza, nga ti, <* loi le na f "
Wa ti, « Inkosi," Nga ti, « In-
yoka le na J " Wa ti, " Yeba"

Sa buyela endAlinL Ku te ku
sa wa e si tshela, e ti, '' Inkosi i
ti, ' Ku ngani ukuba ni ng' etuke V
A ngi ti ya tsho ya ti, a kw enzi-
we indAlela, i za 'kuza na ? "

Kwa ba se ku ya bongwa ke
^baba, e bonga inyoka leyo ngezi-
bongo zayo inkosi i sa hamba ; be
bonga nomamemkulu o zala ubaba.
Ngokuba kwiti ku njalo. Itongo
li Alala kumuntu omkulu, li kulu-
me naye ; noma ku bongwa ekaya,

for I left them about to eat amasi
in the housa Therefore I wished
to close the gateway at once. But
I took the first pole; it was
heavy, I could not raise it ; and it
was the same with another ; the
poles were too heavy for me. I
b^an to examine intently into the
cause why the poles were too
heavy, since they were old pole&
I looked intently, and forsooth it
was a great snake which was lying
on them. I shouted. They came
out of the house, and asked what
it was. I replied, "Here is a
snake."

My father came immediately,
and looked intently, and said,
" Do not close the gateway." I
enquired, "What is it?" He
said, "It is the chief" I said,
"What, this snake?" He said,
"Yes."

We returned to the house. In
the morning he told us, saying,
" The chief asks why you were
afraid of him. Did he not tell us
to make a bridge, that he might
cross?"

Then my &ther gave praises,
praising the snake with the laud-
giving names which the chief had
whilst living ; praising in concert
with our grandmother, the mother
of my father. For such is the
custom with us. The Itongo dwells
with the great man, and speaks
with him; and when worship k
performed at a house, it is the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATOKGO.

209

ku bonga indoda enkulu nesaluka-
zi esidala es' aziyo abautu a se ba
fa.

Kwa ba njalo ke, kwa za kwa
kupuka umuzi wenkosi omunye,
V eza lapa si kona. Loku ku ze
kwa fika XJngoza, wa si kipa nge-
zwi likasomseu. Sa kciteka, sa ya
eziudaweni eziningi. Nanso ke
into e nga i bonaka I leyo ke.

Kwa ti ngemva kwaloko ya ku-
puka iakosi, XJmyeka. Ku tiwa,
"A ku yiwe enadweni, ku yiwe
'kubiza inkosi, uyise wenkosi ;
ngokuba kwa tiwa, umu^ u buba
nje, ngokuba inkosi i nga vumanga
ukwe^la." Nembala ke kwa fikwa
nenkomokazi, ikolokazi, ntamba-
ma; se ku Alanganiswa izikulu
Bonke zamadoda namakeMa.
KV enziwa igama likayise lom-
kosi, uku m vusa uku m kumbuza
ukuba^ '' Nembala ba ya Alupeka
abantwana bami, ngokuba ngi nge
ko kubo/' I leli ke igama ela Ala-
tshelelwa^ lokuti : —

'' limcr u hloh amazimw^^ etu ase-
dwandiye.

chief man, and the oldest old
woman, who knew those who are
dead, who worship.

Under these circumstances, one
of the chiefs kraal at length came
up to where we were living ; and
we lived together till XJngoza came
and turned us out by the direction
of Usomseu. We were scattered^
and went to other places. Thaty
then, is a thing which I saw.

After that XJmyeka, the chie^
came up. The people said, " Let
us go to the old dwelling to call
the chief, the present chiefs fs^
ther ; for the village is perish-
ing because the chief did not
consent to go down to the coast''
So then they brought a dun-
coloured cow in the afternoon;
and all the chief men, both old
and young, were assembled. They
sang a song of their father which
used to be sung on great fes-
tivals, to arouse him to the recol-
lection that his children were truly
in trouble because he was not
among them. This is the song
which was sung : —
"Dig for*^ the chief, and watch

our gardens which are at Isi-

wandiye.**

*^ Amazimu for amasimu ; the z being used for s to give weight
to the sound ; the u changed into w before the vowel in the following
word.

^ LimeV — dig for, not known for whom, but probably, as here
translated, the chie£

^^ Asesiwandiye — Isiwandiye for Isiwandile. The name of a
place, as if of a place where there were many gardens.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

210

AMATONGO.

" Amanga lawo.

Limel' u ^lole amazimw eta asesi-

wandiye.

Amanga lawo.

Asesiwandiye, I-i-i-zi — ^asesiwa-

ndiye.

Amanga lawo."

Kw* enziwa umkumbu omkiilu
DgapandAle kwenadwa. Kwa gn-
jwa, loku se ku pelele abofiizi
notshwala nezintombi. Kwa za
kwa kdtekwa, se li tshona, iznlii
se li na ; kwa yiwa ekaya emzini
wakwiti, lokupela iitshwala bu
y' esabeka ubuningi ; kwa dAliwa
ke utshwala nenyama, kwa kcwa-
y wa umkcwayo.

Ku te ku se njalo kwa puma
omunye OyikeMa ; ku tiwa Uma-
Alati ibizo lake ; u t' e buya wa e
tslio ukuba " Inkosi se i fikile, si
kcwaya nje. Nansi lapa se i bu-
tene koua pezu kwendAlu." Kwa
boboswa ind/Ju pezulu, ukuze i
buke umkcwayo. Kwa kcwaywa
kwa za kwa nga ku nga sa ngoku-
jabula okukulu, ukuba ku tiwa,
" Id/dozi lakwiti li Alangene nati
namu/tla : umuzi u za 'kuma."

Kwa ba njalo ke.
kwendaba leyo.

XJkupela ke

" Those words are naught. ''^

Dig for the chief, and watch our
gardens which are at Isiwandiye.

Those words are naught.

Which are at Isiwandiye, I-i-i-
zi^i — which are at Isiwandiye.

Those words are naught."^^^---^
A large circle was formed out-
side the old site. They danced.
There were there also all the
women with beer, and the damsels.
At length they separated when the
sun was going down and it was
raining, and they went home to
our village, for the abundance of
beer was fearful ; so they con-
sumed beer and meat, and sang
hut-songs J*

In the midst of these doings,
one of the young men, named
'XJmathlati, went out ; on his re-
turn he said, " The chief has come,
even whilst we are singing. There
he is, coiled up on the house." A
hole was made in the house, that
he might look on at the singing.
They sang until it was near morn-
ing, rejoicing exceedingly because
it was said, " The Idhlozi of our
people has now united with us ;
our village will stand." Thus then
it was. That is the end of the
tale.

"^ Those words are naught, — that is, we object to dig at Isi-
wandile.

■^^ I-i-i-zi. — Z in zi pronounced as in azure. This chorus is used
for the purpose of emphatically asserting the subject of the song.

•2 The umkcwayo is a song which is sung in the hut, the singers
sitting, and accompanying the song with regulated motions of tho
body.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGO.

211

Kepa lapa ja i Alala kona lejo
'n joka, i b' i Alala otangweni esiba-
yeui ; kumbe na sendAlini enkulu ;
ngokuba ku be ku tiwa izinyoka
eziningi pakati kwomuzi kwaleyo
'ndAlu enkulUy ku tiwa amananisa
enkosi, a hamba nenkosi ; ku tshi-
wo abantu aba fa uayo. Ngemya
kwaloko ke ya nyamalala ekufike-
ni kwomuzi wenkosi ; a ya be i sa
vama ukubonwa lapo, i bonwe
ngesinye isikatiy ku be ukupela.

Imamba itongo lendAlu 'nkulu ;
abantu nje a ba penduki imamba^
ba penduka imiAlwazi, inyoka elu-
Alaz% imAlope ngapansi, ikanjana
layo lincane. Ukuma kwayo, i
bbeka umuntu, a i bhekisi kwesi-
Iwaue es' esaba ukubulawa, i bhe-
ka ka^le nje ; ku nga butana aba-
ntu abaningi kuwo umAlwasd.
Kepa noma umuntu e u tinta
ngento u nga baleki, u gudAluka
nja UmAlwazi isidanda esikulu
ezdnyokeni ; endAlini u ham V in-
dAlu yonke, a w esabi 'ndawo, na
pezula u ya bonakala, nasezingu-
tsb^ u Alak; umuntu a tate
ka^e ingubo yake, a u shiye pa-
md, u ng' enzi luto. Ku tiwa a
itongo.

Uhpbngula Mbanda.

And the place where the snake
was in the fence of the
cattle-pen ; and it may be even in
the great house ; and it was said
that the many snakes which were
in the village belonging to the
great house, were the chiefs at-
tendants which accompanied him ;
they were said to be the men who
were killed at the same time as
the chief After that he dis-
appeared on the arrival of th0
chiefs kraal ; and was no longer
seen frequently at our kraal, but
only occasionally.

The imamba is the Itongo of
the great house ; the common peo-
ple do not become izimamba, they
become imithlazi; this snake is
green and white on its belly, and
has a very small head. Its custom
is, when looking at a man, not to
look like an animal which fears to
be killed ; it looks without alarm ;
and many people may gather
around an umthlazL And even if
a man touches it with a stick, it
does not run away, but just
moves. The umthlwazi is much
tamer than oth^ snakes ; it moves
about the whole house, and fears
nothing, and it is se^i in the roof,
and it remains among the gar-
ments; and a man takes up his
garment gently and leaves the
snake on the ground, and it does
nothing. It is said to be an Ito-
ngo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

212

AHATOKGO.

Eemoving from one eowUry to another.

Ku ti uma ku za 'usukwa ku yiwe
kwelinye izwe, uma ku bonwa
ukuba itongo a ba li boni kulo
'muzi omutsha, la sal' emuva, ku
gaulwe iAla^la lompafisk, kumbe ku
yiwe nenkomo, ku ye 'kuAlatshwa
kona endiweni, ku bougwe, li bi-
zwe, kw enziwe amahbubo a e
hbuba ngawo e sa hamba ; loko
isibouakaliso soku m kalela, uku-
Yusa umunyuy ngokuti, '^Nembala,
abanta bami ba nesizungu uma be
nga ngi boni" Ku bholwe iAlaAla
lapa se ku banjwa, ku yiwe nalo
lapa ku yiwe kona. Kumbe i la-
ndele; kumbe y ale ngamazwi e
nga tandi Dgawo ukuya kuleyo
'ndawo, i kultima nendodana nge-
pupa; kumbe nomimtu omdala

walo 'muzi J
dala.

noma inkosikazi en-

When we are about to go to an-'V
otber cx)untry, if the people do not |
see the Itongo at the new village, \
it having staid behind, a branch |
of umpa£sk is cut, and perhaps they
take a bnllock with them, and go '
to sacrifice it at the old site ; they ;
give thanks, and call on the Ito- \
ngo, and sing those songs which '
he used to sing whilst living ; this
is a sign of weeping for him, to
excite pity, so that he may say,
"Truly, my children are lonely
because they do not see me.'' And -
the branch is dragged when they
set out, and they go with it to the
new village. Perhaps the snake
follows ; perhaps it refuses, giving
reasons why it does not wish to go
to that place, speaking to the
eldest son in a dream ; or it may
be to an old man of the village ;
or the old queen.

Royal Attendants,

Amanxusa abantu benkosi njenge-
zinceku, aba hamba nayo; ku ti
noma se i file inkosi, kakulu uma
i bulawa, i bulawa namananisa,
tikuze a i lungisele pambili, noku-
dAla a i funele. Kakulu kiti ku

Amanxusa are people of a chief
like servants, who go about in
company with him; and even
when the chief is dead, and es-
pecially if he has been killed toge-
ther with his Amanonisa, they go
with him, that they may prepare
things before hand, and get food
for him. It was especially the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AHATONOO.

213

be ka ti endolo, uma ku fe inkosi,
i nga fi yodwa; lokupela be be
tshiswa abantu kuk^ala; se i file
inkosi, ngamAla i pum' ekaya, se i
ya 'ula^lwa, ku Alonywe iziAlangu,
ku Tunulwe kakulu imvunulo
yeinpi Ku ti uma ku fikwe en-
daweni lapa inkosi i za 'utshiswa
kona, ku gaulwe izinkuuieziningi ;
loku nezinkabi zi kona futi, ku ti
inkabi yayo e dAlala umkosi ngayo
i Alatsbwe nayo, kunye nayo, i fe
njengaya Ku ti uma umlilo u
Yuta, i £skkwe ; ku be se ku ketwa
izinoeku zayo, zi i landele; ku
landwe izikulu, zi tatwe ngazinye.
Ku tiwe, " XJbani u fanele a ha-
mbe nenkosL" Ku ti lapa umlilo
u hqalA ukulota, ku tiwe, *^ Kwe-
zela, 'banL" A ti lapa e ti u Ala-
nganisa izikuni, ba m fake kona ;
zonke izikulu ku hambe ku tatwa
ngabanye ezindAUni ezinkulu zom-
deni saba nge 'mdeni ; ku fe
abantu abaningi ngalelo 'langa.
Nanko ke amanamsa.

Ku be se ku ti uma inkosi i file
ba tubelise abantwana babo ; aba-
nye ngokuti, " Ngi y' azi ukuba
uma ngi yumela ukuba umntanami

case with us at first, when a chief
died, he did not die alone ; for at
first the bodies of the dead were
burnt, and when a chief died,
and they went from their home
to dispose of the remains, they
took shields and adorned them-
selves with their military orna-
ments; and when they came to
the place where the remains of the
chief were to be burnt, they cut
down much firewood ; and as there
were oxen there too, the chief ox
with which he made royal festivals
was killed with him, that it might
die with him. When the fire was
kindled, the chief was put in ; and
then his servants were chosen, and
put into the fire after the chief;
the great men followed, they were
taken one by one. They said, «* So-
and-so is fit to go with the diie£"
When the fire began to sink down,
they said, " Put the fire together,
So-and-sa" And when he was put-
ting the firewood together, they
cast him in ; they went and took
all the great men one by one from
the chief houses of the chiefs
brothers, and from those who were
not lus brothers. Many people
were killed on that day. Such then
are the Amananisa.

When a chief dies the people
conceal their children ; some say-
ing, " I know that if I let my

Digitized by VjOOQIC

214

AXATOKGO.

a 76 lapa ku fele inkosi kona, ka
sa yi 'kubuya." Ba vame uku ba
tubelisa. Nokugukt futi abanye
ba zigulise, ba bikwe kakulu, ku
tiwe, ^ XJbaui a si ko nako ukufa."

I ti uma i tshe i ti du, ku be se
ku tatwa umlota wonke, u ye u te-
IweeaizibenL

AmaDomsa abantu aba be konza
XJtshaka. Ku ti emva kwokufa
kvake zonke izikulu zake eza zi m
konza, za ti uba zi fe za Alangana
naye ukuya 'u m konza. Ku tiwa
ku kona izinyoka eziningi; lezo
'nyoka ku tiwa amananisa ; zi kona
kwazulu; ku ti kpa ku bonwa
Utshaka, nazo zi be zi kona ; ngo-
kuba ku tiwa u imamba enkulu ;
u ya bonwa ngezikati zonke e
landelwa izinyoka ; ku tiwe ama-
nxusa ake. Ngecdnye isikati ku
tiwa wa ka wa bonwa e Iwa nodi-
ngane, lapa 86 be file bobabili ; ba
Iwa isikati eside ; kwa za kwa pu-
ma impi eningi ukuya 'ku ku
bona loko 'kulwa. Ku tiwa Urn-
pande wa tanda ukwelamulela
Utfibaka, a bulale Udingane, nigo-
kuba wa e tanda uku m bulala ;
wa sinda ngondAlela.

Amanamsa a Alala ^adAlini en-

diild go to the place where the
king has died, he will never coma
back again." So they usually con-
ceal them. Others too feign sick-
ness, and cause the report of their
sickness to be spread abroad in aU
directi<ms ; they say, '' So-and-so is
very ill indeed."

When the chief is entirdy con-
sumed, they take the ashes and
throw them into a pool of the
river,

Amananisa are men who used to '
wait upon XJtshaka. And a£ber
his death all the great men who .
used to wait on him, when they,
died, joined him that they might
wait on him. It is said there are
many snakes among the Amazulu ;
these snakes are Amanggusa ; wh^i t
XJtshaka is seen, then too are seen
the snakes ; for it is said he is a
large imamba ; he is seen continii-
ally, followed by snakes ; and they
are all said to be Amanagtisa. It
is said that he was once seen fight-
ing with XJdingane, when both
wei*e dead; they fought a long
time, imtil at length a very great
number went out to see th^ fight.
It is said Umpande wished to help
XJtshaka and kill XJdingane, be-
cause XJdingane had wished to kill
Umpande^ but Uwlhlela'^' saved
him.

The Amanggusa remain in the

1^ An officer under XJdingane.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOO.

215

kulu kwabo kankosi kwiti emape-
peteni. Amanamsa a be Alala
endAlini kasokane, iimimtu omkn-
lu. Owesifaziuia ngolanye usuku
a la, " Ngi ya Alupeka. Ngesinye
isikati ngi koAlwa nokubeka izi-
tsba nje, ngi vinjelwa ixinyoka."
Aba z* aziyo lezo 'nyoka ba ti,
** Amana;iisa enkosi ; abantu aba
be hamba nayo inkosL''

Umpengula Mbanda.

chief house of our chief among
the Amapepete. The Amanamsa
used to remain in XJsokaneV^
house, a great man. One day a
woman said, " I am troubled. I
am sometimes unable even to put
down a vessel, there being always
snakes in the way/' Those who
knew them said, " They are Ama-
na;usa of the chief; people who
were living with the chief before
he died."

IzaXukazana.

IsALUKAZANA ku tiwa itongo lo-
mimtu wesi^Eizana owa e se gugile.

Ku kona indaba ngesalukazana,
isilwanyana esi fana nentulwa;
kepa si nge si yo ; si uAlobo Iwesi-
bankhwa; kepa isibankhwa sibu-
tshelesd, sinsundu ngapezulu, nga-
pansi ku nga simAlope. Kepa
leso 'salukazana sibana, si ihha-
mbana kakulu ; a si tandeki ; ke-
pa si lulana, si tshetsha ukusuka
masinyane. Kepa a si vami uku-
baleka, si vama ukukcatsha. Ku
ti uma umuntu e si bona ngalapa,
si be se si ti bande ngalapaya.
Uma u ya ngakona, si pambane
nawe. Uma u si bone kuk^ala,
sa tshetsha ukwebanda. TJraa u
kombisa umimtu, u ti, "Isilwa-
nyana ngi si bone lapa," se si te
site ngalapaya. A nga ti, "A si

The lizard is said to be the Itongo
of an old woman.

There is a tale about the isalu-
kazana, an animal which resembles
the intulwa ; but it is not an in-
tulwa ; it is a kind of isibankhwa ;
but the isibankhwa is smooth, and
purple on its back, and whitish on
its belly. But the isalukazatia is
rather ugly, and very rough ; it is
not liked; and it is active, and
runs away quickly. But it does
not commonly run away, but hides
itself. And if a man sees it on
this side of any thing, it at once
goes round to the opposite side.
If you see it first, it makes haste
to go round to the other side. If
you point it out to another, say-
ing, " I saw an animal here," it is
already hidden on the other side.
He may say,^ " Let us look ; " but

l^ A very old man, who had grown up with XJmaziya, the king.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

216

AMATOKQO.

bheke;" kepa si bone iBitunzi
somuntu si vela, si penduke, si
pambane naso. A nga ze a ku
pikise, a ti, '^ Ku DJaiii ukuba
umdala kangaka u k^amba 'manga
na ? " A ze a be isiula lowo o be
si bonile, ngokuba emva ka sa si
bonL Ba nga ze ba si bone uma
b* aAlukana, omunye 'erne, omunye
a zungeze umuti ; ba si bone ke ;
lapa si balekela omunye, si vele
ngakomimye,

Ku ti uma si funwa end/tlini, si
te kcatsha otingweni, noma u sen-
sikeni ; omdala a si bone kumbe,
a nga tsbo 'luto, a nga tandi ukwa-
ndisa indaba; ngokuba ku tiwa
mubi umuntu emdala a bone into
e njengomAlola. TJ Alup* abantu ;
ba ya 'kutshaywa izinvalo, ba Alale
be kcabanga ngaleyo 'nto e boni-
weko. Ku ti uma ku vela umku-
ba omubi pakati kwomozi, leso
Wukazana si nga yekile ukubona-
kala kuleyo 'ndawo, ku tiwe i sona
si bika ukufa. A i zeke ke indaba
lo owa si bonako, a ti, " Kunsuku
ngi bona isalukazana kamabani
Nga ngi ti, a ku yi 'kuvela luto ;
nga i fiMa leyo 'ndaba. Kepa
loku naku se ku vele umkuba, ku-
Ale kw aziwe."

'v.

Abanye ba ti, " A ku yobulwa."
Abanye ba ti, " Ku sa funwa ni 1
loku naku umAlola se u vele nje

it sees the shadow of the man as
soon as it appears, and turns back
in the (^posite direction. Until
he disputes, saying, ''How is it
that one so old as you tells lies t "
And the one who saw it a|^peaa:s
foolish, for he no longer sees it.
They may see it if they separate,
and one stands still, and the othmr
goes roimd the tree ; for so they
see it ;. when it runs away from
one of them, it appears to the
other.

If it is seen in the house, it
hides itself among the wattles, or
it may be on the post of the house;
perhaps an old person sees it, but
says nothing, not wishing to make
much of the affair ; for thej
say an old person is wicked if
he see a thing which is like an
omen. He troubles the people ;
they will be smitten with fear, and
continue to think of that which
has been seen. If something bad
happens in the village, the isalu-
kazana is seen continually in the
same place, and it is said to prog-
nosticate death. Then he who
saw it says, "For some days I
have seen an isalukazana in So-
and-so's hut. I said nothing will
come of it ; and hid what I had
seen. But now since the evil has
come, it is proper that it should
be known."

Some say, "Let us go to the
diviner." Others say, " What do
we want t See, there is the omen

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONGa

217

na 9 KuMe ku funwe into uma i
kona, leso 'salukazana si kaxytakwe
si muke." Nembala ke ku Ala-
tshwe imbuzi, noma itola

Ku tiwa isalukazana ukubizwa
kwalezo 'zilwanyazana. A ku
tsliiwo itongo lendoda nelabantwa-
xuk j ku tiwa itongo lomuntu wesi-
£eLzana owa e se gugile. Futi a ku
tsliiwo ukuti ubani igama lake.
Isalukazana njalo ukubizwa kwa-
so j a s' aziwa uma isalukazana esi
unobani igama lasa

Kepa lezo 'zalukazana kubantu
abamnjama zi ya zondeka ; a zi
fani netongo eli inyoka ; ngokuba
lapa be bona isalukazana, ba ya
Alupeka ngokwazi ukuba isalukar
zana si 'muvarmubi, — ^umuva waso
a u muAle. Ku ti ku nga vela
sona, ku be kona umkuAlane onmi-
ugi pakati kwomuzi, u vame uku-
tuta abantu. Ku be se ku tiwa
umura wesalukazana lowo ; noma
umuntu wa gwazwa impi, ku be
ku ke kwa bonwa isalukazana
endAlini yakwake. Ku be se ku
tHbiwo njalo, ku tiwa umuva waso.

Kepa ku te uba nati si i zwe
leyo 'ndaba, si kule ng* ezwa uma-
memkulu, o zala iibaba, e kuluma
ngazo izalukazana, lapa mina ngi
zi tshaya esibayeni ngamatshe.

come of its own accord. It is
proper to get something if there is
such a thing, to send away the
isalukazana." And so they sacri-
fice a goat or a calf.

These animals are called isalu-
kazana [little old women]. It is
not said to be the Itongo of a man
or of a child ; but the Itcmgo of
some old woman. Neith^ is it
called by the name of any par-
ticular person. It is merely called
isalukazana ; it is not known who
the isalukazana is.

But these lizards are hateful to ^
black men; they are not like the
Itongo which is a snake ; for when
they see an isalukazana, they are
troubled because they know that
it is an omen of future evil, — ^that
evil comes in its train. Perhaps
it appears, and then much fever
occurs in the village, which carries
off many people. And that is said
to be in the train of the isaluka-
zana ; or a man is stabbed in bat-
tle, after an isalukazana has been
seen in his house. And so that
too is said to be something which
has come in the train of the isalu-
kazana.

But we heard this tale from our
grandmother, our father's mother ;
she told us about these lizards
when I killed some in the cattle-
pen with stones. For they are

Digitized by VjOOQIC

218

AMATONGO.

Kgokuba izilwanyana ezi tanda
kakulu izigcagi ngenkati yobiudka.
Ku ti ukupuma kwelanga u si
fumane si te ne otini ukunamatela,
s' ota ilanga. Ngaloko ke nku si
balala kwami nga m tshela ukulu,
nga ti, " Ngi bulele lapa esibayeni
izibankhwana ezi ihhambana."
XJkulu a ngi tetise ngokuti, " Izar
lukazana lezo abaninimuzi ; a zi
bulawa; zi y* esatshwa." Kepa
si bone ku isilwane nje isibili sa-
senAle ; si godiiswe ngemilomo
ukuletwa ekaja. Kepa a ku ba-
nga 'kcala ngesikati soku zi bulala
kwami ; kepa amadoda, lapa be zi
bona, ba Z^lale se be bbeke indaba
e za *uvela,

Ku ti uma zi bonwa futifiiti, ku
vele isifo, ku Alatshwe nenkonio
uma i kona, ku tiwe, " A zi dAle,
zi goduke. Zi funa ni ekaya lapa
na ? Ini ukuba zi be impi yoku-
bulala umuzi ? A zi goduke.
Naku ukudAla kwenu. Yid/fcla
ni, ni hambe." Kepa noma ku
tshiwo njalo, a zi muki ; ku se si
zi bona lapa zi be zi kona izolo.
Kodwa abadala a b* esabi ngemva
kwokukcola, ngokuba ba ti, " A si
se nakcala, loku se si kcolile."

animals which are very fond of the
sunshine during winter. When
the sun rises you can find them
sticking to a post, basking in the
sun. So then when I killed them
I told grandmother, saying, "I
have killed some little rough
lizards in the cattle-pen." Grand-
mother reproved me, saying,
"Those lizards are chiefs of the
village ; they are not killed ; they
are reverenced." But we saw it
was a mere wild animal; it be-
came domestic from being called
an Itongo by the people. But
no evil consequences arose
when I killed them ; but when
the men saw them, they constantly
looked out for some evil to arise.

If they are frequently seen, and
disease arises, a bullock is sacri-
ficed if there is one, and the people
say, " Eat, and go home. What
do you want here ? Why are you
an enemy come to destroy the vil-
lage 1 €rO home. Here is food
for you. Eat and depart" But
though they say thus, they do not
depart ; on the following day we
still see them where they were the
day before. But the old people
are not afraid afterwards, for they
say, " We are no longer guilty of
aught, for we have paid a ransom.'*

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONQO.

219

Crying at tlie Holes from which Medicines ha/ve been dug.

IsiMO sabantu abamnyama aba izi-
nyanga, lapa inyaiiga i mba umuti,
i mba i bonga itougo kona lapo,
ukuti, " Nansi inkomo, nina 'ba-
kwiti Lo 'muti ngi u mba nje,
Dgi temba nina, ukuba ni u nike
aniandAla, u kipe iikufa knlo 'mu-
ntu o gulayo, ukuze ngi ncony we
ezizweni ukuba ngi inyanga ngani,
'bakwiti"

Ngaloko ke umuti u u mba
ngenAliziyo em/dope, e bheke uku-
ba ku sinde lowo 'muntu. Kepa
uma 'elapile, labo 'bantu ba linga
uku mu d/tla ngobukgili, nokuti,
" O, a si ti kuye, umuti wako nga
u dAla, a ngi zuzanga 'sikala soku-
pumula. Kwa ba ngi d/de ama-
bele nje." Ngokuba loko kubantu
abamnyama ku vamile ukuiiAla
amandAla omuti \ ba ingcozana aba
dumisa imitL Ngalobo 'bukgili
86 kwa za kwa funwa izinsaba
emakcalenL Inyanga i ti, " Wena,
*bani, u ye u ngi bekele indAlebe.
Nank' umuti wami Ngi ya 'ku
ku vuza. Ngi y* azi ukuba ba ya
'ku u fiAla, ba ti, a w enzanga
'luto, V en^ena ukukoka inkomo.
Ngaloko ke ngi misa wena, ukuze
u ngi bhekele."

It is a custom with black doctor
for a doctor when digging up
medicines, to dig worshipping the
Itongo at the place where he is
digging ; he says, " Here is a bul-
lock I may gain, ye people of ours.
I dig up this medicine trusting in
you, that you will give it power to
take away the disease from the
sick man, that I may become cele-
brated among the nations, as a
great doctor, by your power, ye
people of oiu«."

He digs up the medicine, then,
with a pure heart, expecting the
man to get welL But when he
has applied his medicines, the peo-
ple try to eat him up by ci-aft, and
say, " Let us tell him that I took
his medicine, but gained no relief.
It was as though I had taken
nothing but com." For it is com-
mon among black men to conceal
the power of medicines ; they are
but few who praise them. In
consequence of this craft there
came to be appointed secret spies.
The doctor says to a man, " So-
and-so, do you go and listen for
me. There is my medicine. I
know that the people will conceal
its efficacy, and say it was useless,
for they are slow in giving me a
bullock. I therefore appoint you
to look out for me."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

220

AMATON€fO.

Nembala ke, lapa e a' elapile, a
Alomele ukuzwa indaba yenkubele
yake, ukuti u za 'kuzwa uma se ku
njani na. Ku be i lokn o tsho
njalo, ugokuti, ^'O, wena kabani,
ngi sa gula ; a ngi k' ezwa 'ndawo
emnandi, nomuti wako lowo kwa
ba ngi dAle amabele nje." A ma-
ngale umniuiwo ow aziyo ukwenza
kwawo ngapakati kumuntu, 'ezwe
umiintu e landula nokukipa ububi
ngapakati, a ti, " K^a ; kwa puma
amanzi nja" K^)a inAlomcli jake
i mu tshele ukuti, " Umuti wako
wa sebenza kulo 'muntu; ba ya
ku koAlisa; u se hamba emaja-
dwini na sematshwaleui ; u se si-
ndile. Kepa inkomo i be lukuni
ukupuma ; ku kulo ukugula kuno-
kupila."

Inyanga i ze i tsho ukuti, '^ Ba-
ni, loku u ti wena a u yi *ku ngi
nika inkomo, se ngi za 'kuya 'ku-
mbulula amagodi e ng' emba imiti
yoku kw elapa kuwo; ngi kale
kuwo. Ku kona oku ya 'uvela
kuwe, uma nga u ngi dAla inkomo
yami ngamakcebo. U ze u nga
tsho ukuba ngi umtakati Sa u
Alala nenkomo leyo. A ngi sa i
funl"

Uma nembala e m koAlisa, 'ale,
a ti, *^ O, wena kabani, mina a ngi

So then when he has treated the
patient, he waits to hear what
happens, that he may know how
he is. And when he hears him
say, " O, Son of So-andnso^ I am
still ill ; as yet I am in pain all
oTer ; and as to that medicine of
yours, it waa as if I had only
eaten com." So the owner of the
medicine wonders who understands
its action in the human body,
when he hears the man denyii^
that it even brought any thing
away, saying, "No; there came
away nothing but water." Bui
his spy tells him that his medicine
worked well in the man ; that the
people deceive him, and the man
now goes to wedding-dances and
to beer-drinkings ; that he is quite
welL But it is hard for him to
give a bullock ; he makes more of
the disease which remains than of
the health which has been restored.

At length the doctor says, " So-
and-so, since you refuse to give me
a bullock, I shall now remember
the holes where I dug up the
medicine which has cured you ;
and cry there. Something will
happen to you, if you eat my bul-
lock deceitfully. Do not say I am
a sorcerer. Keep the bullock. I
no longer wish to have it."

K he is really deceiving him, he
refuses, saying, " O, Son of So-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AXATONGO.

221

tsho ukuba sc w a/Julekilo ; ngi ti
xnina u inyanga yami, noma umuti
wako Dga u dAla, a nga bosa 'luto ;
kepa umzimba ku nga ti u nga ba
owomuntu, uma u naka u ngi
funel' imiti Inkomo yako u mina.
U ti wena, uma ngi sindile njalo,
ngi nga zifiAla kanjani na ) Musa
ukuti u za 'ukala emagodini Wo
ba 86 u ya ngi bulala uma w enze
njalo. Ng' elape nje. Inkomo
yako 86 i kona."

Uma e nga Tumelani nenyanga,
nembala ke inyanga i vuke eku-
seni ngenAliziyo ebuAlungu kakulu
ngokuzwa ngaofakazi ukuba lo
'muntu u m sizile ; kep' a nga
vumi yena ukuba u siziwe. A ye
ko emagodini, e ya 'ku wa panda,
e kala izinyembezi, e kuluma ngo-
kuAlupeka kwake, e kuluma na-
matongo akubo, ukuba, '' Ku
ngani ukuba ni dAliwe umuntu,
kanti ngi m elape, wa sinda na )
A ku bonakale okonakona. In-
komo yami i nge dAliwe umuntu
o bamba ngezinyawo ; a kw aAluke
imiti yami; a i nga bi ize nje.
Ngi kuluma nani nina, kw eyenu.
Ng* elapa ngani. Kumnandi ini
uma ni dAliwa izinkomo na ) "

Lapo ke u tsho njalo e kala.

and-80, for my part I do not say
the disease has beaten you ; I say
you are my doctor, although I took
your medicine without feeling any
effects from it ; yet it feels as if
my body was about to be that of
a man, if you persevere in getting
medicines for me. I am your bol-
lock. How do you think, if I get
well, I can hide myself 9 Do not
talk about crying at the holes
where you dug up the medicines.
You will kill me if you do so.
Just doctor ma Tour bullock is
ready for you."

If he does not agree with him,
the doctor awakes in the morning
with his heart much pained be-
cause he hears from witnesses that
he has really helped the man ; but
he will not allow that he has been
helped. So he goes to the holes
where he dug up the medicines^
and scrapes away the earth and
sheds tears, and tells the Ama-
tongo of his trouble, saying,
" Why are you eaten up by a man
whom I have cured? Let the
truth appear. Let not my bullock
be eaten by a living man ; let the
power of my medicines be evident,
and not be a mere vain thing. I
tell you, the medicines were yours.
I cured him by your power. Is
it pleasant to have your cattle
eaten?"

He says this weeping. For it

Digitized by VjOOQIC

222

AMATONQO.

Ngokuba ku tiwa, amagodi uma e
mbululwa ku kalwa, lowo 'muntu
ka yi 'kulunga, uma nembala e
fiAla amandAla emiti ; u ya 'kufa.
Ku njalo ka Kwiti ku y* esabeka
ukuba inyanga i yokala emagodi-
ni ; Dgaloko ku tiwa, ku bang' u-
kufa loko *kwenza njalo kwenya-
nga. I loko ke ukukala emago-
dini

is said if the holes where the
medicines were dug up be opened,
and the doctor weeps there, the
man will be ill and die, if he
lias really concealed the power
of the medicines. Thus it is.
With us it is a fearful thing that
the doctor should go to the holes
to cry ; and it is said if he does so
he calls down death on the patient.
This, then, is what is meant by-
crying at the holes.

TJkutimula kubantu abamnyama
ku tiwa ku isibonakaliso sen/Ja-
nAla yokuba umuntu u se noku-
pila. U ya bonga ngemva kwo-
kutimula, a ti, "Nina *bakwiti,
ukuhamba okuAle ngi zuze e ngi
ku sweleyo. Ni ngi bheke." Isi-
kati sokutimula isikumbuzo soku-
ba umxmtu a pate itongo lakubo
masinyane, ngokuti, "I lona eli
ngi pa loku 'kutimula, ukuze ngi
li bone ngako ukuba li se namL"

Ku ti uma umuntu e gula e nga
timuli, ku ya buzwa ku tiwe ab' e-
zo'u m bona, " U ke a timule nje
na?" be buzela ukuze V eme isi-
bindi sokuba ukufa loko ku ya 'u-
buye ku d/dule. Uma e nga ti-
muli ba kununde ngokuti ukufa
kukulu. Ku njalo ke.

Sneezing,

Among black men sneezing is said 1
to be a lucky sign that a person
will now be restored to health. He
returns thanks after sneezing, say-
ing, " Ye people of ours, I have
gained that prosperity which I
wanted. Continue to look on nae
with fitvour." Sneezing reminds a
man that he should name the Ito-
ngo of his people without delay,
because it is the Itongo which
causes him to sneeze, that he may
perceive by sneezing that the Ito-
ngo is with him.

If a man is ill and does not
sneeze, those who come to see him
ask whether he has sneezed or not.
They ask that they may take heart
and believe that the disease will
pass away. If he has not sneezed,
they murmur, saying, " The dis-
ease is great" ^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATOKGO.

223

Nengane nma i timiila, kuyo ke
ku tiwa, " Tutuka ! " k\i tshiwo
ukuhambela pambili enAlanAletii
njalo. Ku isibonakaliso sokiipila
kwomtmki, nesokupatwa itongo.

Ku njalo ke nkutimula kubantu
abamnyama ku vusa amandAla
okuba umuntu a kumbule ukuba
itougo li ngene, li kumina. A
bonge ngokutokoza okukulu, e nga
ngabazi ngako loko.

Lapa umuntu e ti " Makosi "
ekutimuleni, ka tandi ukuti, " Ba-
ni wakiti," ngokuba e ng* azi
ukuba u mu pi o yena e mu pe
loku 'kupila na ; ku ngdoko ke u
ya Alanganisa ngokuti, '^ Makosi,
ni nga ngi fulatelL" Uma e ti,
" Baba," lowo u ya kuluma, ku-
mbe wa timula ngesikati uyise e
s' and' ukububa, inAliziyo i nga ka
koAlwa u ye ; u tsho ke ukuti,
" Baba, u ngi bheke, ngi be nen-
AlanAla kuloko e ngi nge nako."

Noma unina, a tsho njalo, uku-
ti, "Mame, u nga ngi fulatelL"
Futi ku tiwa, " Bobaba," e Ma-
nganisa amatongo akubo onke,
abafo baoyise, a se ba fit; a ti,
" Bobaba, ni ngi bheke, ni nga ngi
fulateli" Noma ku nge si bo
aoyisekazi ngesibili, kepa loku se

And if a child sneezes, it is said ^
to it, " Grow I " meaning by this
that it should continually advance
in prosperity. It is a sign of a
man's health, and that the Itongo [
is with him. j

So then sneezing among black /
men gives a man strength to re- ;
member that the Itongo has enter- ;
ed into him and abides with him. '
And he returns thanks with great
joy, having no doubt about it. ^'^

When a man, on sneezing, says,
" Chiefe," it is because he does not
like to say, " So-and-so of our peo-
ple," because he does not know
who it is of the Amatongo who
has bestowed on him the benefit ;
therefore he puts them all together
and says, "Chiefs, do not turn
your back on me." When he says,
" My father," the man who speaks
sneezes, perhaps, shortly after his
father's death, and his heart does
not yet forget him ; and so he
says, " Father, look upon me, that
I may be blessed in such matters
as at present I have not."

Or if his mother has lately died
he says in like manner, "My
mother, do not turn thy back on
me." He says, "My fathers,"
uniting in one all the Ama-
tongo of his people, the bro-
thers of his fathers who are
dead ; and so he says, " Fathers,
look upon me, and do not turn
your back on me." And though
tliey may not be in reality his

Digitized by VjOOQIC

224

AHATONGO.

be file, se be abaJondolozi, u ti,
** Bobaba," ngaloka

Amaka?06a a ti, " Tika» wako-
wetu, Qgi bbeke, u be nami njalo,
ngi bambe ngenAlanAla." A kw a-
zeki uma ku nga ka tshiwo ukuti
Ufcikico u yena e itongo lawo
Amakicosa, a e ti ni na. Manje
amakolwa lapa e timula a wa 8a
tsbo ukuti " Baba " etongweui ; a
se ti, " Mlondok)zi, u ngi bheke,"
noma " Menzi wezulu nom/ilaba.'*
Ku guk^ulwe ke njalo loko o be
ku kona.

Other's brotbers, yet ^nce they are
dead they are now preservers, and
tiierefore he says, " My Others."

The Amabcosa say, ^^ Ulikax> oi
our people, look upon me, and be
ever with me, that I may live in
prosperity." It is not known
what they used to say before they
used the word Utikax), who is the
Itongo of the Amskxaea,'^^ And
now among the Amakcoosa be-
lievers when they sneeze no longer
say to the Itongo " Fattier," but^
"Preserver, look upon me," or,
" Creator of heaven and earth."
Thus a change has taken plaoe.

Ukutimula kubantu abamnyama
ba ku biza ngegama lokuti, " Ngi
sa pilile. IdAlozi li nami j li fikile
kumi. A ngi tshetshe ngi bonge
kulo, ngokuba i lo eli ti, * A ngi
timule.' Ngemva kwokutimula
ngi ya *kubona izinto e ngi femele
ukubonga ngazo kwabakwiti, uku-
ti, ' Nina 'basekutini, e na ti na ti,
ngi kcela kuni ukuba ngi zuze
izinkomo nabantwana nabafazi,
ngi zale kubo, ukuze igama lenu li

When a man among black men
sneezes, he says, " I am now bless-
ed. The Idhlozi is with me'; it
has come to me. Let me hasten
and praise it, for it is it which
causes me to sneeze. As I have
sneezed, I will see the things for
which it is proper for me to praise
the spirits of the dead belonging
to our family, and say, 'Ye of
such a place, which did such and
such great actions, I ask of you
that T may get cattle and children
and wives, and have children by
them, that your name may not

■^^ XJtikax) is supposed to be a word not originally used by the na-
tions who speak the alliterative class of language; but to be derived from
the Hottentot Tikqwa. It is now, however, used by the Amakax)sa
generally, whether Christian or not. But it is not known when the
word was first introduced among them, or what have been the causes
of its being miivei*sally adopted.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

▲MATONQO.

225

nga siteki ; ku Alale kii tiwe, TJ
kwabani lapaya. Ngokuba uma
ngi nge nanzalo, a ku yi 'kutshiwo
tikuti, U kwabani lapaya. Uma
Bgi ngedwa, m^laumbe ngi ya 'ku-
Alala emAlabeni; lapa ngi nge
nanzalo, uku& kwami li ya 'ku-
pela igama land ; ni ya 'kuzwa se
ni d^la izintete ; ngokuba ngaleso
*8ikati sokufit kwami u ya 'kuba u
86 u wile umuzi, a ni 'kungena
'ndawo ; ni ya 'kufa amakaza
ezintabeni. Amanye aniadAlo2d a
ya busisa abantu bawo. Nami
ngi ti, Ngi pe ni kakulu ; ni nga
ngi ko^lL Ku ini ukuba n' a^lu-
Iwe i mi, ngi ngedwa na 1 Uma si
ba ningi, nga ku njani nal* "

perish, but it may still be said,
That is the village of So-and-so
yonder. For if I have no children,
it will not be said, That is the vil-
lage of So-and-so yonder. If I
am alone, it may be I shall live
long on the eai-th ; if I have no
children, at my death my name
will come to an end ; and you will
be in trouble when you have to
eat grasshoppers ; for at the time
of my death my village will come
to an end, and you will have no
place into which you can enter ;
you will die''^^ of cold on the
mountains. Other Amadhlozi
bless their people. And I too say.
Give me abundantly ; do not for-
get me. Why are you unable to
give me, I being alone? If we
were many, how would it be ? ' "

Vows to Sacrifice to the Amato7i(jfO.

Uma ku gula umuntu, kepa ku
nge ko isikati soku i Alaba inkomo,
ngokuba a ku yiwanga enyangeui,
ku tiwa umninimntwana emato-
ngweni, " Uma ku i nina, 'bakwiti

If a person is ill, and there is not
time to sacrifice an ox, for they
have not been to a diviner, the
father of the child addresses the
Amatongo thus : — " If it is you.

^^ He does not speak of the actual death of the Amatongo ; for
the people believe that the Amatongo do not die, but of their suffering
from cold. In another place we read of killing an imamba which was
the Itongo of Udingana Under such circumstances the people say,
" I pind' i vuke," It comes to life again. And they say it is the same
identical snake which rises to life again, for if it has l>een killed by
any particular wound, it will have the mark of the wound on its body.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

226

ibfATOHOd.

aV enza nje, n^ beka ; nansi in-
komo etile ; ka sinde Uboniy ni i
dAle." Noma e ngatsbo *'ukn-
beka" kaknln, a ti, "Ngi misa
inkomo ; nansd ; ka sinde." Uma
i nge ko inkomo, u ya kala uyise
ngoknti, " Po, nma ni fnna inyar
xna, ka igani ukuba ni nga m pi-
lisiy ngi hambe ngi i tate inkomo
na, ngi ni Mabele, ni dJUe 1 Ngi
ya 'kubona kanjani nma e nga
vukina ukuba i nina)" A nga
tsho ukuti, '^ Ngi ni misela ukuja
Iculanda inkomo," ukuti ke, " Ngi
linde ni ; ngi ya *ku ni funela, ngi
fike nenkomo yenu."

people of our house, who are ddng
this, I make a vow; behold there
is such and such a bullock ; let the
child get well, that you may eat**
Or he may not say " devote," but,
'' I set apart a bullock ; there it is.
Let the diild get well" Or if he
does not possess a bullock, the
&,iker cries, saying, ** If you wish
£or food, why do you not cure my
child, that I may go and get you a
bullock, and kill it for you, that
you may eat I How shall I know
that it is you, if the child does not
get well!" Or he may say, "I
vow to you to go and fetdi you a
bullock," that is, " Wait for me ;
I am going to find you a bullock,
and will bring it home for you."

It may be worth while to note the curious coincidence of thought
among the Amazulu regarding the Amatongo or Abapansi, and that
of the Scotch and Irish regarding the fairies or ^* good people."

For instance, the " good pec^le " of the Irish have ascribed to
them in many respects the same motives and actions as the Amatonga
They call the living to join them, that is^ by death ; they cause dis-
ease which common doctors cannot understand, nor cure ; they have
their feelings, interests, partialities, and antipathies, and contend with
each other about the living. The common people call them their
friends or people, which is equivalent to the term abakuho given to
the Amatongo. They reveal themselves in the form of the dead, and
it appears to be supposed that the dead become " good people," as the
dead among the Amazulu become Amatongo : and in the funeral pro-
cessions of the " good people," which some have professed to see, are
recognised the forms of those who have just died ; as XJmkatshana

Digitized by VjOOQIC

AMATONOa 227

sav bis relativ6B among the AbiqpansL^^ And the power of holding
o(»amunion with, the *^ good people " is consequent on an illness, just
as the power to divine unong the natives of this country J^

So also in the Highland Tales, a boj who had been carried away
by the fisdries, on his return to his home speaks of them as '' our
fcdks," which is equivalent to abakwetUy applied to the Amatongo.^^
And among the Highlanders they are caHed ^* the good people," '' the
folk." They are also said to " live underground," and are therefore
Abi^wnsi, or Subtoraneans.^^

They are abo, like the Abapansi, called ancestors. Thus ''the
Bed Book of Olanrannald is said not to have been dug up, but to have
been found on the moss. It seined as if the ancestors sent it"^^

77 See Nursery Tales of the Zulus, p. 317.
7^ See Croker^s Fairy Legends, especially '' The Confessions of
Tom Bourke," p. 46.

7» CampbelL VoL EL, p. 66.

«> Id., p. 65, 66.

« Id., VoL n., p. 106.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

228

DREAMS, &c.

Dreams, subjective apparitions, and similar psychical phenomena
are in the native mind so intimately wrapped up with the AniatongOy
that this is the proper place for considering their views on such mat-
ters, without which their views on the Amatongo would be incom-
plete.

The AmaUyngo make revelations hy Dreams.

TJma u lele wa pupa umuntu o nga
m azelele ukuba a nga kw enza
kabi ; kepa ku ti ebusuku u lele,
u bone e ku gwaza ngoku ku zu-
ma, e nga ku gwazi obala, e ku
dAla imfiAlo, uma se u vuka, u ya
mangala kakulu, u ti, " Wau !
Kanti Ubani lo, ngi ti, umuntu
omuAle nje, kanti u ya ngi zonda
na?" U ti, "Ngi ya li bonga
itongo lakwiti eli veze lo 'muntu
kumina, ngi nga m azL Manje
ngi nga m azi, loku itongo se li m
likisile. Wa fika e ngi bulala, ngi
nga Iw azi uluto Iwake e ngi lu
dAlile." IT Alale, u m Alakanipile
lowo 'muntu ngokuti, " Leli 'pupo
a li tsho 'manga ; i kona indaba e
ngi nga y aziyo, e kulo 'muntu."

Futi uma u lele u pupe isilwane
si ku zingela, si fima uku ku bu-
lala, ku ti uma u vuke, u mangale
u ti, " Hau ! Ku njani loku, uma
ngi pupe isilo si ngi zingela 1" Ku
ti uma ku ya 'uzingelwa kusa£ia.

If during sleep you dream of a
man whom you do not thoroughly
know to be of such a character
that he may do you an injury ; yet
if in your sleep you dream that he
suddenly stabs you, not openly,
but by stealth, when you awake
you are much amazed and say,
" Oh ! Forsooth I thought such a
one a really good man. And does
he hate me 1 I thank the Itongo
of our people which has revealed
the man to me, that I may know
him. Now I know him, for the
Itongo has caused him to approach
me. And he came to kill me.
I do not know in what respect I
have injured him." And you con-
tinue on your guard against the
man, believing that the dream
does not lie, but that there is
something in the man with which
you are not acquainted.

Again, if in your sleep you
dream of a beast pursuing you and
trying to kill you, when you wake
you wonder and say, " How is this
that I should dream of a wild
beast pursuing me ) " And if in
the morning they are going to

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC.

noma izilo noma izinyamazane, u
hambe w azi ukuba " Ngi sengozi-
ni ; " w azi ukuba " Lesi 'silo si
letwe itongo, ukuze ng' azi ukuba
uma ngi nga bheki, ngi nga fa.''
Uma u ja enk^ineni, u ye se u
Alakanipile. Kumbe u nga yi,
ngokuti, *' Isalakutshelwa si zwa
ngomopa" U ti, " A ngi Alale."
XT Alale, u zilondolozile, ngokuti,
*^ Ngi sa funa kupi, loku itongo se
li ngi tshelile, ukuba ngi ya em*
pinil"

Futi, tuna u lele ubutongo, u
pupe u buyela kwabakini, uma
V aAlukana nabo isikati se si side;
u bone be Alezi kabi, aobani na-
obani ; u vuka umzimba u mude ;
w azi ukuba " Itongo eli ngi yise
kulabo bakwiti, ukuze ngi bone
lobo 'bubi a ba nabo ; uma ngi ya
kona, i kona indaba e ngi nga i
fumana kona yokuAlala kabL" IT
Alale u beke indAlebe, u Alomele
ukuti, "Ngi ya 'kuzwa indaba,
uma ku kona umuntu." Nembala
ku ti ku nga fika umuntu wanga-
kona, u buze inAlalo yabakim.
Uma e ku tsbela ukuAlala kubi, u

hunt, whether wild beasts or
game, you go knowing that you
are in jeopardy; you know that
the Itongo brought the beast to
you, that you might know that if
you do not take care you may die.
If you go to the hunt, you are on
your guard. PeHiaps you do not
go, saying, " Isalakutshelwa hears
through trouble.^2 Let me stay
at home." And you stay at home
and take care of yourself, saying,
" What do I want further, when
the Itongo has already told me
Uiat I am going into danger 1 "^^

Again, if during sleep you
dream of returning to your people
from whom you separated a long
time ago ; and see that So-and-so
and So-and-so are unhappy ; and
when you wake your body is un-
strung ;^ you know that the Ito-
ngo has taken you to your people
that you might see the trouble in
which they are ; and that if you
go to them you will find out tilie
cause of their unhappiness. And
you continue listening and expect-
ing to hear news if any one comes.
And truly a man may come from
the neighbourhood, and you ask
after the welfare of your people.
If he tells you they are in bad cir-
cumstances, you say, " O, I mere-

82 la'-alor'kutahelway He who when told refuses to listen, hears in
the time of trouble. A proverbial saying. Another form is, Ihlonga-
'ndhlebe li zwa ngomopo, He who is without an ear hears in the time
of trouble.

^ Envpini^ lit, to an army, or enemy.

8^ UmsAmha u nmde, your body is long, that; is, relaxed, unstrung.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

230

BREAMS, BTO.

ti, <' O, ngi biua kodwa. Se ng' e-
cwa ngepupa" Futi, uma nmnnta
e file, kanti ku kona o m Alekako
ngaloko ^ko^, e nga m kaleli,
noma e ae file u ya bnya a buxe
komunye o sa pilile, a ti, '' XJbani
lo a ngi Aleka ngokofit, ngokuba
jenaengayi'knfBiininar Kwa-
siwe ngepupo ukuba (Jbani lo
kanti u ya Meka. Ku idwe leli
'swi li fike nesituna take o fileka

Futi, kubanta abamnyama, ku
a ngesikati sokuyama kwempi,
abantu abaningi ba sinde itongo ;
li fika ngepupo; kumbe pakad
kwobusuku umuntu a pupe e vu-
swa Ubani, umuntu wakubo owa
&ko; a ti, ''Bani, vuka, u tate
abantwana bako nesinkomo, u
pume. I ya ngena impi lapa."
Ku ti ngokudelela, e ti, *' ^P^po
nje," a lale. li pinde li fike li ti,
** Vuka," Ubntongo bu ze bu be
bubL A k^e ukubona ukuba
indabale. Kumbe a t' e ti sululu,
i be i vimbesela, 'ezwe se ku kala
abantu. A bonge kakulu itongo
lakubo.

ly ask. I hare already heard the
news in my dream." And if one
dies, and there is one who lau£^
at his death and does not mourn
for him, and if ike dead man re-
turn again and enquire of an-
other who is still livii^ say^
ing, << Does So-and-so laugh at my
death beoause he will not die f it
is known by the dream that the
ot^er laughs. It is said the shade
of the dead oomes with the mes-

Ukufikakwalo 'muntu ka fiki
e inyoka, nesitunzi nje; ku fike

Further, among black men,
when enemies are numerous, many
people are saved by the Itongo ; it
comes in a dream ; perhaps in the
middle of the night a man dreams
that one of his people who is dead
wakes him, saying, *' So-and-so^
awake, and take your children and
cattle, and go away. An enemy
is coming into this village." And
through despising it and thinking
it a mere dream, he goes to sleep.
And the Itongo comes again and
says, ''Awake." And at length
he cannot sleep w^ And he
begins to see there is something
real in the dream. Perhaps just
as he has got out of the way the
enemy surrounds the village, and
he hears the people crying. He
then returns hearty thanks to the
Itongo of his people.

When a dead man comes he
does not come in the form of a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DRBAMS, ETC.

231

yena nk^bo Iwake nje, ngokunga-
ti ka fitnga, a kulume ncmmnta
irakiibo ; na lowo e nga taho uku-
ti unumtu owa &70, a se a bone
uma e se papama ukuti, '' Kanti
Bgi ti XJbani n sa hamba nje;
kanti ku fike isitunzi sake." Ku
ti nma wa & izinto zake zi semzi-
mbeni nokubuja u bu ja e se nazo ;
lezo 'zinto ^ aziwa.

Futi ku kona kwabamuyama
inyoka i ngena endAliui ; i bonwe,
ku bizwane, ku tiwe, ^' Nansi in-
yoka." Abantu ba ti budubudu
ukuya 'u i bona leyo 'nyoka, uma
i nga balekL Ba ti, " Uma eya-
sendMe, nga i baleka i bona aba-
ntu. Kepa loku a i baleki, eyase-
kaya." Abanye ba ti, " Isilwane
a i bulawe." Ku pikiswane ;
omunye a i bulale, i la^lwe nga-
pandAle. Ku lalwe. Ipupo li
fike; lo 'muntu owa feyo, li ti,
** Ku ngani ukuba ni ngi bulale,
ni ngi bona nal XJ mina lowo e
ni m bulele. Ngi Ubanl" A
vuke lowo 'muntu, a wa lauze
lawo 'mapupo. Ku mangalwa
Ku ngaloko ke ku tiwa inyoka i
itongo. Ku tshiwo ngokuba ku
tsbo wona e ti, " U mina leyo 'n-
yoka e ni i bonileko."

snake, nor as a mere shade ; but
be comes in very person, just as if
he was not dead, and talks with
the fnan of his tribe ; and he does
not think it is the dead man until
he sees on awaking, and says,
" Truly I thought that So^andnso
was still living ; and forsooth it is
his shade which has come to me."
And when he returns he has the
same clothes on as those in which
he died, and the clothes are known.

Sometimes among black men a
snake enters the house ; when it is
seen they call one another, saying,
"There is a snake." All the
people hurry to look at the snake
if it does not run away. Thes
say if it were a wild

would r un away when it sees men.
But as it does not njiuiswiysi* is
a tame "snake. ^^ Others say, "IF"
is a beast ; let it be killed." They
dispute, and one kills it and
throws it away. They go to sleep,
and a dream comes, and the dead
man says, " How is it that yon
kill me when you see me ) It is
me whom you have killed. I am
So-and-so." The man awakes,
and tells his dreams, and the peo-
ple wonder. It is on this account,
then, that they say that the Itongo
is a snake. They say so because
the dead man tells them in dreams
that he is the snake which they
have seen.

85 Eycisendhle, a wild snake,
8^ Ey€fsekaya, a home snake.

that is, not an Itongo.
that is, an Itongo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

232

BREAMS, ETC.

EcitcLsy and Drmrns,

IsiYEZi si njengokuba umuntu wa
& kancinyane. U ya vuka u se
bona izinto a nga zi boni uma e
Bge nasiyezi.

Undayeni umuntu o be Alakani-
pile o be tsho ukuti, " Ngi nania-
ndAla okubona oku ngalapaya,"
noko e nge ko lapo. U ya ku
bona ngesinye isikati oku ngala-
paya, a tsho kubantu ukuti, " U
kona umuntu, u y* eza ngale 'n-
dAlela," noma isi/Jobo sake, noma
umuntu nje.

Ngesinye isikati ezweni lakwiti
ku be ku zingelwa izinyati. Uma
e lele ebusuku, u ya *kuvuka ku-
sasa, a si tshele, a ti, " Madoda,
uma si ya *kuzingela izinyati na-
mAla nje, i kona into en/Je e ya
'kuvela ekubambeni kwetu. Ngi
fumene izinyati ebusuku, si zi
zingela ; za ba izinkomo nje." Li
pela lapo lelo 'pupo eli njalo.
Izinyati si fike kuzo, zi be njenge-
zinkomo njalo njengokutsho kwa-
ke ; si zi bulale, si nga bi namdwa
nomuncinyane nje.

Ngesinye ke isikati, uma ku
kona ukuzingela, abantu be be
Alangene ngokuti, " Madoda, ngo-
suku olutile ku fanele ukuba ke si
yozingela izinyati emfuleni otile."

Ecstasy is a state in which a man
becomes slightly insensible. He
is awake, but still sees things,
which he would not see if he were
not in a state of ecstasy.

Undayeni was a clever man,
who used to say he was able to see
things afar off from him. He
would sometimes see what was
going on on the other side of a
hill, and tell the people, saying,
" There is a man coming by that
path," whether it was a Mend, or
a stranger. ^^

Sometimes in our country they
hunted buffalo. K he had slept
at night, he would awake in the
morning and tell us, saying, " Sii-s,
if we go to hunt buffaloes to-day,
we shall be lucky. I saw some
buffaloes during the night; we
were hunting them; they were
just like cattle." That was all
such dreams made known to us.
When we found the buffaloes,
they wei'e just like cattle, as he
had told us ; we killed them, and
did not get so much as a scratch.

On another occasion, if there
was a hunt, the men having al-
ready agreed, saying, " Sirs, oa
such a day it is well for us to go
and hunt buffaloes by such a river.**

^" That is, in the ecstatic state he could see that some one was
coming, but could not see whether it was an acquaintance, or a
sti-anger.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC.

233

Ba vumelaiie. Ku se kusasa ba
puma, ba hamba. Ku ti ekuha-
mbeni a tsho, a ti, '^ Madoda,
kodwa ngi bonile ekulaleni kwami,
noko si ya 'uzingela, a no zingela
ngobudoda. Izinyati, ngi ti, zi
nolaka." Mbala, ku be njalo eku
zi fumaneni kwabo ; noma zi nga
bulalanga 'muntu, zi vame uku ba
ponsa noma izinja. Ba ya ya knzo
se be Alakanipile ngokupupa kwa-
ke ; ba ya 'kuvika futifuti.

Sa m bona ukuti, noko e nge si
inyanga, kodwa ukupupa kwake
kuAle. Futi wa e indoda e kali-
payo, e nesibindi ; uma inyati i ya
'kumisa obala,lapo ku nge ko 'muti
wokukwela umuntu, yena a ti,
^ Kwela ni emitini nina. Ngi za
'kuya, ngi ye 'kuyoka ukuze i ze
kunina, si i bulale.*' Kodwa aba-
ntu b* aAluleke, ukuti, " XJ za 'ku-
yoka e nga hambi pezulu, e nge
najubane njel XJ ya*kwenza njani
na t U ya *kubaleka kanjaui naf
Noko a bambe a ye kuyo, a i k^
le ngomkonto, a i Alabe, a baleke
a ye kona lapo be kona abantu, a
kwele emtini ; uma ku kona aba-
ntu aba nemikonto, ba i Alabe, i ze
ife.

They would agree, and when the
morning arrived set out on their
journey. As they were setting
out he would say to iJiem, " Sirs,
but I have seen in my sleep, al-
though we are going to hunt, do
you hunt like men. For I say
the bufialoes are full of rage.'*
And truly it was so when they
came up with them; although
they did not kill any one, they
tossed the men or dogs continually.
But they went to the hunt made
cautious by his dream ; and es-
caped again and again by dodging.

We noticed that although he
was not an inyanga, yet his dreams
were good. He was besides a
brave man and courageous ; if
there were a buffalo in an open
spot, where was no tree upon
which a man could climb, he
would say to the people, " Do you
climb into the trees. I will go
and draw him towards you, that
we may kill him.** But the peo-
ple could not see that, but said,
"How will he draw tiie bufialo
towaixis us, for he cannot fly, and
is not able to run fast? What
will he do 1 How will he escape V*
But he went to the buffalo, and
began the attack by stabbing it,
and then ran away to where the
people were, and climbed into a
tree ; and if there were any men
who had assagais, they killed it.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

234

DREAMS, ETC.

Abantu ba be ti ngaye, n inyar
nga, noko e nga buli ; u tsho oku-
bonakalayo; ngokuba izinyanga,
noko zi btila, ngesinye isikati zi
tsho okungabonakaliyo. Wa e
intwesi futi yamazwi, ngokuba
amazwi ake a e bonakala.

Kwa tiwa, amadAlozi akubo
nakoninalume — ^akoninalume a ta-
nda uku m enza inyanga, akubo a
wa tandanga. Ngemva kwaloko
ka be sa ba nako ukubula njenge-
zinyanga ; kodwa yena wa kuluma
nje ngomlomo, ka bula. Kodwa
iikwenza kwake kwa ku fana ne-
nyanga, e nge si yo noko ; ngokuba
u be e zamula futifuti, a timule
njalonjalo ; loko ke okwezinyanga
ezi bulayo ; noko e nga buli, wa e
pakati kwaleyo 'ndawo yokubula
nokungabuli.

Indaba e ngi i kumbulayo enye
kandayeiii. Kwa ti si s* ake em-
geni ; kwa ku kona idwala li ne-
ngobozi, lapo ku ma amanzi kona ;
kepa sonke tina si 'batsha lawo
*manzi e isibuko setu, lapo si zi-
buka kona. Ku te ngolunye usu-
ku wa si buza, e vuka ebutongwe-
ni, wa ti, "I kona ini indawo
edwaleni, lapo ni zibuka kona na 1"
Sa ti, " Ku kona ni kona na 1 **
Wa ti, " Ai. Ngi ya buza, ngo-

The people used to say of hiniy
that he was a diviner though he
did not divine ; for he said what
was true ; and diviners sometimes
say what is not true. He was
also an eloquent man, for what he
said came to pass.

It was said, the Amatongo of
his own people and the Amatongo
of his maternal uncle disagreed.
Those of the maternal uncle wish-
ed to make him a diviner ; those
of his own people did not wish it.
After that he was unable to divine
like a diviner ; but said what was
true without divination. But his
habits were those of a diviner,
though he was not one; for he
used to yawn and sneeze continu-
ally ; and this is done by diviners ;
although he did not divine, he was
midway between divining and not
divining.

There is another thing which I
remember of UndayenL We
were living on the Umgeni ; there
was in the neighbourhood a rock,
in which was a hollow, where
water stood ; and that water was
the looking glass in which all we
younger ones used to look at our-
selves. One day on awaking from
sleep he asked us, saying, **Is
there a place in the rock which
you gaze in as a looking glass t **
We replied, " What harm is there
in that?" He repHed, "No. I
merely ask because I have seen

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC.

235

kuba ngi bonile e ngi ku bonileyo
ebusuku." Sa vuma, sa ti, "I
kona." Wa ti, "Ngi ti, kuleyo
'ndawo ni nga be ni sa ya kona.
TJ kona umuntu o kade e ni bona
ukuba se n' ejwayele kuleyo 'nda-
wo ukuzibuka. Kepa u fake ubiibi
knleyo 'ndawo. I yeke ni leyo
'ndawo." Kepa ngokuba nembala
kwa ku umuntu e si m azd, ukuti
u kuluma isiminya, a si pikanga,
sa vuma, sa i yeka leyo 'ndawo.
Loko ke ka ku bonanga esiyezini,
wa ku bona e lela

Kgokuba na sendabeni, uma ku
kona umuntu o nekcala, kepa
Undayeni uma e ti, " Bani, indaba
i ya 'ku ku laAIa." Nembala lowo
'muntu, uma e m azi, a ku sa
swelekile kuye ukuba a ye ema-
kcaleni ; u se e &nele ukuti a zi-
lungisele kaMe kulo 'muntu, ku
iiga yiwa emakcaleni

U be njalo ke ukuhamba kwake.
I loko ke e ngi ku kumbulayo
tikwenza kwake.

Kepa ngesiyezi a be e bona
ngaso, u be umuntu kakulu o nga
tandi ukuAlala pakati kweningi
labantu ; u be tanda ukuziAlalela
yedwa, ngokuba u be umuntu ka-
kulu e si ti u kuluma isiminya.

what I have seen during the night."
Then we told him that thwe was
such a place. He replied, " I tell
you never to go to that place
again. There is some one who for
some time has seen that you are
accustomed to look at yourselves
there. And he has put bad medi-
cine^^ into the hollow. Leave the
place." And because he was a
man whom we knew, we saw that
he spoke the truth, and did not
refuse to obey, but left the place.
This he did not see in an ecstatic
state, but during sleep.

And even in disputes, if there
was any one who was in fe,ult, and
Undayeni said to him, " So-and-so,
you will lose the case," — ^if the
man knew Undayeni he would no
longer want to go into court, but
was now ready to act rightly to
the other without going into court.

Such then was the character of
Undayeni This is what I remem-
ber of his acts.

And as regards the ecstasy into
which he fell, he was a man who
did not like to sit in the midst of
many people ; but liked to sit
alone, for he was a man who, we
said, spoke the truth. ^^ I do not

^^ Ubvhi, that is, some medicinal substance, capable of making
any one who looked into the water hateful to others. See " Super-
stitious Use of Medicines." — ^Among the Highland Tales there is
mentioned a magic basin which made a person beautiful when he
washed in it. (Uamphell, Vol, /., p, 97, J

^^ He sat alone that he might become ecstatic, and in that state
see what he could not see in his ordinary condition.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

236

DREAMS, ETC.

A ngi tsho ukuti a be nga Mali
nakanye pakati kwabantu, kodwa
XL be nga vamL

Njengaloku pakati kwabantu
abamnyama indaba zamapupo ku
tiwa a y aziwa ukuma ki^wo.
Kgokuba amanye amapupo a ya
Tela njengokungati ku njalo, kanti
a ku njalo; amanye a kombise
indaba e za 'kwenzeka. Ngokuba
ku kona pakati kwabantu aba-
mnyama ukuti, uma umuntu e
lele wa bona iketo elikulu, ku
fiinwa ; uma ku gula umuntu, a ku
tshiwo ukuti si y* etemba ukuti u
ya 'kusinda; masinyane kulowo
*muntu o bone ku sinwa, u y* esa-
ba kakulu, a Alale e se beka in-
dAlebe ; uma ku umuntu o nge si
ye waJapo ku gulwayo, e beka
indAlebe, ngokuti u za 'kuzwa isi-
lilo. Kepa noma ku nge si yo
leyo 'mini: ukuba ku kalwe, ku
y* esabeka, a ku tembeki loko 'ku-
pupa.

Kepa ukupupa okutembekayo
kubantu abamnyama, uma umuntu
o gulayo ku putsbwe e se e tile, e
se e ya 'kulaAlwa egodini, ba bone
nokug^tshwa k wake, nokukalelwa
kwake konke, nokulaAlwa kwe-
zinto zake ku pele ngaleso 'sikati
sobusuku. Ku tiwa ke ngaloko,
" Ngokuba si m pupela ukufiE^ ka
yi *kufa."

mean that he never sat amidst
other people, but he did not asa-
ally do sa

In like manner among black
men the real meaning of dreams
is not known. For some dreams
have every appearance of reality,
but they are not true; others
point out something which is about
to happen. For among black men
it is supposed that if a man dream
of a great assembly, where they
are dancing, if there is any one
ill, we have no contidence that he
will get well; but immediately
the man who dreamt of the dance
is much alarmed, and if he is not
a man of the same village as that
where the man is ill, he continu-
ally listens, expecting to hear the
funeral wail. And although the
wail is not heard on the same day,
he is still feaiful and without con-
fidence.

But a dream which produces
confidence among black men, when
any one is ill, is one in which they
dream that someone is dead and
about to be buried, and that they
see the earth poured into the
grave, and hear the funeral lamen-
tation for him, and see the de-
struction^^ of all his things during
the night They say of such m
dream, " Because we have dreamt
of his death he will not dia"

^^ Some of the dead man's personal property — as his ^j^wgais, his
blanket, and dress — ^is buried with him, and some is borat.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC.

237

A s' azi ke uma loko kw enza
nganL Lokupela njengokuma
kwokupila nokufa ku be ku fanele
uknba o za 'kufa nembala a fe,
uma e gula e putshwa ; a ti o za
'kupila a pile, uma ku putshwa e
pila. Nembala loko ngi ku bonile
kokobili Ijadu ngi li bonile,
umuntu wa fa ; futi uku&i ngi ku
bonile ngomuntu o be gula, kepa
wa pila, Njengokuba ekuguleni
kwomfundisi wetu ngonjaka owa
dAlulayo, nga m pupa e se e £le, e
fele emgungundAlovu. Kepa ka
la^wanga emalibeni, wa laAlwa
pakati kwendAlu emAlope ngapa-
kaid ; kepa ku gewele abantu aba-
ningi aba&yo, e se lele ngapezulu
kwalabo 'bantu; ikanda lake li
bheke empumalanga, izinwele zi
fiAle ameAlo. Loko nga ku bona
ngi lele. Ekuvukeni kwami a ngi
Alalelanga, ukuti, '^ A ngi bheke
ukuba nembala incwadi e za 'ku-
fika ; i za 'kufika, i ti, ' O, se ku
njalo, u file.' " A ngi Alalelanga
loko ; nga vuka nje, nga bona se
ku njalo ; nga kala masinyane
ngabo lobo 'busuku ; ng* esaba
nokuba incwadi i fike, ngokuti i
za 'kutsho loko. Kwa nga i ng* e-
puza ukufika. Nga /ilala ngi zije-

We do not understand how this
happens. For as regards living
and dying, it would appear proper
that he who is about to die
should die, if when he is ill people
dream he is dead ; and he who is
is about to live should live, if
people dream that he is well. But
in truth I have seen both. I have
dreamt of a wedding-dance, and
the man died ; again, I have
dreamt of the death of a sick man,
but he got welL For example,
when some years ago our Teacher
was ill, I dreamt that he was
dead, and that he had died at Pie-
termaiitzburg. But he was not
buried in a grave, but was placed
in the middle of a house which
was white inside ; and it was full
of dead men, and he was placed
on the top of the dead men ; his
head was directed towards the
east, and his hair covered his eyes.
This I saw in my sleep. When I
awoke, I waited, saying, '^ Let me
look out for the letter which will
come shortly; it will come and
say, ' O, it is so, he is dead.' " I
did not wait for that, but saw it
was already really true, and at
once wept during the rest of the
night ; I was afraid for a letter to
come, thinking it would tell us of
his death. I longed that it might
be a long time before it arrived.
My eyes remained full of tears

Digitized by VjOOQIC

238

DREAMS, ETC.

jana ngaloko iLiipiipa. Kepa
ekufikcni kwenowadi a kwa ba
njalo. Ng* ezwa ilizwi lokuti, " U"
tii a ku kupuke in^ola, u m Ala-
ngabeze." Kga ti, ''O, nembala
ukupupa ukufa a ku bonlsisi uku-

A Dgi ka k^edi ukuti se ku isi-
minya loko ; ngokuba kwabauye
ba bona ukufa, nembala ku be i
ko ; nokupila ngesinye isikati ku
be ukupila. Kepa nam! a ngi
tsho ukuti ukupupa ku hamba
ngaloko oku bonwayo umuntu ;
ngesinye isikati ngi nga pupa into,
nembala i ya 'kuba njalo njengo-
kuba ngi i bonila Kepa kakulu
ngi ya kuluma ngokufa kwomuntu
ogulayo nokupila, ukuti, a ku ha-
mbi ngendAlela e be ku fanele
ukuhamba ngayo ; ku ya pamba-
nisa.

Abantu ba ti, amapupo aaeAlobo
a tsho isiminya ; kepa a ba tsho
ukuti, a tsho isiminya kanye-
kanye ; kodwa ba ti, eAlobo a ku
vamile ukuba amapupo a geja
Kodwa ba ti, ubusika bubi, bu
fika namaongooDgo, ukuti, ama-
pupo amaningi kakulu a nga kgo-
ndekiyo kaAle. Kepa ngaloko a
ku tshiwo ukuti, ubusika bu pupi-
sa kaAle, noma umuntu e pupile
amapupo, uma e wa lauzela omu-
nye, lowo u ti masinyane, "O,
'bani, amaongoongo obusika lawo,''

because of the dream. But when
the letter came it was not so.
But I heard it said, " Our Teacher
has sent for the waggon to go to
Pietermaritzburg, to fetch him."
So I said, " O, truly, to dream of
death does not show that death
will take place."

I have not yet come to a certain
conclusion that this is true; for
some dream of death, and death
occurs ; and sometimes of health,
and the person lives. And I do
not say that a dream turns out to
be true; sometimes I dream of
something, and in £su3t the thing
happens as I have dreamed. But
I speak especially of the death or
life of one who is ill, that the
event turns out different from
what it ought to, and goes by con-
traries.

People say, summer dreams are
true; but they do not say they
are always true ; but they say that
summer dreams do not usually
miss the mark. But they say ihe
winter is bad, and produces con-
fused imaginations, that is, very
many unintelligible dreams. And
therefore it is said that winter
causes bad dreams, and if a man
has dreamed and teUs another, he
will at once answer him, saying,
" O, So-and-so, that is nothing but
the confused imaginations caused
by the winter." He says thus

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC.

239

e tsho ngokuba e ti, a ku ko Wtla-
mvu pakati kwawo. Njengaloku
iAlobo ku tiwa, a li nazo izindaba
eziningi zamanga. Kepa uma se
ku £lke ubusika, abantu ba ya
kq&la, ukuba nevuso, ngokuti, bu
za *kufika ke ubusika namafuku-
fuku araanlDgiy ukuti amanga.

Ipupo e ku tiwa li vela eto-
ngweni, uma li fika ngezwi lika-
bani o nga se ko, ukuti, " Ini uma
ku ng* enziwa ukuti nokuti na 1 "
Njengaloku kubantu abamnyama,
uma u zuze amabele kakulu, nge-
sinye isikati ku ti ekulaleni kum-
ninimuzi a pupe, ku tiwa, "lui
ukuba II piwe ukudAla okungaka,
u nga bongi na?" Kepa masi-
nyane uma e se e vukile ka nga-
bazi ukuti leli 'pupo li tsho *ku-
d/ila kuni 1 U ya bona nje ukuti,
" O, nembala ! " A be e se ti
emzini wake, " A kw enziwe
utshwala ; ku ya 'kuAlatshwa." A
be ke e se bonga ngaloko *kudAla
a kw enzileyo. Noma e zuze izin-
komo, 'enze njalo futi.

Kwa ti ngesikati lapa Amazulu
a ya empini, emuva kwaloko kwa
Alatshwa umkosi ukuti, " Zi mi

because there is no sense in the
dream. In like manner it is said
there is not much that is false in
the dreams of summer. But when
the winter comes the people begin
to be afraid that the winter will
bring much rubbish, that is, &Ise
dreams.

A dream which is said to be
sent by the Itongo, is one which
comes with a message from the
dead, enquiring why such and
such a thing is not done. For ex-
ample, among black men, if one
has an abundant harvest some-
times the head of the village
dreams that it is said to him,
" How is it, when you have been
given so much food, that you do
not give thanks 1 " And as soon
as he wakes he has no doubt as to
what food the dream means. But
he perceives at once that the dream
speaks to the point. And he im-
mediately commands his people to
make beer, for he is about to sacri-
fice. So he praises .the Amatongo
for the food which they have given
him. And if he has gained many
cattle he does the same.

It happened once when the
Amazulu had gone out to battle,^^
the word was passed among the
people telling them that the cattle
were standing without guard at

^1 To fight with the Dutch in the time of Udingane.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

240

DREAMS, ETC.

zodwa edAlokweni." Kepa bonke
abantu V esukela pezulu, ukuti
V eza \itola izinkomo. KV esuka
namakxegu e pete izindondolo ;
kepa lolo *hisinga olu njalo Iwa za
Iwa susa nobaba. Lokupela ya
fika ntambama leyo 'ndaba, wa ti
komame, " Ngi gayele ni isi-
nkwa, ngi ze ngi dAle endAleleui/'
Kepa ekulaleni kwake, kwa fika
ilizwi, la ti, " U nga yi lapo ku
yiwako ; a ku yi 'kubuya narau-
nye." Nembala ekuseni, ngokuba
kwa ku iAlazo uma indoda i ti,
<* Mina a ngi yi," kepa wa ti, " O,
mina, 'bakwiti, ngi lele ngi zilu-
ngisele ukuhamba ; kepa manje ku
se umlenze wami w aki ; se ngi ya
kruga." Nembala wa zikanigisa.

Ba hamba be ti, ba za 'kutiti-
liza ; kanti ukufa ku ya 'kutitiliza
bona. O, kwa fika wa ba munye,
Usihhile ; e fika, be m dabule
ikanda ekcaleni kwendAlebe ngom-
konto ; e ti, " Ni bona mina nje
iikupela." Loko kwa kginiseka
kubaba, ukuti, " Nembala ngi vu-
fiiwe ngepupo." Kepa YTa, li lauza
lelo 'pupo emveni ukuti, " Nami
be ngi ya, kepa ngi bone loko ebu-
fiuku."

Idhlokwe.^^ And all the people
started up, thinking they should
get cattle ; and even old men went
out, leaning on their staves ; and
at length our father was carried
away by the infection. And as
the news came in the afternoon, he
said to our mothers, '^Make me
some bread, that I may eat on the
journey." But whilst he was
asleep a voice came to him, saying,
" Do not go where the others are
going; not one will come back
again." So in the morning, as it
was a shame to a man to say he
was not going, he said, "O, for
my part, neighbours, when I lay
down I had got ready to go ; but
now my leg prevents me ; I have
become lame." In fiwjt he pre-
tended to be lame.

They set out thinking they
should gain very many cattle;
and forsooth death made a very
great gain of them. O, one only
came back, whose name was Usi*
chile; he came with an assagai
wound by his ear. He said, " You
see me only." That was a confir-
mation to my &.ther that he had
been truly warned by the dream.
And afber that he told the dream^
saying, " I too was going, but I
saw what has happened in a
dream."

^2 Idhlokwef a secure place, where there was abundant pasture
and forest, where the cattle could feed in concealment.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

BUEAMS, ETC.

241

Fail ngepupo uma ku /ilaselwa,
timuntu wa lala, wa pupa e gwaza
nmnntu kuk^la, a m bulale, ekti-
vukeni kwake n y' enyela ngokuti,
** Hau ! ku njani loku, uma ngi
pupe ngi bulala uinuntu) E^
La 'mapupo a ya pambaniaa. Ku
ya 'kii& mina." A kambe ngoku-
Alakanipa — a nga hambi pambili,
a hambe emuva ; i Alanganek^ede,
anduba a ngeae, impi se i 'me^lo
'mnyama, a gwaze umuntu. A
Dga koAlwa i Ido 'pupo, a zing' e
r azi njalo.

TJmpengula Mbanda.

Again, if when making an in-
cujTsion into another country one
has dreamt that he stabbed a man
first and killed him, he murmurs
saying, '' Oh, how is it that
I have dreamt that I killed a man )
No. The dream goes by contra-
ries. It is I who shall be killed. *'
So he goes cautiously — does not
go in front, but behind the others ;
but when the two armies have
joined battle, iJien he enters into
the engagement, when the enemy
is confused, and stabs someone.
He does not forget the dream, but
bears it constantly in mind.

Uyv^aise^s Dream.

Inhlizito yami imluL Ngi kwe-
r o** ubutongo obubi Nga pupa
isililo, ku kala abantu be baningi
Ya ba mbi inAliziyo yami, ngoku-
ba ngi pupe izinto eziningi ! Nga
pupa nomjadu^ abantu abaningi
abasinaya

InAliziyo yami ya kcabanga
ukuba umjadu u ipupo elibi Uma
u pupa umjadu, ku ba ka ku lu-
Dgile ; ku ba u kona umuntu ofi-
leyo ; umjadu u isililo ; uma u
pupa abantu be sina, libi lelo
'pupo.

Mt heart is heavy. I have had a
bad dream. I dreamt of a funeral
lamentation; many people were
weeping. How heavy my heart
is because I have dreamt of many
things ! I dreamt also of a wed-
ding-dance ; many people were
dancing.

I thought in my heart, a wed-
ding is a bad dream. If you
dream of a wedding, there is some-
thing not right ; there is someone
who has died ; the wedding is a
sign of lamentation ; if you dream
of men dancing, it is a bad dream.

^^ A similar form of depression occurs in the following sentence
— ^Nga se ngi zwa isililo, se ku kalwa ukuti, ^^ Maye ! wa m.gwaz' o !'V

It occurs not unfrequently in songs.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

242

DREAMB, BTC.

Kepa i^ Tuka kusasa, nga ba

tshela abantu, nga ti^ " InAlizijo
yami imbi. Nga pupa umjadu,
nga pupa isililo." Ba ti abantu,
" Into embi o i pupileyo. Umjar
du isililo. Loku wa shiya ekaya
ku gulwa, isililo si ipupo eliAle ;
lelo 'pupo lesililo a li nak(»]a ; li-
Ale, lo 'pupe isililo; ipupo elibi
elomjadu. Ba ti futi> '' Nalo
lomjadu ngesinye isikati uma u ba
u pupa, ize nje; ku ba nosuku
nje, li ti lona elibi ipupo li k^
mV amaiiga nje."

Nga ti mina, " Nga ka nga u
pupa umjadu. Ani^^ a ku lungile
ekaya. Anti^* umkwekazi wami
u bubile."

Ngi be ngi s' and' ukupupa
wona umjadu, kwa fika umuntu,
nga tshaywa uvalo. TJma ngi sa
m bona lo 'muntu, nga puma en-
dAlini yokupeka, nga m bingelela,
nga ti, "Sa ku bona." Nga ti,
" Kona ngi ku bingelela nje, ngi
ku bone k^rede, nga tshaywa uvalo;
kwa nga ti i kona indaba o za 'ku
ngi tshela." Ngoba ngi m bone
kgede, nga tshaywa uvalo. Wa
ti, " O, kuloko, uvalo lokutshaya
ngakona. Ekaya le ku kona in-

And I woke in the morning
and told the people, saying, " My
heart is heavy. I have dreamt of
a wedding-dance, and of a funend
lamentation." The people said,
" You have dreamt of a bad thing.
A wedding-dance is a sign that
there will be a funeral lamentation.
Since when you left home there
was someone ill, the funeral la-
mentation is a good dream ; the
dream of a wedding is of no con-
sequence ; your dream of a funeral
lamentation is good ; the dream of
a wedding is bad." They further
said, " And sometimes if you fre-
quently dream of a wedding, it is
nothing; or if you dream of it
once only, it is not a sign that caa
be depended on."

I said, " Some time ago I dreamt
of a wedding. When I awoke I
said, 'It is not right at home.
My mother-in-law is dead.' "

Immediately after I had dreamt
of the wedding, a man came, and
I was alarmed. As soon as I saw
him I went out of the cooking
house, and saluted him, and said,
" Although I thus salute you, as
soon as I saw you I felt alarmed ;
it felt as if there was something
you have come to tell me." For
as soon as I saw him I felt alarm-
ed. He said, " O, you felt alarm
with reason. There is bad news

^* Dialectic for kanH.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DBCAIIS, BTC.

243

daba embi. Umkwekazi wako ti
bubile." Nga ti mina, " U bube
isifo si ni nal" Wa ti, "Wa
bika empiDJeni ; wa ti, ' KubuAlu-
ngu lapa^' " Wa ti, " Ka banga
nalusuku ; usuku s' ezwa se ku
kalwa isililo nje. Sa dinga uma
ka fe mupi umunta. Sa biiza
tina ukuti, ' Ini na 1 Ku kalwa
nje, kw enze njani naf 'Ku
babe umkwekazi kaguaise.' Sa
baza ukuti, * JJ be uani na? Loku
na kutangi si be si naje na, e nga
guHna?' ^Au, a s' azi, nati si
y* etuka nje. Nati si zwa ngaso
isililo nje.' ' Au, ku tiwa uku&,
kuni haV 'Au, wa bika empi-
njeni ; wa ti, KubuAlungu umpi-
mbo ; wa ti, Wa kwelwa inAloko ;
wa ba se u ya fiu' "

Abantu ba mangala umuntu
uku& e nga gulanga. Kwa ba
kona abantu, ba ti, '' A ku yiwe
ezinyangeni, ku yozwakala lesi
'aifo esi m bulaJa umuntu e nga
gulanga."

Kwa yiwa ezinyangeni Izi-
nyangazajfika za ti, ''U bulewe
amuntu. Lowo 'muntu umkulu
o m buMeyo ; u noanele ukuk^'eda
k>wo 'mud; umuntu omkulu,
umunumuzana. "

Ngiti ke, ''Ngi pupe namAla
nje, nga tshaywa uvalo. InAlidyo

at your home. Your motber-in-
law is dead." I said, " Of what
disease did she die?" He said,
** She complained of pain in her
throat. And on that very day we
heard the funeral lamentation.
We could not tell who had died.
But asked, 'What is it? Since
there is lamentation, what has
happened f They said, ' TJguaise's
mother-in-law is dead/ We ask-
ed, ' What was the disease ? For
only the day before yesterday we
were with her, and she waa n(^
ill ? ' They answered, ' O, we do
not know, and we too are startled.
We too hear only by the lamenta-
tion.* We said, * O, what disease is
it said to be?' They said, 'She
complained of pain in her wind-
pipe. Then her head was affected,
and she died.' "

The man wondered at death
when the person was not ilL And
some said, " Let us go to the divi-
ners, that we may hear what the
disease is which kills a man with-
out his having been ill."

They went to the diviners.
The diviners said, " She has been
killed by someone. He who has
killed her is a great man; he
wishes to destroy the village ; he
is a great man, a captain of vil-

So I say, " I have dreamt to-
day, and am alarmed. My heart

Digitized by VjOOQIC

jmiAMB, ETC,

ya kumbula lawo ^mapupo a ng' e-
nza ngapambili ; inMiziyo yami ya
ti, ' Umakaad leli 'pupo lomjadu li
ugt Alonze nje, uma kulungile DJe
iia ekaya na ? Loku nga sbiya ku
gula umfazi wami, ku guF umama
Ini iikuba ngi pupe ipapo e nga li
pupa kukgala^ kwa bonakala Dal''

Ba pendula ba ti abakwiti Om-
pengula, ba ti^ " O, libi ipupo lom-
jadu. luMiziyo yako imbi ngar
koua; ipupo lomjadu li &iia ne-
pupo lokuba ku gula umuntu.
Uma u m pupa e gula kakulu, u
nga m pupa e kulupele, e £ak* i-
zinto zake zonke ezinAle, impaAla
yake ; lo 'muntu u ba u file ; ka
fiindi. Umuntu um' e gula, ku
ba kuAle u m pupe e file, ekalelwa
isililo ; lo 'muntu ke u ya 'usinda ;
a ka yi 'kufiu**

O tsho njalo kumina, ku pendida
Umpengula ; wa ti, ^' £he, guaise,
kodwa i 'kuba u pupe umjadu, um-
jadu u 'pupo 'libi" A ti XJklas,
** O, loko, guaise, elinye ipupo li
se li ti lona ; ipupo umuntu u li
pupe ngesinye isikati, u pupe nje,
ku nga veli 'luto/'

A ti Umpengulai^ '< Ehe, u k^-

remembers the diteams which I
formerly dreamt; and my heart
asks,. ' Can it be, since this dream
of a wedcting comes to me again,
that it is not right at my home ?
For when I left my home, my wife
and mother were ilL Why have
I dreamt a dream which I dreaaikt
formerly and it came true ? ' "

Our people, Umpengula and the
rest, answered me, saying, '^ The
dream of a wedding is a bad sign.
Your heart is heavy with reason ;
to dream of a wedding is like
dreaming that a man is ilL If
you dream of him when he is veiy
ill, you may dream that he is fitt,
and decked in his fine things ; and
that man is dead ; he does not get
well. When a man is ill, it is
well to dream he is dead, and ihst
they are weeping for him; tiien
that man will get well; he will
not die,"

It was Umpengula who answer-
ed me thus ; imd he said, ** Yes,
yes, Uguaise, but since you hare
dreamed of a wedding-dance, a
wedding-dance is a bad dream."
And UklasA answered, '' O, as to
that, Uguaise, one dream will turn
out to be a bed cmea ; and a man
may dream the same dream an-
other time, and it turn out to be
but a dream, and nothing come of
it."

Umpengula answered, " YeB,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DBEAMS, £l%^.

nisOe, klas, ku ba njalo ngesinye
isikati ; umuntu u pupa nje omu-
nye, ku nga veli luto." Wa ti
Umpengula, ^'Nami, gnaise, nga
ka Dga li pupa nam! ipupa Ku
gula UndayenL E gula, nga pupa
e Tunule impaAla yake, wa binca
umuntaha wake weadnsimba, e £ske
amatshoV ake ; nga pupa ku ke-
twa. Nga vuka kusasa nami,
guaise, nga vuka inAliziyo yami
imbL Nga ba lauzela abantu, nga
ti ngi Alezl nje, ngi bhekile, nga
bona ku ti kcatsha izinyembezi eme-
Alweni ami Nga ti mina, '^ Uma
n file Undayeni — ' Ngi te ngi sa
ku gcina loko, — ^lo ngi sesilungwi-
ni, ngi ya sebenza, — ^ngi te, ' Ngi
za'ngukgula ameAlo emzileni,' nga
m bona umfana ; owakwiti lo 'm-
£ma. Nga ti mina, 'O, u file
UndayenL Lo 'mfana u se zoku
ngi bikela.' IT te e sa fika, nga ti
mina, 'Kona, mfana, u fikanje,
D^ ti| u file Undayeni' Wa ti
umfana, 'Ehe, ngi fike nje, ngi
zokubikela wena ukuti u file Un-
dayenL' Nga ti mina^ * Nami be
86 ngi bonile njalo ke.' "

- A i se vi mbi iuAliziyo yamL I
ya kuluma kodwa, i ti, nma nga
ku kona indaba, ngapana ngi bona
ku fike umuntu o za 'ku ngi tshela.
InAlLdyo yami i bona lona leli 'zwi
eli tshiwo amadoda akwiti ; nami
se ngi ya bona ukuti, uma ku kona

yes, you say truly, Uklass, it is so
sometimes ; a man dreams merely
of another, and nothing comes of
it. And I too, Uguaise, once
dreamt a dreiun. Unday^ii was
ilL During his illness I dreamt I
saw him dressed in his best attire,
with his umuntsha of wild cat^
skins, and having put on his tails;
I dreamt there was a dance. I
awoke in the morning, Uguaise,
with my heart depressed. I told
the people my dream, and remain-
ed waiting, my eyes filling with
tears. I said, 'If Undayeni is
dead — ' As I was saying those
WOTds, — ^for I was working with
the white men, — ^I said, *I will
turn my eyes towards the road,'
and I saw a lad coming ; it was a
lad belonging to us. I said, ' O,
Undayeni is dead. The lad is
coming to tell us.' As soon as he
came I said to him, 'Lad, you
have come because Undayeni is
dead.' The boy said, * Yes, yes ;
I come merely for the purpose of
telling you that Undayeni is dead.'
I replied, ' I too had already seen
that it was so.' "

My heart is no longer heavy.
But it says if there is any thing
the matter, I shall see someone
coming to tell me. My heart sees
that what the men of the place say
is true ; and I too now see that ii

Digitized by VjOOQIC

246

DREAMS, ETO,

indaba, ngapana si fika isigijimi
kumina ukuza 'u ngi bikela. Ko-
dwa ngi sa bhekisisile, iii^liziyo
yami i ya'udela k^ede ku k^beke
izinsuku ngasemuva kwokupupa
kwaml Ng' and* ukuba ngi ti,
"Ai, a ku 'ndaba. Ubiitongo
kodwa bu ngi kwele ngamaongo-
ongo."

Uguaise.

there is any thing the matter I
shall see a messenger coming to
tell me. But I am still in deep
expectation, and my heart will be
satisfied when many days have
passed after the dream. Then I
shall say, " No, there is nothing
the matter. But sleep has filled
ray mind witii mere
images."

Stibjective Apparitions,

KwA ti ngalezo 'nto ead izilo ezi
bonwa umuntu lapa e ti u ye 'ku-
kuleka ngasese, nami nga ku bona
loko futifuti Lapa ngi ti ngi ya
k^la nje ukugukga, kumbe ilizwi
lokuk^ala e ngi li tshoyo ngi ya li
tsho, se ku kona okunye o se ku
kgala ukusondela ; njengokuti,
'' Manje u wa valile ameAlo, ka sa
yi Hbi ngi bona; a ngi sondele,
ngi m lume, noma ngi m bambe,
noma ngi m gwaze." TJma ngi ti
ngi ya k^inisela, ng' ala ukuvuka,
O, masinyane kwa fika umsindo
omningi wokuk^eda isibindi, no-
kuba ku be kona ukuti, '' Ku kgi-
nisile. Okwokuk ^ala ku be ku-
nrinane j manje se ku fike okukulu
oku za 'ku ngi bulak."

Lezo 'zinto zi njalonjalo ukufika
kwazo, zi fika ngazinye \ ku fike
inyoka i nameMo amakulu, i no-
kwesabeka^ ukuba lapo ngi gukge

As regards those wild animals
which a man sees when he is going
to pray in secret, I too have seen
them again and again. When I was
beginning to kneel, or when I was
saying the first word peiiiaps,
there was something beginning to
approach me; as though it said,
" Now he has closed his eyes, and
will no longer see me; let me
draw near and bite him, or lay
hold of him, or stab him." If I
steadily refused to arise, O, at once
there came a great noise whidh
took away all my courage, and led
me to say, "This is something
real The first was a little thing;
now there is coming a great thing
to km me."

When these things come to any
one they always come separately ;
there comes a snake with great
eyes and very fearful; so that

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETC,

24T

kona, ngi nga be ngi sa k^iiiisela,
ngi ya 'kuvuka.

Uma ku nge si yo, ku fika isilo
si hamba ngokuuyeuya ukuze si
ngi bambe, loku ngi nga boni, ngi
bheke pansi, ngi ti ngi ya kuleka
enkosini. Kepa ukukiileka kwami
ku nga be ku sa k^na ; ngi k^ale
ukukuleka kancinane ngapakati,
ng' enza izikau, ukuze indAlebe
yami i nga bi ekukulekeni kodwa,
i be na sekulaleleni ukuk^wabaza
kwesilo si hamba ngoku ngi zuma.
Uma se ngi bona ngokuba pela ku
njalo, ku ti uma ngi bone ukuti,
" O, manje sa k^ala ukulunga
ukuze si ngi bambe," ngi vuke
lapo.

Futi uma ku nge si so isilo,
umuntu o ngi zondayo, u pete
umkonto, umude, 'enzela ukuze a
ngi gwaze, ngi fele kuleso 'siku-
ndAla; naye u hamba ngokunyo-
nyoba, ukuze ngi nga mu zwa.

Lokupela ku njalonjalo, ku ngo-
kuba uma umuntu e ya nga-
pand/de u be e nga kuleki ngen-
Aliziyo, kodwa u be kuluma a pu-
misele ; kepa ke ku ngaloko lezo
'zilo e be zi ngi bona zi be zi ngi
bona ngokuzwa ukuvungazela ;
kepa zi sondele. Nalowo 'muntu
ngi ya m bona uma e se pakamisa
ingalo ukuze a ngi gwaze ; ngi ya
bona noma e se e linga uku ngi
gwaza impela.

when I hAve knelt, I could not
remain firm, but rose up again.

If it was not a snake, a leopard
would come on stealthily to lay
hold of me, for I could not see,
but was looking on the ground^
intending to pray to the Lord.
But my pi'ayer was no longer
steady ; I began to pray a little in
my heart, praying and stopping
that my ear may not only listen
to my prayer, but also to the
crackling made by the leopard as
it came to seize me. When I saw
that it was something real, and
that the leopard was preparing
itself to seize me, I arose.

And if it was not a leopard, it
would be a man who hated me,
with a long assagai in his hand,
approaching to kill me, that I may
die in that place ; and he too went
stealthily, that I might not hear
him.

For under these circumstances a
man who went out to pray would
not pray with the heart only, but
speak aloud; therefore those ani*
mals saw me because they heard
the murmuring of my voice ; and
drew near. And I saw the man
when he raised his arm to stab
me, or when he really tided to
thrust the assagai into my body.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

248

DUEAMS, ETC.

Loknpela ku njalonjalo ngi ya
knleka, a ngi sa kuleki nganAli-
dyo 'nje, se Dgi kuleka ngamapu-
tuputti, ngi tanda nkuba ngi bake
masinyane kuleyo 'ndawo, ngokuba
ngi ya bulawa.

A ti lima lowo 'mimtu e se ngi
gwaza, ngi vuke, nalelo 'lizwi e be
ngi kuluma ngalo li nga ka peli ;
se li pumile lona, kepa ngi nga ka
li k^edi, li n^uniuke kabili. Ngi
vuke ukuze ngi sinde. tJkuvuka
kwami ngi vuke ngokwetuka, ngi
k^laze ngalapo lowo 'muntu e
vele ngakona, ngi nga m bonL

Ku nga be ku sa ba ko ukuba
ngi buyele ekukulekeni, ngi k^^e-
dele loko e be ngi tanda uku ku
tsho. Hai ! Se ku pelile ; a ngi
sa ku boni ngaleso 'sibelu esi ngi
tusileyo. O, kwa za kw* anela.
Ku i loko njalo ekukulekeni. Ngi
ya vuka se ngi jambile, ngokuba
ng' etuswe amanga, nga kolwa.
Kepa nga za nga ku bona loko,
ukuti, ku amanga, nokuba kw' e-
nziwa ngokuba ngi be ngi puma
ku se luvivi, ngi ba shiye be sa
lele, ng' enzela ukuti, kona ngi ya
'kuba nesikati sokuzikulekela en-
kosini ; ngokuba uma ngi puma se
ku sile, nabo se be pumile ukuya
'kwenza imisebenzana yabo, noma
ukuya ngapandAle ; ba be se be

When I prayed under such di^
cumstances I no longer prayed
with singleness of heart, but in a
hurry, wishing to look without
delay to the place from which the
danger threatened me, for I was in
danger.

And when the man was now-
stabbing me, I would arise, the
sentence which I was uttering
being unfinished ; it was already
begun but not ended, but cut in
two. I arose that I might escape.
When I ai'ose I arose with a starts
and looked to the place whence
the man came; but did not see
him.

It was no longer possible for me
to return to my prayers and finish
what I had begun to say. No !
There was now an end of it, and
I could no longer say what I
wanted for the false alaim which
had frightened me. O, this was
repeated again and again. It hap-
pened continually in my prayeis.
I arose ashamed because I had
been frightened by £etntacy, and
believed in it. But at length I
saw that it was fantacy, and that
it happened because I went out
before it was light, leaving the
people still asleep, doing so because
I should then have time to pray
for myself to the Lord ; for if I
went out while it was day, they
too would have gone out to do
their daily work, and would hear.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DBBAHfly ETC.

249

ng^ zwa, ba Alebelane ngami ukuti,
" O, lo 'muntu u so u ya kolwa ;
Bgi m zwile 6 kuleka ; ku^le uku-
ba a ti lapo e kuleka kona, si ha-
mbe, si ye 'ku m vusa, noma si m
tshaje, ukuze a nga be e sa pinda
lezo *anta"

Ezi izilo nga zi bona ngokupuma
ku 86 mnyama, ku nga ka kanyi
nkosa. Kepa nkuze ngi bone
nkuti a kii 'siminya nga bona ngo-
kuba kn ze amasuku a ze 'anele
ku njalonjalo, nga ze nga zi dela,
nkutiy '^Au, ku ya 'kusiza ini
ukuba ngi ti lapa ngi kuleka ngi
Tuswe izilwanyana ezi ngi dAlayo,
kanti a zi ko? loku ngi nga znzi
nje loko e ngi ku vukela enkosini,
ngi vinjelwa izilo e ngi zi bonayo.
Ake ngi k^nisele ngi ze ngi zwe
se zi ngi bamba impela, ngi pike-
lele ukukuleka njalo.*'

Kembala nga ti ngi sa guk^ sa
fika isilwanyana esi inyoka ukwe-
nza okvemisuku. Nga ti, '^ Ai !
NamAla a ngi zwe ngomzimba
nkuti se si ngi bambile.** Ng' a-
Alula lapo. Kwa fika isilo esikulu.
Nga ti na kuso, ''A ngi zwe
ngomzimba." Ng* aAlula. Kwa
fika umuntu 'eza e gijima ukuze a
ngi n^me maainyane. Loku ngi
a' eisile isilo, naye nga ti, " Ngi ya

and wbisper about me one to an-
other, saying, "O, that man is
now a believer ; I heard him pray-
ing ; it is well for us to go to tht
place where he prays, and ftrouse
him, or beat him, that he may not
repeat such things."

The animals I saw because I
went out whilst it was still dark,
before the day had fully dawned
But at last I saw that it was not
real because they appeared con-
tinually for many days, until I
despised them, saying, "O, of what
use will it be if when I pray I am
made to arise from my knees by
beasts which devour me, when
forsooth they are not real ? for I
cannot get that for which I awake
early to pray to the Lord, being
prevented by the beasts which I
see. Just let me strengthen my-
self tmtil I feel them really seizing
me, and persevere in prayer with-
out ceasing."

And indeed when I was kneel-
ing there came a snake to do as on
other days. I said, " No ! To-day
let me feel by my body that it has
already seized me." Then I con-
quered. There came a huge leo-
pard. I said also to it, *^ Let me
feel by my body." I conquered.
There came a man, running to
stab me at once. Since I had
despised the leopard, I said too of
the man, ''Let me feel by my

o o

Digitized by VjOOQIC

250

DREAMS, ETC.

'kuzwa ngomzimba." Nga m a-
Alula. Nga goduka ngi kgalabile,
ukuti, "O, kanti ngi vinjelwe
amanga.^'

Nga ti ngi pinda nkwenza njalo,
a kwa be ku sa vama uku ng' esa-
bisa. Kwa ya kwa pela, kwa ya
kwa ti nya, ku ze ku be namAla
nje, a ku ^e ko. Abaningi ba
vinjelwa i loko ; lapo be ti ba ya
k^ala nje ukukuleka, ba bone lezo
'zilwane ezi za 'ku ba dAla, ba vu-
ke masinyane, ba goduke, a nga be
e sa tsho umuntu ukuti, " Ngi ya
'kupinda ngi ye kuleyo 'ndawo ; "
a se ti, " Ngomso kuAle ngi ye
ngalapa, ngi bone uma ku ya Icuba
njalo na.*' Ku be njalo ; a Male
e se saba omunye. Ku njalo kwa-
banye. Kepa kwabaningi ku
amanga njalo; ngokuba omunye
uma e se vinjelwe, u ze a zibike
ngokuti, "Au, ngi ya mangala
kambe, ngokuba ngi ya k^tshwa
ukuba ngi kuleke enkc«ini. Kepa
ngi nga ka ti leke nokuti leke nje,
O, nasi isilwane, nenyoka, nomu-
ntu ; loku ku fikela uku ngi bula-
la, se ngi vuka, ngi "\dnjelwe i lezo
'zinto." A miswe isibindi u lowo
okwa ka kw' enza njalo kuye ; a
ti, " A ku 'luto loko ; noma u bo-
na into enjalo, u nga buki ; kuAle

body." I conquered bim. I went
home having ascended a rock of
safety, saying, " O, forsooth I have
been hindered by feintasies."

I did so again, and the things
no longer continued to frighten
ma And at last they ceased
altogether, and have not returned
to the present day. Many are
hindered by such things; when
they merely begin to pray, they
see these beasts which come to
devour them, and they at once
start and go up, and no one thinks
of going to the same place again ;
but a man says, "To-morrow it
will be well for me to go to such a
place, and see if the same thing
will happen again." It does hap-
pen again ; and he is afraid ever
after. Thus it happens with some.
But with the generality these
things are known to be &intasies ;
for if a man is hindered by them,
he tells some one else, saying, " O,
I wonder, for I am impelled to
pray to the Lord. But before I
begin to open my mouth, lo, there
is a beast, a snake, or a man;
these come to kill me, and I start
up and am hindered by these
thinga" He is encouraged by the
other to whom the same thing has
happened ; he says, " I^ is no-
thing; though you do see such
things, do not look ; it is proper

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DREAMS, ETCL

251

ukuba u kginisele ; n ya'ugoduka;
a ku yi 'kudAliwa impela njengo-
kungati u za 'kudAliwa.'' Nem-
bala ku be DJaJo ; a buye e se e
nooma ukuti, ** O, kanti ngi koAli-
8wa amanga, 'bani."

Umpengula Mbakda.

to be firm ; you will go home un-
injured ; you will not be really
devoured as it appears to you that
you will be." And so it turns
out ; and he tells his friend, " O,
So-and-so, forsooth I was deceived
by ^ntasies."

KwA ti ngesikati sokulungiselwa
kwami ukubapatiswa, nga ngi
zinge ngi tandaza njalo ngezikati
zonke ngasese. Ng* enza njalo
ngoba ku ti lapo ngi tandazayo ku
be njengokuba ya ngi bona impela
inkosL Ngi y* esuka lapo, inAli-
ziyo yami i kcakcambile kakulu.
Ng* enza njalo ngoba ngi bona
ukuti, " Ku nga ba kuAle ukuba
ngi kolwe kuyo inkosi, ngi be um-
ntwana wayo uami." Kepa ku ti
ngesinye isikati la ngi tandazayo
ngi bone ku fika isilwane esibi, ku
nga ti si ya 'ku ngi limaza. Ng' e-
tuke, ngi shiye ukutandaza ; kanti
ka ngi boni luto. Kwa ba njalo
ngezikati ezibili. Kwa ti ngeso-
butatu nga k^nisela, nga ti, '^ Ake
ngi bone uma si za 'ku ngi limaza
ini na ? " Nga k^inisela, nga za
nga k^eda ukutandaza. Ka nga
be ngi sa bona 'luto uma se ngi
k^edile. Nga balisa ngaloko, nga
ti, " Ku ini loku ? " Kepa nga se
ngi zwile ngapambili ngamakolwa
ukuti, '* Uma umuntu e tandaza
yedwa, u ya fikelwa izinto ezimbi

It happened when I was being
instructed for baptism, I used
habitually to pray at all times in
secret. I did so because when I
prayed it was as if I really saw
the Lord ; and I went away firom
prayer with my heart very white
indeed. I did so because I saw
that it would be well for me too
to believe in the Lord, and to be-
come His child. But once when
I was praying I saw a venomous
beast coming to me as though it
was about to injure me. I started
up and left off praying. But for-
sooth I saw nothing. This hap-
pened twice; but on the third
time I strengthened myself and
said, " Let me just see if it will
injure me or no." I strengthened
myself till I had ended my prayer.
And'I saw nothing when I had
finished. I doubted about it, and
asked what it meant. But I had
already heard from believers that
when a man prayed alone, venom-
ous creatures came to him when

Digitized by VjOOQIC

252

DREAMSy sra

uma zi kgutsbwa Usatan.'' Kga
bona ngaloko ukuti, << Ngi lingwa
XJsatan nje." Kepa ku zinge
kw enza DJalo njalo ngezikati
zonka Kwa za kwa ti ngemva
kwesibindi sami, nga bona ukuti,
" Ku ize nje." Kwa fika ngama-
ndAla iikukanya okukulu ; nga
buya Dga ti, uma ngi bona uku-
kanya okugcweleyo kumina, ngi
bnye ngi zisole ngi ti, " Ku ini uku-
ba ngi zinge ng' etuka into e ize
nje na ? " Kepa nga k^inisa nga-
mand^la enkosi, ngi bona ukuti,
" Inkosi i nami ngezikati zonke."
Emva kwaloko uma ngi tandaza
ngi bona ukuti, " Inkosi i kona ;
ku nga ti ngi ng* andiza ngi ye
kona ngokujabula okukcikcimayo
en/iliziyweni yamL" Kwa ba njalo
ke. Kepa a ngi tsbo ukuti ngi
wa kgeda onke amagama amanye
e nga ngi wa bona ngaleso 'sikati,
kwa za kwa fika isikati sokubapa-
tizwa kwamL

XJSETEMBA DhLADHLA.

they were urged on by Satan. 1
saw by that that I was merely
tempted by Satan. But this con-
tinued without cessation, imtil I
took courage, and saw that it was
nothing. And then there came
with power a g^ceat light to me ;
and when I found myself full of
light, I reproved myself for being
continually startled by nothing.
But I strengthened myself with
the strength of the Lord, and saw
that He was with me always.
After that when I prayed I saw
that the Lord is, and it was as if
I could fly away to Him for the
joy which overflowed my heart.
So it was. But I do not say that
I have mentioned every thing that
I saw at that time before the time
came for me to be baptised.**

*^ The reader will see repeated in these narratives the experiences
of St. Antony, Hilarion, and other early saints.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

253

INKOSAZANA.»«

The following superstition as regards the Inkosazana appears to be
the relic of some old worship ; and is therefore properly considered in
this place.

Indaba ngenkosazana eya vela
mAla ku vela abantu emAlabenL

A i vami nkubonwa ngameAlo.
Si zwa ku tiwa y' adwa abendulo.
A ku ko namunye kwaba se kona
owa ke wa i bona. Ku tiwa in-
yamazanyana encane, i ngangek^-
k^ i nemitshwana emAlotshana
nemnyama ; ngolunye uAlangoti
ku mile umAlanga namaAlati no-
tshani ; ngolunye umuntu. I mile
kanjalo ke.

Ku ti uma i Alangana nomuntu
i zifiAle, i kulume naye e nga i
boni, 'ezwe izwi nje lokuti, " Fula-
tela; u nga ngi bheki, ngokuba
ngi hamba-ze." I tsho ngokuba
ngemuva isin^ sayo si bomvu
beja Nembala ke umuntu a nga
be e sa bheka, a kolwe ukuba ** I

The account of the Inkosazana
who came out on the same day
that men came out of the eartL

She is not commonly seen. We
hear it said the primitiye men
knew her. No one existing at the
present time ever saw her. She
is said to be a very little animal, as
large as a polecat, and is marked
with little white and black stripes ;
on one side there grows a bed of
reeds, a forest, and grass ;^^ the
other side is that of a man. &ich
is her form.

If she meet with a man she con-
ceals herself and speaks with him
without his seeing her ; he hears
only a voice saying to him, " Turn
your back ; do not look on me, for
I am naked.'' Saying thus because
her buttocks are red like fire.
And so the man no longer looks
in that direction, but belieres that

^ Inkosazema^ Princess, or Little Chieftainees.

*^ Not, says the native who gives the narrative, to be understood
literally ; but that there was something growing on her like a bed of
reeds, a forest, and grass. But compare Ugung^-kubantwana, Zulu
Nwrwry TaUa^ p. 176 ; and Usilosimapunduy p. 184.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

254

INKOSAZANA.

70 inkosazana e ngi za ngi zwa in-
daba yayo. I yo ke le." A fula-
tele ngokwesaba ukuba ku tiwa
uma umuntu e i bouile, wa bheksr
na nayo, ka lungi, u ya & masi-
nyane.

I hamba nobu Iwabantwana
abaningi aba landela ngemuva, aba
f ana nayo.

Ku ti ngesinye isikati uma
umuntu e i fiinyene ensimini i ti
kuye, " Nonyaka u za 'kutola uku-
dAla ; nakuba u kade u nendAlala,
a u sa yi 'kuba nayo manje."

Futi i yona e veza imikuba emi-
ningi pakati kwabantu abamnya-
ma. I ti abantwana a ba kitshwe
emabeleni, ba nga nceli ; noma be
bancane kakulu ba kitshwe masi-
nyane ngezwi layo, ngokwesaba
ukuti uma be nga kitshwa ku ya
'kuYela umkuba omubi kubantwa-
na wokuba ba fe.

Y enza imiteto enjalo ke ; imi-
teto yayo y enziwe, a i delelwa ;
ngokuba ku tiwa, " Ku tsho inko-
sazana.'' Nenkosi e busayo a i
tsho ukuti insumansumane ; izwi
lenkosazana li ngapezulu kwelen-
kosi

Lelo 'zwi lokuti a ku kitshwe
abantwana, a i kulumi kubantu
abaningi; i kuluma kumuntu e

it is indeed the Inkosazana about
whom he has heard ; and turns his
back from fear, because it is said
that if a man look on her &ce to
face, he will be ill and very soon
die.«8

She goes followed by a large
troop of children which resemble
her.

Sometimes if a man meet with
her in his garden she says to him,
" This year you shall have food ;
although for a long time there has
been &mine, it shall be so no
longer."

Besides it is she who introduces
many fashions among black men.
She orders the children to be
weaned; and although they are
very young, they are at once
weaned in obedience to her com-
mands, for they are afraid if they
do not wean them they will be
seized with some disease and dia

She makes such laws as these ;
and her laws are obeyed and not
despised ; for they say, " The In-
kosazana has said.'' And the
reigning chief does not say it is a
hhle ; the word of the Inkosazana
is greater than the chiefs.

When she orders the children
to be weaned she does not speak
to many people ; she speaks but to

®^ It may be interesting to compare this superstition with the
following passages : — ^Exodus zxxiii. 20 ; Genesis xxxii 30 ; Judges
vi 22, xiii 22, 23.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

IKKOSAZANA.

255

munye, noma u sendAle a Mangana
nayo ; noma u sekaya, i fike ngo-
busuku kumuntu o tandwa i yona,
i kulume naye ; a landise ke izwi
lelo; nomAlaba wonke w esaba
uku li fiAla, ngokuba a nga fa ; a
li fiAlwxi izwi layo. Na manje ku
86 kona loko.

Ngesinye isikati ku tiwa, a ku
gay we utshwala, bu yo'utelwa en-
tabenL Bu gaywe izizwe zonke^
ku be i leyo 'nkosi nesizwe sayo ;
bu telwe entabeni, nesinye s* enze
njalo, ku kitshwe ikcala.

Njengaloku ku be ku kona
umuntu lapa emlazi, ku tiwa Ubo-
bobo ibizo lake ; u lowo ke umu-
ntu o be 'enza imikuba yokuAlupa
abantu ngokuti, " Inkosazana i ti,
* A ku gaywe utshwala, bu kdtwe
ezintabeni ; ku kitshwe abantwana
emabeleni ; izintombi a zi gane
kwabatsha, z' ale abadala.''' A
buy* a ti ngomunye unyaka,
'* Izintombi ngi zi nika amakiregu,
z* ale abatsha.''

Nemiteto eminingi i banjwe
yonke, i menyezelwe ezweni lonke ;
i dume kakulu indaba kabobobo a

one man, sometimes meeting with
him in the fields, sometimes at his
home, coming by night to the man
she loves and telling him ; and he
repeats her word to the people;
and every one is afraid to hide her
word, for he may die ; her word is
not kept secret. And this exists
to the present time.

Sometimes she orders much beer
to be made and poured out on the
mountain. And all the tribes
make beer, each chief and his
tribe ; the beer is poured on the
mountain ; and they thus free
themselves from blame.

For example, there used to be a
man in this country, living on the
Umlazi, named Ubobobo f^ he
was a man who troubled people
much by appointing customs by
asserting that the Inkosazana had
spoken to him, and said, '^Let
much beer be made and poured on
the mountains ; let the children be
weaned; let the damsels marry
young men, and reject the old."
Another year he would say, " She
says, *I give the damsels to the
old men ; let them reject the
young.' "

And many other such commands
were all observed, and were pub-
lished throughout the land ; and
whatever Ubobobo was told by
the Inkosazana was rumoured in

^^ This man has only lately died. I saw him once. He appeared
to be mad.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

INKOSAZANA.

i tata kujo inkosazana. I leyo ke
indaba e ngi j azijo.

A ku tshiwo ukuti i itongo,
ngokuba i ja zikulumela nabantu.
A ngi zwanga ukuba ku ja koelwa
ukuti nokuti kujo, ngokuba a i
Alali nabantUy i Alala eAlatini, j ^
lanywe umuntu e be zibambele
nje, a buje nezwi laya

all directdon& This is wbat I
know about it.

It is not said that she is an Ito-
ngo (spirit), for she speaks with
men of her own accord. I nevw
heard that thej pray to her for
any thing, for she does not dwell
with men, but in the forest, and
is unexpectedly met by a man,
who has gone out about his own
affairs, and he brings back her

Digitized by VjOOQIC

ADVERTISEMENTS.

NXJESERY TALES, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORIES OF
THE ZULUS.

Now ready ^ Demy 8w, ^. 400,

Nursery Tales of tlie Zulus,

N their own "Words, with a Translation into English, and Notes.
By the Rev. Hbnby Callaway, M.D. Vol. I.

Natal: John A. Blair, Springvale; Davis and Sons, Heter-
maritzburg; Adams and Co., Durlwin. Capetown: J. C. Juta,
Wal^ Street London : Triibner and Co., 60, Paternoster Row.

Opinions of the Press.

'' By this time the study of popular tales has become a recognised
branch of the study of mankind. . . .

It is highly creditable to Dr. Callaway, Dr. Bleek, and others to have
made a beginning in a field of research which at first sight is not very
attractive or promising. Many people, no doubt, will treat these sto-
ries with contempt, and declare they are not worth the paper on which
they are printed. The same thing was said of Grimm's Mdh/rchen ;
nay, it was said by Sir William Jones of the Zendavesta, and, by less
distinguished scholars, of the Veda* But fifty years hence the collec-
tion of these stories may become as valuable as the few remaining
bones of the dodo." — SaJtv/r^y Heview,

^^ Some portions of the tale of XJk^mbekcansini are as beautiful
and graceful as a classic idylL" — NakU Witness,

" The work will well repay a careful perusal by all desirous of
becoming acquainted with native legends, and, in this case, with the
pure Zulu language, as spoken without adulteration by the natives." —
Times of Natal,

" The matter continues most interesting to all persons who care
to compare the varieties of life amongst different people and races." —
Natal Mercury.

*^ Dr. Callaway has fidrly earned the title of the Grimm of Kafir
Nursery Literature, but he has by no means confined his researches to
this one class." — Natal HerM.

*' Turning to the East Coast, we find that a like work is being
done for the Zulus of Natal by the Rev. Dr. Callaway, who, at his
mission station of Springvale, has already printed six parts, amoimt-
ing to a good-sized volume, of * Nursery Tales, Traditions, ^nd His-
tories of the Zulus, in their own words, with a Translation into Eng-
lish, and Notes.' It is, in fact, the same kind of service as has been
done so admirably for the Celts of Scotland by Campbell's recent col-
lection of Highland Tales, and for the Scandinavians of Norway by
Dr. Dasent's Icelandic Sagas."— -/^rq/btfor Noble,

Digitized by

Google

ADVERTISEMENTS.

In tJie press, in One Volume, Demy Svo.,

The Religious System of the Amazulu.

Part I.

TTNKULUNKULU ; or, THE TRADITION OF CREATION
U (Now Ready).

Part IL
A MATONGO; OB, ANCESTOR WORSHIP (Now Ready).

Part III
TZINYANGA ZOKUBULA; or, DIVINERS.

Farts L cmd IL, 4:S, each, postage extra.

Natal: John A. Blair, Sprmgvale; Davis and Sons, Pieter-
maritzburg; Adams and Co., Durban. Capetown: J. C. Juta,
Wale Street. London : Trubner and Co., 60, Paternoster Row.

Opinions of the Press on Part I.

" We thank Dr. Callaway heartily for the rich store of native
tradition liet'e gathered up for us, and we thank liim in advance for
that which he promises us to complete the religious system of the
Zulus, and the introductory essay by which it will be accompanied.
Here for the first time we may hope to see the whole subject discussed
by one who, from his mastery of the language and familiarity with
lie tone of native thought, has peculiar adaptations ibr the task."-^-
South African Ma^gazine.

" It [the work] will certainly do much good." — Natal Mercury,

" We must draw to a close these desultory observations upon Dr.
Callaway's most interesting work. We have looked forward during
the publication of the Nursery Tales to this as the storehouse of the
religious beliefe of the Zulus, confidently expecting matter of deep
interest, and we have not been disappointed." — Natal Witness,^

" For the present we have contented ourselves with gleaning,
here and there, a curious or interesting bit from a rich field, hoping to
tempt our readers to enter it for themselves in search of an ample
harvest, which assuredly awaits all who seek it." — Natal Herald.

Now ready, price Is,, postage extra,

THE DAILY SERVICES, ETC., from the Book of Common
Prayer of the Church of England. Translated into Zulu, by
the Rev. H. Callaway, M.D.

THE following, printed in Zulu at Springvalb Mission Press,
may be had at the Station : —

EIGHT HYMNS. 8 pages, 8m Bd,

HYMNS IN ZULU. By William Ngcwensa. With a
Translation into English. 8 pages, Svo, 3d,
TEN HYMNS. 4 pages, Svo. 2d,
THE TE DEUM, divided for Chanting. On a sheet. Id.

Digitized by

Google

9(ffKS( A 7f»taf:^:rKM<s a aij^

r AJUUU VV UTJ UU V VjUUt A ' AJUUUWU.UUWUUU^UUU O UU.ULWftJUUlJ ^ UU.UU V ^UU ULI^UU UU ^^^

The Religious System of the Amazulu,

PART III.

IZINYANGA ZOKUBULA;

OR,

DIVINATION,

AS EXISTING AMONG

THE AMAZULU,
IN THEIR OWN WORDS,

WITH

A TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH,

AND NOTES. I

BY j

THE REV. CANON jCALLA|WAY, M.D.,

Loc. Sec. A.S.L.

' I cannot but admire the incuriousness of so many tmveUers who have visited
Dah(nne and have described its customs, without an attempt to master, or
at least to exj^iain, the faith that underlies them.^— Burton.

NATAL:

JOHN A BLAIR, SPRINGVALE ;

DAVIS AND SONS, PIETERMAMTZBURG ;

ADAMS AND CO., DURBAN.

CAPETOWN I
J. C. JUTA, WALE STREET.

LONDON !
TRUBNER AND CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1870.

^nB!JTOOOroWTOOTWOnHD««^^

!igitized by

Google

TO THE READER.

rwas intended to conclude this Volume wiUi the Part now issued ;
but it appeared that the subject would be incomplete without
adding a Paiii on Medical Magic, and Witchcraft ; which, accord-
ingly, will form the subject of Part lY.

Whether I shall be able to do more than complete this Volume,
or even to complete it, must depend on the interest taken in the work
by others. If they do not exert themselves to increase its circulation,
it must be discontinued, as it is probable the Government grant will
be withdrawn during or at the end of the year.

H. C.

Springvaley Ncdaily
Mwrch, 1870.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

NcfiD ready y 'price 1«., 'postage eoctra^

THE DAILY SERVICES, ETC., from the Book of Common
Prayer of the CSiurch of England. Translated into Zulu, by
the Kev. Canon Callaway, M.D.

^ow ready y pp. 24, price 3d, postage extra^

ELEMENTARY LESSONS^ and SERVICES FOR NATIVE
SCHOOLS, &c. Translated into Zulu, by the Rev. Canon
Callaway, M.D.

THE following, printed in Zulu at Springvalb Mission Pbess,
may be had at the Station : —

EIGHT HYMNS. 8 pages, 8m 3c?.

HYMNS IN ZULU. By Willuji Ngcwbnsa. With a
Translation into English. 8 pages, Svo. * 3d.
TEN HYMNS. 4 pages, 8m 2d.
THE TE PEUM, divided for Chanting. On a sheet. Id.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

PART III.

IZINYAlfGA ZOKUBULA;

OB,

DIVINEBS.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

/^/o^ .,J<L<^. 3,0.

.^l 'y^CHltcf>tJ'

Digitized by CjOOQIC

IZINYANGA ZOKUBULA ;

OR,

DIVIMRS.

The Initiation of a Diviner.

Ukuma kwomuntu o za 'kuba
inyanga i loku, ukuba kuk^la u
nga umuutu o k^inileyo emzimbe-
ni ; kepa ekuhambeni kwesikati a
k^le ngokutetema, e nga guli
umziruba wake, u tetema kakulu.
A k^e ngokuketa ukudAla, a zile
okimye ukudAla, a ti, " XJkudAla
okutile ni nga ngi pi kona ; ku ya
ngi bulala umzimba tima ngi ku
dAlile." A zinge e puma eku-
dAleni, e keta ukudAla a ku tanda-
jOy nako a nga ku k^uisi ; a zinge
e zibikabika. Futi e tsho nokuti,
"Ngi pupe ngi muka namanzL^'
E pupa izinto eziningi, umzimba u

The condition of a man who is
about to be an inyanga^ is this :
At first he is apparently robust ;
but in process of time he begins to
be delicate, not having any real
disease, but being very delicate.
He begins to be particular about
food, and abstains from some
kinds, and requests his friends not
to give him that food, because it
makes him ill. He habitually
avoids certain kinds of food, choos-
ing what he likes, and he does not
eat much of that ; and he is con-
tinually complaining of pains in
different parts of his body. And
he tells them that he has dreamt
that he was being carried away by
a river. He dreams of many
things, and his body is muddled^

1 See note 6, p. 131.

^ Dungeka. — Ukudunga is to stir up mud in water, so as to make
the water turbid, or muddy ; and is hence applied by metaphor ta

Digitized by VjOOQIC

260

DinXBRS.

dungeke, a be indAlu jamapupo.
Ku be i loko e pupa njalo iziiito
eziningiy e ruka, e ti, "NamAla
nje timzimba wami ti dungekile ;
ngi pupe ngi bulawa abanta aba-
ningi ; ng^ k^buka, ngi sinda nje.
Kaku se ngi vuka^ urazimba se u
shiyene, n nga tse wonka" A ze
lowo 'mnntu a giile kakulu^ ku
bulwe ezinjaugenL

Ldnyanga kuk^ala zLnga tsbe-
tshi ukungena masinjane ukubona
ukuba lo 'rountu u za "kuba nen-
Moko ebutakataka. Ezinyangeni
ku be lukuni ukubona isiminya ;
zi zinge zi buda, zi tsho oku nge
ko, ku ze ku pele izinkomo ngo-
kutsho kwezinyanga, zi ti, idAIozi
lakubo li biz' inkomo, li ti, a li
piwe ukudAlar

Nembala loko *kutsbo kwezi-
nyanga abantu ba ku rumele pe-
zulu, ngokuti zi y* azi zona. Ku
ze ku pele konke kwalo 'muntu, e
gula njalo ; ku ze ku koMwe uku-

and he becomes a house of dreams.' '
And he dreams constantly of
many things, and on awaking says
to his j&iends, " My body is mud-
dled to-day ; I dreamt many men
were killing me ; I escf^ped I know
not how. And on waking one
part of my body felt different
from other parts ; it was no longer
alike all OTer.** At last the man
is very ill, and they go to the
diviners to enquire.

The diviners do not at onoe
that he is about to have a soft
head.^ It is difficult for them to
see the ^*uih; they eontinuallj
talk nonsense, and make fitlse
statements, until all the man's
cattle are devoured at their com-
mand, they saying that the spirit
of his people demands cattle, that
it may eat food.

So the people readily assent to
the diviners' word, thinking that
they know. At length all the
man's property is expended, he
being still ill ; and they no longer

confusion or muddling of mind by trouble, — disturbance of a fitmilj
or a village by contention and quarrelling, and, as above, to general
derangement of the body from disease. (Compare MtTDBLE, Wedg-
wood's Dictionary of English Etymology,) From this word we have
the compounds Idungamuziy A stirrer up of strife in a village, or
Yillage-muddler ; and IdungandMu, A stirrer up of sti*ife in a house,
or House-muddler.

^ A house of drea/mSy meaning that he dreams constantly ; that
dreams take up their abode with him. Many dreams are supposed to
be caused or sent by the Amatongo, but not all.

^ A sofi heady that is, impressible. Diviners are said to have
$o/i heads.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DITIX£RS.

261

ba k^ 2a Icwenawa njaui, loko
izinkomo se zi pelile, neziAlobo
sake zi m size ngento e swelekayo.
Ku ti ngelikade ku Tela inyaoga,
i zi pikise zonke izinyauga, i ti,
** Ngi y azi nkuba ni za kumi lapa
nje, se n' aAlulekile ; a ni 8e nasi-
Inndi sokuti i kona inyanga e nga
ni sizako. Kepa mina, 'bangane
bamiy ngi bona nkuti abangane
bami ba laAlekile. A ba i d^nga
impepa A ba tasanga kaAle.
Ini ukuba V aAlulwe, tiku& ku
aobala ! Ngi ti mina lezo 'nyanga
zi ni Alupile. Loku 'kufa a ku
f urn ukuba kw elatshwe ngegao.
JjQ 'muntu a ngi boni okunje,
'knpela ngi bona ukuti u nomAla-
ba. A ku ko Icunje. XJ banjwa
umAlaba. U ya hanjwa lo 'muntu
abakwini. B' aMuke kabili ; aba-

know what to do, for he has no
more cattle, and his friends help
him in such things as he needs#

At length an inyanga comes and
says that all the others are wrong.
He says, " I know that you come
here to me because you have been
unable to do any thing for the
man, and have no longer the heart
to believe that any inyanga can
help you. But, my friends, I see
that my friends, the other izinya>
nga, have gone astray. They have
not eaten impepo.* They were
not initiated in a prc^r way.
Why have they been mistaken,
when the disease is evident t For
my part, I tell you the izinyanga
have troubled you. The disease
does not require to be treated
with blood.^ As for the man, I
see nothing else but that he is
possessed by the Itongo.*^ There
is nothing else. He is possessed by
an Itongo. Your people* move in
him. They are divided into two

^ Impepo is of two kinds — ^white and black.

The Hack is first used as an emetic to remove all badness and
causes of dimness from the system.

The whUe is burnt as incense when sacrificing to the Amatongo ;
izinyanga use it as an emetic to prevent the return of dimness of the
inner sight after the use of the black impepo ; they also eat it ; and
place it under theii* heads at night, that they may have clear, truthful
dreama They believe that by the use of this medicine they are en-
abled to divine with accuracy. Hence to have " eaten impepo ** means
to be a trustworthy diviner.

^ Treated with blood, that is, of sacrifices.

^ Umhlaha, L e., the Itongo. See p. 147, note 14.

® Your people move in him, that is, the Amatongo. See p. 22S.
Or, he is possessed hy your people.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DITINEBS.

nje ba ti, ' K^a, a si tandi ukuba
umiitwana wetu 'oniwe. A si ku
funi.' Ngaloko ke kungako e nga
sindi nje. Uma ni m vimba, ni
ya *kuba ni ya m bulala. Nga-
kuba ka sa ji 'kuba inyanga ; fati
ka sa yi 'kubuyela ebuntwini ; u
ya 'kuba i loku e nje. Uma e nga
sa gnli, n 86 ya 'kutetema njalo, a
be isiula, a nga k^^ondi luto. Ngi
ti mina ni ya 'ku m biilala nge-
mitL Yeka ni nje, ni bhdce im-
peto lapa uku& ku bhekisa kona.
A ni boni ini ukuba ku ti ngamAla
e nga i dAlanga imiti, a ke a fimde
nomfino na? Mu yeke ni ngemitL
Ka yi *kufa ngokugula, ngokuba u
ya 'kupiwa ubuAle."

Nembala ke a gule lo 'muntu
iminyaka emibili, e nga sindi ;
kumbe i dMule kuloko, e gula. A
pume endAlini izinsukwana^abantu
bak^ale ukuti, "U za 'usinda."
K^a, a buyele endAlinL Ku zinge
ku ba njalonjalo a ze a Mutuke
izinwela Kepa umzimba wake u
be lututuya, a nga tandi amafuta.
Abantu ba mangale ngokubamba

parties ] some say, ' No, we do not
wish ihat our child should be in-
jured. We do not wish it.' It is
for that reason and no other that
he does not get welL If yon bar
the way against the Itongo, you
will be killing him. For he will
not be an inyanga ; neither will he
ever be a man again ; he will be
what he is now. If he is not ill,
he will be delicate, and become a
fool, and be unable to understand
any thing. I tell you you will
kill him by using medicines. Just
leave him alone, and look to the
end to whidi the disease points.
Do you not see Idiat on the day he
has not taken' medicine, he just
takes a mouthful of food?* Do
not give him any more medicines.
He will not die of the sickness,
for he will have what is good*®
given to him."

So the man may be ill two
years without getting better ; per-
haps even longer than that He
may leave the house for a few
days, and the people begin to
think he will get well But no,
he is confined to the house again.
This continues until his hair falls
ofL And his body is dry and
scurfy; and he does not like to
anoint himself. People wonder
at the progress of the disease.

* When he takes medicines, he eats nothing, and is worse than
usual When he leaves off medicines he is better, and takes a little
food.

*• What 19 goodj viz., the power to divine.

Digitized by VjOQQIC

nrriNSRs.

263

kwaleso *si£o, Kodwa inAloko i
k^e ukubonakala into e ku nga
ti i za 'kuba yona. A bonakale
ngokuzamula futifuti, na ngokuti-
mula futifutL Abantu ba ti,
" Kqa, ! N^nbala lo 'munta ku
nga a za 'kuLahjwa nmAlaba.'' A
bonakale na ngokutanda ugiiai
kaknlu; a nga bi nasikati eside
ttguai e nga m bemanga. Abantu
ba k^le ukubona ukuti u nikelwe
vbuAle.

Ku ti ngemva kwaloku a gule,
a ke a k^eke, a telwe ngamanzi,
ku tulatule isikatshana. E zinge
6 kala izinyembezi, e pumisela ku
ze ku be kanje, ku ti pakati
kwobusuku, lap' abantu be tate-
Idle ubutongo, 'ezwakale, a Tuse
abantu bonke ngoku^labelela ; u
se k^ambe igama, abantu ba ruke
abesi&zana nabamadoda, ba ye
kuje, ba ye 'ku m vumisa lelo
'gama a li Alabelelayo.

Lokupela ku njalonjalo, ku be
se ku bonwa ngokusa ; se ku lu-

But his head begins to give sij
of what is about to happen. He
shows that he is about to be a divi-
ner by yawning^^ again and again,
and by sneezing again and again.
And men say, " No ! Truly it
seems as though this man was
about to be possessed by a spirit''
This is also apparent from his
being very fond of snuff; not
allowing any long time to pass
without taking some. And people
b^n to see that he has had what
is good given to him.

After that he is ill; he has
slight convulsions, and has water
poured on him, and they cease for
a time. He habitually sheds tears,
at first slight, and at last he weeps
aloud, and in the middle of the
night, when the people are asleep,
he is heard making a noise, and
wakes the people by singing ; he
has composed a song, and men and
women awake and go to sing in
concert with him.

In this state of things they
daily expect his death j^^ he is now

^^ Yawning is considered a sign of approaching inspiration by
the Itongo. — ^In the Icelandic Legends we find a remarkable power
ascribed to yawning. The female troll who had assumed the likeness
of a beautiful queen betrays her secret by saying, " When I yawn a
little yawn, I am a neat and tiny maiden ; when I yawn a half-yawn,
then I am as a half-troll ; when I yawn a whole yawn, then am I as
a whole trolL" (Legends of Iceland. PoweU cmd Magmissan. 2nd
Series, p. U8J

^ Lit, It is now seen by the morning, viz., that he is still aliva
They retire to rest doubtful whether they shall find him still living at
daybreak.

Digitized by CjOOglC

364

DIVINERS.

ngelelene amatambo; ku se ku
tiwa eli ngomso ilanga a li yi 'ku
m shiya. Ba mangale abantu,
V ezwa e Alaba igama, ba m tsha-
yele ke. Ba k^e ukuma isibmdi
ngokuti, " Yebo ke ; manje si ya
i bona inAloko.''

Ngaloko ke ngaleso 'sikati uma
e se tasa, abantu balowo 'muzi ba
^upeke ngoku nga lali 'butongo ;
ngokuba umuntu oW etasayo u ya
Alapa kakulUy ngokuba ka lali, u
ya sebenza kakulu ngeoAloko;
ukulala kwake u ti Alwati nje, u
ya vuka u se vuka namagama
amaningi ; nemizi e seduze nowa-
kubo i puma kona ebusuku, i zwe
ukuba izwi lake se li pezulu, ba ye
'ku m Tumela. Kumbe a Alabelele
ku ze ku se, ku nga lalwanga.
Abantu bomuzi be m tshayela
izandAla zi ze zi be 'buAlungu.
Xiapo ke u se lingisa kweselesele
pakati kwendAlu ; indAlu se in<d-
nane ukukax)kax>ma, 'esuka 'ek^a
e Alabelela, e vevezela, e lingisa
kv^omAlanga u pakati kwamanzi,
«t juluke a be 'manzL

Zi dAliwe ke izinkomo ngaleso
'sikatL Ku Alangabezwa lobo
'buAle, ku kcakcambiswa idAlozi,
ukuba li m kanyise kakulu. Ku

but skin and bones, and they think
that to-morrow's sun will not leave
him alive. The people wonder
when they hear him singing, and
they strike their hands in oonoOTt.
They then begin to take courage,
saying, '^ Yes ; now we see that it
is the head."i3

Therefore whilst he is under-
going this initiation the people of
the village are troubled by want
of sleep ; for a man who is begin-
ning to be an inyanga causes great
trouble, for he does not sleep, but
works constantly with his brain ;
his sleep is merely by snatdies,
and he wakes up singing many
songs ; and people who are near
quit their villages by night when
they hear him singing aloud, and
go to sing in concert Perhaps he
sings till the morning, no one
having slept The people of ihe
village smite their hands in 0(mi-
cert till they are sore. And thcun"
he leaps about the house like a
frog ; and the house becomes too
small for him, and he goes out,
leaping and singing, and aK^Vi«g
like a reed in the water, and •
ping with perspiration.

At that time many cattle are
eaten. The people encourage his
becoming an inyanga; th^ em-
ploy means for making the Itongo
white, that it may make his
divination very clear. At length

^* Lit, We see the head, viz., that it i? affected in that way
which is followed by the power to divine.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINEB8.

265

ze kn be kona enye inyanga endala
ey aziwayo. Ku ti ebusuku e lele
a yalelwe, ku tiwe, " Hamba a ye
kubani, u ye a ku peAlele ubulawo
bokuAlanza, ukuze w etase kanye-
kanye." Nembala a ti nya amar
Bukwana, e yile kuleyo 'nyanga, e
ye 'kupeAlelwa ubulawo ; u ya
buya u se omunye, u se Alambulu-
kile, u se inyanga ke.

Ku ti uma e za 'kuba nemilozi,
ku zinge ku ba kona izwi lokuti
kuye, "Wena ku z* ukukuluma
nabantu ; abantu V eza 'kutshe-
iwa i ti kouke aV eza ngako."
A zinge e va lauza lawo 'mapupo,
e a, '^Ba kona abantu aba ngi
tshela ebusuku, ba ti, b' eza 'uzi-
kulumela bona nabantu aV ezo'u
bula." Kembala ku ze ku ye
Bgako loko ; e sa bula yena, ku be
kanye ku n^umuke; labo 'bantu
aba kuluma ngemilozi 'ezwe se be
kuluma kuye, a ba pendule naye
njengomuntu nje ; a ba kulumise
naye ngoku ba buza ; uma e nga

another ancient inyanga of ce-
lebrity is pointed out to him.^*
At night whilst asleep he is
commanded by the Itongo, who
says to him, " Go to So-and-
so ; go to him, and he will chum
for you emetic-ubulawo,^^ that
you may be an inyanga alto-
gether." Then he is quiet for a
few days, having gone to the in-
yanga to have ubulawo churned
for him ; and he comes back quite
another man, being now cleansed
and an inyanga indeed.

And if he is to have &miliar
spirits, there is continually a voice
saying to him, "You will not" — ^
speak with the people ; they will /
be told by us every thing they
come to enquire about." And
he continually tells the people his
dreams, saying, "There are peo-
ple^^ who tell me at night that
they will speak for themselves to
those who come to enquire." At
last all this turns out to be true ;
when he has begun to divine, at
length his power entirely ceases,
and he hears the spirits who speak
by whistlings^^ speaking to him,
and he answers them as he would
answer a man ; and he causes
them to speak by asking them
questions ; if he does not under-

^* That is, by the Itongo in a dream.
15 Ubtdawo.-^ee p. 142, note 10.
1® People, viz., the dead, the Amatongo.

1^ The supposed voice of the familiar spirits is always in a shrill,
whistling tone ; hence they are called imilozi.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

266

PIYIKERS.

kn k^ondi loko a ba ka tshoyo,
bona ba m k^ondise konke a ba
kii bonayo. Imilozi a i hqeiM ngo-
kubula imi^lola yabantu ; i k^ala
ngokukuluma nomuntu wajo, i m
azise loko oku za 'kuba i ko, audu-
ba i bulele abantu izindaba zonke.

Nako ke e ngi kw aziyo ngemi-
lozi na ngezinyanga.

Ku ti uma umnntu lowo o gu-
lls wa umAlaba, abakubo aba ha-
mbayo be nga tandi ukuba a bule,
ba bize inyanga enkiilu yokwelapa,
i m vimbe, ukuze a nga bull.
Kepa lo *muntu noma e nga sa
bull, ka lungi; u Alala e isiguli
ngezikati zonke. Nako ke e ngi
kw aziyo. Kepa noma e nga sa
bull, ngokuAlakanipa u fana ne-
nyanga yokubula njengondayeni.
Yena, abakubo be nga tandanga
ukuba a bule, ba ti, " K^'a ; a si
tandi ukuba indoda engaka, e na-
mandAla angaka, i be into nje e se
i /fclala ekaya, i nga se namsebenzi,
ku ukupela ukubula kodwa." Ba
m vimba ke. Kwa se ku Alala
kuye isibonakaliso sokuti, " Lo
'muntu, uma wa e inyanga, wa e
za 'kuba ubandubandu, ukuti i-
nyangisisa."

stand what they say, they make
him understand every thing they
see. The familiar spirits do not
begin by explaining omens which
occur among the people ; they
b^n by speaking with him whose
^.miliars they are, and making him
acquainted with what is about to
happen, and then he divines fi>r
the people.

This then is what I know of
familiar spirits and diviners.

If the relatives of the man who
has been made ill by the Itongo
do not wish him to become a di-
viner, they call a gi'eat doctor to
treat him, to lay the spirit, that he
may not divine. But although the ]
man no longer divines, he is not /
well; he continues to be always /
out of health. This is what I
know. But although he no longer
divines, as regards wisdom he is
like a diviner. For instance, there
was Undayeni. His friends did
not wish him to become a divinei:^.^^^
they said, " No ; we do not wish ]
so fine and powerful a man to be- ;
come a mere thing which stays at
home, and does no work, but only .
diviues.*' So they laid the spirit.
But there still remained in him
signs which caused the people to
say, "If that man had been a
diviner, he would have been a
very great man, a first-class di-
viner."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

BiyiNEBS.

267

Leyo 'miloziy a u bi muiiye um-
lozi o kulumako ; iband^la eliiiiDgi
Bje labaatu ; aamazwi a wa &ni ;
omnnye u nelake nomunye njalo ;
elalowo *muntu a ba ngene kuye
izwi lake 11 lodwa. Futi ngokuba
naye xi ya buza kuyo njengabanye
abantiiy naye u ya bula kuyo.
Uma i nga tsho luto, k' azi loko
oku ya 'utshiwo i yo ; a nge ba
tshele abantn aV ezo'ubula, ukuti,
ni za 'kutshelwa ukuti nokutL
AL Okwake ukwamukela into
leyo e fike nabantu aV ezo'ubnla
'kupela. Naye u ya buzana nayo,
ba kulumisana

Ku ti uma aV ezo'ubula be fika
kulo *muntu e nemilozi ba kuleke,
a tsbo kubo ukuti, *^ O, ni fika nje
ngi ngedwa. Ku mukiwe izolo.
A ng' azi lapa ku yiwe kona.'' Ba
Alale ke abantu labo. Ekufikeui
kwayo i ya 'kuzwakala ngokubi-
ngelela labo 'bantu, i ti, *' Sa ni
bona ke." Ba ti, " Si bona nina,
'makosL" Naye lowo o hamba
nayo a buze ukuba, ^* Ni ya fika
na 1 " I vume. Ngaloko ke ku-
lukuni ukukgonda kitina ukuba
ku inkoAliso, lapa si zwa amazwi
amaningi a kuluma nomuntu o
nayo, naye e kuluma.

I As to the £imiliar spirits, it is
not one only that speaks ; they
are very many ; and their voices
are not alike ; one has his voice,
and another his ; and the voice of
the man into whom they enter is
different from theirs. He too en-
quires of them as other people do;
and he too seeks divination of
them. If they do not speak, he
does not know what they will say ;
he cannot tell those who come for
divination what they will be told.
No. It is his place to take what
those who come to enquire bring,
and nothing more. And the man
and the familiar spirits ask ques-
tions^ of each other and converse.

When those who come to seek
divination salute him, he replies,
" O, you have come when I am
alone. The spirits departed yes-
terday. I do not know where
they are gone.'' So the people
wait. When they come they are
heard saluting them, saying,
" Good day." They reply, " Good
day to you, masters." And the
man who lives with them also asks
them saying, " Are you coming 1 "
They say, they are. It is there-
fore difficult to understand that it
is a deception, when we hear many
voices speaking with the man who
has fBimiliar spirits, and him too
speaking with them.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

268

DITIKSBft

The way in which a person begins to he a Diviner,

XThlabo lu bonakala ngc^wenza
isibobo f a ti nmuntu, *' KubuAlu-
nga esikaleni, pansi kwesipanga,
oAlaQgotiniy enjamenL Lw enza
isibobo ; In pumele ngapakati
kwomzimba izindawo zombili.^

Ba buze abantu, ba ti, '^Leso
'sifo isifo sini na? lokxi la fena
BoAIabo nje."

A ti, ^ Ehe ; nami ngi ti i lo
uAlabo ; i lo lolu olu pumela esi-
kaleni somzimba, lw ale ukuba ngi
pefdmnle, lw ale ukuba ngi lale
pansl"

Lu ze lw a^lulwe inyanga e
lw azijo umuti walo. Ngokuba
abamnyama ba ti ubrulo ; ba ti,
lw enziwa umMaba. Lo 'muntu o

XJ thlabo^^ is know n by <^p^nfr a.
sensation of per foration^^ of J ^e
side ; and Jhgjrmn^gftyff, " T liflTg_
pSm' under the armpit, beneath
the shoulder-blade, in my side, in
the flesh. It causes the feeling as
if there was a hole there ; the pain
passes through my body to each
side."

The men ask, ^What is this
disease? for it resembles nothii^;
but uthlabo.''

He replies, **Ye», yes j I too
say it is uthlabo ; it is that which
comes out^ from the side of my
body and will not let me breathe,
neither will it let me lie down."

At length the doctor who knows
the medicines for uthlabo cures
it. But black people call it
also ukxulo,^ and say it is caused
by the Itongo.** And wheJi a

^^ UhlabOf the name of a disease, from ukuhUiha^ to stab, because
it is attended with a stabbing pain or stitch in the side. It is applied
either to pleurodynia or pleurisy.

^* Isihoboy A hole, — ^that is, the patient feels as though a hole had
been made in his side with a sharp instrument. The same sensation
that we call a " stitch in the side."

^ He speaks of the disease as though it was a knife, or something
of that kind ; he personifies it.

^^ UhLvZo, — ^The same as tiMaJbo, from tthikxtUa, to stab.

^ We may compare the following fiiith in evil Nats, which seem
to hold veiy much the same position in the East as IJie Amatongo
among the Amazulu : —

" The Nats or Dewatas play a conspicuous part in the affairs of
this world. Their seats are in the six lower heavens, forming, with
the abode of man and the four states of punishment, the eleven seats
of passiona But they often quit their respective places, and interfere

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

2G&

tandwa ukonilo izikati zonke, ku
86 lu m bambe njalo izikati zonke,
kubantu abamnjama ku tiwa, u
ya hanjwa umAlaba ; amatongo a
hainba kuyena emzimbeuL Lu ti
nma Iw epuza ukupela enizimbeni,
ku ze ku yokubulwa ezinyangeni.
Zi lik' izinyanga, zi ti, " U nom-
Alaba. U uabakubo abafayo/' Zi
ti uma zi ti, " Kwa ku kona umu-
ntu kubo owa be e inyanga ; naye
u hanjwa njalo emzimbeni ; ku

man is constantly affected^ by
utlilabo, black men say the Itongo
is walkins^ in him ; Amatongo
are walking in his body. If the
disease lasts a long time, they at
length go to enquire of diviner*
They come and say, *^ He is affect-
ed by the Itongo. He is affected
by his people who are dead. 2*
There was one of them who was
an inyanga ; and this man has the
Itongo in his body; his people

with the chief events that take place among men. Hence we see them
ever attentive in ministering to all the -wants of the future Budha.
Besides, they are made to watch over .trees, forests, villages, towns,
cities, fountains, rivers, &a These are the good and benevolent Nats.
This world is also supposed to be peopled with wicked Nats, whose
nature is ever prone to the evil A good deal of the worship of Bud-
hists consists in superstitious ceremonies and offerings made for pro-
pitiating the wicked Nats, and obtaining favours and temporal advan-
tages from the good ones. Such a worship is universal, and fully
countenanced by the Talapoins, though in opposition with the real
doctrines of genuine Budhism. All kiinls of narfortunes are attributed
to the malignant interference of the evil Natsr In case of severe ill-
ness that has resisted the skill of native medical art, the physician
gravely tells the patient and his relatives that it is useless to have re-
course any longer to medicines, but a conjuror must be sent for, to
drive out the malignant spirit who is the author of the complaint.
Meanwhile directions are given for the erection of a shed, where offer-
ings intended for the inimical Nat are deposited. A female relative
of the patient begins dancing to the sound of musical instruments.
The dance goes on at first in rather a quiet manner, but it gradually
grows more animated, until it reaches the acme of animal phrenzy.
At that moment the bodily strength of the dancing lady becomes ex-
hausted ; she drops on the ground in a state of apparent faintness.
She is then approached by the conjuror, who asks her if the invisible
foe has relinquished his hold over the diseased. Having been answered
in the affirmative, he bids the physician to give medicines to the pa-
tient, assuring him that his remedies will now act beneficially for
restoring the health of the sick, since their action will meet no further
opposition from the wicked Nat." (The Life or Legend of Gaudamay
the Budha of tJie Burmese, P, Bigcmclet, p. 71. Comp. also p. 537.^

^ Tamdwa, lit., loved.

^ That is, the Amatongo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

270

DIVINER.

funwa abakubo a z' a be neuMoko
ebutakataka, a bule, e tasile.''

Zi ti izinyanga ezi biilayo, " Ni
nga be ni sa rou nika imiti A ni
boni ini, lapa ni mu funela imiti
joAlabo, lu nga vumi ukupela nal
Ni ti ni nga mu puzisa umuti, ku
be i kona ni mu bangelayo nal
Mu yeke ni ngemitL Lo 'muntu
tt ya hanjwa abakubo. Ba tanda
uma a pupe/'

Ku ti uma kwa ku kona umu-
ntu owa fayo, owa be inyanga, ba
m bize ng^ama, e bizwa izinjranga
ezi yokubula, zi ti, " U hanjwa
Ubani lowo ; o yena e ti, m' a be
inyanga. U hanjwa umuntu owa
be e inyanga enkulu." Ku tsho
izinyanga ezi yokubula. Zi ti,
'' Lowo 'muntu owa b^myanga, o
hamba kuye emzimbX, wa be
inyanga neyokumbulula. Ya be i
mbulula." Zi ti izinyanga, *^ Naye

wish him to have a soft head,^
and become a diviner, when he has
been initiated."

The diviners say, " Do not give
him any more medicines. Do you
not see when you get uthhibo-
medicines for him, the disease does
not cease 1 When you give him
medicine, do you not thereby in-
crease the disease? Leave him
alone. His people are in him.
They wish him to dream."

And if one of his people who is
dead was an inyanga, the diviners
who come to divine call him by
name, and say, '* So-and-so is in
him ; it is he who says he is to be
an inyanga. It is a great inyanga
that possesses him." That is
what the diviners say. They say,
** The man i^ho was an inyanga,
who is walking in his body, was
also an inyanga who could dig up
poisons. 26 He used to dig thena
up. And since he who used to

^ To have a soft or impressible head, that is, to be an inyanga.

26 UhrnibtUtda, — Sorcerers are supposed to destroy their victims
by taking some portion of their bodies, as hair or nails ; or something
that has been worn next their person, as a piece of an old garment,
and adding to it certain medicines, which is then buried in some secret
place. They are at once the subjects of disease, and suffer aud die.
The power alluded to above is that of discovering and digging up this
poison. Very similar to the practice of sorcerers amongst ourselves,
who used to make an image of wax or clay of the person they wished
to kill, and treat it with poisons, &c., and every thing done to the
image was felt by their victim.

The following account is given among Danish Traditions : —

" In a certain house everything went perversely ; for which i-ea-
son the inhabitants sent to a well-known wise woman. She came and
went about the house both within and without^ At last she stood

Digitized by VjOOQIC

divinehs.

271

lokw e hanjwa u ye Ipwo 'inuntu
owa be e mbulula ubuti babatakati
a ba bulala ngabo abanye abantu,
naye k^ed' 'etase, a m etasise, n
ya 'kuba nedAlozi elimAlope, naye
u ya 'kumbulula naye, njengalowo
wakubo XJbani, owa be e inyanga,
e mbulula ; u za 'kumbulula naye.
Mu yeke nl ngemiti." Zi ti izi-
l%anga o ku bulwa kuzona, zi ti
zona, " Imiti i la/^le ni ; ni nga be
ni sa mu nika; se ni ya 'ku m
bulala, uma ni ti ni mu nika imiti
Ni ti i yona i ya 'ku m sindisa.
Ka i yi *ku mu sindisa. W e-
nziwa ngamabomu. Lo 'muntu

dig up the poison of the sorcerers
by which they destroyed others has
taken possession of this man, he
too as soon as he has been initiated
will have a white Itongo,^^ a^^
will dig up poisons as So-and-so,
one of his people, used to do.
Leaye him alone as regards medi-
cines. Throw away medicines,
and give him no more ; you will
kill him if you da You think
they will cure him. They will not
cure him. He is purposely thus
affected. The Amatongo wish

still before a lai^e stone, which lay just without the dwelling. * This,'
said she, * should be rolled away.' But all that they could do with
levers and other means was to no purpose : the stone would not move.
At length the wise woman herself hobbled up to the stone, and
scarcely had she touched it before it moved fix)m its old station. Be-
neath was found a silken purse filled with the claws of cocks and
eagle-s, human hair and nails. * Pat it into the fire together with a
good bundle of pea-straw, that it may catch quickly,' said the old
woman ; and no sooner was this said than done. But the moment
the fire began to take effect it began to howl and hiss as if the very
house were ready to fall, and people who stood out in the fields hard
by plainly saw a witch sally forth on her broomstick from the mouth
of the oven. At the same moment the old woman died, who, it was
supposed, had bewitched the house, and all the sorcery was at an end."
(Northern MytMogy, Benjamin Thorpe. Vol, II,, p, 189.^

^ That is, an Itongo who shall influence for good, and enable him
to see clearly and help others. They also speak of an Itengo eliranya-
ma, a dark or black Itongo, that is, one that is jealous, and when he
visits any one causes disease and suffering without giving any reason
for his doing so; It is said, " Li Iwe li tulile," that is. It fights in
silence, — contends with people without telling them what to do to
pacify it. They suppose that sorcerers are aided by the Amatongo of
their house to practise sorcery with skill and effect; but such Ama-
tongo are not said to be black or dark, but white, because they reveal
with clearness their will to their devotee.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

272

DITIWEllS.

ku tandwa um' a be injanga
«mAlope. Tula ni, ui bone uma
k' ezi 'knjalelwa na ebtisuku e
lele ? Ni ya 'ku m bona e se fika
nje kusasa, ui nga m bonanga uku-
puma kwake, e jalelwe imiti a
joku i mba entabeni, e mbe ubu-
lawo bokuAlanza, a bu peAle, bu
be nengwebu, a bu puze, a Alanze
ngabOy 'etase. Ku ti ngesiuye
isikati a yalelwe impepo, a yoku i
ka emAlangenL"

Ba mu tume uku/ilaba iuyama,
ngokuba abantu abafayo ba tanda
inyama kakulu kumuntu a se be
tanda uku in enza um' a be inya-
nga. U ya zi Alaba, e ba Alabela
abakubo abafayo. Zi ya ngena
ezinye. U ya zi Alaba njalo ; zi
ya ngena futi ezinye, zi vela ekwe-
lapeni kwake, na sekubuleni kwa-
ke, nezokumbulula izinkomo. Uma
abantu be buba, be bulawa aba-
takati, i muke i yokumbulula, i
Alanzise abantu aba dAliswayo aba-
takatL

him to become a white^ inyanga.
Be quiet, and see if the Amatongo
do not give him commands at
night in his sleep. You will see
him come home in the mornings
not having seen him go out, having
had medicines revealed to him
which he will go to the mountains
to dig up ; you will see he has dug
up cleansing-ubulawo, and H^
will chum it and make it froth
and drink it, and cleanse himself
by it, and so b^n to be an iuya-
nga. And at other times he will
be commanded to fetch impepo,
which he will go to the marsh to
pluck." ^^^^^

The Amatongo tell him to kiDi
cattle, for the dead are very fond
of demanding flesh of one whom
they wish to make an inyanga.
He slaughters them for his people \
who are dead. And others enter'
his kraal ^ He slaughters con-
stantly, and others again come in
in their place, the cattle being de-
rived from his treatment of dis-
ease, and from divining, and dig-
ging up poisons. When men are
perishing, being destroyed by sor-
cerers, he goes and digs up the
poisons, and purifies those whom
the sorcerers are poisoning.

^ As we speak of " white witches ; " an inyanga who shall see
clearly, and use his power for good puiposes.

^ By sacrificing to the Amatongo he obtains their blessing ; they
enable him to treat disease and to divine successfully ; and thus be
obtains many cattle^ which enter his kraal instead of those he has
sacrificed.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINEBS.

273

TTma nmuntu e guk, e guliswa
amadAlozi, u ya haiya. Amatongo
a m k^mbise igama, ku butane
abantu basekaya, ba mu tshayele
igama a li kgambelwe itongo, —
lokwetasa^ — lobunyanga.

Abanye abantu ba pike, ba ti,
" Kgabo. Lo 'muntu u ya Alanya
nja Ka nalo itongo." £a ti
abanye, " O, u netongo ; u se
inyanga."

Ba ti abanye, " K^'a ; u u/danya.
Ni ka ni mu tukusele na, loku ni
ti u inyanga 1 "

Ba ti, " Kga ; a si ka mu tuku-
selL"

Ba ti, ^' Se ni mu bona ngani,
ni bone u inyanga na 1 "

Ba ti, " Si m bona ngokuyale-
Iwa imiti a yoku i mba."

Ba ti, " O, u uAlanya nje. Nga-
pana si be si ya vuma uma u inya-
nga uma ku be ni ya mu tukusela,
lezo 'zinto e be ni mu tukusele
zona u ya zi giba. Anti ni si
tshel' ize, ukuti u inyanga, loku a
ni ka mu tukuseli"

Ba ti uma ba kulume, ba tsbo
njalo, be pikisana ngoku mu tuku-

When the Amatongo make a^
man ill, he cries " Hai, hai, haL"^®
They cause him to compose songs,
and the people of his home assem-
ble and beat tune to the song the
Amatongo have caused him to
compose, — ^the song of initiation,
— a song of professional skill
j^Some dispute and say, " No.
The fellow is merely mad. There
is no Itongo in him." Others say,
" O, there is an Itongo in him ; he
is already an inyanga."

The othera say, "No; he is
mad. Have you ever hidden
things for him to discover by his
inner sight, since you say he is an
inyanga 1 "

They say, " No ; we have not
done that"

They ask, " How then do you
know he is an inyanga 1 " ^— ^

They say, " We know it because /
he is told about medicines, which (
he goes to dig up." -^

They reply, " O ! he is a mere
madman. We might allow that
he is an inyanga if you had con-
cealed things for him to find, and
he had discovered what you had
concealed. But you tell us what
is of no import, as you have not
done this."

As they are talking thus and
disputing about concealing things

' Hail/a, To cry as the diviner ; a continual repetition of Hai,
hai, hai

Digitized by VjOOQIC

274

DIVINERS.

sela, ku id ebnstiku, ekulaleni
kwake, a pupe e m tshela lowo
'muntu wakubo owa &70, o yena
e mw etasisayo um* a be inyanga,
a mu tshel' a ti, " Be be pikisana,
be ti, ku vi u inyanga wena."

A buze o tasiswayo, a ti, "Ba ti,
a ngi vi ngi inyanga ngani na )"

A ti, " Ba ti, ku vi u inyanga ;
ba ti, u uAlanya nje ; ba ti, u ya
tukuselwa na, loku ku tiwa u
inyanga na ? "

A buz* a ti, "Ngi tshele, ku
tsho obani na ? **

A ti, " Ku be ku pikisana obani
nobani."

A ti, " Wena u ti b' enz* ama-
nga ini uma be tsho njalo na?"

A ti, "Tula. Loku be tsho
njalo, mina ngi ti, u za 'kuba
inyanga ey a^lula izinyanga zonke,
ba dele bonke abantu lapa emAla-
beni, ukuti u inyanga enkulu, ba
kw aad."

A ti yena ow etasiswayo, a ti,
" Mina ngi ti ba k^inisile uma be
ti, ng' uAlanya. Mbala a ba bo-
nauga be ngi tukusela.'*

A U lowo 'muntu owa be inya-

for him to find, at night when he
is asleep he dreams that the man
of his people who is dead, and
who is causing him to begin to be
an inyanga, tells him saying,
" They were disputing with each
other, saying you are not an inya-
nga."

He who is beginning to be an in-
yanga asks, " Why do they say I
am not an inyanga? "

He replies, " They say you are
not an inyanga, but a mere mad
man ; and ask if they have hidden
things for you to discover, since
the others say you are an inya-
nga."

He says, "Tell me who they
are who say so.**

He replies, " So-and-so and So-
and-so were disputing.**

The man asks, "Do you say
they lie when they say so ? "

He replies, "Be quiet. Be-
cause they say so, I say you shall
be a greater inyanga than all
others, and all men in the world
shall be satisfied that you are a
great inyanga, and they shall
know you.*'

The man who is bqjinningfe**^^^^
be an inyanga says, " For my part J
I say they speak the truth when /
they say I am mad. Truly they /
have never hidden anything for /
me to find.*' ---^

Then the man who was an in-^

Digitized by

Google •"^-

DIVINEBS.

275

Dga, o yena o m etasisajo, a ti,
"Tula ke. Ngi za 'ku ku yisa
kona ekuseni U vele entabeni ;
u nga ba zumi ; u vele entabeni e
sesita, u haize ; u z' u ti ukuhaiza
kwako entabeni e sesit% ba kn
zwe. Ba ya 'kuti uma u haiza
k^ede, ba ng' ezwa; u pumele
entabeni e sobala ; u nga veli ka-
kiiln ; u vele k^ede, u haize, u
b* ezwise kodwa. Ba ti uma V e-
zwe ukuti u wena, u buye, u
tshone, u buyele entabeni e sesita.
Ngi ti ke, ba ya 'kubona, ba ya
'kuzwa, ukuti be be ku pete wena,
umuntu o inyanga, o tasisiweyo; ba
ya 'kwazi ngaloko a ba be pikisana
ngako, be ti, ii uAlanya, a u si yo
inyanga."

Mbala, w' enza ngaloko. Wa
haiza entabeni e sesita ; ka ba mu
zwa kakulu ; b' ezwa ku zinge ku
ti, Nkene, nkene, nkene, nkene,
nkene, nkena 'Ezwe omunye
umuntu, a ti, " TJ nga ti ku kona
umuntu o nga t' u ti u ya Alabelela.''
Ba ti abanye, " A si zwa ; tina si
zwa ku nkeneza nje."

A bone lowo o inyanga li fike
itongo kuye, li m tshele, li ti,

yanga, he who is initiating him,
says, " Just be quiet. I will take
you to them in the morning. And
do you appear on a hill ; do not
come upon them suddenly ; but
appear on a hill which is concealed,
and cry * Hai, hai, hai ; ' cry thus
on the hill which is concealed, that
they may hear. When you cry
' Hai, hai, hai,' if they do not hear,
then go on to a hill which is open ;
do not expose yourself much ; as
soon as you expose yourself, cry
' Hai, hai, hai,' so that they may
just hear. When they hear that
it is you, go down again from, the
hill, and return to the one which
is concealed. So I say they will
see and understand that they have
spoken of a man who is beginning
to be a doctor ; they shall know
by that> that when they said you
were a mad man and not an iny^r
nga they were mistaken." ^^

So he does so. He cries^ "Hai,
hai, hai," on a hill which is hid-
den ; they do not hear him dis-
tinctly ; they hear only a continual
sound of Nkene, nkene,, nkene^
nkene.^^ One of them says, " It
sounds as thou|^ there was some
one singing." Others say, "We
do not hear» We hear only an
echo."

The Ittmgo comes to him and
tells him that they cannot hear,

^} Nkme^ from vJctmkemza, to echo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

276

DiyiNERS.

" Amanga ; ka V ezwa ; a ku pu-
mele ingcozana entabeni e sobala,
u za 'ubuja u tshone kule 'ntaba e
sesita."

Mbala V esuka ngokutsho kwe-
tongo, wa pumela entabeni e soba-
la, wa haiza ; ba mu zwa bonke
ukuti UbanL " Konje, 'madoda,"
(lapa se be pikisana futi, kgede ba
mu zwe nkuti u yena,) "konje,
'madoda, u za ngayo lejo 'ndaba e
sa bI pikisana ngayo, si ti, u ii/^la-
nya na?"

Ba ti, " O, ni sa buza ni na ? U
za ngayo, uma nga nembala na
kiiluma tikuti, ka v* e inyanga,^ u
uAlanya,"

A ti umuntu omkula wakona,
lapa ekaya kulowo *muzi, lapa i ya
kona inyanga, e ti, " Nami ngi ya
tsho iikuti u iiAlanya. Ake joi
tate izinto, ni yoku zi tukusa, si
bone uma u ya *ku zi kipa na."

Ba zi tate izinto, ubuAlalu, ba
yoku bu tukusa ; abanye ba tuku-
se amageja; abanye ba tukuse
imikonto ; abanye ba tukuse ama-
songo ; abanye ba tukuse izinduku
zabo ; abanye ba tukuse imintsha
yabo ; abanye ba tukuse izipandAla
zabo ; abanye ba tukuse izimkamba
zabo; abanye ba tukuse izimbenge ;
ba ti,^" Ake si bone ke uma u za
'kufika, a zi kipe lezi 'zinto, a zi

and bids him go out a little on
the open hill, and then return
again to the hill whidi is hidden.

So he departs at the word of the
Itongo, and goes out to the open
hill, and cries "Haa, hai, hai;"
and they all hear that it is he.
They are again disputing about
him, and as soon as they hear that
it is he, ihey say, " Can it be, sirs,
that he comes about the matter we
were disputing about, saying, he is
madr

Others^ say, " O, why do you
ask f He comes on that account,
if indeed you said he was not aa
inyanga, but a madman."

The great man of the village to
which the inyanga is approaching,
says, " I too say he is mad. Just
take things and go and hide them,
that we may see if he can find ]
them." y^ '

They take things ; one takS^
beads, and goes and hides them ; \
others take picks, and go and hide I
them ; others hide assagais ; others /
bracelets ; others hide their sticks, /
others their kilts, others their/
ornaments, others their pots J
others hide baskets, and say, "Just
let us see if he will find all thes<

-^1

^^ That is, who were not present at the former discussion.

^^ Ka V* e ini/anga, L a, ka vi e inyanga, Isilala for ka si yo
inyanga ; and above, kuviu inyam^ga for a u si yo inyanga.

Digitized by

Qo(^^

DIVINERS.

277

k^^e na." Abanye ba tukuse
izikwebu zombila; abanye ba tu-
kuse izikwebu zamabele; abanye
ba tukuse izikwebu zemfe ; abanye
ba tukuse izikwebu zikajiba ; aba-
nye ba tnkuse amakamu opoko.

Ba ti abanye, " O, kona uma i
kipa, ka se i ya 'kuza i katale na )
Ini ukuba ni i tukusele izinto zi be
ziningi kangaka na ) "

Ba ti, " Yebo pela, si bone pela
ukuti inyanga."

Ba ti, " Ake ni ngamule ; izinto
ziningi e ni zi fiAlileyo/'

Ba buye ba buyele ekaya, ba
Alale. Li m tshele itongo entabeni
e ngaseyi ; loku kade li m tshela,
li ti, <' Yenza kaAle ; ba sa tukusa ;
u nga k^'al* \i vele. Ba funa ukuti,
lapa se u zi kipa izinto, ba funa
ukuti u be u zi bona. U tule, ba
tukuse, ba k^edele kona, V eza 'ku
ku dela ukuti u inyanga.'' Id tsho
ke idAlozi, li m tshele, li ti, '* Ba
tukusile manje, se be buyile, ba
sekaya. Ku &inele ke u ye ke
ekaya lalabo 'bantu aba tukusayo,
aba ti i uAlanya, ka si yo inya-
Bga."

Ya pumela ke entabeni e sobala,
ya ti i ya ekaya, ya se i gijima, i
landelwa abakubo abantu aba be i
funa, ngokuba i pume ebusuku ;

things or not." Others hide cobs
of maize ; others the ears of amar
bele, or sweet cane, or of ujiba, or
the heads of upoko.

Some say, <<0, if he find all
these things, will he not be tired ?
Why have you hidden so many I "

They say, " We hide so many
that we may see that he is really
an inyanga.''

They reply, "Stop now; you
have hidden very many things."

They tetum home, and wait.
Then the Itongo tells him on the
concealed hill ; for it had already
said to him, "Keep quiet; they
are now hiding things; do not
begin to appear. They wish to
say when you find the things that
you saw when they hid them. Be
quiet, that they may hide all the
things ; then they will be satisfied
that you are an inyanga." Now
the Itongo tells him, " They have
now hidden the things, and gone
home. It is proper for you now
to go to the home of the people
who say you are mad and not an
inyanga."

So he comes out on the open
mountain, and runs towards their
home, being pursued by his own
people who are seeking him, for he
went out during the night, and

Digitized by VjOOQIC

278

DIVINERS.

ka ba i zwa lapo i piiniile ekuscni,
uma ku luvivi, ku 'mpondo zau-
koiuo. Ya fika ekaya labo ; ba
fika nabakubo, yona inyanga a be
be i funa, se be i tolila Ya fika,
ya sina; ba i tshayela lapa se i
sina; kw' esaka naba kona aba i
tukuseleyo, ba tshaya nabo ; ya
sina, ba i tshayela kakulu.

Ya ba tshela, ya ti, " Konje ni
ti ni ngi tukusele na ? "

Ba pika, ba ti, *' Kqsi, ; a si kii
tukuselanga,"

Ya ti, " Ni ngi tukusele."
Ba pika, ba ti, '* Ainanga ; a si
ku tukuselanga."

Ya ti, " Ngi nge zi gibe na^ "

Ba ti, " Kga ; u nge zi gibe.
Si be si ku tukusele ini 1 "

Ya ti, " Ni ngi tukusele."

Ba pika, ba ti, a ba zi tukusa-
nga. Ya pika, ya ti, ba zi tuku-
sile.

Ba ti uma ba k^inise ngokupika

they tlid not hear when he went
out veiy early in the morning,
when it was still dark, when the
horns of the cattle were beginning
to be just visible. ^^ He reaches
their home, and his own people
who were looking for him, and
have now found him, come with
him. On his arrival he dances ;
and as he dances they strike hands
in unison ; and the people of the
place who have hidd^i things for
him to find, also start up and
strike hands ; he dances, and they
smite their hands earnestly.

He says to them, " Have you
then hid things for me to find 1 "

They deny, saying, "No; we
have not hidden things for you to
find"

He says, " You hava"

They deny, saying, " It is not
true ; we have not."

He says, "Am I not able to
find^stheml"

They say, " No ; you cannot.
Have we hidden then things for
you to find i "

He says, " You hava"

They deny, declaring that they
have not done so. But he asserts
that they hava

When they persist in their de-

^* Ku ^mpondo zavkomOy It is the horns of a bullock ; a saying to
escpress the earliest dawn, when the horns of the cattle are just be-
coming visibla

^^ lit, Take out, viz., from the place of concealment.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

279

kwabo, y* esuka, ya zinikina
Y* esuka, ya bu giba ubuAlalu ; ya
wa giba amageja ; ya i giba inii-
ntsha ; ya wa giba amasongo ; ya
zi giba izikwebu zombila ; ya zi
giba izikwebu zamabele ; ya zi
giba izikwebu zikajiba ; ya zi giba
izikwebu zemfe ; ya wa giba ama-
kamu opc^o ; ya zi giba zonke
izinto a be be zi tukusile. Ba i
bona ukuti inyanga enkulu, i zi
gibile zouke iziuto a be be zi tuku-
sile.

Ya buya ya buyela ekaya kgede
i zi gibe izinto zonke, i zi k^ede,
ku uga sail luto endAle lapo be
yokutukusa kona. I ti ukufika
ekaya, ukubuya kwayo la i be i
yokugiba kona emfuleni, i fike, se
i katele ; a i tshele amatongo uku-
ti, " Kona u katele nje, a u z* u-
kulala lapa ; si za 'uhamba nawe,
si goduke, si y' ekaya." Ku tsho
amatongo, e tshele inyanga i se i
katele ukukipa izinto.

Ba ti aba hamba nayo bakubo
konyanga, ba ti, " Yitsho ni pela
uma ka si yo inyanga na ] "

I ti yona, " Ngi zi gibile izinto
zonke e kade ni zi tukusa, ngi zi
kg^edile zonke ; a ku ko *luto olu
sele endAle ; izinto zonke zi lapa
ekaya. Ngi ze nje ngi yalelwe
kunina, ngokuba nina kumiua ni
ti kuniina a ngi si yo inyanga ; ni
ti, ngi uAlanya ; ni ti, abakwiti ba
ka ba ngi tukusela na." Ya ti,

nial, he starts up, shaking his head.
He goes and finds the beads ; he
finds the picks, and the kilts, and
the bracelets ; he finds the cobs of
maize, and the ears of the amabele
and lijiba and of upoko ; he finds
all the things they have hidden.
They see he is a great inyanga
when he has found all the things
they have concealed.

He goes home again as soon as
he has found all the things, and
not one thing remains outside
where they had hidden it. On his
return to their home from the
river whither he had gone to find
what was hidden, he is tired, and
the Amatongo say to him, *' Al-
though you are tired, you will not
sleep here ; we will go home with
you." This is what the Amatongt>
say to the inyanga when he is
tired with finding the things.

The inyanga's people who ac-
company him say, " Just tell us if
he is not an inyanga ? "

And he says, " I have found all
the things which you hid ; there
is nothing left outside ; all things
are here in the house. I was
commanded to come to you, for
you said I was not an inyanga, but
a madman, and asked if my people
had hidden things for me to find.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

280

DIVINERS.

^' Ake ni ngi tshele lezo 'ndaba,
uma ngi zl tshelwa ubani na) lezo
'zindaba e na ni zi kuluma nal
Ni ti kumiua, ngi uAlanya. Na
ni ti nina ni kuluma nje. Ni ti,
ka V ezwa ini na abapansi na?
Na ti ni kuluma, ba be ni zwa.
Nga lala pansi, kanti ba ngi tsbela
nje ukuma ni ti, ka ngi inyanga
yaluto, ngi into e uAlanya nje."

Ba i kunga. Kwa ba o vela

nobuAlalu, wa i nika ; kwa ba o

vela nembuzi, wa i nika ; kwa ba o

Tela nomkonto, wa i nika; kwa

ba o vela nesinda, wa i nika ; kwa

ba o vela nok<ni lobuAlalu, wa i

kunga ; wa ti umunumuzana wa i

nika inkomo ; zonke izikulu ezinye

za veza izimbuzi, za i kunga, ngo-

kuba i be i zile ekaya, i yalelwe

amatongo.

Uguaise.

Just say who told me the
things about whidi you wcxre
speaking. You said I was mad.
You thought you were just speak-
ing. Do you think the Amatongo^
do not hear ? As you were speak-
ing, they were listening. And
when I was asleep they told me
that I was a worthless inyang% a
mere thing."

Then the people make him pvs^^
sents. One comes with beads and
gives him ; another brings a goat ;
another an assagai ; another a
bracelet ; another brings an orna-
ment made of beads, and gives
him. The chief of the village-
gives him a bullock ; and all the
chief men give him goats, because
he had come to their village at the !
bidding of the Amatongo. '

TJie Doctor of Divination^ the laanudj Ibuda, or Umungoma.

I TOKA inyanga isanusi, ibuda, The doctor is called Isaiiu si,^

or Ibuda,*^ or Inyanga of divina-

^^ Abapa7i8if Subterraneans, that is, the Amatongo.

^'^ Isawusi, a diviner ; etymology of the word unknown.

^^ Ibttda, a diviner ; but for the most part an epithet of con-
tempt, and used pretty much in the same way and spirit as Ahab's
«ervant applied the term " mad fellow " to the young prophet that
anointed Jehu. (2 Kings ix. 11.) It is derived from uktUmda, to talk
recklessly, or not to the point ; also to dream £edsely.

It is interesting to note that in Abyssinia we meet with the word
jBouda, applied to a character more resembling the Abatakati or
Wizards of these parts. To the Bouda is attributed remarkable
power of doing evil ; he invariably selects for his victims " those pos-
sessed of youl£ and talent, beauty and wit, on whom to work his evil

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

281

inyanga yokubula, umungoma ;
ngokuba ba id uma be bula, ba ti,
" Si ya vuma, mngoma." Zi zodwa
izinyanga zokwelapa ; ngokuba

tion,^^ or Umungoma ;** for when
people are enquiring of a diviner,
they say, "True, Umungoma."
Doctors who treat disease are dif-

deeds." His powers are varied. " At one time he will enslave the
objects of his malice ; at another, he will subject them to nameless
torments ; and not unfrequently his vengeance will even compass their
death." The B(mda^ or an evil spirit called by the same name, and
acting with him, takes possession of others, giving rise to an attack
known under the name of " Bouda symptoms," which present the cha-
racteristics of intense hysteria, bordering on insanity. Together with
the B(yuda there is, of coiirse, the exorcist, who has unusual powers,
and, like thet vaywnga yokyhula or diviner among the Amazulu, points
out those who are BoudaSy that is, AbatakatL An exorcist will sud-
denly make his appearance " amongst a convivial party of Mends, and
pronounce the mystical word Bovdcu The imcouth appearance and
sepulchral voice of the exorcist everywhere produce the deepest sensa-
tion, and young and old, men and women, gladly part with some
article to get rid of his hated and feared presence. If, as sometimes
hi^pens, one or two less superstitious individuals object to these
wicked exactions, the exorcist has a right to compel every one present
to smell an abominable concoction of foul herbs and decayed bones,
which he carries in his pouch ; those who unflinchingly inhale the
oiiensive scent are declared innocent, and those who have no such
strong olfactory nerves are declared Bovdas^ and shunned as allies of
the Evil Ona" It was the custom formerly to execute hundreds of
suspected Boudas. (Wanderings cmuyng the FalcLshas in Abyssinia,
By Eev. Hmry A. St&m, p. 152—161.^

^^ Inyamga yokubula. — Inyanga is one possessed of some particu-
lar skill or knowledge, as that of a smith, or carpenter ; or of medicine :
— vnyamga yemitiy one skilled in medicine, a doctor of medicine ; it is
applied to especial departments — inyanga yezilonda, a sore-doctor;
inya/nga yamzimbarmuSiy an abscess-doctor, &c Inyamjga yokuhda is
a person skilled in divination. He is so called from the custom of
using branches of trees to smite the ground with during the consulta-
tion. \ These rods are called izHnUoy because they are used to smite
(bvla) the ground with ; hence ttkulmla comes to mean to canstUt a
diviner by means of rods, that is, by smiting the ground ; and to
divine or reveal what is asked. Xte Vffi!ltii"g of the ^ound appears
to have two objects : first, to be a means of expressing assent or othei-
wise on the part of those who are enquiring ; second, to excite them
and throw them off their guard. By these means the diviner knows
when he is following a right clue ; and is able to keep their attention
from himself It is also quite possible that it may also produce an
exalted or mesmeric condition of mind in the diviner. |

*^ Umu/ngoma, a diviner, but an epithet of respeftt. Etymology
unknown.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

282

DivnnsRS.

inyanga yokwektpa uma i nama-
ndhls, ekwelapeni; nezokubula zi
ya i nuka leyo 'nyanga e pata
imiti e sizayo. Zi ti 'zokiibala,
" Ni ya 'kuya kubani, umuntu e si
m bonayo woku s' aAlula leso
'sifo." Bala ke ba ye kona kuleyo
'nyanga yemiti e ntikwe ezokubiila.
A t' uma e gula i sona leso 'sifo
esi tshiwo izinyanga zokubula, a
sinde i leyo 'miti yaleyo 'nyanga e
zi i Qukileyo.

Ku ze ku ti uma i be i s' elapa
leyo *nyanga yemiti lowo 'muntu o
gulayo, ka ba nako ukupila, i ti
leyo 'nyanga yemiti, " Si ya ng' a-
Alula lesi 'sifo. Kona inyanga zi
ngi nukile nje, ake ni ye 'kuzwa
futi kwamanye amabuda; kona
umAlaumbe nga ba li kona ibuda
eli ya 'uza li ni tshele umuti e ngi
nga mu sindisa ngawo."

Bala ke ba vume, ba ti, " O, u
k^nisile. Ku fanele um' ake si
yokuzwa kwamanye amabuda ;
umAlaumbe li nga ze li be kona
eli ya 'ku u tsho umuti o nga m si-
ndisa Yigawo." Ba hambe ke ba
ye emabudeni, uma V ezwe a ya
'kulandelana na.

Uma be fikile kulo ibuda, be ya
'kubula kulo, ka ba tslio ukuti

ferent from those who divine ; ^^^
a man is a doctor of disease if he

is able to treat dis^ s^ ; a-yd di-
v infti^ p^int out the d octo r of
medicine who is successful. They
tell those who enquire of them to
go to a certain doctor whom they
know to have successfully treated,
the disease from which their Mend
is suffenng. And so they go to
the doctor of medicine that has
been pointed out by the diviners.
And if he has the disease which
the diviners say he has, he will be
cured by the medicines of the
doctor that they point out. ""^

But if the doctor of medicine
treats the sick man and he does
not get weU, he says, " This dis-
ease masters me. Since the di-
viners did nothing more than send
you to me, just go and hear what
other diviners say ; then perhaps
some diviner will tell you the
medicine with which I can cure
this man."

So they assent, saying, " O, you
say truly. It is proper for us to
go to hear what other diviners
may say ; perhaps we shall find
one who will tell us the medicine
with which you can cure him."
So they go to other diviners to
hear whether they will all give
the same advice.

When they come to the diviner,
they do not say to him, " We are

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

283

ebudeni, ukuti, " Si zokubula."
Ba ya fika nje, ba kuleke, ba ti,
" Ehe, mngan' I IndaV ezin/tle !"
Li V ezwe ke ibuda ukuti b* ezo-
kubula. Ba ^lale ke, naio li Alaie,
li ba bingelele, li ti, " Sa ni bona."
Ba ti, " Yebo, mngan*."

Li ti, '^ Hau, yeka ! Laba 'ba-
ntu ba iika endAlaleni; a si yo
nendAlala kwiti lapa, inkulu; si
lambile ; nokud^lana o be ku kona
se si ku k^ede izolo. A s' azi uma
umfino wokudAIa ni ya 'kutola pi''

Ba ti, ** O, 'mngane, si be si nge
ku tole noku ku tola; si lambe
kakulu : ku be ku nge vele uku-
dAla. Tina uma be si tola nezin-
kobe, si be si ya 'kuti si tolile. Si
be si nga sa funi nokudAla loko
oku kalelwa u wena, 'mngane;
tina se si funa nezinkobe nje ; si
y' ezwa wena ukuti u kalela uku-
dAla kwamanzL"

Li ti ke, '< O, ba funele ni, ni ba
pekele isijingi, ni ba pekele nom-
pakganga." Ba ba pekele ke aba-

Ku ti ku sa pekiwe ukudAla
kwabo, li be se li kcataza ugaai, se
li bema kona endAlini, li be se li

oome to enquire." They merely
go and salute him, saying, " Yes,
yes, dear sir ! Good news ! "^^
Thus the diviner understands that
they have come to enquire. So
they sit still, and the diviner sits,
and salutes them, saying, " Good
day." They reply, "Yes, yes,
dear sir."^ .

He says, «6, let be! These
people have come in a time of
deaiiih ; we have no food ready ;
we are hungry; and the beer
which we had, we finished yester-
day. We cannot tell where you
can get any food."

They reply, " O, sir, we can-
not get much food ; we are very
hungry : food cannot be obtain-
ed. For our parts, if we get
boiled maize, we shall say we have
got food. We were not wishing
for that food you are calling for,
sir ; we for our parts are wishing
for nothing but boiled maize ; we
understand that you are calling
for Ijeer."

jBEe says, "O, get them some
food ; cook them some porridge ;
cook for them very thick por-
ridge." So his wives cook for
them.

When their food has been cook-
ed, he pours some snuff into his
hand, and takes it there in the

*i That is, we ask you to tell us good news, with which we may
return home with gladdened hearts.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

284

DIYIKERS.

Aladmnky se li zamulay li be se li
puma li ya ngapandAle eaMahlem,
se li tuma umuntu e ya 'ku ba
biza. A ba bise umuntu, ba ha-
mbe ba ye kulona esiAlaMeniy ba
fike ke kulona ibuda.

li ti, « Yika ni iabulo." B' e-
Buke, ba zi ke izibulo, ba buye, ba
Alale pansL ,Li be se li kipa isi-
dAlelo salo, li be se li kcataza, li be-
me ; nabo ba kcataze kwezabo izi-
dAlelo, ba beme.

Ba id lapa be bemako, li be se li
id, « Tshaya ni" Ba ti, " Yizwa !"
Abanye ba ti, " Si ya yuma ! "

Id ti, " Ni ze ngesifo."

Ba li tshayele.

Li ti, " Si kumuntu.''

Ba tshaye.

Li ti, " TJmuntu omkulu." Li
ti, " Na ka na ya kwomunye um-
ngane wamL**

Ba tshaye kakulu.

Li ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe uma
lowo 'mngane wami e na ni ye ku-
yena ni yokubula, uma wa fika wa
ti ni na."

Ba tshaye.

Li ti, " Nanku umngane wami
a fika wa si tsho isifo kulowo 'mu-
ntu."

house; he shudders and yawns^
and then goes out of doon
to a clump of trees and sends a
man to call them. The man calls
them, and they go to the clump of
trees to the diviner.

He tells them to pluck rods lor
beating the ground. They go and
pluck the rods, and return and sit
down'. He takes out his snuffbox,
pours snuif into his hand and
takes it ; and they do the same.
'"'^ When they have taken snuif,
he tells them to smite the ground.
Some say, " Hear ! " Others say,
"True!"

He says, " You are come to en-
quire about sickness."

They smite the ground for him.

He says, ^' It is a human being
that is ilL"

They smite the ground.

He says, "It is a great man.
You have already been to another
friend of mine."

They smite the ground vehe-
mently.

He says, "Smite the ground,
that I may imderstand what that
Mend of mine to whom you went
seeking divination said to you."

They smite the ground. i

He says, " There is my friend** '
who told the disease by which he"
is affected." -^

*2 That is, he gazes into space with a kind of ecstatic stare, as
though he really saw or had a vision of the other diviner.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DITINERS.

Ba tshaye kakulu, ba ti, '' Si ya
vuma."

Li ti, ^' Lowo 'mngane wami u
kona umuntu owa m nukajo ;
injanga ; ka si yo inyanga yoku-
bula ; inyanga yamayeza.''

Ba tshaye lapo kakulu.

li ti, '' Ngi baze ui. Ni nga
ngi yeki"

Ba ti, ''A si namandAla oku ku
baza ; ngokuba u kuluma zona
izindaba. Ibuda li buzwa li nga
kulumi cona izinAlamvu zoku&u"

li ti ke, " Tshaya ni futi, ngi
zwe lowo 'mngane wami uma wa
ti a nga m siza e m pe 'yeza lini
nal"

Ba tshaye, ba ti, '' Si ti, 'ma-
ngoma, a ku s* a^lukanisele lapo
iyeza e lona li ya *ka m siza ; loku
u m bonile lowo 'muntu owa nu-
kwa umngane wako, si ya Icuzwa
ngawe neyeza eli ya 'ku m siza."

li ti, '<Ngi za 'ku ni tshela
Ba ya tsho abakwiti, ba ti, V eza
'ku ni tshela."

Ba ti, ^^ Si y' etokoza kona loku,
'mungoma, uma ba kcakcambe aba
kwini, ba Alangane kanye naba-

They smite the ground vehe-
mently, and say, " Bight."

He says, *^ There is someone to
whom that friend of mine sent
you ; he is a doctor, not a divining
doctor; he is a doctor of medi-
cine."

Upon that they smite the
groimd vehemently.

He says, " Do you questioa
me. Do not leave me."

They say, " We cannot questioB
you. For you speak the very
fiwts themselves. We put to
the question a man that talks at
random, and does not mention the
v^ry nature of the disease."

Then he says, " Smite the
ground again, that I may under-
stand what medicine my friend
told him to give to cure him."

They smite the ground, and say
to him, " Diviner, tell us at once
the medicine that will cure him ;
for since you have seen the man
to whom your friend directed us,
we shall hear from you the medi-
cine too that will cure him."

He says, " I am about to teS"*^
you. Our people** say, they will ■
tell you." ^i

They say, ** We are glad, j
diviner, that your people are
white,** and unite with our peo-

** Oi4/r people, that is, the Amatongo or ancestral spirits belonging
to our house or tribe. Afl below, the enquirers speak of their people^
that is, the ancestral spirits belonging to their house or tribe.

** White, — clearly seen by you, and so giving a clear revelation.

>. Digitized by VjOOQ IC

286

DIVINERS.

kwiti, ku lunga Ngokuba tina
ka si sa tsho ukuti u ya 'kusinda.
Ngokuba inyanga eya nukwa um-
ugane wako, s' etemba ezioAlizi-
y weni zeta, sa jabula, sa ti, " Loku
ku tsho ibuda, li si tshela inyanga
yoku m siza, u se ya 'kusizeka, a
pile.' Sa ya kuleyo 'nyanga e
tshiwo umngane wako; sa bona
nanku uku&i ku'dAIule, ku bhekise
pambili ; sa k^ala ukumangala,
ukuti, *Yeka!' Loku si be se
s' etemba, si mi 'sibindi, si ti,
* MAlaumbe u ya 'kupila, loku se
ku tsho ibuda, li tsho njalo.' " Ba
ti, " Se si wa tsho nje lawo 'mazwi,
ngokuba kukejala e kulunywe u
we ; wa u bona uma sa ka sa ya
kwelinye ibuda. Uma lawo 'ma-
zwi u be u nga wa tshongo ukuti,
sa ka sa ya kwelinye ibuda, si be
si nga yi 'ku wa kuluma ; se si wa
kuluma ngokuba nawe u se u wa
bonila"

li ti, '' Tshaya ni, ngi ni tshele
umuti o ya 'ku m siza, a pile."

Ba tshaye lapo, be tshaya ka-
kulu.

li ti, " Lowo o ya 'ku m
siza, ngi ya 'ku ni tshela mi-

pie, that the case may turn out
welL For we have no more hope
that he will recover. For as re-
gards the doctor whom your Mend
pointed out, we trusted in our
hearts, saying, * Since the diviner
has told us the doctor that can
cure him, he will now be cured,
and get well' We went to the
doctor whom your Mend men-
tioned ; but lo, we saw the disease
passing onward, tending to get
worse and worse, and began to
wonder, saying, *Let be!' For
we were tmstful and of good
courage, saying, * Perhaps he will
get well, for the diviner says
so.'" They go on, "We have
just said these words, because you
said them first ; you saw that we
had already been to another di-
viner. If you had not said we
had already gone to another di-
viner, we should not have said
them ; we say them because you
already said them." * ^

He says, "Smite the ground,
that 1 may tell you the medicine \
that will cure him." \

They then smite the ground
vehemently.

He says, "For my part I
tell you that the medicine that
will cure him is inyamazane.^

^^ Inyamaza/ne, Large animals, which are supposed to have been
used by some one to produce the disease from which he is suifering.
These are the IrMuade, the Harte-beest That this has been used
with other medicines as a poison is known by bloody mictmition and

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINEIIS. 287

na, inyamazane. U nomsizi." | The man has umsizi,"^^

other symptoms. The InclhlovUy Elephant, which is known to have
been used by excessive borborygmas. The laa/mhane^ or Ant-bear, by
pain in the hip-joint, as though the femur were dislocated ; possibly,
sciatica. When a man is suffering from such symptoms it is said, U
nenya/mazariey He has a disease occasioned by a wUd animal ; or the
disease may be distinguished, — U nenhhizeley U nendhlovuy U nesa-
mbaney He has harte-beest, that is, the disease occasioned by it ; He
has elephant ; He has ant-bear, — ^that is, the diseases occasioned by
them. To cure these diseases the natives act on the homoeopathic
principle, and administer the wild beast that is supposed to have occa-
sioned the disease, with other medicines.

^^ He has UmsissL — Umsizi is a disease occurring among the
Amalala, and said not to be known to the Amazulu or Amakrosa.
It is supposed to arise from the administration of medicine, in this
way. A man is suspicious of his wife's fidelity. He goes to a doctor
of celebrity, — ^an urasizi-doctor, — and obtains of him medicine, which
he takes himself without his wife's knowledge, and by cohabiting with
her once conveys to her the seed of disease. And if any one is guilty
of illicit intercourse with her after this, he will have umsizi ; the wife
all the time remaining quite free from disease. The symptoms of um-
sizi are intense darkening of the skin, and conti'action of the tendons
with excessive pain ; severe pain in a finger or a toe, from which it
shifts to different parts of the body, especially the joints.

Umsizi is also the medicine used for treating the disease. It con-
sists of various substances, — ^plants, their roots, bark, and seeds ; ani-
mals, their fiesh, skin, tendons, entrails, bones, and excrements ; and
stones.

These substances are partially charred, not reduced to ashes, so as
to destroy their virtue, but sufficiently to admit of their being pow-
dered.

The medicine is used for the most part endermically by nibbing
it into scarifications. It is also mixed with other medicines to make
an izemhe,

Umsizi ozwakala^o, Umsizi which is felt. — This term is applied to
the medicine used to make a man sensitive to the existence of that state
in the woman which can produce the disease called umsizi. It is also
applied to that condition of body which renders him' thus sensitive.
Umsizi ozayakalayo is a kind of umsizi, which the doctor supplies to a
person to be used as a trial medicine. It is rubbed into scarifications
made on the back of the left hand. K his wife or another woman
whom he approaches is in that state which is capable of conveying to
him the disease called umsizi, when he places his hand on her thigh,
the hand is at once affected by spasmodic contraction of the fingers.
And he abstains from her until she has undergone a course of treat-
ment.

Or it is rubbed in on either side of the Tendo Achillis ; and the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

288

DIVINERS.

Ba tshaye lapo, ba ti, '' Si ya
'kuzwa ngawe, 'mungoma. Tina
ka si s' azi ; se si koAliwe nje ; se
si 'ziula ; a ku se ko uku^lakanipa
kutina. Na lawo *mazwi o wa
tshoyo, u ti u ya 'kn si tshela iyeza
eli ya 'ku m sindisa, ezinMziy weoi
zetu ka si sa tsho ukuti na lelo
'yeza o za 'ku li tsho ukuba li ya
'ku m pilisa. Tina se si ti vkuSa,
se ku ya Ini m tumba. Ka si s' e-
mi nesibindi, ngokuba ukufa ku
lapo nje ; ka s' azi, ngokuba se ku
m tshayisa itwabi

Li ti, " Tshaya ni ke ; tshaya
ni ke kona lapo etwabini, ngi ni
tshele."

Ba tshaye.

Li ti, " Itwabi, ka ku 'nto loka
Ngi ya 'ku ni nika umuti wetwa-
bi, li ya 'kupela."

Ba ti, " Si ya tokoza, 'mungoma,
ngaleyo 'ndawo o i tshoyo. I kuba
si ng* azi kodwa. Zonke izinyanga
zi hleze zi tsho njalo ; a dAlule
umuntu, a fe. Nina 'zinyanga a
ni sa si misi 'sibindi. Zi ^leze zi
tsho njalo zonke. Se si za si to-
koze lapa si bona umuntu e se

They then nmite the ground,
and say, " We will hear from you,
diviner. For our parts we know
nothing ; now we can do nothing ;
now we are fools; there is no
longer any wisdom in us.*^**And
as for the words you say, pro-
mising to tell us the medicine
which will cure him, in our hearts
we no longer say that even the
medicine you mention will cute
him. We now say that death will
carry him away captivie. We
have no more courage, for the dis-
ease is there; we do not under-
stand, for he is now affected with
hiccup."

He says, "Smite the ground
then ; smite the ground then at
that point of hiccup, that I may
tell you."

They smite.

He says, "The hiccup is no-
thing. I will give him medicine
for hiccup, and it will cease." "^

They say, " We are glad, di-
viner, for what you say. But we
do not know. It is customary for
all doctors to say so ; and yet the
man gets worse, and dies.^ Vou
doctors no longer inspire us with \
couraga It is customary for them ;
all to speak thus. ^And we now '
rejoice when we see a man already-/

man touches her with his foot or toe. K she can affect him with um-
sizi, the leg at once is affected with spasm.

It is from the dread of this disease that a man will not marry a
widow until she has been subjected to medical treatment to remove all
possibility of her communicating it.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVIKERS.

289

pilile ; s^ and' ukuba si tsho ukuti,

* Inyanga,' uma si bona iimuntu e
sinda. Uma ukufa ku bhekise
pambili nje, a si vi si tsho nkuti i
bulile. Si ti, ' I dukile. I laAle-
kile.' Uma e pilile urn unto, si ti,

* I bulile ; ' si i babaze kakulu, si
ti, ' I ya bula.' Kanti ke si tsho
ke ngokuba umuntu e sindile/'

Li ti, *^ Tshaya ni, ngi ni tshe-
le."

Ba tshaye.

Li ti, "Itwabi lelo a li 'luto.
Ba y B.Y abakwiti, ba ti, * Itwabi
ize.' Ba ti, ba za 'u ni tshela
umuti o ya 'ku m pilisa. Ba ya
m pikisa umngane wami e na ya
'kubula kuye ; ba ti, ka bonanga e
u nuka umuti woku m siza ; wa
nuka iuyanga nje yokwelapa ; ka
tshongo ukuti u ya 'kusizwa umuti
wokuti"

Ba tshaye lapo.

Li ti, " Tshaya ni kakulu.**

Ba tshaye.

Li ti, '' Ka bonanga e tsho
ukuti u ya 'kusizwa umuti wokuti.
Ngi za 'ku ni tshela ke umuti wo-
ku m siza, a pile ; ni buye ezinye-

in health ; and then we say, * He
is a diviner,' when we see the man
getting well If the disease in-
creases, we do not say the in-
yanga has divined. We say,

* He has wandered. He is lostV.
If a man has got well, we say,

* The diviner has divined ;' and we
praise him much, saying, * He is
one who divines.' Forsooth we
say so because the man has got
well"

^ He says, "Smite the ground,
that I may tell you."

They smite the ground.

He says, "The hiccup is no-
thing. Our people say it is not
dangerous ; they say, the hiccup is
nothing. They say they will
tell you a medicine that will cure
him. They find fault with my
friend to whom you went seeking
divination ; they say, he did not
see what medicine would cure
him; he merely pointed out a
doctor to treat him, and did not
mention the medicine which would
cure him."

Then they smite the ground.

He says, "Smite the ground
vehemently."

They do so.

He says, " He never named the
medicine which would cure him.
So I am going to tell you the
medicine which will restore him
to health ; and you leave off the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

290

DIVINERS.

mbezini e be se id naaso, ni ti, u se
file."

Ba ti, " Mungoma, si ya Ttuzwa
ngawe ; si bula nje ; si nezinye-
mbezi ; izinyembezi zi kutina ; si
lapa nje, ka s' azi emuva — uma
ngaleli 4anga lanamuAla si ya 'ku
m fiimana e se kona nje na."

li ti, " Tshaya ni. Ni ya 'ku
m fuinana e kona." li ti, " Tsha-
ya ni, ngi ni tshele umuntu ow e-
lapayo, o ya *ku m siza, o ya 'ku-
fika a m sindise ngalona lelo 'langa
o ya 'kiifika ngalo."

Ba tehaye.

Li ti, ^* Ngi ti, yiya ni enyange-
ni etile, yasekutini. I ya 'ku ni
pa iyeza lomsizi. I fike i m pe
ikambi, i m puzise lona, a li puze.
y and' ukuba i mu gcabe, i m

tears you have been shedding,*^
thinking he was already dead."

They reply, " Diviner, we will
hear what you say; we merely
beat the ground ;^^ we weep ;
tears ai-e our portion ;** whilst we
are here, we do not know what
will happen — ^whether during this
day's sun we shall find him still
living."

He says, "Smite the ground.
You will find him still alive.
Smite the ground, that I may tell
you of a man who treats disease,
who will do him good, who will
come to him, and cure him on the
very day he comes."

They smite the ground.

He says, " I say, go to such and
such a doctor, of such and such a
place. He will give you umsizi-
medicine. And he will himself
come and give him an expressed
juice^^ to drink, and he will drink
it. After that he will scarify
him,^^ and give him medicine.**

^" Lit., Come back from the tears you have been shedding.

^ That is. We are enquirers only. We know nothing.

^^ Lit., We have tears ; tears are with us.

^^ Ikambi is the name given to a large class of medicines, the ex-
pressed juices of which are used. The green plant is bruised, and a
little water added, and then squeezed. The juice may be squeezed
into the mouth, or eyes, ears, &c

^^ Medicines are rubbed into the scarifications.

*2 Ukundndisa is a peculiar way of administering a medicina
The medicine is powdered, and placed in a pot or sherd over the fire ;
when it is hot the dregs of beer are squeezed into it, or the contents
of a stomach of a goat or bullock, or whey is sprinkled on it. It
froths up on the addition of the fluid, and the patient dips his fingers
into the hot mixture, and conveys it to his mouth rapidly and eats it ;
and at the same time applies it to those parts of the body which are
in paiu. Medicine thus prepared is called izembe.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

291

noindise. XJ ya 'kiisinda ngalelo
'langa i ze nekambi. Ngi za 'ku
ni nika wona awetwabi, ni ze ni
m puzise wona, u m bambezele ku
ze ku fike yona leyo 'nyanga e ngi
ni tshela yona. I ya 'ku m sizo.''

Li ba pe ke umuti wetwabi
woku m bambezela.

Ba goduke ke, ba ye kona ekaya
lalo ibuda, ba ye 'kudAla ukudAla
a ba ku pekelweyo. Ba fike ke,
ba ngene endAlini, ba nikwe ke
ukudAla ; ba d/de, ba dAle ke, V e-
sute, ku pele ukulamba loko a be
be lambe ngako. Ba buze, ba ti,
" Ku Mwile 1" Ba ti abanye, « O,
se ku Alwile.'' Li ti ibuda e kade
li ba bulele, " O, lala ni, ni ze ni
hambe kusasa."

B' ale, ba ti, " O, atsbi, 'mungo-
ma; ku £Etnele uma si hambe;
loku naku u si nikile umuti; si
tanda uma si fike kona ebusuku,
noma si fika ku sa ; a ku yi 'kuba
'kcala ; s' enze uma a fike a puze
umutL''

Li vume ke ibuda> li ti, " O,
bala, ni k^nisila Kodwa uma ni
fike nalo leli 'yeza larai, na leyo
'nyanga uma i kude nje, yo za i
fike li ya 'ku m bambezela lona.

He will get well on the day the
doctor comes with the expressed
juice. I will give you hiccup-
medicine ; and do you give it
him; it will keep him alive^^
until the doctor whom I have
mentioned to you comes. He will
cure him."

So he gives them hiccup-medi-
cine to keep him aliva t -e

Then they go back to the di-
viner's house to eat the food which
has been cooked for them. They
enter the house, and the people
give them food ; they eat and are
satisfied, and their hunger ceases.
They enquire if it is dark. Some
say that it is now dark. The
diviner who has just divined for
them says, " O, sleep here, and go
in the morning."

They refuse, saying, " O, on no
account, diviner ; we must go ; for,
see, you have given us medicine ;
we wish that the man should drink
this medicine whether we reach
home in the night, or whether we
reach home in the morning; it
will not matter ; we wish him to
take this medicine."

So the diviner agrees, sayings
"Surely, you are right. But if
you reach him with this medicine
of mine, and the doctor is ever so
far away, until he comes it will
keep him alive. Further, as to

^^ Ukyhc^Aezela means to bring the disease to a stand (ukumi8a),
that it may k^t increase till the doctor can come with powerful reme*
dies, Me^dues given with this object are called tzibmnbezdo.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

292

DITINEBS.

Uoganti ngalo, Doma Dgi fike nalo,
nmuntu e se vuswa paiisi, e nga
zivukeliy ngi nga m puzisa lona, u
ya 'kavuka^ noma e be e nga sa
vuki"

Ba hambe ke kona ebosiikuy ba
fike, ba fike lapo kn saya Ba
famanise abantn be butanele kona
ku jena endAlini lap' e golela kona.
Ba fike ba a kame lowo 'mnti a ba
fika nawo iretwabi, ba n kunele
esitsheniy e sa kwelwe i lona njalo
itwabL Ba m pozise. Wa puza,
wa ti uma a u poze, la m tshaya
fati itwabl ; wa Alakanipa. B' e-
sab' abaniu endAlini, ba U, << Mba-
la, ka se yalela njena na f "

Ba bhekana endAliniy ba buza
kulaba aba fikayo nawo umuti, ba
ti laba, ** Au, lo *uiunia wa Alaka-
nipa ! U njani lo 'muti wenyanga
naf

Ba id, '' Oy inyanga, si fika nawo
nje lo 'muti ; li si nike wona ibu-
da, la ti, i kona n ya 'ku m ba-
mbezela kn ze ku fike inyanga yo-
kwelapa. li te, ka sa yi 'kufii si
nga ze si fike nawo lo 'muti, kwo
za ku fike inyanga eli i tshiloya"

tbis medicine, even if I come to a
man so ill as to be raised by
others, be being unable to raise
himself, and make him drink this
medicine, he will raise himself,
even though before he oould not
do so."

They set out at once by night,
and reach their home in the morn-
ing. They find the people assem-
bled in the sick man's hut. They
squeeze out for him the hiccup-
medicine, they have brought, into
a cup, he being still affected with
hiccup. They make him drink it.
When he has drunk it, he is seized
with hiccup again, and he becomes
sensible.** The people in the hut
are alarmed, and say, " Truly, is
he not now just about to die! "**

Those in the house look at each
other, and enquire of those who
have brought the medicine, saying,
<< O, how the man has lighted up !
What kind of medidno is that of
the doctor's f

They say, " O, as to the doctor,
we merely bring the medicine;
the diviner gave it to us, and said
it would keep him alive till the
doctor came to treat the disease.
He said he would not die if we
reached home with this medicine,
until the doctor came whom he
named."

^ Wa hlakanipa. He becomes sensible, sharp. Applied to what
is sometimes called by us <' lighting up before death."

^* UkuycUda is to manifest iSie signs which precede immediate
dissolution. The man is sometimes conscious of his approadiing end,
and calls his wives and childreu arouud.him, and says &rewdL

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

293

Wa Alakauipa kudwa, ka z' a &.
B' emi 'cdbindi njengokutsho kwa-
lo ibuda. Ba lala kanye ; kwa ti
kusasa ba ti, *' O, ehe, ibuda li
nuke injanga jokwelapa jaseku-
idm. li te a nomsizi ; leyo 'nya-
Dga i 7a 'kufika nekambi lokuma
a li puze; kV and* ukuba i m
neindise, i m gcahe, Se si 7a ha-
mba nje si ye kuleyo 'nyanga."

B' eiokoza, ba ti, ^Si f eto-
koza; kuAle ukuba ni bambe.
Bala, i loku ni m puzise nmuti
wetwabi ka banga nalo namMa
nje ngalobu ubusuku. Se si ya
bona ukuti ni be ni ye ebudeni eli
kulumayo, eli kw aziyo ukufa, ni
iike nawo lo 'mutL Se si mi 'si-
bindi Se si bona ame^lo ake e
Alakanipila"

Ba hambe ke, ba ye kuleyo
'nyanga e nukwe i leli 'buda. Ba
nga be be sa ya kweyakukgala,
ngokuba nayo ya i landa, ya ti,
^'Mina ng' aAlulekile; ini uma
ibuda li nga tsho umuti e ngi ya
'ku m sindisa ngawo na I "

Bayaba fika ke kuleyo 'nya-
nga. Ba fike, ba kuleke, ba ti,
« E, 'mngan'." Ba ngene endAlini,
ba ba bingelele, ba ti, *' Sa ni bo-

But he lights up only, and does
not die. They take courage from
\7hat the diviner said. They stay
one night, and on the following
morning say, " O, yes, the diviner
pointed out a doctor of such a
place to come and treat him. He
said he has umsizi, and that the
doctor will bring medicine for
him to drink ; then he will give
another medicine, and scarify him.
So now we will go to that doctor."

They rejoice and say, " We are
glad; it is well for you to go.
Truly, since you gave him the

hiccup-medidne he has not had t.l^Q

hiccup all night. We now see ^
that you went to a diviner who
speaks^^ truth, and knows the dis-
ease ; you have brought the right
medicina We now have confi-
dence. We now see that his
are bright."

So they go to the doctor which
the diviner has pointed out They
do not go any more to the first
doctor, for he told them he could
not do any thing for the sick man,
and asked why the diviner had
not mentioned the medicine with
which he might cure the patient.

They I'each the doctor's. When
they reach him, they make obei-
sance, saying, " Eh, dear sir.'*
They go into the house ; they
salute them, saying, " Qood day,"

^^ liti A diviner who speaks, that is, does iu>t rave and talk
nonsensa

Digitized by VjOOQIC

294

DIVINERS.

na." Ba vume, ba ti, "Yebo,
'jnakosL" Ba ti, " Ni vela pi na V

Ba ti, " Si vela kwiti"
" Ni hambela pi nat "
'^ Si hambele kona lapa.''
" Ini e iii i babele lapa na t ''

Ba ti, " O, 'makosi, si ze enya-
ngeni yokwelapa. Si ya gulelwa.'^

Ba ti, " I kona ini po kwiti lapa
na inyauga yokwelapa na ? "

Ba ti, '' O, 'makosi, ni nga si
tshela lapa i kona inyanga yokwe-
lapa ; si ye kuyona."

Ba Aleka endAlini

Ba ti, " O, 'makosi, musa ni
nku si Aleka. Si ya Alupeka."

Ba ti, " Ni Alutshwa ini nal"

Ba ti, "O, si Alutshwa isifo.
Si ya gulelwa."

Ba buze, ba ti, " Ni ze lapa nje,
ni zwe ku tiwa inyanga. i kona ini
lapa nat"

Bati, "Ebe; si zwile nkuti i
kona."

Ba ti, " Na i zwa ngobani na? "

Ba ti, '^ Au, 'makosi, si nge ze
sa fiAla nokufiAla. Ngokuba si ze
lapa nje, sa si ye ebudeni, le 'n-
dAlela si i tshengiswe, nokuba i
kona lapa inyanga. Sa si ng* azi ;
ngokuba sa si ye kwelinye ibuda ;

and they return the salutation,
saying, " Yes, sirs." They say,
" Whence do you come 1 "

They say, " From our home."

" Where are you going!"

" We have come to this place. "*^

" What business have you
here?"

They say, " O, sirs, we are come
to the doctor. One of our people
is ill."

They say, " Is there then any
doctor here 1 "

They reply, " O, sirs, you can
tell us where the doctor is; we
have come to him."

Those in the house laugh.

The others say, " O, sirs, do not
laugh at us. We are in trouble."

They say, "What ti-oubles
you?"

They say, " O, we are troubled
by disease. One of our people is
ilL"

They ask, " As you have come
here, have you heard that there is
a doctor here 1 "

They say, " Yes ; we have heard
that there is one here."

They say, " Who told you f "

They reply, " O, sirs, we cannot
make a great secret of it. For we
have come here because we went
to a diviner, and he showed us the
path, and told us there was a doctor
here. We did not know it ; for we
had gone to another diviner, and

^^ Viz., We are going no further.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIYIKBRS.

295

la fika la nuka enye inyanga) la ti,
i yona i ya 'ku m siza ; sa ya ku-
leyo 'nyanga, ya b* i s* elapa, y* a-
Aluleka. Ya za ya ti leyo *nyanga,
* Ng* aAlulekile ; lelo 'buda e na ni
biila kulona V ona nkuma li nga
ni tsheli umnti owona ngi ya Icii
m siza ngawo.' " Ba fci, " Sa i
vumela leyo 'nyanga yokwelapa ;
sa 3ra ke kwelinye ibuda. La fika
la si nukela, la ti, inyanga e nga m
sizayo i kwini lapa. Ni si bona,
si fika nje, 'makosL''

Ba ti, " O, aba ; u kona, tina,
lapa umuntu owelapayo."

Ba ti, '^ Si tsbenise ni ke nma n
mu pi na 1 "

Ba ti, " Nanku."

Wa ti, " Ehe, i mina. Yitsho
ni, ngi zwe into eyona ni ze ngayo
knmina lapa.''

Ba ti, '^ Ai, 'nkosi ; si ze ngaso
isifo. Ngokuba si letwe ibuda
lapa kuwe."

I ti inyanga, " Lona lelo 'bnda,
ni ti uma ni li buzayo, la ti, ngi
ya 'ku m siza ngamuti muni na ? "

Ba ti, " Si li buzile ; la ti, u ya
'ku m siza ngomuti ; ikambi umiiti
o ya 'ku m siza ngawo. La ti, u
.nomsizi ; u ya 'ku m siza ngekambi
lo 'msizi."

Ya ti, " Ni ze nanto ni na] "

he pointed out another doctov
who, he said, would cure the sick
man ; we went to that doctor, and
he treated him, but could do no-
thing. At length he told us he
could do nothing, and that the
diviner of whom we had enquired
erred, because he did not name
the medicine with which he could
cure the patient. So we agreed
with that doctor, and went to an-
other diviner. Ou our arrival, he
told us that there was a doctor
here who could cure the sick man.
And now you see us, sirs; we
have come."

They say, " O, yes, yes ; there
is a man here who treats disease."

They say, "Tell us where he
is."

They say, " There he is."

And he says, " Yes, yes, it is L
Tell me why you have come here
to me."

They say, "We come, sir, on
account of sickness. For the di-
viner sent us here to you."

The doctor says, " Did the di-
viner, when you asked him, tell
you with what medicine I could
cure him 1 "

They say, " We asked him, and

he told us the medicine with which

you could cure him. He said he

had umsizl, and that you could

cure him with umsizi-medicine."

He says, " What have you
brought for me r'58

^ The doctor demands first rigxha, that is, the stick which he

Digitized by VjOOQIC

296

DIVINERS.

Ba ti, '^ I^osi, ka si ze naliito.
Uma u m sizile, u ya Icnziketela
ekaya izinkomo o zi tandaja"

Ta Hy " Ni zoka ngi kipa ngani
dcaya lapa ti&V*

Ba tiy " Nkosiy si zokn ku kipa.
Into yoku ku kipa i sekaya — im-
buzL"

Ya ti, " Ni be ni ng* eza *kn
ngi tata ngembuzi na, lo 'muntu
o ngi ya 'ku m siza njalo na) "

Ba idy '' 0» 'mngane, u nga zika-
tazi ngokukuliuna ; nenkomo i se-
kaya yoku ku tata. Si tsho, kona
ibuda li tsbilo nje, si ti tina ku za
"wa m siza, ngokuba u ya gula ka-
kulu."

Ya ti, " Mina ngi ya *ku m siza,
loku ku tsho ibuda, la ti, woza ni
kumina.'' I buze kubona, i ti,
" I te leyo 'nyanga, ngi ya 'ku m
siza ngamuti muni na ) "

Ba ti, " O, 'mngane, i te, u ya
'ku ni siza ngekambi ; kw' and' u-
kuba u m ndndise, u m gcabe.

They say, "Sir, we have not
bi*ought any thing. When you
have cured him,- you shall pick out
for yourself the 'cattle you like at
our home."

He says, " What will you give
me to cause me to quit my huti "

They say, "Sir, we will give
you something to cause you to
quit the hut; it is at home — a
goat"

He says, "Is it possible that
you come to take me away with a
goat, to go to a man whom I am
going to cure 1 '*

They say, " O, dear sir, do not
trouble yourself with talking ;
there is also a bullock at home to
take you away. We say that as
we have only the <iiviuer's word,
you will never cure him ; for he is
very ilL"

He says, " I shall cure him, be-
cause the diviner told you to come
to me." And asks, " What medi-
cine did the diviner say I could
cure him with 1 "

They reply, "O, dear sir, he
said you would cure him by giving
him an expressed juice ; and then
you would give him another medi-
cine, and scarify him. And that

uses to dig up medicines. This he does by asking, " Ni zoku ngi kipa
ngani ekaya lapa na? " With what are you going to take me out of
my house ? viz., that I may go and dig up medicine. The tigxha is
generally a goat, or perhaps a calf He then demands an iimkonto or
assagai, saying, " Imiti i za 'kutukululwa ngani 1 " With what can the
medicines be undone 1 They give him an assagai, which remains his
property. If the man gets well, he is given one or more cattle. If
he is paid liberally, the ugnha and umkonto are given to the boy that
carries his medicines, or helps him to dig them up.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIYIKERS.

297

I ie, u ya Irapila ngalona lelo 'la^
nga o fika ngalo, ukutsho kwebu-
da."

Ta ti leyo 'njranga, '' Hamba ni
ke, ni goduke ; ngi ya 'kuza ngom-
Al' omunye."

B' ala, ba ti, '< Hau, mngane, a
si hambe nawe ; u nga sail"

Ya za ya vuma, ya ti, " Ai ke,
se ngi za 'ubamba nani"

Ya bamba ke nabo, se i li pete
ikambi nemiti yoku m ncindisa
neyaka m gcaba. Ba ya ba fika
nayo ekaya. Ya fika, ya m puzisa,
wa u puza ; ya m ncindisa, ya m
geaba. Ya funa imbuzi, ya i Ala-
ba, ya m ndndisa ngayo. Ya
funa inkomo futi, ya m ncindisa
ngayo.

Ba m bona ukuti, i za 'ku m a-
Akila. Wa Alakanipa, wa i dAla
inyama yembuzi neyenkomo. Ba
bnza, ba ti, *' Ku njani lapa ku-
buAlungu kona na ) "

Wa ti, <' O, tula ni, madoda ;
ngi sa lalelisile. Ngi ya 'kuzwa

he would get well on the very day
you go to him. That is what the
diviner said."

He says, *^ Go home then, and I
will come the day after to-mor-
row."

They object, saying, "O, dear
sir, go with us ; do not stay be-
hind,"

And at length he iEussents, say-
ing, " Well, then, I will go with
you."

So he goes with them, taking
with him {^ants to express their
juice for him, and other medi-
cines, and medicines to rub into
the scarifications. At lengih they
reach their home with the doc-
tor. On his arrival he makes
the man drink the expressed juice,
and then gives him other medicine
and scarifies him. He asks for a
goat, and kills it, and makes medi-
cine with it, and gives it to him«
He asks also for a bullock, and
makes medicine with it, and gives
him.

The people see that he will cure
him.^® He becomes strong, and
eats the flesh of the goat and the
bullock. They ask, ^* How is the
pain now?"

He replies, ** O, be silmit^ sirs ;
I am still earnestly loc^dng out for
it. I shall feel whether it is still

^^ lit. Overcome him, that is, the disease from which he is suf-
fering, — overcome the sick man by getting rid of his sickness.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

298

DIVIKERS.

ngomuso, kwand' ukuba ngi ni
tshele. Ubutongo tiiia ngi bii
lalile. Ngi ya 'kutsho ngomuso,
madoda, uknti inyaoga lo 'muntu/'

Bala, kwa hlwsL, ka sa fika leso
'sifo. Wa lala ubutongo. Kwa
sa kusa£ia ba buza, ba ti, '^Ku
njani na I "

Wa ti, " O, madoda, se ngi ya
'kupila."

Ta tsho ke inyanga, ^' Se ngi m
pilisile. Yeza ni inkomo zami.
Ngi ya hamba kusasa ; ngi ya
tanda ukuma ngi zi bone, ku se
ngi zi k^be. Ngi ti, ka ngi lale
ngi zi bonile."

Ba ti, "O, yebo, mngane; u
k^inisile. Se si ya m bona umu-
ntu wako, uknti u inkubele."

Ba m bonisa ke izinkomo zake ;
ba tsdiaya inkomazana i pete ito-
kazi, ba tsbaya umtantikazi — ^za
ba ntatu.

Ba ti, " Yitsho ke, nyanga ; si
ti, nanzi inkomo zako/'

Ya ti, " Ngi ya bonga ; ngi ya
-zibonga.lezi *nkomo. Ng* esule
ni ame/Jo ke kodwa.''

there to-morrow, and then tell you.
I have indeed had some sleep. I
will tell you to-morrow, sirs,
whether that man is a doctor or
not."

Indeed, night comes, and th^re
is no return of the pain. He
sleeps. In the morning they ask
him how he is.

He says, ** O, sirs, I shall now
get well"

The doctor then says, " I have
now cured him. Show me my
cattle. I am going in the morn-
ing ; I wish to see them, and in
the morning drive them home. I
say, let me see them before I lie
down."

They say, **0, yes, dear sir;
you are right. We now see that
your patient is nearly welL"

So they shew him his cattle;
they pomt out a young cow with
a heifer by her side, and a calf of
a year old — ^three altogether.

They say, " Say what you think,
doctor; we say, there are your
cattle."

He says, " I thank you for the
cattle. But give me something to
wipe my eyes with."^

60 « Qive me something to wipe my eyes with." Lit., Wipe my
eyes for me. A proverbial saying, meaning that he is not wholly
satisfied ; that his eyes are not yet quite free from dust, so that he is
unable to see clearly the cattle they have given him. The natives
have another saying when purchasing cattle. When they have agreed
about the price, the purchaser says, " Yeza ni amasondo," Bring out
the hoofis. Yery much like, " Give me a luck-penny." The person
who has sold will then give a small basket of com.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

Ba m nika ke iinbim. Ya i
Alaba imbiizi, ya twala inyongo^
Ya ti, " Se ngi ni shiya nemiti,
ukuze ni m potule. Se ngi kqe-
dile mina, ku pela."

^^^So-thoy give him n goat, — B^
kills the goat, and pl^M^" ^^^ fp*^^-

b ladder in hi« hfl ,ir. TTa says, " I
shall leave medicines with you,
that you may wash him with
them. I have now entirely finished
for my part."

T?ie Diviner mistaken.

Ku tiwa ukutasa kweuyanga i
k^ala ngokagula ; ku tiwa u guli-
swa amadAlozi ; i b' i s' i Alatshi-
swa izimbuzi ; emva kwaloko i
twale izinyongo eziningi. Isibo-
nakalo sokuba umuntu u inyanga
uma e nezinyongo eziningi. I be
se i tasa.

Ukutasa kwayo i hamba i /da-
nya i y* esizibeni, i kcwile pansi, i
funa izinyoka ; i zi tole, i zi ba-
mbe, i pume nazo, i zingwambe
ngazo zi s' ezwa, ukuba abantu ba
bone ukuba inyanga mpela. Emva
kwaloko ba k^e uku i linga nge-
zinto eziningi, ukuba ba bone uku-
ba u ya 'kuba inyanga e bula kaAle
ini na, Ba be se be fika, inyanga
i be se i b' ezwa se be i tshela uku-
ba b* eze kuyo; i be se i ti,
" Tshaya ni, ngi zwe ukuba ni ze

It is said a man begins to be a
diviner by being ill ; it is said he
is made ill by the^matongcr; and
he has many goats killed for him ;
and when they have been killed
he carries the gall-bladders in his
hair. It is a sign that a man isl
becoming a diviner if he wears I
many gall-bladders. After that^
he begins to be a diviner.

On his initiation, he goes like
one mad to a pool, and dives into
it, seeking for snakes; having
found them, he seizes them and
comes out of the water with them,
and entwines them still living
about his body, that the people
may see that he is indeed a
diviner. ^^ After that they begin
to try him in many ways, to see
whether he will become a trust-
worthy diviner. They then go to
him, and the diviner hears them
say they have come to divine ; and
he tells them to smite the ground,
that he may understand why

®^ See the account of Ukanzi at the end of this article.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

300

DIVnffEBS.

ngani na ) ** — Ba be se be tshaya,
be ti, " Yizwa."— I be se i ti, " Ni
ae DgokntL" — ^Be se be tshaja. —
I ti| ^' Ni ze ngokuti ngokuti ; '' i
be se i ba tshela ukwenza kwaleyo
'nto a V eze ngajo ; se i ba tshela
imigidi e vela ngalowo 'muntu a
V eze ngaye. Ba be se be i nika
umTuzo uma be bona ukuba i bule
Bgezinto a ba zi zwayo, ba be se be
miika ; se be fika ekaya, se b' enza
imigidi a ba i zwileyo ngenyanga.
MAlaumbe ku be se kw enzeka
Dgawo amazwi enyanga ; mAla-
umbe ku ng' enzeki ; ba bone iiku-
ba a kw enzekile ngamazwi aleyo
'nyanga, ba be se be ya kwenye ;
mAlabmbe kw enzeke ngamazwi
aleyo 'nyanga. I loko ke e ngi ku
zwayo.

Kwa ti emgmigundAloTu kwa
laAleka inkomo kajoje, umlungu
wami. Sa i fiina, ka sa ze sai
bona. Sa se si ti kujoje, ka si
nike uAlamvu, si ye 'kubula, ngo-
kuba sa se si Alupekile ukufuna, si
ng' azi Ia]jo si za 'kufunela nga-
kona. Wa se si nika uAlamyu, se
si hamba si ya enyangeni ey ake
Bgasembubu. Sa se si fika, sa i
fumana i hlezi esibayeni ; sa se si

they have come. And thej smite
the ground and cry, "Hear." —
And he th^i says, "You have
come for such and such a matter."
— ^And then they smite the ground.
— ^He then says, " You have come
for so and so ; " and he proceeds to
tell them what has taken place as
regards that about which they
have come; and he tells them
what the man about whom they
have come has done. They then
rewaitl him if they see that he has
divined about matters whidi they
understand ; and depart ; and whesk
they reach home they do as the
diviner tells them. Perhaps it
turns out in accordance with
what the diviner has said; per-
haps it does not so turn out ; when
tiiey see that it has not turned out
in accordance with his word, they
go to another diviner; and perhaps
what he says comes to pass. Thai
is what I have heard.

Once at Fietermaritzburg a
heifer bdonging to Mr. G., my
white masteiv was lost. We looked
for it, but could not find it. We
then asked Mr. G. to give us
a shilling, that we might enquire
of a diviner, for we were now troa-
Ued witii looking for it, and did
not know where to look for it any
further. He gave us a shilling,
and we went to a diviner who
lives near the Zwartkop. On our
arrival we found him sitting in the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

■\

DIYIKEftS.

301

kuleka, sa ti, <'E, mngane;" sa
AlalapansL

Ba si bingelela, sa yuma.

Ba ti abakonyanga, '^Ni vela
pinal"

Sati, '^Si vela emgungundAlo-
Tu, si babele lapa enyangenf

Ba ti, <<Ni babele ni lapa naT'

Sa idy '' Si ze ogendaba zetu, ku
la^ekile izinkomo/' Sa se si kcela
ugoai ; se be si sbiyela, se si bema.
Emva kwaloko se i ti, " Ptima ni,
si ye lapaja DgapaodAle kwomuzL"

Se i puma, se si landela ngase-
mvat Se i lika, se i ti, '' Tshaya
ni, ngi zwe, bangane bami, \ikuba
ngi zwe tikuba ni ze nganL"

Sa tshaya, si tshaya ngezandAla,
sa ti, " Yizwa."

Yati, "NiyaAlup^a."

Sati, "Yizwa."

Ya ti, '^ Ake ngi zwe ukuba in-
k<»no ni na 1 '^

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " InkomokazL''
Sa tshaya.

Yati,"Ai; inkabL"
Sa tshaya.

cattle-pen^ and we saluted, saying,
'' Eh, dear sir," and sat down.

They saluted us, and we replied.

The diviner's people asked us
whence we came.

We told them we came fix>m
Fietermaritzburg, and had come to
enquire of the diviner.

They said, "Why have you
come here I "

We told them we had come on
our own account^ some catUe^
having been lost We then asked
for snuff, and they gave us some
and we took it ; and after that the
diviner said, "Let us go yonder
outside the village."

. He went out, and we followed
him. He said to us, " Strike the
ground, that I may understand^
my friends, what is the reason that
you have come to meJ*

We smote our hands together,
and said, " Hear."

He said, " You are in trouble.**

We said, " Hear."

He said, " Let me just under-
stand what kind of a bullock it
isl"

We smote our hands together.

He said, " It is a cow."
. We smote our handa

He said, " No ; it is an ox."

We smote our hands.

^^ They say " some cattle," although it was but one that was
missing, that they may not give the diviner too much knowledge.
They leave him to discover the deception ; and if he does not, but
pro<>Beds to speak as though many cattle were lost, they know he does
not understand divination.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

302

BIYIXBRS.

Ya ti, " Ai ; a si yo inkabi."

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ni ya /ilupeka, bafana.''

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, "Kodwa inkomo kade
ya la/Jeka."

Kodwa ya tsho ik^iuiso lapo.

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ake ngi zwe ukuba
y* ebiwa abantu ini na.''

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ai, a i biwanga abantu ;
kodwa i kona."

Sa tshaya^

Yati, "Inya"

Kodwa ya tsho ikginiso futi
lapo.

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ake ngi zwe ukuba i
'mbar u njani na 1 "

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " IncokazL"

Kodwa ya i kgagela lapo, a i
tshoQgo ik^niso lapo.

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ai ; isitole ; a si ka ze-
kwa."

Sa tshaya.

Kodwa lapo ya tsho ik(^imso
futL

Ya ti, "Ke ngi iwe ukuba
mbala le 'nkomo i se kona nje na."

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " Ai, a i ko le 'nkomo."

He said, " No ; it is not an ox."

We smote our hands.

He said, " You are in trouble,
lads."

We smote our hands.

He said, ** But the cow was lost
a long time ago."

And there he spoke truly.

We smote our hands.

He said, '^ Just let me under-
stand if it was stolen by any one."

We smote our hands.

He said, *< No, it was not stolea
by men ; but it is trtill living."

We smote our hands.

He said, " It is one that is lost."

And there too he spoke the
truth.

We smote with our hands.

He said, " Let me just under-
stand of what colour it is."

We smote with our hands.

He said, '^ It is a red and white
cow."

But there he made a guess, and
did not speak truly.

We smote our hands.

He said, " No ; it is a heif<^ ; it
is not yet in calf."

We smote our hands.

And there too he spoke truly.

He said, " Let me understand if
the heifer is still living or not."

We smote our hands.

He said, "No, the heifer is
dead."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

303

Satsbajra.

Ya ti, " Ai, i kona."
Ta ti, ''Ake ngi zwe ukuba i
pi na."
Sa tshaya.
Ya ti, " I se^lanzenL''

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, '< Ake ngi zwe ukuba i
Dgapi kwe^lanze na.''

Sa tsbaya.

Ya ti, " I senzansi nomsundu-
ze.

Sa tsbaya.

Ya ti, " Ake ngi zwe ukuba i
sa bamba nje na."

Sa tsbaya.

Ya ti, ' *' I sa bamba, i dAla um-
tolo nomunga. Hamba ni, ni ye
'kufunela kona ; ni ya 'ku i tola
lapo."

Sa ti si zwa ukuba i si tsbelile
indawo, loku kade si nga y azi in-
dawo e si nga funela kuyo.

Sa i nika uAlamvu. Sa bamba,
sa ya emgungundAlovu. Sa fika
kujoje, sa m tshela amazwi enya-
nga, si ti, '' I te i senAlanzeni, a
si yofunela kona enzansi nomsu-
nduze.''

Wa ti, a si bambe si yokufuna
lapo ku tsbo inyanga. Sa bamba
sa ya 'kufiina, u* eusa umsunduze.

We smote our bands.

He said, " No, it is still living."

He said, " Let me just under-
stand wbere it Lb."

We smote our bands.

He said, '' It is in tbe mimosa
thorn-country. "

We smote our bands.

He said, " Just let me under-
stand in what part of tbe thorn-
country it is."

We smote our bands.

He said, " It has gone down the
Umsunduze."

We smote our hands.

He said, "Just let me under-
stand if it is still living."

We smote our hands.

He said, " It is still living, and
eating umtolo and umunga.^ Oo
and look for it there, and you will
find it."

We thought we understood that
be bad now told us the place, for
for some time we had not known
where to go to look for it.

Then we gave him the shilling,
and returned to Pietermaritzburg.
When we came to Mr. G. we
told him that the diviner said
it was in the thorn-country, and
that we were to go and look for it
down the Umsunduze.

He told us to go and look for it
in the place mentioned by the di-
viner. We went to look for it,
going down tbe Umsunduze. As

^^ Umtolo and vmunga^ mimosa trees.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

304

DIVINERS.

8i hambe si funa, si k^nde e^la-
nzeni lapo i tsho kona. Sa ya sa
fika ngakutomas, sa funa ngalapo ;
sa i swela, ngokuba lAlanze la li
likulu. Sa hamba si buza imizi
yonke e seAlanzenL Ba ti, a ba
y ad ; abanye be ti, a si ye 'ku-
fiinela kutomas, umlungu o dAla
iadnkomo ezilaAlekileyo zabantu.
Kodwa tina s' esaba ukuya lapo
kutomas, ngokuba ku 'mlunga o
nolaka^ e ti a nga bona abantu a
nga V aziyo be hamba ezweni lake
a be se ba tshaya. Sa se si buya
si nga yanga kutomas, sa ya ekaya
emgongundAlovu ; sa fika sa ti
kujoje, a si i bonanga ; si i swele
ngalapo ku tsho inyanga. Wa se
ti, '< A se ui Alala.'' Sa se si Ala-
la ; sokuba ku pela ke.

USETEMBA DhLADHLA.

we went along we looked forit,
going towards the thom-conntry
which he had pointed out. At
length we got as &r as T.'s,
and sought for it in that neigh-
bourhood; we could not find it,
for the thorns were very thick.
As we went we enquired at all-the
native villages in the thorn-coun-
try. The people said they knew
nothing about it ; and others told
us to go to T., the white man
who ate up the cattle of the people
that were lost^ But we were
ajfraid to go to him, for he is a
passionate white man who beats
any coloured men whom he does
not know if he see them passing
through his land. So we went
back to Pietermaritzburg without
going to T. I and told Mr. G.
that we had not found the hei-
fer at the place pointed out by
the diviner. So he told us to give
up the search. We did so, and
that was the end of it.

^ That is, if any cattle strayed into his land he took possession
<^ them.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DmNBiis.

SOS

TOe Account of Ukanzi,

The following narrative gives an interesting and striking instance of
the power a bold man may possess even over venomous snakes. The
snakes caught by the diviners and hung in festoons about their bodies,
are probably charmed in some such manner as here related of UkanzL
It is quite possible that both possessed medicines which are either
offensive or pleasing to snakes, by which they caused them to be afraid
or gentla But it is not necessary to suppose that Ukanzi used any
such medicines ; the mere daring and yet cautious coolness with which
he approached the snake is quite sufficient to explain why it became
so cowed before him« But how are we to explain his insusceptibility
to the snake poison I Why did the poisoned fSsings broken off and re-
maining in his lips produce no symptoms 1 It is likely that he was
naturally insusceptible to the influence of such animal poisons, just as
others possess a natural intense susceptibility to it, so that the sting of
a bee has in them been followed by fatal consequences. This is much
more likely, than that he possessed any powerful remedies by the use
of which he rendered the snake poison innocuous. The son inherited
the same insusceptibility. Of course all statements as to the inva-
riable efficacy of some particular remedy possessed by savages, must
be received with great caution ; and if subjected to rigid enquiry would
probably prove not to be founded in well-observed fisicts.

Indaba kakanzi kanjoko yobu-
nyanga bake ngesiAlungu.

XJmuntu o mangalisayo kakulu
ngobunyanga baka A ku ko
'muntu ezweni lakiti o njengaye
ngokun^'oba isiAlungu sezinyoka;
yena u ng* umuntu o tembekayo
kanyekanye ngesiAlunga

Ku ti uma umuntu e d/tliwe
inyoka enjani nenjani, ka tsho

The account of Ukanzi, the son of
Unjoko, and of his knowledge of
snake-poison.

He is a man who causes us to
wonder much at his knowledge.
There is no one in our country
like him who can render inert
the poison of snakes ; he is a
man trusted to the uttermost in
cases of snake-bites.

If any one is bitten by any
kind of snake, he does not say he

Digitized by VjOOQIC

306

DIVINER*.

vikuti, '' IsiAlnngu saleyo 'nyoka a
ngi naso." K^ ; ka pela yena u
ya tokoza ngazo zonke izinyoka ;
ka viiijelwa 'luto kuzo. Uma ku
tiwa u dAliwe inyoka enkulu etile
umuntUy a tate isiAlungu soku y a-
Alula.

Futifuti u zinge WJukanisa isi-
Alungu senyama yenyoka nesiAlu-
ngu sezibilini, si hambe sodwa, si
nga Alangani nesomzimba.

Isibonakaliso sake sokuba u
inyanga ukuba izinyoka e zi ba-
mba kuye zi njengezimpuku nje.
Nga ka nga m bona ngameAlo
ami, a ngi zwanga 'ndaba. Wa
bamba inyoka enkulu/ umd/Jam-
bila, imamba yesiwa, si zingela
izinyamazane. Sa fika pansi kwe-
siwa, si ink^na, kanti imamba i
pezulu emtini y ota ilanga. Sa i
bona i gcwele emtini, empofii um-
bala wayo ; i 'meAlo a 'zinjonjo ; i
bheka umuntu kw esabeke.

Sa m biza, sa ti, " Nansi inya-
mazane yako ! " W eza e gijima,
wa fika wa ti, "I pil" Sa ko-
mba, wa i bona. Wa beka izikali
pansi, wa kwela emtini, wa ya
kuyo. Nga ti ngenAliziyo, " Ngi

does not possess the remedy^^ for
that kind of snake-poison. No ;
for his part he is only gladdened
by all kinds of snakes ; nothing
prevents his curing the bite of
any of them. If a man is said
to have been bitten by some dead-
ly snake, he at once selects the
proper remedy.

And he continually separates
the remedy for the poison which
is in the body, and that which is
in the viscera^ and keeps them dis-
tinct

A proof that he is a doctor is
that the snakes which he catches
are to him no more than mice.
I once saw this with my own eyes,
and did not merely hear it by re-
port He caught a great snake
called Umdhlambila, the rock
imamba, when we were hunting.
When we, the hunting party, came
under a precipice, there was a
snake in a tree basking in the sun.
We saw it occupying the whole
tree ; it was of a grey colour ; its
eyes were piercing ; it was fearful
when it looked at any one.

We called him, saying, ** Here
is your game T' He came running
and asking where it was. We
pointed it out, and he saw it. He
laid his weapons on the ground, and
climbed the tree and went to it. I
said in my heart, <' I shall now see.

^^ Note that isMungu is used both for the snake-poison and its
remedy.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVIXER&.

307

za 'uke ngi bone. Loku ka pete
'uduku, ukuba ugongolo olungaka
u za 'u Iw enza njani na 1 A lu
z' 'u mu dhh. ini ? " Wa faka isa-

For since he has not taken a stick,
what will he do to this snake
which is as large as a post?^
WiU it not devour him ? "«7 He

^ Lit., To so great a post, or trunk, as this.
*^ The following account is taken from the St. Jameses Magazine :
" In the course of a country ramble, some Europeans fell in with
a company of Eisowys bound for Tangier. A halt was called under a
spreading fig-tree, at the foot of which ran a delightful little stream.
The snake-basket was emptied out on the ground, and the performance
was carried on much in the way just described. While the operator
was washing his wounds, and spitting out blood enough to discoloiur
the stream, someone si^gested that it was all a sham, and that the
snakes had not poison enough among them to kill a sparrow. On this
being interpreted to the proprietor, who was by this time up to his
knees in the water, trying to wash away the traces of his last experi-
ment, he very considerately offered to jSace his basket at the disposal
of any one who might be inclined to take his first lesson in snake-
charming. There was a pause ; for it was suddenly remembered that
a luckless Portuguese had once tried the experiment, and had to suffer
the loss of one of his arms by amputation, as a memorial of his teme-
rity. Meanwhile the snakes were indulging themselves in a merry
wriggle on the grass, and nobody was sufficiently devoted to the inte-
rests of science to disturb their sports. There the matter would have
ended, but for a happy thought. * Fetch a fowl,' cried one of the
Europeans, and away scampered a native servant to buy one. By way
of improving the time a lean-flanked Eisowy, who had hitherto con-
templated what was going on with a sulky air, roused himself up and
declared his readiness to eat a snake for a suitable consideration. The
offer was sensational, and the required amount was subscribed, on con-
dition that he should eat a snake to be chosen by the Europeans.
Bang went the tambourine louder than ever, and up jumped the
Eisowy, incumbered with nothing heavier than his skin and drawers,
and looking hungry enough to eat the snakes, basket and all. Long
and anxious was the consultation of the Europeans, as to which was
the nastiest and most venomous of the snakes. The Leffa, which had
bitten the man so badly, was to be reserved for an experiment on the
fowl ; so the choice fell on a speckly monster of most alarming vitality.
No sooner was the selection proclaimed, than the operator seized him
by the tail, which he instantly thrust into his mouth with the mani-
fest intention of making a heai*ty meaL Before it was possible to rush
forward and stop the disgusting exhibition, the Eisowy had shown
himself so much in earnest about his work, that he had drawn in
several inches of the reptile, chewing away violently at the unsavoury
morsel There waa no standing such a loathsome sight, so one of his
companions was hastily bribed to snatch the writhing serpent from his
hands. It was impossible to make him comprehend that the exhi-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

308 DIVINERS.

DdAla emlonyeni, wa si Alan^lata ; I put his Iiand in his moatli and

: genUj bit it all over ; he took it

bition was not agreeabla He evidently thought that there was some
mistake about the snake, and to show that he was equal to the emer-
gencjy he most obligingly proposed that another selection should be
made, and, on this being declined, he undertook, for a further con-
sideration, to find a wild one, and eat him on the spot. Somewhat
chagrined at the signs of disapprobation with which his suggestion was
received, and thinking that he was in duty bound to do something for
his money, he produced an iron skewer, and thrust it through his
cheek, making it appear on the other side of his &kca This was an
evident relief to his feelings, for he drew out the skewer, wiped it on
the grass, and squatted on his haunches with the air of a public bene-
£au^r. The truth is, that the habits of these men are so temperate,
and they have so little spare flesh on their bones, that th^e is nothing
for inflammation to fitsten on. It is likely enough that if the spec-
tators had not had enough of this sensational kind of exhibition, an-
other ^mished-looking Eisowy would have made good his promise to
eat a handful of nails or broken glass, at;the option of the company.
The capacity of these men for eating seems to be limited by none of
the laws which r^ulate the appetites of ordinary mortals."*

The same power is also foimd among the Chinese : —
" Behind a counter is seen an itinerant doctor, dilating on the
virtues of an antidote against the bite of serpents ; one of his coad-
jutors is actually putting the head of the cobra capella, or hooded
snake, into his mouth, while a less intrepid, but equally useful assist-
ant, is exchanging the miraculous drug for cash or tseeri. The great
impostor himself, moimted on a stool, his head protected by a conical
hat of split bamboo, a vestment of thick, coarse, compact cloth
enclosing his arms, and a similar covering being secured around his
waist by a silken girdle, holds a serpent in one hand, and the antidote
to its venomous bite in the other ;

* Thus is he doubly arm'd with death and life :
The bane and antidote are both before him.'
So perfect is the education of this mischievous reptile, that it essays
to bite its owner, and submits to disappointment with the appearance
of reluctance. Having proved that this particular enemy of mankind
still retains its propensity to injury in the most entire manner, and
requires to be guarded against with caution, the doctor takes a medi-
cated ball from one of the packets with which the counter is strewn,
and, when the snake renews its attempts, presents the ball to it, upon
which it instantly recoils, and endeavours to escape from his grasp.
Should this demonstration be insufficient, the efficacy of the charm is
still more convincingly established by merely rubbing the forehead,
cheek, hand, or any other unprotected part with the antidote, and
presenting it to the reptile, which appears to retreat with the same
dislike and precipitation as when the entire ball was shown to it."
f China, in a Series of Views, dhc. By Thomas AUom, Esq,, and the
Bev, G. N. Wright, M.A. Vol IL, p. UJ

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

309

wa si kipa, wa s' elulela kuyo;
y etuka, y emis' ikanda, ya tsho-
ba i fuua ukubaleka. Kepa isa-
ndhla, sake sa ba loku si i landela
ujalo emtini, i buye. Ngi ti, i za
'ugalela enAloko, a tambe, i ng* e-
nzi 'luto ; a buye a pakamise isa-
ndAla ; ya za ya tamba, ya beka
inAloko esandAleni, i nga i beki
Dgakulwa, i se i beka ngokuzetula
kanyekanye esandAleni sake, se i
zilaAla uknba 'enze a ku tandayo.
Wa i bamba inAloko, wa i faka
emlonyeni, wa i Alofoza ngamazi-
nyo ; amazinyo ayo 'apokela em-
lonyeni wake; wa wa kumula
lapa e se i bulele, a kwa ba 'ndaba
zaluto ; kwa nga ti u kiimiila anie-
va nje ; ka dAla 'muti ukuze ku
pele isiAlungu ; kwa ukupela.

Sa mangala si pausi, sa ti,
** Ukanzi umtakati." Wa i donsa,
wa zisonga ngayo, w' eAla nayo.
Wa funa utshani, wa i bopa ngabo,
wa goduka nayo, e ti, " Se ngi i
bulele mina inyamazane ; se ngi
ya 'ku i lungisa ekaya." Nerabala,
wa i twala, wa hamba nayo.

Nendodana yake TJgidinga i

out and extended it towards the
snake; it started and raised its
bead, and turned in every direc-
tion, wishing to escape. But his
hand followed it constantly wher-
ever it went on the tree. When
I thought it would strike him on
his head, he withdrew himself and
it did nothing ; and then raised his
hand again ; at length it became
gentle, and laid its head in his
hand, not placing it there in a hos-
tile manner, but laying its head
with all gentleness in his hand,
and letting him do what he liked
with it. He seized its head, and
put it in his mouth, and chewed
it ; the snake's teeth broke in his
mouth ; he picked out the teeth
when he had killed the snake, and
nothing happened ; it was as if he
picked out thorns merely ; he took
no medicine to counteract the poi-
son; he merely picked out the
teeth.

We who were standing on the
ground wondered, and said TTkanzi
was a sorcerer. He drew the
snake towards himself, and twisted
it round his body, and came down
with it. He got some grass and
tied the snake up in it, and went
home with it, saying, "For my
part I have now killed my game ;
I shall prepare it at home." So
he carried it away.

I And his son Ugidinga resembles

Digitized by VjOOQIC

310

DIYIKERS.

njalo nayo, i ujengoyise ngokiibo-
mba iziuyoka. Se ya ftinda ku-
yisa

Wa fika nayo ekaya, wa y ebu-
la, wa y aAlukanisa isikumba nen-
yama, wa i kcwiya; wa y osa
ukuze i nga boli, y ome ; a i peke
nemiti yesiAlungu. loAliziyo i
hambe yodwa ; lunzimba u hambe
wodwa; u nezIAluDgu zibili — si
sodwa sen/iliziyo, si sodwa somzi-
mba.

Ku ti uma umunta e dAliwe
inyoka e hamba nokanzi, a m pe
imputshana a i kote ngolimi, a ti,
" Ku pela ke. Se ngi ku sizile/*
Lo 'muntu a hambe 'esaba, e nga
kolwa ukuba u siziwe, ngokuba e
nga boni umuti omningi nokwe-
lapa okuningL A ze a bone e
k^eda izwe nje be hamba ku nge
ko 'ndaba, ku nga bi ko nokuvu-
vuka, ku nga ti ka lunywanga,
w' enz* amanga nje. Ku njalo ke
ukwenza kwake.

Kepa lobo 'bunyanga bake a
b' aziwa ukuba w' enza njani
ukwa/Jula izinyoka kanje. Kodwa
kwa tiwa wa zelapa kukgala nge-
miti emikulu ; ngokuba noma in-
yoka i ngena emgodini u i bamba

his £sither in his power of catching
snakes, he having learnt of his
^ther.

When he reached home with
the snake, he skinned it, and sepa-
rated the skin and the flesh, and
selected different portions of the
body ; he roasted it that it might
not decay, but dry ; he boiled it
with other snake-poison remedies.
The heart was set aside by itself;
and the body by itself; and he had
thus two remedies — ^that obtained
from the heart, and that from the
body.

If a man walking with Ukanzi
were bitten by a snake, he would
give him a little powder to lick
with his tongue, and say, '' That is
alL I have now cured you." The
man would go on in fear, not be-
lieving that he was cured, for he
had not seen much medicine, or
much treatment. But at length
he saw when they had gone a
great distance and nothing hap-
pened, and there was no swelling,
and it was as if his being bitten at
all was a mistake. Such, then,
was how he acted.

But as to his knowledge, no one
knew by what means he cured all
kinds of snake-bites in this man-
ner. But it was said he first
treated himself with powerful
medicines ; for even if a snake ran
into a hole he would catch it by

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

311

ngomsila, i penduke, i m lume ; i
be i lungile kuje, a i bambe ugen-
h\6kOy a i bulale ngoku i &ka em-
lonyeni, a nga zelapi nakanye nga-
loko 'kulunywa, ku be u dAliwe
impuku nje.

the tail, and it would tiim round
and bite him ; it was no matter to
him, but he would catch it hy the
head and kill it by placing it in
his mouth, and adopted no treat-
ment whatever for the bite any
more than if he had been bitten
by a mouse.

Constdtin^ the Diviiier.

TJma umuntu e gula, ba ye knso
isanusi, ba ye 'kubula. Si ti, " U
nokufe." Um/tlaumbe si ti, "U
bulawa umuntu o 'mtakatL" Aba-
ntu ba ya goduka, se be m azi
umuntu o takatayo.

Kodwa abanye ba pike, ba ti,
" K^ ! Inyanga 1 namanga ; ka
takatL" Kodwa abanye ba ti, " I
k^inisile." A z' a ku zwe ukuti
inyanga i m nukile. A tukutele,
'emuke kuleyo 'ndawo, a ye 'ku-
konza kwabanye abantu. Kodwa
abantu ba ya kolwa kuzo izindaba
zesanusi. Kodwa abanye a ba
kolwa.

TJma ku gula umuntu, ba ya
'kubula esanusinL Si ti, ^' Umu-
ntu u bulawa idAlozi. Ma ba dAle
inkomo; umuntu u ya 'kusinda
uma ba i dAle inkomo." Ba i dAle
inkomo. Ba bonge amatongo, ba
i Alabe.

Ba ti 86 be i dAlile ba i k^ede

If a man is ill, the people go iolT
diviner, to enquire of him. He
says the man is suffering from dis-
ease. Or perhaps he says, he is
injured by some one who is a sor-
cerer. They go home, now know-
ing the man who practises sorcery.
But others dispute, saying,
" No ! The diviner lies ; that man
is not a sorcerer." Others say, he
speaks the truth. At length the
man hears that the diviner has
pointed him out as a sorcerer.
He is angry, and leaves the place,
and goes to be a dependent among
other people. But the people
believe in what the diviner says.
But others do not believe.

If a man is ill, they go to en-
quire of t3ie diviner. H6 says,
"The man is made ill by the
Tdhlozi. Let them eat an ox ; the
man will get well if they eat an
ox." They eat an ox. They
worship the Amatongo, and kill it.

When they have eaten all the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

312

DIVIKBRS.

inyama jayo, nmuntu a nga sindi,
a gule njaloy a ze a fe, ba ti abanye,
** Inyanga i k^mV amanga.'' A-
banye ba ti, '' XT bizwe amatoiigo ;
inyanga a i namandAla okwaAlula
amatongo."

A ti, e se file, ba ye 'kubula
enyangenL I ti inyanga kubona,
*' XT bizwe amadAlozi ; a ya tanda
uma a fe, a ye 'knAlala nawo/'
Noko abantu a ba yeki nkubnla
enyangenL Ngesinye isikati ba ti
inyanga i kginisile ; ngesinye isi-
kati ba ti i namanga. Ngokuba
ku ti uma ku gula umuntu ba ye
'kubula enyangeni ; i ti inyanga,
uma ba Alabe inkomo umuntu u
ya 'kusinda. Ba i Alabe inkomo,
a sinde umuntu ; ba se be kolwa
izwi lenyanga; kanti umuntu u
be za 'kusinda kade. Kodwa bona
abantu ba kolwe ukuti, u sindiswe
amatongo.

Uma umimtu e gula, a bizelwe
izinyanga ; zi m elape, a ti e se si-
ndile, izinyanga zi bize izinkomo,
ei ti, ka koke, ngokuba zi m sindi-
sile ; a koke ; ku ti e se kokile, a
gule futi, a ye kuyona inyanga a i
kokeleyo ; i m elape, i nga kw a-
Aluli uku& ; i ti, y sAlulekile. A
ti umuntu o gulayo, " A i buye
inkomo yaml, ngi ye kwezinye

flesh and the man does not get
well, but is constantly ill until he
dies, some say, " The diviner lies."
Others say, "He was called by
the Amatongo; a divine cannot
conquer the Amatongo."

When he is dead, they go to en-
quire of the diviner. He says, " He
has been called by the Amatongo ;
they wish him to die, and go and
liv0 with them." And yet people
do not cease to enquire of the dir
viner. Sometimes they say, the
diviner is true; sometimes they
say, he is false. For when a man
is ill they will enquire of a di-
viner; and the diviner says, if
they kill an ox the maa will get
well. They kill an ox, and the
man gets well ; and then they be-
lieve in the diviner's word; and
yet forsooth the man would have
got well after a time. But the
people believe he has been saved
by the Amatongo.

When a man is ill, they call
doctors to see him; they treat
him, and when he gets well they
demand cattle, telling him he must
pay because they have cured him ;
he pays ; and after he has paid,
he is ill again, and goes to the
same doctor whom he has paid ; he
treats him, but does not remove
ihe disease ; and tells him, it mas-
ters him. And the sick man asks
his ox to be sent back, that he
may go to other doctors. They

Digitized by VjOOQIC

BIVINERS.

313

udn3ranga.'' Ba ye kwezinye izi-
nyonga ; zi m elape ; umAlaumbe
zi kw aAlole nkufii ; i ti injanga
yokukgala i zonde, ngokuti u si-
ndiswe i yona, ba i kokele ey elape
'muva.

Lapo inyanga y elapa umuntu o
gulayo, i fik' i Alabe inkomo^ i
n^me imisipa ezitweni zenkomo ;
ku ti i se i n^mile, i i ^langanise
nemiti, i i gayinge, i tshe, y ome.
I ti, se y omile, ba i gaye, a gca-
tshwe umuntu o gulayo, a telwe
ngeuyongo, ukuze ku fike amato-
ngo, a ze 'ku m bona, a m kote,
ukuze a sinde.

Ba ti abantu ba ya bula enya-
ngeni uma i ba tshele. Ba ya
bamba nje enyangeni ; ba fike ku-
yona, ba nga kulumi ukuti, '^ Si
ze ngendaba etila'' Ba ya tula.
Kodwa i ba tshele, i ti, " Ni ze
ngendaba." Ba vuma ngokutsha-
ya. Uma be tshaya kakulu, b' e-
zwa inyanga i tsho izindaba a ba
z' aziyo, a ba ze ngazo, Uma i
tsho izindaba a ba nga z' aziyo, ba
tshaye kancinyane. Uma i tsho
izindaba ezi kona, ba tshaye ka-
kulu.

go to others ; they treat him ;
perhaps they cure the disease ;
then the first doctor feels hurt,
and says that the sick man was
cured by him, but they have paid
the man that gave him physic last.

When a doctor treats a si^^*--^
person, he kills an ox, and cuts |
away the tendons of the legs, and I
mixes them with medicines, and /
chars them, till they are dry. /
When they are dry they are pow- /
dered, and the sick man is scari-
fied, and the medicines are rubbed
into the scarifications ; and the
gall is poured on him, that the
Amatongo may come and see him
and lick him, that he may get^
weU.

Men go to the diviner that he
may tell them what they wish to
know. They merely go to him,
and on their arrival do not tell
him for what pui'pose they have
come. They are silent. But he
tells them they have come on some
matter of importance. They assent
by striking the ground. If they
strike vehemently, they do so be-
cause they hear the diviner men-
tion things which they know and
about which they have come to
him. If he mentions things un-
known to them, they strike the
ground slightly. If he mentions
the very things they know, they
strike vehemently.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

314

DIVINERS.

Uma kn laAlekil^ utonenkomo,
ba je 'kabula enyangeni, i ba
tshele ukuti, 'ma be ye 'kufuna
endaweni ba ja 'ku i tola* Ba ye
'kufima lapo inyanga i tsbo kona,
ba i tole. Ba ti uma be nga i to-
langa, ba ti, '^ Inyanga i namanga ;
a i kw azi ukubulOi" Ba ye kwe-
nye a ba i zwayo abantu ukuti, i
bul' ik^iso; ba ye kiiyo, i ba
tshele, ba ya 'kufuna lapo. Um-
Alaumbe ba i tola into, ba kolwa
i yona inyanga, ba ti, i k^jinisile.

If any thing ia lost, an ox for in^
stance, they go to a diviner, and he
tells them that if they look for it
in a certain place they will find it.
They go to the place he menfions,
and find it. But if they do not
find it where he says, they say, the
diviner is false ; he does not know
how to divine. They then go to
another, who is known to divine
truly ; he tells them, and they go
and seek there. K they find it^
they believe in that diviner, and
say, he is a tnie diviner.

To bar the way (ugainst the Amatongo and against disease supposed to
he occasioned by them,

TJku m vimba kwayo inyanga | When a docfcor bars thewaj

"^*- ^■'— ^^-

^^ Ukuvimba is to stop, to put a stopper in a bottle. The natives
say, Uku m vimba umuntu, To stop a man, as though there was some
opening by which the Itongo had access. Or Ukuvimba itongo, or
Uku m viniba itongo^ or Ukuvimhela umuntu^ — all of which various
modes of expressing the same thing may be translated by oiu: phrase,
" to lay a ghost or spirit."

In Jon Arnason's Icekmdic Legends, translated by Powell
and Magntisson, we find numerous allusions to ghosts and me-
thods of laying them. One Ketill, having found the corpse of
an old woman lying in the road, passed by without paying the least
attention to it. The next night and every night afber, the eld woman
visited him in' his dreams, assuming a horrible and threatening aspect,
and hoimding him on to an untimely grave. (F, 159, J A man lays
the ghost of his deceased Mend by pouring a keg of brandy on his
grave to moisten his " dry old bones," of which the ghost complained.
(F, 160, J " The boy who did not know what fear was ** has a stand*
up fight with a giant-goblin, whom he manages to detain till " the
first ray of dawn," which striking the goblin's eyes, he sinks into the
ground in two pieces, and is for ever prevented from rising again by
two crosses driven into the places where the two parts disappeared. (F,
165, J Some are laid by extorting a promise from them not to appear
again. *^ The deacon of MyrkU " haunts his betrothed, as the ghosts
of the Amazulu do their wives, and all means for laying the spirit having
failed, even the reading of psalms by the priest, they send for a man

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DiyiNEas.

31S

umuntu o nesidAlalo, ku funwa
imiti etile ey aziwayo, ku fikwe,
ku tatwe kuye igazi, li tatwe, IT
yiswe esiduUni esilukuni, esi ya
'kubuya s' akiwe izHwaayaxane ; a
si bobose lowo 'muntu o inyanga,
a fake kuso umuti o negazi lomu-
Btu o gulayo, a vimbe ngetshe, a
shiye, a nga be e sa bbeka emuva
a ze a £ke ekaya. Loku 'kufa ku
tiwa ku vinjiwe ; a ku sa yi *ku-
buya futL

Uma si vimba ngeselesele lom-
fula, li ya banjwa, ku ziwe ualo
ekaya ; umuntu e gcatsbiwe lapo

a man who Las isidhlaJo,^^ hetekw-'V,

certain known medicines with him
xo the sick man, and takes some

of hisHSTood and goes to a hard
ant-hill which the ants will re-
pair again if broken down; he
makes a hole in it^ and places
in it the medicine with the
blood of the sick man, and closes^
up the hole with a stone,
leaves the place without looking
back^^ till he gets home. So it i
said the disease is barred out, i
will never return again.

When we bar the way witfi a
frog of the river, we catch a frog,
and take it home ; when the pa-
tient has been scarified over the

skilled in witchcraft, who seizes the deacon's ghost, uttering potent
spells, and forces him beneath a stone, and there he lies to this day.
(P. 17 7, J Grimur lays the very sul]«tantial ghost of Skeljungur by
fastening him to a rock ; and when the ghost went away with it, cut
off his head and burnt him, and cast the ashes into a welL (F, 199. J

Another plan of getting rid of goblins is to outwit them by set-
ting them about some task which is impossible to be fulfilled, as spin^
ning ropes of sand. — Hothershall Hall, near Ribchester, is said to
have been troubled by the nightly visits of a goblin ; but the goblin
** is understood to have been * laid ' under the roots of a large laurel
tree at the end of the house, and will not be able to molest the family
«o long as the tree exists. It is a common opinion in that part of the
country that the roots have to be moistened with milk on certain
occasions, in order to prolong its existence, and also to preserve the
power of the spell under which the goblin is laid. None but the
Eoman Catholic priesthood are supposed to have the power of * laying-
an evil spirit,' and hence they have always the honour to be cited in
oiir local legends." (Zcmcashire Folk-lore. Jolm Harland, F.S.A.y
€md T. T. WUMnson, F.RA.S.,p. 67. J

^^ Isidhlalo, a disease supposed to be caused by the Itongo.

^® Here again we have a superstition analagous with what wo
find in our own country. To charm warts away, a piece of flesh is
stolen and rubbed on the warts, and then buried ; or a number of peb-
bles, corresponding with the number of warts, is placed in a bag,,
which is thrown over the back. But in neither case will the charm
work if the person " looks back till he gets homa"

Digitized by VjOOQIC

316

BIVINERS.

e pela kona kakulu, ku kiwe igazi
lakona, ku funzwe isele, li buyise-
Iwe endaweni yalo ; li patwe ka-
Ale, li nga fi. U vinjiwe ke.

Ku ti uma umfazi e bujelwe
indoda, ipupa 11 m kataze kakulu
owesifazana, lapa e lele indoda
yake i buye i z' endAlini, a i bone
njengokuDgati i sa hamba ngemi-
7tla yonke, ku be njalo a ze a za-
kce owesifezana ngokuti, " Ngi ya
Mupeka uyise kabani ; ka ngi de-
deli ; kuDga ka fanga ; ngi ba
naye njalo, a nyamalale ngi Yuka.
Umzimba se u ze w enakala ; u
ya kuluma ngabantwana na ngem-
fiiyo yake na ngezindatshana ezi-
ningL*' Ngaloko ke ku ze ku
funwe umuntu ow azi uku m vi-
mba. A m nike umuti, a Uy
" Nang' umutL Ku ya *kuti uma
u m pupile, u vuke, u dAlafune
wona j amate u nga wa kciti lawo
o pupe u lele ; u nga fell amate ;
u fele lapa, ukuze lelo 'pupa si li
vimbe."

most painful spot, the blood is
taken from that place, and is
placed in the frog's mouth, and it
is carried back to its place ; it is
handled gently, lest it should die.
So the disease is barred out from
the man.

Again, if a woman has lost her
husband, and she is troubled ex-
cessively by a dream, and when
she is asleep her husband comes
home again, and she sees Mm
daily just as if he was alive, and
so she at last wastes away, and
says, ** I am troubled by the fether
of So-and-so f^ he does not leave
me; it is as though he was not
dead ; at night I am always with
him, and he vanishes wh^i I
awake. At length my bodily
health is deranged; he speaks
about his children, and his pro-
perty, and about many little mat-
ters." Therefore at last they find
a man who knows how to bar out
that dream for her. He gives her
medicine, and says, "There is
medicina When you dream of
him and awake, chew it ; do not
waste the spittle which collects in
your mouth whilst dreaming ; do
not spit it on the ground, bat on
this medicine, that we may be able
to bar out the dream."

71 The woman must respect (hlonipa) her husband's name ; she
does not call him by name, but as . here, when addressing him or
speaking of him, says, " Father of So-and-so," mentioning one of his
children by name.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

Kembala ke i fike inyanga, i
buze iiku m pupa; a vume. I
buze ukuba " W enzile njengoku-
tsho kwami?'' a vame owesifazaua.
I buze ukuti, " Lowo 'muti e ngi
ku nike wona, ukuze u dAlafune,
u fele amate lawo e ii pupe u se
nawo emlonyeni, u wa fela kuwo
na na T a vume. I ti, " Leti ke ;
bamba, si ye nawe lapa ngi ja 'ku
m vimbela kona.''

Lelo *pupa i V elape ngemiti e
banga ubumnyama ; i nga V elapi
Dgeiniti emAlope; i V elape nge-
miti emnyama; ngokuba pakati
kwetu, tina 'bantu abamnyama, si
ti, ku kona ubulawo obumnyama
nobumAlope ; ngaloko ke inyanga
i m peAlela obumnyama, ngokuba
ipupa li ya m kataza.

I hambe naye ke ukuya 'ku m
vimba endaweni etile; kumbe i
mu vimbe esigak^'eni senkomfe. Si
boboswe ekcaleni, kw enziwe im-
botshana, ku fakwe lowo" 'muti o
Alanganiswe namate epupa, ku va-
Iwe ke ngesivimbo ; ku mbiwe
pansi, i buye i fekwe kwesinye
ifiigodi, ku g^tsbwe uknze i mile.

A be se u / esuka ke naye, a
ti, " Bheka ke, u nga ze wa ba u
sa bbeka emuva; u se u bbeke

Then the doctor comes and asks
if she has dreamt of ber husband ;
she says she has. He asks if she
has done what he told her: the
woman says she has. He asks
whether she has spit on the medi-
cine he gave her to chew, the
spittle which collected in her
mouth whilst dreaming ; she says
she has. He says, " Bring it to
me then ; and let us go together
to the place where I will shut him
in."

The doctor treats the dream
with medicines which cause dark-
ness; he does not treat it with
white medicines ; for among us
black men we say there are black
and white ubulawo ; therefore the
doctor chums for the woman black
ubulawo, because the dream trou-
bles her.

So he goes with her to a certain
place, to lay the Itongo ; perhaps he
shuts it up in a bulb of inkomfe."^^
The bulb has a little hole made in
its side, and the medicine mixed
with the dream-spittle is placed in
the hole, and it is closed with a
stopper ; the bulb is dug up, and
placed in another hole, and the
earth rammed down around it,
that it may grow.

He then leaves the place with
the woman, saying to her, " Take
care that on no account you look
back; but look before you con-

72 Inkomfsy a bulbous plant, the leaves of which contain a strong
fibre, and are used for weaving ropes.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

318

DIVINEBS.

pambili njalo, u z' u fike ekaja.
Ngi ti a 11 sa yi /kubuya nakanye,
ukuz* a ngi dele ukuba ngi inya-
nya. U ya 'ku ngi dela namAla
nje. XTma 11 plnda, u ngi tshele
maslnyane."

Nembala ke lelo'pupa, uma V e-
latshwe Inyanga ey azl nkuvimba,
11 pele. Ka ti noma e m pupa ku
nga bl Impikelelwana yamalanga ;
a m pupe ngamAla e pupako njalo,
ku nga nakl loko njengokukg^ala.
Ku buzwe ke eduze nalawo 'masu-
ku ukutl, "Se ku njanl manje
nal" A ti, " Al ke. A ngi ka
bonl *luto. Kumbe ku / eza."
Ba ti abantu, '< U be ke 'enze isl-
kati Inl e nga fikl na ) " A la-
ndule owesifazana, a ti, ^^Ku be
kn nga bi ko nasinye isikati. Ngi
8a Alomela ukuba Isiminya inl na."

A m aAlule njalo ngalelo 'pupa ;
a ze a tsho owesiiazana ukuti, '^O !
Ubanl u inyanga. Naku manje
mlna a ngi sa m azl uyise kano-
bani W* emuka njalo kumina."

Ku njalo ke ukuvinjwa kwa-
mapupo.

stantly, till you get home. I say
the dream will never return to
you, that you may be satisfied
that I am a doctor. You will be
satisfied of that this day. K it
returns, you may tell me at once.''

And truly the dream, if treated
by a doctor who knows how to
bar the way against dreams, ceases.
And even if the woman dreams oi
her husband, the dream does not
come with daily importunity ; she
may dream of him occasionally
only, but not constantly as at
first. The people ask her for a
few days after how she is. She
replies, " No. I have seen nothing
since. Perhaps it will come
again." They say, "Formerly
was there ever a time when he did
not comel*' The woman says,
" There was not. There used not
to be even one day when he did
not come. I am still waiting to
know whether he is really barred
from returning."

The doctor prevails over the
dead man as r^ards that dream ;
at length the woman says, " O ! So-
and-so is a doctor. See, now I no
longer know any thing of So-and-
so's father. He has departed from
me for ever."

Such then is the mode in which
dreams are stopped."^'

^^ See p. 142, where it is stated that means are employed to cause
dreams of the departed. This is called tikubanga ipupo^ to cause a
dream by medicines or medical charms. This system has many rami-
fications, and will be again alluded to at the end of the volume.

Digitized by

Google

DIVIKEItS.

319

Umwahlenif the Diviner,

KwA ku kona injanga enkulu
pakati kwetu e kwa tiwa Umwa-
hleni. Ku be ku ti uma ku za
umuntu ebusuku o takatayo, u ya
'kuvnka pakati kwobusuku, a m
kax)tshe lowo *muntu ; kumbe a m
tetise e nga ka pumi endAliui, a ti,
" Bani, buya, buyela emzini wako.
Loko o kw enzayo ngi ya ku
bona." A m kajotshe pakati kwo-
busuku. Ku be ku inyanga ya-
kwiti edumileyo kakulu.

Ku be ku ti ngesinye isikati a
pume lapa ku za 'kusa, a ye emfu-
leni, a fike a ngene esizibeni ; u ya
puma, u se puma, e zigcobe ngom-
daka ebusweni; n y* eza ekaya,
intamo yake i gcwele imamba e
zwayo. A i bambe, a i tandele
entanyeni, noma a y enze ikcele
lake ; u ya fika ekaya, u y* esabe-
ka ; a bute abantu bomuzi b' ezo-
kuAlabela amagam' ake.

Inyanga umuntu olula kakulu ;
u ze a kgede indAlu 'ek^ njalo
njengenyoni, e suka e Alala. Ke-
pa lawo 'magama amagama e ku
tiwa u wa nikwa abapansij ama-
gama ake 'a^lukene namagama
etu ; a k^ambele abesifazana uku-

There was a great inyanga among
our people, whose name was Um-
watbleni. K a sorcerer came by
night, he would awake in the mid-
dle of the night and drive the
man away ; perhaps he would
scold him before quitting the hut,
saying, "So-and-so, go back to
your own village. I see what you
are doing." And he would drive
him away in the middle of the
night He was a very celebrated
inyanga of our people.

Sometimes he would go out
when it was about to dawn, and
proceed to the river, and go into a
pool, and would come out having
lus fece smeared with white earth,
and go home having his neck
entirely circled with a living
imamba. He would catch it and
twist it roimd his neck, or wear it
as a fillet ; when he reached home
he was fearful to look at ; and he
would call the people of the vil-
lage to come and sing the songs he
had composed.

He was a very active doctor ; he
hopped about the whole house like
a bird, starting fix>m one place and
pitching in another. And the
songs were said to be songs which
the Amatongo gave him; his
songs were different from ours ; he
composed a first part for the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

820

DIVINERS.

Alabelekk ; ngemva 'enze isivumo ;
abesifazana ba m tshayele, a vume
yedwa endAlini, *enza imikuba
eminingi.

Kepa lezi 'zinyanga zamanje ku
tiwa a zi sa fani nezinyanga zesi-
kati esidAlulileyo ; ngokuba Um-
'waAleni lowo, ukuze ku bonwe
ukuti u inyanga, kwa ti nganiAla
e ngenayo ebunyangeni wa fiAle-
Iwa izinto eziningi. Lezo *zinto
ezifiAlwayo, noma ezinkulu, noma
ezincinane, zi ya ^kukcebisa inya-
nga. TJmwaAleni w* enziwa njalo
ke, e lingwa ngobunyanga bake,
ukuze kw aziwe ukuba u inyanga
impela. Ekufikeni kwake wa fika
6 'mik^ambokgambo, ukuti uku-
vunula na ngodaka olum^lopa
Wa fika ekaya, loku abantu se be
fi^lile izinto zonke, ba zi fiAle ezin-
daweni ezing^abileyo end^le na se-
kaya njalo, ukuze ke lezo 'zinto a
zi kipa O, wa fiina noAlanya e
ngena ekaya. Loku se ku miwe
amakj'ongokj'ongo, ukuti izikaruku
zabantu aV eza 'kubona umma-
ngaliso. Wa hamba ngejubane, e
ya ^kukipa leyo 'nto efi^lwayo, a
i beke obala. A ngene na sen-
dAlini, a i kipe. A tshone na

women ; and then a second part ;
the women smote their hands and
sang the first part for him, and he
sang the response alone indoors,
playing many pranks.

But the izinganga of the present
time are said no longer to resem-
ble those of former times ; for this
XJmwathleni, in order that men
might see that he was an inyanga,
had many things concealed for
him to find on the day he was for-
mally declared to be an inyanga.
All the things which are hidden,
whether great or small, become
the property of the inyanga. The
people then acted thus with Um-
wathleni, and tested his skill as an
inyanga, that it might be known
that he was an inyanga indeed.
When he came to find the things
which were concealed, he had his
body ornamented and daubed with
white clay. When he reached his
home, the people had already hid-
den all kinds of things in very
obscure places, both out of doors
and in the houses, for him to find.
O, he resembled a mad man enter-
ing the house. Already many
crowds of people were assembled,
who had come to see the wonder.
He went rapidly and took out of
the place of concealment whatever
was hidden, and placed it before
the people. He entered the house,
and took out whatever was hidden
there. He went down to the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS,

321

8em£uleni, a i kipa Lezo 'nto
zonke kwa ba 'zake, ukuze a du-
me, ku tiwe, " Inyanga Umwa-
Aleni" Ngokuba ku njalo pakati
kwabantu abamnjama, inyanga i
ya fiAlelwa, ukuze i bonwa Um-
waAleni lowo V enziwa njalo.
Kepa kwezamanje a ku sa bona-
kali uma izinyanga impela ; se si
ti, " A zi i dAlanga impepo /* si zi
biza ngokuti amabuda, ukuti, izi-
nto ezi nga tsbo 'luto.

Uma ku tiwa, "Inyanga a i
dAlanga impepo," ku kulunywa
ngento e yona ; i ukwazi impela.
Uma umuntu wa dAla impepo e
dAliwa izinyanga ezik^nisileyo,
noma e ti wa dAla yona impela, ku
tiwa, " Kga, a i si yo leyo 'mpepo
e dAliwa izinyanga ; wa dAla imba"
Kepa uma ku tsbiwo njalo, ukuti,
*' Ka dAlanga impepo," ku tshiwo
ngokuba ukubula kwake ku nga
£ini nokubula kwenyanga impela.
Impepo kakulu i loko 'kukcakca-
mba oku senyangeni ; i ng* aAlu-
leki ; into en^bileyo i i bona ma-
sinyana Si tsho ke ukuti, " Le

river, and took out whatever was
hidden there. All these things
became his, that he might be cele-
brated, and people say, "Umw^r
thleni is a diviner." For it is |
the custom among black men to (
conceal things for a diviner to \
find, that he may be seen to be a 1
diviner. So this was done fo^^
Umwathleni But among divi-
ners of the present time there is
no longer any clear evidence that
they are diviners; and we now
say, they have not eaten impepo,
and we call them amabuda, that
is, things which do not speak the
trutL

When we say, " A diviner
has not eaten impepo," we speak
of reality ; (b^^^^«eaBs~-:b:ai©
knowledge. If any one has eaten

the impepo which is eaten by real
diviners, or if he says he has
really eaten it, we say, " No, it is
not the impepo which diviners
eat; he ate another kind." But
when it is said he has not eaten
impepo, we mean that his divina-
tion does not resemble the divina-
tion of real diviners. Impepo
means especially that clearness of
perception^* which a diviner pos-
sesses ; nothing is too hard for
him ; but he sees a difficult thing
at onca So we say of such a
diviner, " He has eaten impepo."

■^^ KcdkGcumhisaf to make white ; applied metaphoricallyi to
whiten or make clear the perceptions. See note 5, p. 261.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

322

DIVINERS.

'nyanga ya i dAla impepo." I leyo
ke e tshiwoyo abantu benyanga.

I yona le 'mpepo e si i bonayo ;
kodwa leyo 'mpepo e si i tshoko, a
si tsho ukuti umuntu a nga i d/ila
ngokuba ku tiwa i kcakcambisa
izinyanga, naye a be se u ba inya-
nga. K^a; i nge m enze i yo-
dwa ukuba inyanga, ku nge ko
okii ngapakati oku nga Mangana
nempepo, ku m kcakcambise.

Impepo imbili I yodwa impe-
po emAlope; kuleyo *mpepo em-
Alope si ya kolwa kuyo kakulu ;'
kepa impepo emnyama a si kolwa
kuyo nakanye ; indaba zayo ku
tiwa zimnyama. Ngokuti ku ti
noma umuntu e pupa umuntu a
nga m tandi uku m bona njalo-
njalo, a dAle yona emnyama, a m
ka;otshe ngayo, ukuze noma e fika,
a nga m bonisisi, a nga m kgondi
Noma ku Alatsbwe, a ku tatwa
impepo emnyama, ku tatwa em-
Alope njalo. Ku ti kumadoda
amakulu, noma kwabancinane, u
nga i fumana njalo i kona emik^-
Iwini yamakcansi, ukuze a pupe
kaAle.

It is this which the diviner's peo-
ple say.

This is the impepo which we
see ; but as regards the impepo of
which we are speaking, we do not
say that a man may eat it because
it is said to impart to diviners
clear inner sight, and so become
a diviner himsel£ No ; it can-
not make him a diviner by
itself, if there is nothing within
him which can unite with the im-
pepo and make him clearsighted,
re two kinds of impepo.
te impepoNias its own pecu-
ilieve especially in
white impepo ; butjfffi^dajafit be-
lieve at all in the black impepo)^*
that which arises after eaH^^it is
dark. For example, if a man
dreams continually of a man he
does not wish to see, he eats the
black impepo, and drives him away
by it, that should he come again
he may not see him distinctly, nor
understand who it is. Or when
we sacrifice we do not take the
black impepo, but always the
white. And one always finds the
white impepo in the folds of the
sleeping mats of old and yotmg,
that they may have distinct
dreams.

7^ That is, in its power to produce distinct or clear vision.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DrV^NERS.

323

Divining with Sticks and Bones.

Indaba zenyanga zokubula, iiku-
kgala kwazo ukuDgena endabeni
yokubula. A kw aziwa *muntii
ukuba lo 'muntu u ya ^kubula. I
k^ala ngokuAlupeka ukugula ; ku
nge u za 'upila, kanti k^a. I lapo
ke lapo si ti inyanga ukutaaa kwa-
zo knnye nokwenyanga yemilozi
nokwenyanga yokubula ; kw aAlu-
kene ngemikuba, ngokuba inyanga
yemilozi a i njengenyanga yoku-
bula.

Inyanga yokubula yona, lapa i
bulela abantu, nayo i beka kuba-
ntu ikjiniso e li zuzile ebantwinL
Uma ngaloko 'kwenza kwenyanga
si buta yonke indaba, si ya 'kuti,
aba bulayo abantu ; ngokuba inya-
nga a i kj'ali limbe izwi eU ng* a-
ziwa ab' eza 'kubula.

Ku nga ku kona ubuk^ obu-
kulu enyangeni, ngokuba lapa i
bulako i ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe
uma ni ze nganL" Ba tshaye aba-
ntu.

e ni ze

" Into inye

Ba ti k^'oto ukutshaya.

I ti,
ngayo."

I linge ukukginisela kuloko e ku
tshoyo, i ti, " Tshaya ni." Ba
pinde ba kgotoze njengokukg«la.

The account of diviners when
they begin to enter on divination.
No one knows that a man will be
a diviner. He begins by being
affected with sickness ; it appears
about to cease, but it does
not. It is in this respect at the
commencement that diviners, and
those that have fitmiliar spirits,
are alike; they differ in their
mode of divination, for the diviner
with familiar spiiits does not re-
semble another diviner. _..

When a diviner divines for peo-
ple, even he tells back to the peo-
ple the truth which he first took
from them. If as regards that
which is done by the diviner we
put all together, we shall say, it is
the people who divine ; for the
diviner does not begin with any
thing that he has not heard from
the people who come to divina

There appears to be great cun-
ning in the diviner, for when he
divines he says, " Smite the
ground, that I may understand
why you have come." The people
strike the gix)und. (^

He says, " There is one thin
only about which you have come."
They strike gently. He tries to
establish that which he says, and
tells them to strike the ground.
But they again strike gently as at

Digitized by VjOOQIC

324

DIVIKERSr,

I pume kuloko e V i ku tsho, i
bone ukuti, " K5U, ba ya pika;
ngi y' eduka." I hambe se i Ala-
nAlata i ze i iike lapo b' aziyo.

I ti i sa tsho nje, ukuti, " Loku
ni ze ngokuti okutile nje, a ni
tshayi ngani ) " lapo ke ba tshaye
ba i nike izibulo, ngokuti, " U b' u
kona." Lapo ke i se i za 'uhamba
Bgokuk^otomezela, i landa lowo
'mkondo wesiminya, i linge ukwe-
nza umlunge wesiminya. Koku-
nye ba i vumele j kokunye ba i
pikise ngokutsbaya kandnane ; ba
zinge be i kalima ekudukeni kwa-
yo ngokutsbaya kandnane ; i ze i
bone ukuti, " Kqa. ; indaba le ya-
loku 'kufa i suka kuyo leyo *ndawo
e ngi ke nga i pata kuk^ala; i
zinge i tatela emazwini akuk^Ia
a ba i vumela ka^le, i zinge i ba-
mba ngakuwo, i ze i fumane isi-
minya ngokubuza ngokuAlanAlata
i ze i ngene endabeni i ti gudu.

Lapo ke i se i za 'kuk^ala uku-
tsho naba nga kw aziyo, ngokwazi
ukuti, " Se be ya 'ukolwa, noma

first. And he leaves that which
he was saying, and perceives that
they do not assent, and that he is
going astray. Then he goes on
nibbling till he hits upon som^
thing they know. <

When he says, " As you came
on such an account and nothing
else, why do you not strike the
ground?" then they smite and
freely use the divining sticks, say-
ing thus to him, " You hit the
mark there." Now then he will
proceed carefully, following that
footprint of truth, and trying to
make it into a continuous track. '^^
They assent to some things; to
others they object by striking
gently ; they continually turn him
back from his wandering by strik-
ing gently; at last he perceives
that the real importance of the
disease starts from that point
which he just touched on at first ;
and he continually starts from the
first words to which they gave
their assent, and continually goes
near them, till he finds out the
truth by asking and nibbling until
he is on the right track.

Having succeeded thus fer, he
now begins to speak also about
things with which they are not
acquainted, knowing that they
will now believe in the things he

7^ Like a man who has lost his cattle, having found a footprint
he will return again and again to it, till he succeeds in connecting it
with others, and thus form a continuous track, which leads him to the
lost property.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

325

be nga kw azi loku e ngi ku tsho-
70 ; kodwa ngamak^niso akiikgala
a ba sa yi 'kulaAla 'luto Iwala 'ma-
zwi, ngokuba ngi b' esutise kukga-
la ; konke loku se be ya 'kuti isi-
minya." Ku njalo ke ukuhamba
kweziuyanga zokubula.

Si ti i ya tsbelwa, ngokuba i ya
zibuza nayo ezindAlebeni zabantu
ngoku i pikisa lapo i tsho kona ; i
ze i ti, " Ake ngi zwe uma loku
'kufa uku£i kuni," i ]>endupenduka
i bheka ngalapa na ngalapa. Ku
ya bonakala ukuba i ya funa, i
laAlekelwe ; kepa ukufumana kwa-
yo, uma ku ng* aziwa ab* eza 'ubu-
la, ku ya la^lwa. Si ti ngaloko
naze zi ya tshelwa. Ngokuba ba
kona abantu aba ng* aziyo ukubula
uma kw enziwa njani ; ku ti ngo-
kuvela kwokufa ku tunyire umu-
ntu, kanti ka bonanga e ya *ku-
bula enyangeni ; k' azi noma kw e-
nziwa njani; ku ti noma 'azi a
sole ngenAliziyo ngokuti, " O, uma
ngi za *ubula enyangeni ey aziyo,
ngi fumane i njengami; i be i
yona i funa ukuba ngi i tshele isi-
minya ; a ku ko 'nyanga. Kanti
inyanga ku &nele i kulume izin-
daba e ngi z* aziyo ne ngi nga z* a-
ziyo ; i yeke ukuAlanAlata nje
njengomuntu o ng* aziyo."

says, though tliey are not <SBcr\
quainted with them ; but because \
he has satisfied them by the truths \
he spoke at first, they will not de- \
spise any of his words ; but every \
thing he says will be true in their J
eyes. Such is the method of di^^
viners.

"We say he is told, because he
too asks of himself in the hearing
of the people, denying the cor-
rectness of what he himself haa
said ; and says, " Just let me see
what the disease is," turning about
continually and looking hither and
thither. It is evident that he is
seeking, and that the thing is lost
to him j and as to his finding it,,
if those who come to enquire do
not know, it is not foimd at all^
Therefore we say the diviners too
are told. For there are those who
do not know how divination is
managed; and when disease oc-
curs one is sent who forsooth never
went to enquire of a diviner be-
fore ; and does not know how it is
managed; and even if he does
know he murmurs in his hearty
saying, " O, when I go to a diviner
who knows, I find him just like
myself ; and he too wants me to
tell him the truth; there is no
such thing as a diviner. A di-
viner, forsooth, ought to tell me
things which I know and which I
do not know ; and not nibble at
the affair like a man who knows
nothing."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

326

DIVINERS.

NgaJoko ke lowo 'muntu o Ala-
kanipile a ti enAliziyweni yake,
*' Kga, ngi ya bona izinjanga lezi
zi ya tshelwa. Kgokwazo a z' azi
luto. Ku ngani ukuba zi Ma-
ndate endaweni yokntsho isinuDya
na?"

Nembala ke lowo 'muntu ngam-
Ala e ya 'ubula, u ti, " Mina, ngi
ya 'kuba umunta o ng* azi luto.
Nawe, bani, ku/ile ukuba lap* i-
nyanga i ti, * Tsbaya ni,' si tsbaye
kakulu kuko konke nasemangeni,
d kginise. Si ya 'upikiswa i yona
tina, si be tiua si ti amakginiso
onke ; lokupela tina a s' azi luto,
si ze 'kubuza kowaziyo."

Nembala ke ku nga bi ko a ba
ku pikayo. TJkutshaya kwabo ba
buduzele kuko konke, i ze i dide-
ke, i ze i buze ukuti, " Hau, ba-
ngane bami, na ka na bula njena
na?"

Ba ti, " O, kakulu, nkosL Ku
bula tina."

I buze i ti, " Kuzo zonke izi-
nyanga n' enze njena ? "

Ba ti, " Yebo, ngokuba pela
tina namanga a si w' azi, namak^i-
niso a si w' azL Ku ya 'uketa
inyanga kuko konke loko."

The wise man then says in his
heart, " No, I see that these di-
viners are told. By themselves
they know nothing. Why do they
nibble at the afiair instead of tell-
ing the truth at once 1 "

So then such a man when he
goes to enquire says, " For my
part I shall be a man who knows
nothing. And you too. So-and-so,
it is well when the diviner tells us
to smite, for us to smite vehe-
mently at every thing, even when
he does not speak truly. We will
be set right by him ; we will say
that every thing is true that the
diviner says. For we do not
know any thing ; we are going to
enquire of one who knows."

And so they dispute nothing
the diviner says. They smite in
assent to every thing, till the di-
viner is confused, and at length
asks them, saying, " O, my friends,
did you ever smite in this manner
when enquiring of a diviner be-
fore 1"

They say, " O, sir, again and'"
again. We are they who enquire."

He asks, " Have you acted thus

with all diviners 1 "

r-
They say, " Yes, for as to us

truly we neither know what is
false nor what is true. The di-
viner will distinguish in all such
matters."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

327

I Alale, i pumule, i beme, i ni-
kine inAloko, i ti, ^^ K^a, bangane
band ; a ni bull kaAle. Inyanga
isitupa. Ini ukuba ngi tsho loko
ni tshaye kakulii, ku nga bi ko e
ni ku pikayo na ? "

Ba ti, " O, pela tina, nkosi, si
be si ng* eza kuwe, uma ku kona
e si kw aziyo. A si zi lapa kuwe
nje, ukuze si zwe okonakona uma
i ku pi na ? "

I ti, " K^'a. A n' azi nina.
Tina 'zinyanga si ya tshelwa.
Uma abantu be bulisa kwenu nje,
a s' azi luto."

He remains silent, takes snuff,^
and shakes his head, and says,
" No, my friends ; you do not
smite properly. The diviner is
the thumb. '^^ Why do you smite
the groimd vehemently whatever I
say, there being nothing which
you dispute ? "

They reply, " O, truly, sir ; we
should not have come to you if we
had known any one thing. Have
we not come to you to hear fi:om
you what is the very truth 1 " -«;: \

He says, "No. You do not /
understand. We diviners are told. I
If people smite as you smite, we J
know nothing." '^

^^ A doctor of ike thumbs or thwmh-doctoTy — so called because he
cannot proceed without the assistance of those who enquire, which
they give either by silence or striking the ground gently with the izi-
hido or divining-rods, when he is not correct ; or by assenting by say-
ing " Hear " or " True," and by striking the ground violently, and by
pointing to the diviner in a peciUiar way with the thurnby when he is
correct.

The diviners are separated into four classes : —

1. — Thumh-doctorSy in whom no great confidence is placed.

2. — Diviners who have eaten impepoy that is, who possess a real
gift of divination, and who are able to divine without any help from
the enquirers.

3. — ^Those who use bones or sticks in divination. The bones are
called simply amatarnboy and are obtained from various wild animals.
The doctors who employ them are called bone-diviners. The sticks used
are about a foot long, and are called ornahvJculorizintiy or in the sin-
gular, vmfiahukidarizirUi, which is a compound word : uhu;ti buhda is
to lie down gently and comfortably, — wmay when ; " When the sticks
lie down gently," that is, the diviner receives intimation by the mode
in which the sticks act. Such a diviner is called a stick-diviner. The
natives place much confidence in these doctoi-s.

4. — ^Those who have /amUiar spirits. The people have much
confidence also in these, especially because they are not able to com-
prehend the source of the voices which appear to come from invisible
beings. It is supposed that this mode of divination is of modem
origin.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

328

DIVINERS.

Ku njalo ke ukuma kwezinya-
nga zokubukL Si nga ngabaza
ngazo ; a zi fani nemilozi ; zona zi
ya tshelwa, ngokuba zi tata ama-
zwi kubantiu

Njengaloku Ujan wa ka wa ya
'ubula enyangeni, ku gula udade
wabo. Wa bula ke, e funa ukwazi
ukuba u guliswa ini na. Kepa
ukutshaya kwake wa buduzela,
ngokuti, " Mina a ng* azi Into.
Inyanga e ya 'u ng* aAlukanisela
oku i ko."

Inyanga ya m sola ngokuti,
*' Mngane wami, imbala wa ka wa
bula nje na ? "

Kepa wa vuma yena ngokuti,
*' O, u mina pela obulayo, ngokuba
\imuzi wakwiti u melwe u mina.
A ku ko 'ndoda enye ; kupela u
mina nje."

Inyanga ya ti, " Ngi ya bona.
A u kw azi ukubula." Ya za
y* enza ikcebo kumuntu wayo, ya
ti, "Lo 'muntu k' azi nakanye
ukubula. Hamba, u ke u m buze.

Such is the position of diviners.
We may entertain doubts about
them ; they are not like those who
have familiar spirits; they are
told, for they take the words from
the people who come to enquire.

John, for example, went to en-
quire of a diviner when his sister
was ill, wishing to know what was
the cause of her illness. But when
he smote the ground he smote me-
chanically, assenting to every thing
the diviner said; for he said to
himself "For my part I know
nothing. It is the diviner that
shall point out to me the real &cts
of the case."

The diviner reproved him, say-
ing, " Surely, my friend, did you
ever enquire of a diviner in this
way before ] "

John replied in the affirmative,
saying, " O, it is I indeed who en-
quire,''^ for I am now the respon-
sible head of our village ; there is
no other man in it ; there is no
one but me."

The diviner said, " I see. You
do not know how to enquire of a
diviner." At length he devised a
plan with one of his own people,
saying, " This man has not the
least notion of divination. Just
go and ask him, that he may tell

■^^ The head of the village alone enquires of the diviner, either
in person or by his representatives. Great men send messengers to
the diviner, and do not go in person.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

329

a ku tshele into e jona 'eze ngajo,
iikuze u ngi tshayele ka^le wena."

Nembala ke lowo 'muntu wa ti
kujan, ^' Inyanga i ti, a u kw azi
ukubula. Tshela mina indaba o
ze ngaya XJ ya 'ubona ukuze si
i tshayele kakulu lapa i tsho kona ;
tuna i nga tsho kona, si nga i tsba-
yeli kakulu."

Ujan wa ti ukupendula kwake
kulo 'muntu, " O, a ngi kw azi
mina loko o ku tshoyo. Mina ngi
ze enyangeni nje ukupela ukuza
'kuzwa uku£sL A ngi zile ukuba
ngi buye ngi kulume ngokufe, ku-
we. Ngi za 'kuzwa enyangeni
mina, uma ukufa kum.''

W ala njalo; wa buyela lo
'muntu kuyo ; ya ti inyanga, " Ka
sondele ke, si zwe."

Nembala Ujan wa buya wa
tshaya kakulu, wa i vumela kuko
konke e ku tshoyo. Ya za ya
penduka isiula, ya ti, '^ O, mngane
wami, ngi ya bona impela ukuba
a u kw azi ukubula."

I tsho ngokuba TJjan ku nge ko
lapa e vuma kakulu, na lapa e
Tuma kancinane, i bone ukuti lapa

you why he has oome, that you
may smite the ground for me in a
proper manner."

So indeed the man said to John,
"The diviner says you do not
know how to divine. Tell me the
cause of your coming. You will
see that we smite the groimd for
him vehemently when he speaks
to the point ; and if he does not
speak to the point, we do not
smite mucL"

John said in answer, " For my
part I do not imderstand what you
say. I have merely come to the
diviner for no other purpose than
to hear of him the nature of a
disease. I did not come to talk
with you about it. For my part
I shall hear from the diviner what
the disease is."

So he refused to tell him ; and
the man went back to the diviner ;
he said, "Let him come to me
again, that we may hear."

So John again smote the groimd
vehemently, and thus expressed
his assent to every thing the di-
viner said. Until he became quite
foolish, and said, " O, my friend, I
see indeed that you do not know
how to enquire of a diviner."

He said this because there was
no point where John assented
very much, nor where he assented
slightly, that he might see by his

Q Q

Digitized by VjOOQIC

330

DIVINERS.

u vuma kaneinane nje a ngi Ala-
bile kona, lapa 'azi kona. Uma
ngi Alaba lapa 'aziyo, a ja 'utshaya
kakulu ; kodwa uma ng' egeja, u
ja 'utshaya kaneinane. Ta yeka
ukubiila, ya ti, "Kga, mngane
wami, a ngi bonanga ngi m bona
umuntu o bulisa kwako nje."
Y aAluleka.

Wa ti Ujan, " O, mngane ke,
loku u nga ku boni ukufEt, sa u
leta nAlamvu Iwami, ngi ziyele
kwenye inyanga."

Nembala ke leyo 'nyanga ya m
nika uAlamvu lolo. Igama layo
XJmngom*-u-ng*-ummitu.

W emiika ke, wa ya kunoma-
ntshintsbi, o bula ngezinti. Ku
tiwa igama lazo TJmabukula.
TJkubula kwazo ku ya mangalisa.

"Wa fika ke Ujan kuzo. Um-
ninizo wa zi tata, wa zi beka
pansi j wa dAlafuna umuti, wa zi
lumula, ukuze zi mu tshele ka^le
indaba eyonayona. TJkubula kwa-
zo a zi fiini nenyanga yokubula.
Ngokuba zona zi ya buzwa ngom-
lomo. Wa zi buza ke Unoma-
ntshintshi, wa ti, " Ngi tshele ni
kambe uma loku 'kufa kukumuntu

assenting slightly that he had not
hit the mark. He expected if he
hit the mark John would smite
the ground vehemently ; but if he
missed it he would strike gently.
So he left off divining, and said,
" No, my Mend, I never met with
a man who enquired like you.'*
He could do nothing.

John said, " O then, my fiiend,
as you do not see the nature of the
disease, now give me back my
shilling, that I may betake myself
to another diviner."

So the diviner gave him back
the shilling. His name was Um-
ngom'-u-ng^-umuntu. ^*

John then went to Unomantshi-
ntshi, one who divined by means
of pieces of stick. The name of
these pieces of stick i§ TJmabuku-
la. The mode of divining by
them is remarkable.

So John came to the sticks.
Their owner took them and laid
them on the ground ; he chewed
some medicine, and puffed it over
them, that they might tell him
truly the very facts of the case.
Divination by these sticks does
not resemble that by a diviner.
For the owner of them enqiiires
of them. TJnomantshintshi asked
them, saying, " Tell me, how old

7^ Umngom-Vrng^ -umuntu, a name apparently given because
whilst professing to divine he manifested no skill in divination. It
means, " The diviner who is a man," that is, a common man, without
any special endowments.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

331

o tigakanani na)" Za tsho ke.
Ngokuba ukukulunia kwazo a zi
namlomo ; uma z' ala, ukukuluma
zi wa masinyane ; uma zi kaluma
isiminya, zi y* esuka, zi tasxime
kakulu, zi fike kulo 'muntu o ze
'kubula kuzo. Za m tshela ke
Ujan ukufa kukadade wabo, za i
landa iminonjana yonke ey* aziwa-
yo TJjan. Wa vuma ke, wa lu
shiya uAlamvu kuzo, wa ti, " Ngi
funa loku ke, ukuba inyanga i ngi
tshele e ngi kw aziyo, i nga buza-
nga 'luto kumina. Ngi ya kw azi
ukuba i bulile ngoku ngi tshela
hanhlonhlo yokufa e ngi kw aziyo."

Ukukuluma kwazo ukuba ku ti
uma ku buzwa ukufa lapa ku ba-
mbe kona, zi kanime masinyane, zi
bambe indawo lapa ukufe, ku m
bambe kona. Uma ku m bambe
esiswini, zi bambe isisu so ze 'ku-
bula. Uma ku sekanda, zi kwele
ekanda. Zi wa k^ede onke ama-
lungu omzimba lapa ku bambe
kona isifo. Noma ku buzwa inya-
nga e nga m sizako lo 'muntu uma
i ngapi na, zi ti ukukruma kwazo
zi lale ngalapa inyanga i ngakona.
Umninizo uma nembala 'azi ukuba

is the person who is ill? " And
they said. But as they have no
mouth they speak thus : — K they
say no, they fell suddenly ; if they
say yes, they arise and jump
about very much, and leap on the
person who has come to enquire.
In this way they told John the
character of his sister's illness, and
traced out every little ramification
of it which was known to John.
So John assented, and left his shil-
ling with the sticks, and said,
" This is what I want, that the
diviner should tell me things which
I know without having asked me
any question. I shall know that
he has divined by his telling me
the symptoms of the disease which
are known to me."

Their mode of speaking is this :
— If it is asked where the disease
has seized the patient^ the sticks
jump up at once and ^ them-
selves on the place where the sick
man is affected. K it has affected
the abdomen, they fix themselves
on the abdomen of the man who
has come to enquire. If the head,
they leap upon his head. They
go over every joint of the body
that is affected by the disease. Or
if they are asked where the doctor
is who can cure the sick man, they
leap up and lie down in the direc-
tion of the place where the doctor
lives. If the owner of them
knows for certain the nanie of a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

3a2

DIVINERS.

ubani o inyanga ngaknleso 'sizwe,
a i pate ng^ama layo kuzo ; nma
ku i yona, zi vuke macdnyane, zi
kxvkxwaie ngoku m bamba umni-
nizo j 'azi ke ukuba zi ya Tuma.

Abantu abaningi ba kolwa ku-
mabukula kiinenyanga yokubula.
Kodwa a ku vamile ukuba ku be
kona umabukula kubantu abani-
ngL E Dgi m aziyo ukuba o naye
u yena Unomantshintsbi lowo,
nokaukau. Nampo e ngi b' aziyo.
Omunye XJndangezi, indoda ebo-
niYu yakwandAloYU, lapa kwa ku
bula kona ubabekazi ngesikati ngi
se um^tna, a buye nendaba ezini-
ngi ezi tsbiwo umabukula. Ujan
owa ka wa bula kumabukula, wa i
landa yonke indaba yoku&i kukar
dade wabo. Nembala e tsho ukufa
lapa kwa kj^ kona, na lapa ba
be hambe kona. Wa kolwa ka^le,
■wa goduka e delile.

I njalo ke indaba ngomabukula
nendaba yenyanga yokubula. Z'a-
Alukene ; a zi AlanganL

TJkubula kwamatambo, lawo
'matambo awezilo zonke ; ku kona
nelendAloYu, ku kona nelebubesi,
izilo zonke ezinkulu ezidumileko.

doctor who lives among the tribe
to which the sticks point, he men-
tions the name to them ; if it is
he they mean, they jump up and
down and fix themselves on their
owner ; and he knows thereby that
they assent.

Many believe in the Umabuku-
la more than in the diviner. But
there are not many who have i^e
Umabukula. Those whom I know
who have them are that same
Unomantshintsbi and Ukaukau.
These I know. There is a third,
Undangezi, a red man of the
house of Undhlovu, of whom my
uncle used to enquire when I was
a lad, and came back with many
things which the Umabukula had
said. The Umabukula of which
John enquired gave him an exact
account of his sister's illness, say-
ing truly where the disease began,
and where they had gone to en-
quire as to its nature. He be-
lieved fully, and went home satis-
fied.

This, then, is the account of the
Umabukula and of the diviner.
They differ from each other ; they
are not the same.

As regards divination by bones,
the bones of all kinds of wild
beasts are used ; there is that of
the elephant, and that of the lion,
and the bones of all great and
well known wild beasts.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DrV'INERS.

33$

Injanga yamatambo, uma ku
fike umuntu 'eza 'ktibula, umni-
niwo u y esuka, a kumule isikwa-
ma lapa amatambo e Alala kona, a
dAlafune umtshana, a wa lumule ;
a be se a ya wa tulula, a kete
obani nobani, izilwane a za'obula
ngazo ; a lingane izandAla zozibili ;
a wa tate, a wa Alanganise, a wa
tele pansi ; a we amatambo onke.
Kepa indaba yawo a i bonakali e
tshiwo amatambo kumuntu o ze
'kubula; uma e nga V ejwayele
ka bcmi luto, k' m noma ini ke
le na.

TJmniniwo a wa Mele ka^le
onke. Elinye eku wa ponseni
kwake li kwele pezu kwelinye, a
buze ukuti, — ^uma ku ind/tlovu
uempisi, — a ti, " IndAlovu le i ti
ni nempisi ? " Am tshele ke nge-
mva, ngoku wa Mela kwake a ti,
*^ Amatambo a tsho ukuti nokuti ;
amatambo ngi wa bona e tsho
loko."

Lowo 'muntu a vume, a ti,
*^ Yebo ; amatambo a tsho into e
ngi ze ngazo lapa.''

TJmniniwo ngemva kwaloko a
tsho kulowo 'muntu, a ti, " Ake u
wa tate wena ngokwako, u buze
kuwo uma leyo 'ndaba i njalo nje
ngani na."

A wa ponse pansi umniniwo, a
wa Alele kaAle ngemya kwaloko, a

e ^viner by IxmS^ hen any
one Cwnes-to him to enquire, un-
fastens the bag in which the bones
are kept, chews some little medi-
cine, and pu£[s on them ; he then
pours them out, and picks out the
bones of certain animals with
which he is about to divine ; they
fill both his hands; he brings
them all together and throws them
on the ground ; all the bones faXL
But what the bones say is not
clear to the man who comes to en-
quire ; if he is not accustomed to»
them he sees nothing, and does not
know what it means.

The owner of the bones manj
them all properly. When one in
falling rests ^ another — ^if for in-
stance it is the bone of an elephant
and of the hyena — ^he says, " What
does the elephant and hyena
say 1 " And afterwards by his
management of the bones, he tells
the enquirer that the bones say so>
and so ; that he sees that the bones
say this and that.

And the man replies, "Yes;
the bones mention that for which
I came here."

Then the owner of the bones
says to the man, " Just take them
yourself, and ask them why it is
so."

He throws them down, and the
owner then manages them jhto-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

334

DIVINERS.

m tshele indaba e tshiwo amata-
mbo, a ti, " TJ bona leli 'tambo li
mi ngaloku nje; li piho indaba
etile emzini wako. Leli li tsho
ukuti ukuba n fanele w enze uku-
tL" li tsho konke loku lowo
'muntu a kw aziyo.

Ku ti ngokwejwayela kwomu-
ntu ukubula kuwo amatambo, naye
a wa Mele kaAle ; ngoku wa Alela
loko ku vela indaba^ naye a zibo-
nele. I ya m tsbela nje inyanga,
i se i landela yena, u se bonile
ngokwake loko oku tsbiwo ama-
tambo. Ku njalo ke ukubula
kwamatamba

Nami nga ka nga ya ematanjenL
Kwa ku kona imbuzi kamjijane,
umfo wetu omunye, i se i namasu-
kwana i zuza, kepa sa mangala
ukuba i nga zali Sa bamba naye
ukuya enyangeni, umfo kamatula,
o bula ngamatambo. Sa fika, sa
kuleka ngokuti, '' E, mngane, in-
daba zako ! '' Sa goduka ke, si ya
ekaya emzini wake. Wa tata
imitshana, wa u dAlafuna, wa lu-
mula isikwama lapa ku Alala ama-
tambo; wa wa AlikiAla^ wa wa

perly, and tells him what the
bones say ; he says, " You see this
bone standing in this manner ; it
speaks of a certain matter in your
village. This says you must do
so-and-sa" They say every thing
the man knows.

And a person by accustoming
himself to divine with bones,
himself manages them properly ;
from that proper management the
matter is made evident, and he
sees for himself The diviner just
points it out to him, and then fol-
lows him, when he has already seen
by himself what the bones say.
Such then is the mode of divining
by bones.

I myself once went to enquire
of the bones. There was a goat
of Umjijane, one of my brothers,
which had been yeaning for some
days, and we wondered why it did
not give birth to its young. We
went to a diviner, the brother of
TJmatula, who divined with boneeL
On coming to him we made obei-
sance, saying, "Eh, Mend, your
affairs ! "^® We went home with
him to his villaga He took a
little medicine and chewed it, and
puffed on his bag in which the
bones were kept ; he rubbed them,

^^ A mode of informing the diviner that they come to divine ;
and expressing a wish that he will divine for them fiivom'ably. Chiefe
are sometimes addressed in this way when a man is about to ask a
favour.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIYIKERS.

335

tela pansij wa wa Alela, wa id,
'^O, imbuzi le i ti nil Nanka
amazinyane amabili — elinye li-
mAlope, elinye, nanti, limpunga.
Atinil"

Sa ti tina, '^ A s' azi, rnugane.
Ku ya 'kuzwa amatambo."

Wa ti, " Le imbuzi, egambuka^
zi, i ya zala. Kepa ku Dga ti a i
zele. Kepa ni ti ni ? Ni ti, im-
buzi i ya Alupeka. O, ngi ti mina,
uma ngi bona amatambo e kuluma
nje, ngi bona ukuba amazinyane
lawa a se ngapandAle. Amatambo
a ti, ^ Itongo lakwini, mjijane, li
ti, ku ze u nga li pata. A ku ko
'kcala. Li ti li ku sizile kakuliu
Kukulu uku£ei oku telwa abatakati
kulowo 'muzi wakini Nga se ku
milile ; kV ala amatongo akwini.
Imbuzi leyo i banjwe ngamabomu.'
Amatambo a ti, ' Ni ya 'ufika i
zele amazinyane amabili. XT ze u
fike, u bonge ekaya.' Amatambo
a tsho njalo."

Sa m nika imali, sa goduka,
ngi nga kolwa ukuba ku indaba
loko, ngokuba amatambo a wa
kulumanga. Kepa ngi zwe umu-

and poured them out on the
ground; he managed them, and
said, "O, what does the goat
mean ? There are two kids — one
white, and the other, there it is, it
is grey. What do they mean 1 "

We replied, " We do not know,
Mend. We will be told by the
bones."

He said, '' This goat, which is a
female black goat, is yeaning. But
it is as though she had not yet
yeaned. But what do you say?
You say, the goat is in trouble.
O, I say for my part when I see
the bones speaking thus, I see that
the young ones are now bom.
The bones say, * The Itongo of
your house, TJmjijane, says, you
never worship it. There is nothing
the matter. It says it has helped
you very much. The disease which
sorcerers have poured upon your
village is great. It would have
taken effect, but the Amatongo of
your house would nCt allow it.
The goat has been made ill wil-
fully by sorcerers.* The bones say^^^
' When you reach home the goat \
will have given birth to two kids.
When you reach home, return
thanks to the Amatongo.' This
is what the bones say."

We gave him money and went
home, I not believing that there
was any truth in it, for the bones
did not speak. But I had heard

Digitized by VjOOQIC

336

DIVINERS.

ntu e wa kulumela. Sa fika eka-
j&y sa fomana imbuzi lejo se i mi
emnyaogo namazdnyane amabili —
<elinye limAlope, elinye limpunga.
Nga dela masinyane. Kwa Ala-
tshwa, kwa bongwa.

a man speaking for them. When
we reached home we found the
goat now standing at the doorway
with two kids — one white and the^
other grey. I was at once satis-
fied. We sacrificed and returned
thanks to the Amatongo.

Magical Practices,^^

TTmltngo ku tiwa u vela ezinya-
ngeni. Uma inyanga i tate im-
biza, i tele amanzi pakati kwayo ;
se i k^'ale ngokwelapa kukg^la.
Kodwa loko 'kwelapa a ngi kw a-
zi ukuba kw enziwa njani na. I
be se i basela imbiza, i nga ze ya
bila. I base umlilo kakulu.

^uti i tate umkonto noma usu-

It is said that doctors are the
authors of magical practices. As
when a doctor takes a pot and
pours water into it ; and then be-
gins to medicate it. But I do not
understand the medication, how it
is done. He then kindles a fire
under the pot, but it does not
boiL^^ He kindles a very great
fire.

Or he may take an assagai or a

^^ Some of the following examples appear to be instances of
legerdemain, — ^mere tricks.

*2 " The heroes of the Finne," in one of their wanderings, fell in
with " a great wild savage of a giant," who, after enquiring the news,
arose, and " put a cauldron on the fire, and a stag of a deer in it.

" * Sit,' said he, * and bum (fuel) beneath that cauldron, but un-
less the deer be cooked when I awake,* you shall have but what you
«an take off his head, and by all you have ever seen do not take out
the head.'

" They were tormented by himger, and they did not know what
they should do. They saw a little shaggy man coming down &om the
mountain. * Ye are in extremity,' said he, himself; * why are ye not
tasting what is in the cauldron ? '

" ' We are not,' said they ; ' fear will not let us.*

" They took the lid out of the end of the cauldron, when they
"diought it was boiled, and so it was that there was frozen ice came
upon it." (Populaa' Tales of the West Highlands. J. F, CampheU,
Vol. III., p. 299. J — See also below the chw-ge brought against Udu-
misa for preventing the pot boiling.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

367

ngulo, i beke noma ukamba pezu
kwosungolo, lu nga za Iwa wa.
Ku tiwa umlingo lowo.

Nga ka nga bona nami Ku
fakwe amatambo entanjenL Ku
tiwa umabukula loko. Nga bona
inyanga i w* enze njalo ke amatar
mbo : i wa fake entanjeni, y eza
kwiti, i zokubulela ubaba. Ya
k^la, ya tshanela pansi, ya lungi-
sa ibala elibanzi ; ya wa pata eza-
ndAleni, ya wa krcukuza, i wa
bonga ngamagama, ya ti, " Ngi za
ke ngi zwe ke, bu/Juza-bonungu !
mabala-maji ! " Ya wa falaga^la
pansi, a bekelela udwendwe, 'end
emAlabeni, a komba kuyo esinyeni
Ya se i wa Alazulela nkuti,
" Amatambo a ti, isifo si sesinye-
nL" Ba se b' azi ngaloku ukuti
umsizi, isifo esi Alala esinyeni

Ku tiwa futi umlingo ukuba
inkosi uma i ya 'kulwa nenye,

needle, and place even a large pot
on it, and it does not ML That
is called an umlingo, or magical
practice.

I myself once saw this. A
doctor had a lot of bones hung
on a string. They are called
Umabukula. I saw the doctor
act thus with the bones : he had
hung them on a string, and came to
our village to divine for my father.
He first swept the ground, and
prepared a broad space ; he then
took the bones in his hands, shook
them violently, and praised them
by name, saying, <* I come that I
may hear, Buthluza-bonungu !
Mabala-maji ! "^^ He then scat-
tered them on the ground ; they
formed a line, standing up on the
ground, and pointing to his blad-
der. He then interpreted for
them, sajdng, " The bones say the
disease is in the bladder." They
knew by that that the disease was
umsizi, a disease which is seated
in the bladder.

It is called also an tunlingo if,
when a chief is about to fight

^ BuJduzorbonungu I mahcdormaji ! — These words are izibongo
or praise-giving names, by which the doctor addresses the bone which
is taken from the porcupine. Each bone has its inbongo, one or more.
UhuhuJduzaj to stab into the abdomen. Bonungu is from Inungu, a
porcupine, and is equivalent to Porcupine-men. These bones are de-
rived from the Abasutu. Maji is a Sutu word, meaning apparently
many. MabcUormc^if many colours, referring to the various colours of
the quills.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

338

DIVINERS.

izinyanga zayo z' enze izita kuyo
ukiiba zi nga bonisisi ngokwenza
umnyama pakati kwazo.

with another chief, his doctors
cause a darkness to spread among
his enemies, so that they are un-
able to see clearly.^

Other modes of divining.

Ku kona kubantu abamnyama
into e ukubula ngapakati kwomu-
ntu. Ku ti uma ku la^leke into
e igugu, i fuuwe masinyane ukuze
i tolwe ; ku ti ngokwepuza uku i
tola, ku be i lowo a k^ale ukubula
ngapakati, e se funa ukuba 'ezwe
le *nto lapa i kona ; loku ngameMo
e s* aAlulekile, 'ezwe ngapakati
k wake ukukomba kokuti, " Le *nto
uma u tshona endaweni etile, i
kona, u za 'u i fumana ; " ku ze
ku pele ukuti, " U za 'u i fumana."
A ze a i bone, e se sondele kuyo ; e
nga ka k^ali ukusuka, a i bonisise
impela, ku pele ukungabaza. Nga-
loku *kubona, ku nga ti ka sa i
boni ngokwongapakati, u se i bona
isidumbu sayo, nendawo lapa i
kona; 'esuke ngokutshetsha e se
ya kona ; uma indawo i sitile, a
hambe ngokuziponsa, ku nga ti ku
kona oku m kgiiba, ukuba a ha-
mbise kwomoya ngokutshetsha.
Hembala leyo 'nto a i fumane,
uma ku ng' enze ngokukgandela
kwekanda nje. Uma kw enze

There is among black men a some-
thing which is divination within
them. When any thing valuable
is lost, they look for it at once ;
when they cannot find it, each one
begins to practise this inner divi-
nation, trying to feel where the
thing is j for not being able to see
it, he feels internally a pointing,
which tells him if he will go down
to such a place, it is there, and he
will find it ; at length it says he
will find it ; at length he sees it,
and himself approaching it ; before
he begins to move fix>m where he
is, he sees it very clearly indeed,
and there is an end of doubt.
That sight is so clear that it is as
though it was not an inner sight,
but as if he saw the very thing
itself and the place where it is ; so
he quickly arises and goes to the
place ; if it is a hidden place, he
throws himself into it, as though
there was something that impelled
him to go as swiftly as the wind.
And in fact he finds the thing, if
he has not acted by mere head-
guessing. If it has been done by

84 Compare 2 Kings vi. 17—20.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

339

ngokubula okonakona, a i bone
iiupela. Kepa uma kw enze ngo-
kuk^andela ngekanda nje nokwazi
ngokuti, "Loku endaweni etile
netile ngi nga yauga, se ngi fune
zonke indawo, k^'a, ngi ya i bona
i sekutiui," loko ku vama ukwe-
geja, a ku zinge ku tshaya kona.

real inner divination, he really
sees it. But if it is done by mere
head-guessing, and knowledge that
he has not gone to such a place
and such a place, and that there-
fore it must be in such another
place, he generally misses the
mark.

Uma izinkomo zi la^lekile, ku
ng* aziwa lapa zi kona, ku tolwa
isilwanyazane, igama laso isipu-
ngumangati, si buze kuso ngokuti,
*' Sipungumangati, inkomo zi pi
ji&V* Si petwe ngesandAla, si
miswe inAloko e g<njile i bheke
pezulu; uma si komba kwenye
'ndawo si kombe ngenAloko, ku
bonakale lapa si komba kona, si
ya 'kuyeka ukukombakomba oku-
ningi kwaso, si bhekisise lapa si
kginisa ukukomba ngakona; ku-
mbe si zi tole ; kumbe si nga zi
toli

Whek cattle are lost, and it is not
known where they are, a little
animal whose name is Isipungu-
mangati^'^ is found, and we ask it,
saying, "Mantis, where are the
cattle r We hold it in our hand,
and place it with its pointed head
looking upwards ; if it points in
another direction with its head,
and it is clear in what direction it
points, we shall pay no attention
to the various directions in which
it points, but look earnestly to the
place where it points its head stea-
dily; and perhaps we find them
there ; and perhaps we do not.

^ The Mantis, or Hottentot God. There is also a bird called
Isipungumangati, which boys use for the same purpose. K the cattle
are lost, and they see this bird sitting on a tree, they ask it where the
cattle are ; and go in the direction in which it points with its head.
It is about the size of a crow, and has a crest.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

340

DIVINERS*.

Chiefs divine.

Ukuhamba kwenkosi yoAlanga
kubantu abamnyama, i Mangani-
sela kuyo izinyanga ezinkulu zoku
i misa, ukuze i be inkosi impela ;
i nga bi inkosi ngokuzalwa kodwa
nje, i be inkosi ngokwengezezela
ubukosi ngokubiza izinyanga ezi
nemiti emikulu nemilingo emi-
kulu ; zi i mise izinyanga lezo.

Ku fike leyo, y enze, y enze, i
tsbo amag^ino ayo. Nenye y enze
NBJalo ; y enze, i ti, " Mina, ukuze
u ng* azi ukuba ngi inyanga, kuAle
ukuba u kipe impi, ngi sa ku pete
nje, ukuze u ngi k^onde. Nampu
ubulawo. Ubani, uma u bu peAla
esitundwini sako, u m bize, u bone

As to the custom of a chief oflTx
primitive stock of kings among R
black men, he calls to him cele- / ;
brated diviners to place him in the |
chieftainship, that he may be really \
a chief; and not be one by descent ;
merely, but by adding a chieftainly =
character by calling doctors who
possess medicines and charms ; and
these doctors place him in the^
chieftainship.^^

One comes and performs many
ceremonies, telling the chief the
power of his medicines. Another
does the same ; he performs cere-
monias, and says, " For my part,
in order that you may know that
I am a doctor, it would be well
for you to levy an army to attack
another chief, whilst I am treating
you with my medicines, that you
may understand me. There is
ubulawo. If you chum it in your
vessel,^^ and call So-and-so, you

^^ Here the izinyanga stand out very clearly as a priesthood,
whose duty it was to " consecrate " the chiefs. They, however, did it
with charms and sorcery. When a chief has obtained from the
diviners all their medicines and information as to the mode of using
the idtundu, it is said that he often orders them to be killed, lest they
should use their sorcery against himself

®^ The isitundu is a narrow-mouthed vessel, made of a grass
called umsingizane or of izingqondo-zelala, the fibres of the vegetable
ivory ; the grass or fibres are twisted into a small cord, which is sewn
together into the proper form by the fibres of the Hala, It is suffi-
ciently compact to hold water.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVIKERS.

341

ke ukuba ku yi *ku m n^iima nge-
sikatsliana esi nge ngakanani na.
KuAle u linge ngalolu 'suku, ngi
se kona nje."

Kembala ke leso 'situndu sen-
kosi si k^'alwe i zo inyanga. Uku
si peAla i peAle, i m bize lowo o
inkosi, o pambene nenkosi leyo, i
bonga namakosi amadala a nga se
ko. Bu ti uma bu suke bu pupu-
me, loku inyanga le i m biza nga-
mandAla, i tsho ukuti, " Bheka ke,
wena kabani, u ze u ngi buze.
Ngi ti, ngaleli 'langa eli senAloko
se u mu n^mile. Uma ku kona
umkonto, ngi be ngi za 'ku ku
tshela." Leyo 'nyanga e kgondisa
inkosi leyo ukupatwa kwesitundu,
nokubbekisisa ukwenza kwobula-
wo obu peAlwayo ukwenza kwabo,
ukuze indaba i i bone kona ngoku-
bheka.

Nembala ke i kgede loko, inya-
nga i ti, " U ze u ngi buze. Uma
ku nga se njengokutsho kwami,
ngi ya 'ku i la^la yonke imiti, ngi
nga bi 'nyanga."

I i kupe ke inyanga impi, ukuze
i bambe nayo ; i i zungeze, i tsbise

may see whetber you will not cut
him off in a very little time. It
is well for you to begin this very
day, whilst I am here."

Truly then the vessel of the
chief is first used by the doctors.
When he chums^^ it, he calls the
chief who is the enemy of his
chief; and lauds ancient chiefs
who are now dead. K the ubu-
lawo froths up, the doctor shouts
his name aloud, and says to his
chief, " Behold, thou son of So-
and-so, hereafter thou mayst take
me to task. I say, on the very
day when you go out against him
you will destroy him. K there
were any danger I would tell
you." And the doctor tells the
chief how to use the vessel, and to
consider thoroughly the action of
the ubulawo which is churned,
that he may see what will happen
by looking into the vessel ^^

When he has finished his in-
struction the doctor says, "You
can take me to task. If it does
not turn out in accordance with
what I say, I will cast away my
medicines, and be no longe
doctor."

So the doctor leads out an army
that he may go with it j he goea
round about it and bums his

^^ Chums it, that is, twists round and round by means of a stick
the contents of the vessel, consisting of sundry plants steeped in
wiater.

^^ This appears to be similar to the divination by looking into a
cup or vessel or crystal, still practised in North AMca and other
places. Compare what is said of Joseph's cup. Gen. xliv. 5.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

342

DIVINEftS.

umuti wayo, i tsho ukuti, " Nemi-
konto yabo i ya 'uvama ukudAlula
nje kinina." I i pelezele ke, i ye,
i buye entabeni, i goduke, i ze en-
kosini

Ku ti uma leyo 'nkosi e Alase-
I'wako ku kona kwayo o se ku
tatiwe, ngesikati sokupuma kwe-
mpi inkoai i Male pezu kweokata,
ka fakwe kuyo, i nga zamazami
Loko *kwenza njalo i ti, " Ngi ya
m toma ; se ngi m nyatele ; u se
ngapansi kwamL Ngo ka ngi zwe
uma u ya 'usinda Dgendawo eujani
na."

Si njalo ke isitundu senkosi;
isitundu inyanga yokubula kwen-
kosL Kgokuba inkosi uma ku
kona lapa i tukutelele ngakona, i
ya kuso, i zinge i peAla; futi i
kcinsa yena lowo e m zondayo ; i
kdlnse li nga ka pumi ilanga ngo-
kwenza njalo, i toma lowo e m
jEondayo.

Y enze njalo inkosi ngeaitundu
sayo ; indaba e za 'kwenza i vama
uku i tsho, ku nga k' enzeki, i ti,
" Ku ya 'kuba ukuti nokuti ; ni
ze ni ti ni ti/' Ku njalo ke ku ti
uma impi i puma, abantu ba bheke
izwi eli za 'uvela enkosini loku ba
tembisa, ukuze V ezwe noma ba

medicines, and says, '< Even their
assagais shall constantly miss you."
He goes a little way with it, and
returns from the top of the hill,
and then returns to the chie£

And if they already have any
thing belonging to the chief that
is attacked, when the army is led
forth, the chief sits without mov-
ing on a circlet made of medicines
within which that which belongs
to the other is placed. Whilst he
does this he says, " I am overcom-
ing him ; I am now treading him
down ; he is now imder me. I do
not know by what way he will
escape."^^

Such then is the vessel of the
chiefs his vessel is a diviner to
him. For if there is any place
about which the chief is angry, he
goes to his vessel, and chums it
continually ; and spits in the
direction of the person he hates ;
he spits before sunrise at the time .
of churning his vessel ; and sub- y
dues the man he hates.

A chief does thus with his ves-
sel; and he generally mentions
what he is about to do before it is
done, saying, " Such and such will
happen ; and you will do so and
so.'' And so it is when an army
is led out, the men look for a word
to come from the chief to give
them courage,' that they may know
what kind of people it is to whom

^^ Lit., I shall just hear by what kind of a way he will escape.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

343

ya kubantu abanjani na. Loko
ku nga ku y aziwa ngapambili.

Kepa ku njalo, ngokuba futifuti
inkosi i zinge i tsho ukuti, " Impi
a ni yi 'kufumana. Ngi ti, Ubani
se ngi m bulele. Se ngi m bona
lapa futifuti Ni ya *utata izin-
komo nje. A ku ko 'luto, abafazi
nje.

Lelo 'zwi lenkosi li ya tembisa
empini yayo ; i y' azi ukuba, " Si
haiuba nje; inkosi se i ku bone
konke oku ya 'kwenzeka, loko e
ku bona esitundwini sayo." A
njalo amakosi ; a pata isitundu, a
bula ngaso.

Njengaloku isoka eli nobulawo
obubukali, ku ti lapa li bu peMa,
li bize intombi kabani, li bu peAla ;
ubulawo bu lukuzele, V azi ukuba
" Se ngi i ngobile." Li tate izinto
zayo, li zi fake okambeni, li i pe-
Ale, ukuze inAliziyo yayo i li bheka
Ku njalo ke ukupeAla umuntu, e
-pehlwQ. inkosL

Ku ti njengamaduna amakulu ;
ku ti uma li mukile enkosini yalo,
inkosi i tsho ukuti, " Ubani, noma
6 mukile, u za 'kubuya, 'eze lapa.
Se ngi Alezi pezu kwake. A ng* a-
zi ukuba u ya 'u ngi sbiya ngen-

they are going. And it Ib as
though they knew this beforehand.

But it is so, because again and
again the chief is accustomed to
say, " You will not see any army.
I say, I have already killed So-
and-so. I have seen him here
again and again. You will only
take the cattle. There are no
men, but mere women."

The word of the chief gives
confidence to his troops j they say,
" We are going only ; the chief
has already seen all that will hap-
pen, in his vessel" Such then are
chie& ; they use a vessel for divi-
nation.

In like manner also a young
man that has powerful ubulawo,
when he chums it, calls on the
name of the daughter of such an
one, churning it at the same time ;
if the ubulawo froths up, he
knows that he has prevailed over
her. He takes some things belong-
ing to her and places them in a
pot, and thus chums her, that her
heart may regard him. It is the
same as the churning of a man
who is churned by a chie£

It is the same as regards petty
chie& ; if one has gone away from
his chief, the chief says, '' Although
So-and-so has departed, he will
come back again. I am now sit-
ting upon him. I do not know
by what way he will go away from

Digitized by VjOOQIC

344

DIVINERS.

dawo enjani na." Ku njalo ke
ukuhamba kwamakosi ngesitundu.
Inkosi i ya Mupeka, i be nevuso,
i zakce, xima i peAla isitundu, si
nga ze sa vuma ukuhamba ka^le.
I ya Alupeka kakulu ; ku nge se i
za 'kufa, i za 'kubulawa enye in-
kosi; a i k^ni uma isitundu si
nga i tembisi Ku njalo ke inkosi
itemba layo, li sesitundwini sayo.

Isitundu lesi, ku fakwa imiti e
ubulawo, i kandiwe, ku telwe ama-
nzi, ku zinge ku peMwa inkosi. I
leso ke isitundu. A si so isitundu
uma ku nge ko loko oku fakwa
kuso. Uma leso 'situndu sa la-
Meka, indaba enkulu enkosini
Ku ya *kuba uku/ilupeka, nabantu
ba fe abaningi ngemva kwaleso 'si-
tundu ; uma si nga bonakali, izi-
nyanga zi nuke abantu abaningi,
ku fe abaningi. Ku kandane izi-
nyauga zokumisa inkosi isibindi
ngoku y elapa, na ngamazwi oku i
kginisa, ku ze ku pele ukwesaba,
uma i bona nembala i sa pila.

ma** Suck then is the conduct of
a chief with a vessel.

A chief is troubled, and is
afraid, and gets thin, if, when he
churns his vessel, it no longer
gives propitious indications. He
is greatly troubled ; it is as though
he was about to die, or about to
be killed by another chief; he has
no strength if his vessel does not
give him confidence. Such then is
the confidence of a chief with
which he trusts in his vessel.

Various kinds of ubulawo hav-
ing been bruised, they are placed
in the vessel, and water is poured
on them, and the chief chums
them continually. And this is
what we mean by a chiers vesseL
It is not a divining vessel if no-
thing is placed in it. If such a
vessel is lost, it is a great matter
with the chief There will be
much trouble, and many men die
after the loss of the vessel ; if it
is not found, the diviners point out
many men, and many are killed.
The doctors crowd together to pro-
duce courage in the chief by their
medicines and by words of encou-
ragement, until his fear ceases
when he sees that he continues to
live.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

345

ThQ Chiefs Vessel.

KwAZULU inkosi yakona i ya lu-
mba enye inkosi, be nga ka Iwi
nayo. Ku tatwa iziuto zakona zi
ze kiileyo *nkosi, i geze ngezinte-
lezi, ukuze i n^'obe leyo 'nkosi lapa
be k^ala ukulwa. Kanti kade
y* a^lulwa ngokutatelwa izinto.

Futi uma izinkomo zi baleka, zi
balekela impi, ku tatwe ubulongwe
nomkondo wazo, ku yiswe enko-
sini, ukuze i zi peMe, i Alale pezu
kwazo. Ku tiwa, " Inkosi se i
Alezi ]>ezu kwazo ; se i zi d/ilile ;
si ya 'ku zi fumana.'' Lapa be zi
fumanako, ba tslio ukuti, " Inya-
nga yenkosi inyanga impela.**

TJbulongwe nomkondo ku fakwe
esitundwini ; kw enziwe inkata, zi

A CHIEF among the Amazulu
practises magic^^ on another chief
before fighting with him. Some-
thing belonging to that chief is
taken, and the other washes him-
self with intelezi,^^ in order that
he may overcome the other when
they begin to fight. And forsooth
the one was conquered long ago by
having his things taken and prac-
tised upon by magic.

And if the cattle fly from a^t — n.
enemy, their dung, and the earth
which retains the marks of their
footprints, ai*e taken to the
chief, that he may chum them
and sit upon them. And the
men say, " The chief is now
sitting upon them ; he has al-
ready eaten them up ; we shall
find them." And when they have
found them they say, "The doctor^
of the chief is a doctor indeed." .

The dung and earth which re-
tains the mark of the footprints
are placed in the chiefs vessel ; a
circlet is made with medicines,^^

^^ Uhdumba and uhuhlunga are to practise a peculiar kind of
sorcery by means of medicines. See below, at the end of the volume.

^'^ Intelezi, various kinds of plants, <fec., used as charms, and be-
lieved to possess magical powers.

^3 The plants used to make a circlet of this kind are umahope,
uscmgv/me, umatshwUiUhwili, omJmgOf <fec. ; they are supposed to have
some especial power — to restrain a man from running away, to force
him to come Imck, to take away his courage or his strength, his judg-
ment, <fec.

s s

Digitized by VjOOQIC

346

DIVINERS.

songwe; isitundu si bekwe pezu
kwayo, ku Alalwe. Loko ke *kwe-
nza okunjalo, iukosr i ya tsho
ukuti, " Se ngi ba ng'obile. Lezo
'nkomo se zi lapa; se ngi Mezi
pezu kwazo. A ng* azi ke uma zi
za 'usinda ngendawo enjani na."

Isitundu imbenge e tungiwe ka-
hle ngelala ; i be 'nkulu, umlomo
wayo u be umcinane. Ku tiwa
isitundu ngokuba umlomo u linga-
n* isandAla. Leyo *nto i Alala
imisebenzi yokwazi kwenkosi. Ku
ti uma i tanda ukubulala Ubani o
inkosi, i tate izinto zake, i zi fake
kona, i m hlxmge, ukuze i m bulale
e nsa se namandAla.

Ku ti lapa inkosi se i tatela
enye, i i pe/de esitundwini sayo ; i
i biza masinyane ; lapa i i biza, i
bheke kakulu ukwenza kobulawo,
i tsho ukuti, " Kodwa ngi ti mina
noma ubani ngi ya m nguma ika-
nda ; kepa ngi ti umkonto ni ya
'ku u fumana. Ngi ya bona uku-
ba u mi ngobudoda. Ngi bona

in wbich portions of them are
wrapped up ; the chief's vessel is
placed on the circlet, and they
then wait. When he has done
this, the chief says, " I have now
conquered them. Those cattle are
now here ; I am now sitting upon
them. I do not know in what
way they will escape."

The isitundu is a vessel which
is well sewn with palmetto fibres ;
it is large, but its mouth is small.
It is said to be an isitundu because
its mouth is just large enough to
admit the hand. All the know-
ledge of the chief is in this ves-
sel.^* If he wishes to kill another
chief, he takes something belong-
ing to that chief, and puts it in
the vessel, and practises magic on
it, that he may kill him when he
has no power left.

When a chief has taken another
chief,^^ he chums him in his ves-
sel ; and at once calls him ; when
he calls him he inspects carefully
the mode in which the ubulawo
acts, and says, " But I say that
although I am cutting off the head
of So-and-so; yet I say you will
meet with an army. I see that
he stands firm by his manliness.

^^ This is a free, but really literal rendering, as in the following
sentence : — Ilau lornfundisi li Mala izincwadi zake zonke, The private
room of the missionary contains all his books ; or. All the missionary's
books are in his private room.

^^ That is, something belonging to the chief; by taking and
churning that, he says he takes and churns the chief

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

347

esitundwini sami lapa ngi m pe-
hlako ; ngi ya bona ukuba ubula-
wo bulukuni lapa ngi m bizako.
Kodwa ngi ti ngi ya 'ku m n^uma
ikanda. Kepa a no ba k^nisa ;
ba ya tshisa, ba umlilo."

1 tsho noma be ya 'ku zi dAla
be ng' ezwanga ubuAlungu, i ti,
" Ngi ti, ni ya 'u zi dAla li puma
ilanga ; li ya 'kuti li ti patsha, ni
be se ni m a/ilulile. Kade ngi m
n^'obile. Ngi ya bona esitundwini
sami. Ngi ti, ngomso kusasa in-
komo zi ya 'kufika lapa, ezi za
'ubika."

Ngaloko ke impi i hambe i ne-
sibindi sokuti, "A ku ko impi.
Inkosi XJbani se i m bopile. Si
ya 'ugwaza amabekce nje a nge
namkuba,"

I see this in my vessel when I am
churning him ; I see that the ubu-
lawo is hard^^ when I call him.
But I say I shall cut off his head.
But do you fight with determina-
tion ; they bum ; they are a fire."^'^

He also tells them if they will
eat the cattle without any loss to
themselves, saying, "I say, you
will eat up the cattle when the
sun rises ; whilst it is still rising
you will already have overcome
him. I have already overcome
him, I see it in my vessel. I
say the cattle will come here to-
morrow morning, to report that
you have conquered."

Therefore the army goes out
courageously, saying, "There is
no enemy with which we shall
have to fight. Our chief has al-
ready bound So-and-so. We shall
stab mere water-melons,^^ which
are unable to resist"

*^ The ubulawo is hard, that is, does not give out readily the
signs which indicate a favourable issue.

^7 That is, when you fight with them, it will be like handling
fire, and unless you fight well you will get burnt by the enemy.

^^ They arc soft, and easily overcome, — mere women.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

348

DIYINERS.

Divining hy Familiar Spirits,

KwA ti ngesikati sokugula kuka-
mamekaziy umkababa, ubaba V e-
muka wa ya ema/^latini ukufdna
inyanga yokumbulula e kwa bula-
wa ngabo. Abantu ba m yalela
inyanga yemilozi, ba ti, " Yiya
kumancele o ya 'ku ku siza.'' Wa
£ka kuye, wa ti, " Mngane, u bona
nje ngi fika kuwe, ng' aAlulekile
kuzo zonke izinyanga ; ngi ti, nm-
Alaumbe wena u nga ngi siza ku-
nezinye izinyanga. Ngi funa uku-
hamba nawe kusasa.'' Wa Tuma
TJmancele.

Kwa sa kusasa izulu li buyisile,

When my aunt was ill, the wife
of my filthier by adoption,^^ my
feither went to the forest-coimtry
to find a doctor to dig up the poi-
son which was killing her. The
people directed h im to a doctor
with fii miliar spirit^^ Qai,yv^^Go
lo TJmancele ; it is*1ie who will
help you." When he came to him
he said, "My friend, you see I
come to you, for I have got no
good from all the other doctors ; I
think that perhaps you can help
me more than they. I wish yon
to go with me in the morning."
TJmancele assented.

In the morning there was a

®^ Not the man's own fether, but his uncle, his father's brother,
who on the death of the real &,ther took possession of the wife and
family of the deceased, becoming the husband of the wife and &ther
of the children, and is therefore called father simply, in accordance
with native custom.

1 This, perhaps, is the best rendering we can give to the words,
Inycmga yemilozi. The imUozi are supposed to be amcUongo or spirits
of the dead, who wait on a particulai* diviner, and speaJc in a low
whistling tone, so as to be heard by those who come to enquire. They
are called imilozi from this mode of speaking j wmlozi is the whistling
sound made by the mouth, short of a full whistle. The natives do
not call them by any term eqtdvalent to " feimiliar," but they say they

I are " Ama/tongo a Jiamha noniuntu,' — Spirits who live with a man.
The wild cat and baboon are said to be a/manxu8a — attendants, L e.
-[ familiars — of the abatakati or wizards ; and as we shall see below,
I they are supposed to have power to bewitch various animab, as dogs,
* cattle, or snakes, and to send them on a message of malice to injure
)tliose they hate. These are of the same character as " the Sending"
I which we read of in Icelandic legends. They also use the imihwuy
that is, little people whom they have raised from the dead by incanta-
tions and magic ; and who may also be called famUia/ra,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

349

wa Alala izinsuku eziaiugi ; V enza
umvumbi, be nge nakuhamba.
Kwa ti ngam/ila li sajo ba puma.
Sa boua be fika, si nga sa Iw azi
usuku a ba ya 'kufika ngalo.

Ekufikeni kwabo, ba tshelwa
booke abantu e sa s' ake nabo
tikuti i fikile imilozL Kwa bitta-
na abantu bonke eudAlini karoa-
ntshajo, o gulayo. Ukugula
kwake, wa e nga gull enyameni ;
u be gula ngokubujelwa abantwa-
na. Ku ti abantu aba ngenayo
ukuza 'kubingelela iuyanga, si
ng" azi ka^le ukuba u nemilozi
impela, kodwa s' azi ukuti u ne-
milozi ngokuzwa ngabantu, si nga
bonanga ngawetu ameAlo.

Si ngene ukubingolela, abanye
ba i bingelela ; abanye, ku ti, be
nga ka i bingeleli, b' ezwe se ku
tsho yona, i ti, " Sa ku bona,
bani,** i m biza ngegama lake. 'E-
tuke, a ti, " Au ! ku tsho pi loku ?
Ngi be ngi bingelela Umancele lo
na.**

^wa sa kusasa, kwa pumelwa
ngapandAle esangweni lomuzi uku-
ya 'kubula inyanga. Umancele
wa ti, " O, nkomidAlilale, (igama

chauge of weather, and he staid at
XJmaucele's house many days ;
there was very heavy rain, so that
they could not set out. On the
first fine day, they set out. We
saw them on their arrival, not
knowing the day on which they
would come*

When they came, all the people
that lived with us were told that
the familiar spirits had come. All
the people collected in the house
of Umantshayo, the sick person.
Her sickness was not that she was
in sufiTering ; she was sick because
all her children died. We who
went in to salute the doctor did
not know for certain that he had
familiar spirits, but we heard it
said by other people that he had ;
we had seen nothing with our own
eyes.

When we had gone in to salute,
some saluted the &miliar spirits ;
but others before they saluted
heard the spirits saluting them,
saying, "Good day, So-€md-so,"
calling the person by his name.
He started, and exclaimed, " O !
whence does the voice come ? I
was saluting Umancele yonder."

In the morning they all went
out to the gateway of the village
to enquire of the diviner. But
Umancele said, " O, Unkomidhli-
lale,2 (my other's name which was

2 U-nkom'-irMl^-irlaley The-bullock-which-eats-and-lies-down.
plying that he lives in the midst of abundance.

Im-

Digitized by VjOOQIC

350

DIVINERS.

likababa a 11 k^anjwa imilozi,) a
ng* azi mina uku ku ishela izwi
noma li linye lokuti nokutL A
kona amakosi a 7a 'ku ku pendu-
la."

Bala a pendula, a ti, " Nkomi-
dAlilale, si nge bide u nga si koke-
langa *luto. A u boni ngani uku-
ba si ze 'ku ku siza ? Koka inko-
mo, idcuze si ku kanyisele izinto o
wa bulawa ngazo."

A sa bona umuntu o kulumayo
nonkomidAlilale ; s' ezwa izwi nje
li tsho li ti, " Funa inkomo." Sa
kgalaza ukuti, " Au, TJmancele
umlomo wake u tulile nje. Ku
kiduma pi loko na V Sa bhekana
sonke omunye nomunye.

UnkomidAlilale wa ngena nga-
pakati ukufuna inkomo, wa i
tshaya, wa ti, " Nansi ke, makosi,
inkomo yenu. Mbala uma ni tsho
ni ti nina ni ze 'u ngi vusa, ngi
nge n^be nenkomo, noko zi nga
se ko ; za pelela ezinyangeni ; ngi
ni nika yona eya salayo k\izo."
Ya bonga imilozi, ya ti, " Ku/de.
Si ya i bonga inkomo yako." Wa
/dala pansi ubaba.

Ya kuluma imilozi, ya ti,
" NkomidAlilale, u ya gulelwa
umfazi wako. U se mutsha. U

given him by the spirits,) for my
part I cannot give you a single
word, one way or the other.^
There are masters* who will
answer you."

And they did answer, saying,
" Unkomidhlilale, we cannot di-
vine unless you pay us. Do you
not see that we have come to help
you ? Give us a bidlock, that we
may show you the things which
are killing you."

"We did not see any one speak-
ing with Unkomidhlilale ; we
merely heard a word telling him
to get a bullock. We looked
round, saying, "O, Umancele's
mouth is quite stilL Whence
does the voice come?" We all
stared one at the other.

Unkomidhlilale went into the
cattle-pen to look for a bullock,
and, selecting one, said, " Here is
your bullock, my masters. Truly
if you are come to give me life
again, I cannot refuse a bullock,
even though there are none left ;
they have all gone to the doctors ;
I give one which was left." The
spirits returned thanks, and said,
" It is well. We thank you for
the bullock." My father sat down.

The spirits spoke, saying, " Un-
komidhlilale, it is your wife who
is sick. She is still young. You

3 Almost precisely the words with which Balaam answered Ba-
lak, Numb. xxii. 38.

* Masters, — ^the imilozi.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DTVINEHS.

351

ya mangala ukuti, * Ini ? Loku
lo 'mfazi ngi mu tete kuyise e in-
tombazana; wa fika lapa kunii,
wa zala umntwana wentombi ;
ngemva kwake kw' ala ukuzala ;
wa zalela pansi. Kw enze njani
nal' Kepa tina si za 'ku ku
tsbela o kw enza ngako loko kum-
kako. Wena u ya funa, u ti,
'TJmkaini w ekqe piT Kepa
k' ek^^anga 'ndawo ; ukufa ku m
fikele ekaya, ni dhls. utshwala.
XTmuiitu owa m bulalayo. Um-
kako wa ia. ngobu/ile. Wa ti e
pumela pandAle ukuya 'kutunda,
kanti lowo *muiitu u m Momele ;
wa ti 'esuka, wa e fika, wa tabata
igade lomtondo wake, wa li songa
endaweni yake, wa ti enMiziyweni
yake, *Ku njani ke? Loku e
ng' ala, e nga vumi ukuba a be
umkami, ngi za *ku m swezisela,
ukuti, ngi za *kubulala inzalo
yake, a Alupeke naye njengami.* "

Loku okwa tshiwo imilozi nkuti
kwa ba njalo, wa tabata imbozisa,

are astonished and say, * What is
this 1 For I took this wife fix)m
her father when she was still a
little girl ; she came here to me,
and gave birth to a female child ;
after that she could not have chil-
dren ; she gave birth for the
ground.*^ How has this happen-
ed?' But we are about to tell
you how this happens to your
wife. You ask where your wife
walked over poison.^ But she
has no where walked over poison ;
the disease came to your house
when you were drinking beer. It
is a man who injured her. Your
wife died"^ for her beauty. She
went out to make water, but the
man was watching her ; and when
she went back, he took the earth
which was saturated with her
urine, and wrapped it up, and said
in his heart, * How now then does
the matter stand 1 Since she re-
fused me and would not be my
wife, I will bereave her, that is, I
wiU kill her children, that she too
may be troubled as well as me.* "

The spirits said he did thus : —
He took poisonous plants^ and

^ That is, for burial. None lived.

® The natives believe that the wizard has power to place poisons
in the path of a person he wishes to injure, and that by merely pass-
ing over it the victim will be affected with whatever disease the
wizard desires ; and further, no one besides the devoted victim will
suffer by passing over it. This is called uhuheha ubuti^ to lay poison ;
and the person affected is said vhjoekqa vhuti^ to leap over or pass over
poison.

'^ Died; her disease is called death.

^ Imbozisa^ a general term applied to certain medicines capable

Digitized by VjOOQIC

352

DIVINERS.

ukuti umdAlebe nembuya nezinto
ezinye ezibulalayo, wa zi Alanga-
nisa negade lomtondo wake, wa
tunga izingcaba, wa zi mbela eziko
ngapansi kwomlilo, ukuze ku ti
ngesikati lapa owesifazana e piswa
iimtondo, a ti lapa e ti ka tunde,
ku be buAlungu esinyeni, ku tshi-
se. Wa m bulala ngaloko. Bala
ngemva kwaloko wa be 'ya tata
isisu, sa dAlula. Kepa tina 'mi-
lozi si namand^la ukuya 'ku ku
mbulula loko. Si nga ya si ku
tabate, si buye nako, ni ku bone
ngame^lo enu. A si namandAla
okuti, *Hamba, u ye enyangeni
ngokwelapa, i bozise loko;' Z' a-
Aluleka zouke. Ku ya 'kuya tina
'milozi. Si ya 'kuhamba ngomso.
NamAla nje si katele. Si se za
'upumula."

Kwa vela nabanye aba bulawa
kauye naye, ba ti, " Nati, makosi,
ni y' azi ukuba sa s' ake 'ndawo
nye, s' aleka kulowo 'muntu."

bound them up with the earth im-
pregnated with her urine, and
made little bags of skin, in which
he placed the mixture, and buri^
them under the fireplace of his
own hut, that when the woman
had a call of nature and went to
make water, she might have a
burning in her bladder. He in-
jured her by these means. After
that indeed she became pr^nant,
but miscarried.® The spirits con-
tinued, "But we spirits can go
and dig up the mixture. We can
go and take it and bring it here,
and show it to yoiL We cannot
advise you to go to a doctor for
the sake of obtaining his advice,
that he may cause that which is
injuring you to rot. The doctors
can do nothing. We spirits will
go. We will go to-morrow. To-
day we are tired. We are now
going to rest."

Others came forward who had
been injured at the same time
with her, and said, " You know,
masters, that we lived together,
and were hated by that man."

of causing a slough — escharotics — ^from ukuhozisa, to » cause to rot.
But here they are not supposed to be applied to the body, or to pro-
duce any escharotic effect, but to be mixed with the urine of the vic-
tim, and to be thus capable of causing her ofl&pring to perish. Two
medicines are here mentioned — umdidebe and imhuya ; not the com-
mon imhuya, generally called wild spinach, but a larger plant pos-
sessed of poisonous qualities.

® Sa dhhUa, i. e. idsu, the word isisu being applied to the abdo-
men, to the womb, and to that which is conceived. " The oi%)ring
passed away." The natives use the same form of a man dying, — " &
86 dhlulile" He has now passed away — ^he is dead.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

353

Ya ti imilozi kundayeni, "Si
y' azi ukuti wena u indodana kan-
komidAlilale. Wa bulawa nawe
ngobuAle bomfazi wako ; a ku ta-
ndwanga ukuba a zekwe u we
umubi kangaka ; kepa wena wa m
zeka ngamand^la ako — ^ngokuba
wa V u Dezinkomo ezinAle, za ta-
ndeka kuyise wentombi, wa ku
nika yona ; kepa kulowo 'muntu
kwa ba isizondo kuye ukuti, ' Ini
ukuba intombi inAle kangaka XJja-
du a i nike umfokazana e mubi
kangaka na V Wa ti, * Ngi za 'ku
m bulala, ngi m shiyise yona ; si
bone ukuba e file a ngi yi 'ku i
zeka na.' "Wa bulawa ngaloko
wena. Kepa amadAlozi akwini a
wa vumi ukuba u fe, a ti, * Ku
ng' enzeke ukuba umntwana wetu
a bulawe ngobuAle bomfazi wake.
Sa mu nika izinkomo ukuba a
zeke, nati si dume ngoku m pata
kaAle.' Kodwa ke, ndayeni, noko
u hamba ngosuku IwanamuAla, u
ya bulawa, namadAlozi a wa sizi
'luto, ngokuba u ku m%inele njalo
ukuze a buye nesidumbu sako.
Si za 'kuya 'ku ku mbulula loko

The spirits said to Undayeni,
" We know that you are Unkomi-
dhlilale's son. You too are in-
jured on account of your wife's
beauty ; it was not liked that she
should marry one so ugly as you
are ; but you took her to wife be-
cause you were powerful — because
you had so many beautiful cattle,
which were an object of admira-
tion to the maiden's father, and so
he gave her to you ; and that ex-
cited hatred in the other's heart,
and he said, * How is it that XJjadu
has given so beautiful a damsel to
so ugly a beggar as that 1 I will
kill him, and force him to leave
her ; and when he is dead we shall
see whether I shall marry her or
not.' You were made ill on that
account. But the spirits^^ of your
people would not allow you to be
killed, but said, * It cannot be per-
mitted that our child should be
killed on account of the beauty of
his wifa We gave him cattle
that he might marry, and we be
honoured for treating him well.'
But notwithstanding that, Unda-
yeni, although you are living now,
you are being killed, and the an-
cestral spirits give you no help,
for that sorcerer is constantly
longing to bring home your
corpse.^^ We are going to dig
up that by which you are in-

1^ Amadhlozi or Amatongo.

^1 That is, to kill you ; and like a warrior return with the spoil-
the dead body of the conquered.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

354

DIVINERS.

owa bnlawa ngako, u ku bone
ngame^lo.*'

Kwa ti kusasa ya tsho imilozi,
ya ti, " Si pe ni ukudAla, s' enca-
me, si hambe." Kwa fonwa uka-
dAla, kwa letwa ntshwala bu ngo-
kamba, Iwa bekwa kumancele;
wa puza ke nabantu bake, kwa
pela, Ya bonga, ya ti, "Si ya
bouga ke ; se si hamba, si hamba
nabakwini — Ukcuba nobutongwa-
ne nabo bonke bakwini. A si
tsho ukuti loko si ya 'ku ku tata
obala j si ya 'kulwa nabakona ;
kodwa si ya 'ku b* aAlula, si buye
nako loka Sala ni haJile ke/'
Ya hamba.

Sa sala tina nomancele nabantu
bake, si mangele si ti, " I za 'kuba
'ndaba ni lena na?" Y' emuka
amasuku amatatu. Umancele wa
sala natL Sa buza kuye ukuti,
« I ya 'kufika nini na 1 " Wa ti,
" Na ngomso i nga fika, uma pa-
mbili ku nge lukuni, i b' aAlulile.
Kodwa a ng' azi nami usuku Iwo-
kufika kwayo, ngokuba a ba ngi
tshelanga usuku a ba ya 'kubuya

jured, and you shall see it with
your own eyes."

On the following morning the
spirits said, " Give us some food,
that we may eat and set out."
The people fetched food, and beer
in a pot, and placed it before Uma-
ncele ; he and his people ate and
drank it alL The spirifcs returned
thanks and said, " We thank you ;
we are now going ; we are going
with the spirits of your people —
with Ukaiba and Ubutongwane
and all the people of your house. ^
We do not say that we shall take
that which is killing you without
difficulty ; we shall fight with the
spirits of that place ; but we shall
conquer them; and bring back
what we are going for. So good
bye."i3 They went

We, Umancele and his people
remained, we wondering and ask-
ing, " How will this matter turn
out ? " The spirits went away for
three days. Umancele remained
with us. We asked him when the
spirits would come back again.
He replied, " They may come per-
haps to-morrow if they do not find
it a difficult work where they are
gone, and they conquer them.
But I do not myself know the day
of their return, for they did not
tell me, for they go to an enemy.

12 Viz., the dead, — ^the Amatongo.

1^ Compare this contest between the contending £Etctions of the
Amatongo with the battle of the good people, given in " The Confes-
sions of Tom Bourke," Croker^s Fairy Legends,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

355

ngalo, ngokiiba ba ya eziteni. Si
ya *kubona ngoba se be fika nje."

Si buze tina, si ti, " Uma be fi-
kile si ya *kubona ngani na ? " A
ti Umancele, " Ni ya *kuzwa izwi
labo ; noma ni banga umsindo, ni
kuluma ngamandALi, ba ya 'kuti,
* Tula ni ; si fikile.' Noma ni
ng* ezwa, lowo o pakamisa umsindo
ba ya 'ku m biza ngegama lake, ba
ti, * Tula, bani. A u zwa ini na f
Ku ya 'kuba njalo ke ukufika
kwabo."

Umancele wa be e pakati kwetu
njengomunta wasemizini, e nga
feni nenyanga ; wa dAla, wa puza
nabantu bake.

Kwa ti ngolwesine ntambama
kwa fika wa munye umlozi ; s' e-
zwa u se u ti, " Ngi fikile.*' Wa
buza Umancele, wa ti, " Ubani
na?" Wa ti, "Ng' Ubani," u
tsho igama lawo. Wa buza futi
Umancele, wa ti, "Au, bani,
bonke ba pi na 1 " Wa ti, " Au,
si ya Alupeka. Ba sele ; ba ya fa
abantu ; ba ya si gwaza ; a ba
vumi ukuba si mbulule; kodwa
nati si namadoda akwiti a ya Iwa
nabo. Ngi ze 'ukcela ukud/ila.
Si lambile. Ngi ya buyela. A
ngi z* 'ulala lapa."

We shall know only by their
arrival"

When we asked how we should
know when they arrived, Uma-
ncele said, " You will hear them
speak j and if you are making a
great noise and talking aloud, they
will say, * Be quiet ; we are come.'
And if you do not hear, they will
call him by name who is making
the noise, and say, * Be quiet, you
So-and-sa Do you not hear?'
Thus it will be when they come."

Umancele was amongst us like
a stranger, not like a doctor ; he
and his people ate and drank.

On the fourth day in the after-
noon one spirit came, and we
heard it saying, " I have come."
Umancele asked, " Who are you f*
It replied, " I am So-and-so," giv-
ing the name of the spirit. Uma-
ncele again enquired, sajring, " O,
So-and-so, where are all the rest V
It replied, " O, we are troubled.
They remain behind ; the people
are dying ;^* the enemy is stabbing
us ; they will not let us dig up
the poison ; but we too have our
men, and they are fighting with
them. I have come to ask for
food. We are hungry. I am
going back. I shall not sleep
here."

^^ It is supposed that the Amatongo, or the dead, can die again.
Here we have allusions to their being killed in battle, and of their
being carried away by the river. See above, p. 225, note 76.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

356

DIVINERS.

Kwa fiinwa ukudAla, kwa be-
kwa kumancele, noma isikafd, no-
ma utshwala. Wa dAla Umancele,
wa kgeda. Umlozi wa bonga, wa
ti, "Sala ni kuAla" Wa buza
Umancele, wa ti, " Ni ya 'kubuya
nini nal" Wa ti, "A ng* azi,
ngokuba abantu ba katele ; u loku
sa fika, amasuk\i omatatu sa Iwa
njalo kii ze ku be namuAla. Um-
Alaumbe na ngomuso si nga fika.
A iig* azi ; si ya 'kubona pambili."
W* emuka.

Sa lala IwesiAlanu. Kwa * ti
ngomso emini, sa ti si Alezi, si
ng* azi *luto, s' ezwa se i tsho em-
samo, i ti, " Tula ni umsindo ; se
si fikile ; kodwa a si fiki sonke ;
abanye b' emuke namanzL"

Wa buza Umancele, wa ti,
"Obanina?"

Ya ti, " XJbutongwane. Ka
vumi ukuwela ; w' esaba amanzi.
Kodwa nezinto e be si ye 'ku zi
tata, a zi pelele; zi mukile futi
namanzi; ku muke ingcaba kabani,
e nokuti nokuti yake; nekabani
y' emuka njalo ; kodwa ezinye zi
kona ; ekabani nobani bonke aba
takatelwayo, si fika nazo," '

The people fetched food and
placed it before Umancele, both
solid food and beer. He ate it alL
The spirit returned thanks, and
said, " Good bye." Umancele
asked when they would come
back. It said, " I do not know,
for the people are tired ; from the
time we got there, all three days,
we have been constantly fighting
till to-day. Perhaps we may come
to-morrow. I cannot say ; we
shall see by and bye." It de-
parted.

We retired to rest on the fifth
day. On the morrow at noon, as
we were sitting unconscious of any
thing, we heard the spirits speak-
ing at the upper part of the house,
saying, " Cease your noise ; we
are come ; but we are not all here ;
some have been carried away by
the river."

Umancele asked who they were.

They replied, " Ubutongwane.
He would not cross ; he was afraid
of the water. But all the things
which we went to fetch, are not
here ; they too were carried away
by the water ; the little bag of
So-and-so, the one with such and
such things in it, has been carried
away ; and that of So-and-so ; but
other things are here ; the bag of
So-and-so, and of So-and-so, and of
all the others who are poisoned,
we bring with us."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

357

Tina a* ezwa se ku tiwa, " I fi-
kile imilozi," ku nyenyezwa aoma-
mo. Sa buza, sa ti, ^' I fike niui
na 1 " Ba ti, " I fike emini nje.
Kepa i ti, uyiAlo u mukile nama-
nzi, nezinto ezinye zi moke nama-
nzL" Sa puma ukuti, " Ake si ye
'kuzwa nati." Sa ngena end^lini,
sa Alala ; s' ezwa bala ku njalo, i
kuluma imilozL Sa funa \ikuba i
kuluma pi. Sa bheka emlonyeni
kamancele ; a sa bona 'kukuluma.
Sa koAlwa uma ku tsho pi loko na.

I ti, " Si fike sonke." I kxckxa,
impi yayo ukuAlabana kwayo. I
ti, " Sa V a/ilula. XJkuze si b' a-
/tlule, sa b' enzela ingomane ngom-
lilo ; sa b' aAlula. Sa Alala, si
linda umlilo, ukuze u kcime, si
mbulule izinto lezi e si fika nazo ;
kwa ba njalo sa zi mbulula, si fika
nazo zonke. Ni ya 'ku zi bona
kusasa, ukuti nokuti njalo."

Kwa sa kusasa, kwa ti emini
kwa kitshwa izinto zonke endAlini,
kwa sindwa, ukuze izibi zonke zi
pume ; y' oma indAlu ; kwa butwa
abantu baleyo 'mizi yakwiti ukuza

We heard our mothers whisper-
ing that the spirits had come. We
asked when they came. They
said, "Just now, at noon. But
they say, your father has been
carried away by the river, and
some of the things also," We
went out, saying, " Just let us go
and hear too." We went into the
house and sat down ; and truly we
heard it was so ; the spirits were
speaking. We tried to discover
where the voice came from. We
looked earnestly at Umancele's
mouth ; we did not see him speak-
ing. We could not understand
where the voice was.

The spiiits said, " We have all
come." They related all the acts
of the army. They said, " We
conquered them. In order that we
might conquer them, we made an
attack with fire ; and so conquered
them. We remained watching the
fire, that when it had gone out we
might dig up the things which we
have brought; so we dug them
up, and have brought them all.
You will see them in the morning,
every one of them."

On the following day at noon,
every thing was taken out of the
house, and the floer was smeared
with cowdung, that all dust might
be taken away; the floor dried;
and all the people of our villages^*

^^ There were three villages situated near each other, and the in-
habitants of all of them came together.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

358

DIYINERS.

'kubona iziuto czi fikileyo. Kwa
ketwa abadala, amadoda nesi^tza-
na, aba za 'kungena endAlini j kwa
id abancane besi^kzana nabalisa
abancane ba Alungwa ; a ba ngena,
ba sala DgapandAle. Kwa tiwa,
abancane a ba nako nkungena la-
pa ; a ku £inele ukuba ba boniswe
izinto zobulima obubi,

Kwa ti be sa kuluma, ya ti
imilozi, " Hlela ni, ni Male kaAle,
ni tule umsindo, ni ti nya*" Bala
kwa ba njalo, ba tula, ba ti nya.
Ya tsho imilozi, ya ti, " K^pela
ni oku way a" Ba Mala ugoku-
k^^apela. B' ezwa kw ehh, into
pezuln, i njengento i ponswe umu-
ntu, i ti gcitshi Kwa ba kuningi
kw enze njalo ukuwa kwako, kwa
za kwa pelela. Kwa ti se ku
pelile, ya tsho ukuti, " Ku bute
ni; ku pelele manje." Ba ku
buta. Ku ti a ba nga ku boniyo,
b' ezwe se u tsho umlozi, u ti,
" Blieka ni okunye ; nako ngo-
tingo olutile, nokunye kwolutile."
Ba ku buta konke.

Ya tsho, ya ti, " Ku pelele ke
manje. Haniba ni, ni ye emfu-
leni, emadwaleni, ni ku Alakazele
kona ; ni ya 'kubona kona izinto

were collected to see the things
which had come. The old people,
men and women, were chosen to
go into the house. The young
people, female and male, were
separated ; they did not go in, but
remained outside. They said
young people could not go in ; it
was not proper for them to see the
things of wicked sorcery.

As they were still speaking, the
spirits said, " Arrange yourselves
properly, and be quite quiet."
And truly they were absolutely
silent. The spirits said, ^*Look
about you for that which fedls."
They waited and watched. They
heard something £dl from above,
like a thing thrown by some one ;
it fell with a sound. Many things
fell in this way, until all had
fallen. When all had fallen, the
spirits said, " Collect them ; all
are now here." They collected
them. When there was any thing
they did not see, they heard a
spirit saying, " See, there is some-
thing else ; there it is near such a
wattle ; and there is another by
such a wattle."^^ They collected
every thing.

The spirits said, "You now
have every thing. Go to the rocks
in the river, and spread them
abroad there ; you will there see

^^ The English reader may require to be reminded that the native
hut is made of wattles, covered with grass. ^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

359

e na bo ni zi funa ; ingcaba kabaiii,
nanso etile, nekabani etile." Ya
z' a^lukanisa zonke izingcaba nga-
baninizo.

Ya ti, " Hamba ni ke, ni kcite
emanzini uma se ni bonile, ku
muke namanzi. Ni ya 'knpila;
no be e felwa u ya 'kupila ; nogu-
layo u ya 'kutokoza, ukuze n' azi
ukuba si izinyanga impela."

Bala b' emuka, ba Alakazela
emanzini ; abanye ba fumana ubu-
Alalu bwabo; abanye ba fumana
umMaba u botsbiwe ; nabanye ba
fumana izidwaba zabo; nabanye
ba fumana iziziba zabo ; bonke ba
fumana okwabo njalo ; ba ku laAla
emanzini, kw' emuka. Ba geza
izandAla nemizimba, be ti, "Si
nge goduke nepunga lamanyala."

Ba fika ekaya, sa buza kwoma-
me ngokunyenyeza ukuti, " Ni zi
fumene izinto zonke zetu na?"
Ba ti, " Au, impela. • Si ya kolwa
ukuba ba izinyanga. Se si ku
bonile ; nokuti kukabani, e sa si
ku bona ku nga ka la/deki ; zonke
izinto e si z' aziyo sa zi bona. Si
y' etemba ukuba si za 'kusinda
nianje."

the things which you have been
looking for ; So-and-so's little bag,
and such and such a thing you
will see ; and that thing of So-
and-so." They distinguished all
the little bags according to the
persons to whom they belonged.

They said, " Gro then, and cast
them into the water when you
have seen them, that they may be
carried away by it. You will get
well ; and she whose children died
will get well ; and he who is sick
will rejoice, that you may know
that we are indeed diviners."

So they went and spread them
out by the water; some found
their beads; some found earth
bound up ; others found pieces of
their old tattered garments ; others
their rags; all found something
belonging to them; they threw
them into the water, and they
were carried away. They washed
their hands and bodies, saying,
"We cannot go home with the
stench of this filth upon us."

When they came home we asked
our mothers in whispers if they
had found all our things. They
replied, "Yes, surely. We be-
lieve that they are diviners. We
have seen the things; there was
that of So-and-so which we used
to see before it was lost ; we saw
every thing which we knew. We
now believe that we shall get
well"

Digitized by VjOOQIC

360

DIVINERS.

Kwa ti ngangomiiso Umancele
wa nikwa inkomo yake. Wa
valelisa, wa goduka. Sa bonga,
sa ti, ^* Hamba ni kaAle ke, ma-
kosi Si bonile ubuiiyanga benu.
Kodwa se si ya 'kukgapela uku-
pila kodwa." B' emuka.

Sa sala si bhekila Wa si tata
isisu TJmantshayo ; za pela izinya-
nga zokubeleta ; wa beleta ; ingane
ya Alala amasuku ama^lanu, ya
Alabeka, ya tsho ngapansi na nga-
pezulu, ya dAIiila. Sa biiyela
emuva, sa ti, " Au ! lokn ku tiwe
si mbululiwe, ku vela pi loku na 1
Hau ! si za 'iik^'apela ngemuva ;
uma si bona ku ba nje, si ya 'ude-
la, si ti, nokumbululwa a ku sizi
'luto. Si ya Aliipeka."

Wa Alala isikati eside ; wa ta-
bata isisu ; za pela izinyanga zake ;
wa beleta ; ya Alala ingane ama-
suku a nge mangaki; kwa ba
njalo ya tsho ngapansi na ngape-
zulu, ya dAlula.

Sa ti, ^* Hau ! okona 'ku i ko i
ku pi ! Loku se si bona ku se si
kale. Inkomo yetu sa i delela ni ?
I ku pi na, loku si nga sa boni
umntwana njena na V Sa ti, " O,
imilozi i ya si koAlisa. A i taba-
tanga ukufa e sa bulawa ngako.

On the morrow Umancele was
given his bullock. He took his
leave and went homa We gave
thanks, saying, " Go in prosperity,
our masters. We have seen your
skill. But we are now looking
out for our recovery." They de-
parted.

We remained in expectation.
TJmantshayo became pregnant ;
her months were ended ; she gave
birth to a child ; after £^ve days it
was attacked with violent sickness
and diarrhoea ; it died. We lost
heart again, and said, " O ! since
it was said the poison which was
killing us has been dug up, whence
comes this ? ! we shall look
back again ; when we see that it
is thus, we shall be satisfied, and
say that even digging up the poi-
son is of no use. We are in trou-
ble."

She remained a long time ; she
became pregnant ; her months
were ended ; she gave birth to a
child ; it lived a few days ; again
it was seized with the same dis-
ease, and died.

We said, " O ! what is the real
truth in this*matter 1 For we see
that we are still weeping. Why
did we give our bullock ? Where
is the truth of the matter, since
even now we see no child bom to
live ? O, the spirits are deceiving
us. They did not take away the
poison which was killing us. They

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIYINERS.

361

I si tungele okwayo, ukuza 'kuta-
bata inkomo yetu. A si ku boni
ukumbululwa kwetii ; si fela pezu
kwako. Ku ze ku be namuAla,
u ya felwa Umantshayo."

Kondayeni ka tolanga 'sikala
sokupumula; kwa ba i loku wa
gula, wa za wa ^ ku nge ko 'nya-
nga nanye e m sizayo, z' aAluleka
zonke. W eza wa dAlala ngom-
kababa lo o nge nanyanga ; z' a-
Aluleka zonke. Nabo bakondayeni
ba kala ngakukala kunye nati

Umpenoula Mbanda.

sewed up to deceive us their own
things in the bags, that they might
come and take our bullock. We
do not see that they dug up the
poison for us ; we are dying not-
withstanding. And to this day
the children of Umantshayo die."
And Undayeni did not get the
least rest ; he was always ill, and
at last died ; not a single doctor
helped him ; all were unsuccessfuL
And he trifled with my father's
wife, who had no doctor who could
cure her ; all fsdled. And the
people of Undayeni had the same
cause of complaint that we had.

Another account.

Nga ka nga ya kuwo umlozi, ngi
ya 'kubula umfana wakwetu, e
gula, e nesifo, e k^eka. Sa ma-
ngala nobaba nomfo wetu naoma-
me uma isifo sini lesi, loku e kade
e nge naso lesi 'sifo. Si ya si kya-
buka esokuba si zwiwa Sa ha-
mba, sa flka kuwo umlozi. Sa
kuleka, sa ti, "E, mngane; in-
daV ezinAle." Sa Alala. Ya ti,
"Sa ni bona." Sa vuma, sa ti,
"Yebo." Ya kcataz' uguai, ya
bema, ya zamula, ya zelula, ya

I ONCB went to a person with a
familiar spirit to enquire respect-
ing a boy of ours who had convul-
sions. My father and brother and
mothers and I wondered what was
the nature of the disease, since it
was a new thing. We saw at first
sight that it was something about
which we must enquire of the
diviner. We set out and went to
the person with a feimiliar spirit.
We made obeisance, saying, " Eh,
Mend ; we come to you for good
news." We waited. The doctor
said, "Good day." We replied,
saying, "Yes." She poured out
some snuff, and took it ; she then
yawned and stretched, and also

u u

Digitized by VjOOQIC

362

DIVINERS.

iUasimula futi, ya ti, ^^ Ka ba ka
fiki aba bulayo."

Sa Alala isikati eside, sa za nati
sa kcataz' uguai, sa bema; si te
lapa se si koAliwe, s' ezwa ukufika
kwayo imilozi ; ya ti ya si binge-
lela, ya ti, "Sa iii bona." Sa
kgalaza endAliiii ukuba i tsho pi.

Ya ti, " Ni k^laza ni, loku si
ya ni bingelela nje, si ti, * Sa ni
bona?'"

Sa ti, " Si k^aza nkuba si nga
ni boni lapa ni kona."

Ya ti ke, " Si lapa. A ni na-
mandAla oku si bona. Ni ya 'ku-
sizwa ngokushumayela nje."

Izwi layo li vela kuyo, li nga
tuti elomuntwanyana omncinyane,
a li namandAla okukuluma kakii-
lu, ngokuba li kuluma pezulu
ezintingwem.

Sa ti, " Yebo."

Ya ti, " Ni ze ngendaba."

Wa ti umnikaziyo, " Ba tsha-
yele ni ; nampo be ni tshela, be ti,
ni ze ngendaba."

Sa tshaya ke.

Ya ti, " Indaba inknlu e ni ze
ngayo ; uniAlola u kumuntu."

Sa i tshayela, sa buza, sa ti, " U

shuddered, and said, "They who
divine are not yet here."

We remained a long time, and
at length we too took some snuff;
when we were no longer thinking
of the reason of our coming, we
heard that the spirits were come ;
they saluted us, saying, " Grood
day." We looked about the house
to see where the voice came from.

The spirits said, " Why are you
looking about, for we merely salute
youl"

We said, " We look about be-
cause we cannot see where you
are."

They said, " Here we are. You
cannot see us. You. will be helped
by what we say only."

The voice was like that of a
very little child ; it cannot "speak
aloud, for it speaks above,* among
the wattles of the hut.

We replied to the salutation.

The spirits said, "You have
come to enquire about something.'*

The person whose fieimiliars they
were said, " Strike the ground for
them j see, they say you came to
enquire about something."

So we struck the ground.

They said, " That about which
you have come is a great matter ;
the omen has appeared in a man.**

We struck the ground, and
asked, saying, "How big is the

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS-

363

kumuntu o ngakanani na wona
lowo 'mAlola na ? "

Ya ti, " U kumuntu omncinyar
ne."

Sa tshaya kakulu lapo, uma si
J5wa ukuti ya Alaba kona,

Ya ti, " Ngi ti, umAlola njalo
isifo."

Sa tshaya kakulu.

Ya ti, " Si semzimbeni kulowo
'muntu omncinyane." Ya ti, "A
ngi zwe nma umuntu muni?"
Ya ti, " Umfana."

Sa i vumela kakulu.

Ya ti, " Ka k' alusL U se
muncinyane."

Sa tshaya kakulu,

Ya ti, " Kodwa ni ya mangala,
ni mangaliswa umkuba o kuye
emzimbeni." Ya ti, " Tshaya ni,
ngi zwe uma lo 'mkuba o semzi-
mbeni kulowo ^mfana omnciDyane
nje, uma umkuba muni na."

Sa tshaya kakulu, sa ti, " Si ya
*kuzwa ngawe, lok* u m bonile
wena ukuti umfana muncinyane."

Ya ti, " Naku ; ngi m bona, e
nga ti a nga kgiileka bo."

Sa tshaya kakulu lapa

man in whom the omen has ap-
peared ? "

They replied, "It is a young
person."

We struck the ground vehe-
mently there, when we perceived
that she^^ had hit the mark.

They said, ^* I say the omen is a

We smote the ground vehe-
mently.

They said, " It is disease in the
body of that young person." They
said, " Let me see what that per-
son is ? It is a boy."

We assented strongly.

They said, "He does not yet
herd. He is still small."

We smote violently on the
ground.

They said, " But you wonder at
what has occurred to him." They
said, " Strike the ground, that I
may see what that is which has
occurred to the body of the little
boy."

We struck the ground vehe-
mently, and said, " We will hear
from you, for you have seen that
it is a little boy."

They said, " There he is ; I see
him ; it is as though he had con-
vulsions."

Upon that we smote the ground
vehemently.

^7 The woman with the familiar spirits. The divination of the
spii'its is spoken of as something done by the woman, without whom
they do not divine.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

364

DIVINERS.

Ya ti, " XJkuk^leka i 'kwenze
njani 9 Ngi bu2e ni''

Sa ti, **A si nako ukubuza.
Ngokuba naku ni j* azi ; se ni si
tshelile nina ngapambili. Loku u
ngapaue u ti, a si ku buze nje, a u
yi ngayo indAlela ; loku si zwa u
ya ngayo nje, si nga ze si buze ni
nal"

Ya ti, " Ngi ti pela, ngi buze
ni ; ungabe ngi y' eduka."

Sa ti, " K5U ; ka w eduki ; u ya
ngayo iudAlela e si i bonayo natL"

Ya ti, " Lowo *mfana ku k^^ale
lap' e ti, 'esuke, a hambe, U se
mncane kakulu, a ni ku bonanga
loku 'kufa — ^lapa e se ingane enca-
ne ; wa za wa k^ala ukuAleka, e
nga ka bi naso leso 'sifo ; wa za
wa Alala, e nga ka bi naso ; wa za
wa kasa, e nga ka bi naso ; wa za
w' esuka w' ema, e nga ka bi naso
leso 'sifo ; u te lapa e se lu susa
unyawo uma a kcatule, sa fika leso
*sifo. Uku si bona kwenu leso
'sifo, ni si bone si fika ngoku m
bulala nje ; wa fela ezandAleni
zikanina; unina wa m tela nga-
manzi, e se yalule ame^lo ; unina

They said, " What kind of con-
vulsions are they? Enquire of
me.

We said, " We have nothing to
ask about For behold you know ;
you have already first told us.
For it is pi*oper that you should
tell us to ask, if you were not
going the right way; but as we
perceive that you are going the
right way, what have we to ask of
you?"

They replied, "I tell you to
ask, for perhaps I am going
wrong."

We said, "No; you are not
going wrong; you are going by
the way which we ourselves see."

They said, " The disease began
in the child when he began to
walk. When he was very young,
you did not see the disease — when
he was a little in&nt ; at length
when he began to laugh, the dis-
ease had not yet appeared ; at
length he began to sit up, it not
having yet appeared ; at length he
began to go on all fours, it not
having yet appeared ; at length he
began to stand before he was af-
fected by it; when he began to
lift his foot from the ground to
toddle, the disease came upon him.
When you saw the disease, you
saw it without expecting anything
of the kind ; he died in his mo-
ther's arms; his mother poured
water on him when he was turning
up his eyes ; she uttered a great

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

365

wa kala kakula, n* etuka, na giji-
ma, na ya eudAlini ; dI te ni fika
endAlini, na fika e se vukile. Wa
ti tmina, 'Ni ngi zwa ngi kala
nje, u file unintanami. A ni mix
boni emanzi 1 Kade ngi mn tele
ngamanzi, nokuma a ze a Tuke
nja' " Ya ti imilozi, " Ngi ni
tshele loko ke ; ngi pikise ni uma
ka si kona loko e ngi kit tshojo
na."

Sa ti, '^ Si nge ze sa ku pikisa ;
si ku tshelile na kuk^a, sa ti, u
hamba ngayo indAlela."

Ya ti, " Leso 'sifo si fistna nesifo
somuntu esi isitutwana Nina ni
ze lapa nje, ni ti, ka ni zwe uma
leso 'sifo esi kuinntwana, lesi 'sifo
sini esi fana nesitutwane lesi, uma
isifo sinL"

Sa ti, "Ehe, u k^inisile ; si
tanda ukuti ma si zwe kuwena,
nilozi; wena u ya 'ku si tshela
nesifo nokuti isifo sokuti, si ze
s' azi ukuk^nda uma lesi 'sifo
isifo sokuti ; ngokuba se si si tshe-
Iwe u we ; u si tshele nemiti yoku
s' elapa, uma si ya 'kwenza njani
na.

Ya ti, "Ngi za 'ku ni tshela
isifo. Nina ni novalo olukulu
ngokuba ni ti, lo 'mntwana u ne-
situtwane ; ngokuba isitutwane
umuntu waso ka lungi ; u zitshisa
na semiililweni. Mina ngi za 'ku
ni tshela, ngi ni k^ondise ukwenza
kwaleso 'sifo. Ake ni tshaye, ngi

cry, you started, and ran into the
house ; when you entered he had
agaiu come to life. The mother
said, *You heard me cry; my
child was dead. Do you not see
he is wet I I poured water over
him for some time, and therefore
he has come to life again.* " The
spiiits continued, "I have now
told you this ; deny if what I say
is not true.'*

We replied, "We can in no
way dispute what you say ; we
have told you already that you
were going by the right path."

The spirits said, " This disease
resembles convulsions. You have
come to me to know what is this
disease which is like convulsions.'*

We said, "Just so, you say
truly ; we wish to hear from you,
spirit ; you will tell us the disease
and its nature, that we may at
length understand of what nature
it is ; for you have already told us
the name of the disease ; tell us
also the medicines with which we
shall treat it"

They replied, " I will tell you
the disease. You are greatly
alarmed because you say the child
has convulsions ; and a child with
convulsions is not safe ; he bums
himself in the fire. I shall tell
you what caused this disease. Just
smite on the ground, boys, that I

Digitized by VjOOQIC

366

DIVINERS.

zwe lima lo 'mntwaua i *kupela
kwake ini kuyise, bafana, na ] "
Sa ti, " Ehe ; i *knpela kwake."

Ya ti, "Tshaya ni, ngi zwe
nina, nma ni bula nje, ni ini naye
iia, nalowo 'mfana na, o gulayo
na."

Sa tshaya kakulu.

Ya ti, " Lowo 'mfana umfo we-
nu." Ya ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe
lima umfo wenu kayiAlo wenu
ngempela na." Ya ti, " Amanga.
Ka si ye okayi/Jo wenu ngempela.
Ba y' elamana kodwa oyiAla Um-
fo wenu, ngokub* oyiAlo b' elamar
na."

Sa tshaya kakulu,

Ya ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe uma
umupi omkulu kwoyi^lo bobabili.
Ngi ti uyiAlo wenu, bafana, ka se
ko, wa fa. Tshaya ni, ngi zwe
uma wa fela pi." Ya ti, " Nanku ;
ngi m bona ; a fel' eudAle uyiAlo
wenu, bafana. Wa gwazwa ngom-
konto. Wa gwazwa isipi 'sizwe
njel"

Sa tshaya kakulu.

Ya ti, " Wa gwazwa amazulu
xiganeno kwotukela; lap' a fela
kona uyi/ilo, bafana. Lona uyiAlo-
kazi ngokwelamaua noyi/Jo ; yena
uyiAlo omkulu."

inay understand if the child is the
only son of his father."

We said, " Yes ; he is his only
son."

They said, " Smite the ground,
that I may understand what rela-
tion you are to the child, since you
come here to enquire."

We smote vehemently on tlie
gix)und.

They said, " The boy is your
broilier. Smite the ground, that
I may see if he is really your
brother bom of your own father,
or not. Not so. He is not
really the son of your father.
Your fathers are brothers. He is
your brother, because your fathers
were brothers."

We smote the ground violently.

They said, " Smite, that I may
understand which is the older of
the two fathers. I say, boys, your
own father is dead. Smite, that I
may understand where he died.
There he is ; I see him ; he died,
boys, in the open country. He
was stabbed with an assagai. By
what tribe was he stabbed 1 "

We smote the ground vehe-
mently.

They said, " He was stabbed by
the Amazulu on this side the Utu-
kela; that is where your &ther
died, boys. The father of that
child is your uncle, because he was
your &ther*s brother ; he was the
elder of the two."

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

367

Ya ti, " A ngi ni tshele ukufa
ke kaloku oku kumfana lowo.
Kodwa isifo sake si fana nesitu-
twane ; kodwa ka si so sona. Ni-
na se ni y' esaba kakulu, ngokuba
ni ti iaitutwane. Mina Dgi za 'ku
ni tshela ke, ngokuba ni nga sa yi
'knpinda ni m bone e kgiileka.
Ngi za 'ku ni yalela into e ni ya
'uiika, ni y enze. Na ka na m
Alabela nje 1 A ni bonanga ni m
Mabela."

Ya ti, " Ake ngi zwe uma n' a-
ke pi, lapa n' ake kona. Ni ka-
Mongwa, isizwe e ni knsona. Ke
ngi zwe nina isizalo sakwini ni
abapi na. Ni abasemadungeni''
Ya ti, " Ke ngi zwe kona emadu-
ngeui, uma ni se lapa nje kaAlo-
ngwa, emadungeni n' esuswa ini
kwini uma ni ze ni ze kaAlongwa
nje." Ya ti, " W eka:abana naba-
kwini, n' eza ke kwaAlongwa lapa."
Ya ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe uma
se ni w akile nje umuzi wakwini
na?"

Sa tshaya.

Ya ti, " A ni ka w aki. N' ake
ngapakati kwomunye umuzi ; a ni
ka w aki owakwini umuzi enta-
beni. Um£ana lowo leso 'sifo si
m velela ngapakati kwalowo *mu-
zL" Ya ti, " Tshaya ni, ngi zwe
yena lowo 'muntu e n* aka naye
emzini wake uma ni ini naye na."

Sa tshaya.

They said, "Let me now tell
you the disease which has attacked
the boy. His disease is like con-
vulsions ; but it is not convulsions.
And you are greatly alarmed be-
cause you think it is convulsions.
But I shall tell you, for you will
not again see him have a fit. I
shall tell you what to do when you
get home. Did you ever sacrifice
for him 1 You have never sacri-
ficed for him."

They said, " Let me just see
where you live. You live among
the Amathlongwa; that is the
tribe where you live. Let me just
see where you were bom. You
belong to the Amadunga. Just
let me see, since you are here
among the Amathlongwa, why
you were separated from the Ama-
dunga to come here. You quar-
relled with your own people, and
so came here to the Amathlongwa.
Smite the ground, that I may see
if you have built your own vil-
lage."

We smote the ground.

They said, " You have not yet
built it. You live in the village
of another ; you have not yet built
your own village on the hill. As
for the boy, the disease attacked
him in the village where you now
are. Smite the ground, that' I
may see what relation the man
with whom you live is to you."

We smote the ground.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

368

DIVmERS.

Ya id, " Umitsliana wenu e
n' ake kuye." Ya ti, "A ngi boni
'luto ngapakati kwomuzi womi-
tshana wenu ; u limgile nje ; a ngi
boni indaba ezimbi ngapakati
kwawo ; ngi u bona umuAle nje ;
ni dAla ni kcimele, ngoba ni nga
floli'lnto." Yati, "Utoengiza
'ku ni tshela lona, ngi za 'ku ni
tshela itongo. Ka si ko isitutwa-
ne kulowo 'mntwana." Ya ti,
" Ngi ti mina u netongo."

Sa mangala nkuba imilozi si
nga i boni, si zinge si i zwa i ku-
luma ezintingweni, i kuluma izin-
daba eziningi si nga i boni

Ya ti, " Ngi nuka itongo lakwi-
ni Ni ya \ifika, ni tate imbuzi
Nansi impongo ; ngi i bona."

Sa ti, " Ni i bona ngani na 1 "
Ya ti, " Tula ni, ngi za 'ku ni
tshela, ngi ni delise umbala wayo.
Umbala wayo imAlope. Nanso i
s* and' ukufika, i vele ngapetsheya
kwelovo emanzimtotL Se i im-
pongo enkulu. Ni ya 'kuAlaba
yona, ni m tele ngenyongo. Ni ti
ukusuka ni ye 'ku m kelela umuti
o ikambi lomAlaba," Ya ti, " Ngi
bona idAlozi lelo; li ti, ma ku
pume umiizi wakwini, u b' enta-
benL Angiti li ya buza idAlozi, li
ti, * XJmuzi u b' u kade u ngapa-
kati kwomunye ini na ? ' Li

They said, " He is your cousin
on the mother's side. I see no-
thing wrong in the village of your
cousin ; he is good ; I see no prac-
tising of sorcery there ; I see that
the village is clear ; you eat with
your eyes shut, for you have no-
thing to complain o£ What I
shall tell you is this, it is the
ancestral spirits that are doing
this. It is not convulsions the
child has. For my part I say he
is affected by the ancestral spirits.**

We wondered that we should
continually hear the spirits which
we could not see, speaking in the
wattles, and telling us many things
without our seeing them.

The spirits said, ** I point out
your ancestral spirits. When you
reach home you shall take a goat.
There it is, a he goat ; I see it.

We said, " How do you see itf

They said, "Be silent, I will
tell you, and satisfy you as to its
colour. It is white. That is it
which has just come from the
other side of the Hovo from the
AmanzimtotL It is now a large
he goat. You shall sacrifice it,
and pour its gall on the boy. You
will go and pluck for him Itongo-
medicina I see that Itongo; it
says that your village is to be re-
moved from its present place, and
built on the hill. Does not the Ito-
ngo ask, ' Why has the village staid
so long in the midst of another ) '

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVTNERSL

36t)

bulala umfana lowo nje, li ti, * A
ku pume umuzL' Impongo leyo
emAlope ni ya 'ku i Alabela unyo-
kokulu, o yena 'ala naye umfana
lowo um' a fe, ngokuba yena uyi-
Alomkulu M be tshele ukuba a m
bulale, a fe, a la^lwe ngokukayi-
Alomkulu. Ngi ya ni tshela loko
ke uma ni dele. Ngi ni tshela-,
ukuze ku ti loku 'kufa ku nga
bnyela, ni ze ni ze kumina, ni zo-
ku i tata imali yenu. Mina ngi
ti, ngi ni tshela nje ukuba leso 'sifo
8* enziwa idAlozi, ngokuba li ti,
^ A ku pume umuzL' "

Ya tsho kitina, ya ti, " Se ngi
ni bulele ; leti ni imali yami ke."

8a i veza imalL

Ya ti ke kumnikaziyo, ya ti,
** Tabata ke ; nansi imalL"

Ya ti, "Ngi i tata nje imali
yenu le. Ni ya 'kubuya, ni zoku
i tabata, si nga buyela leso *m£o,
Ngi ti, a si sa yi 'kubuyela.'*

Umnikaziyo wa Alala pakati
kwendAlu ngesikati sasemini lapa
si bula ; ngokuba ka i namandAla
okuhamba yodwa uma i ya 'ku-
bula ; ku hamba umnikaziyo.
Ngokuba uma i ya tanda uma i
hambe, i ya m tshela umnikaziyo,
i ti, " Hamba, si hambe, si y' en-

It injures the lad, saying, * Let the
village remove from this place.'
The he goat you will sacrifice to
your grandmother ; it is she who
refuses to allow the child to die^
for your grandfather had been ear-
nest to kill him, that he might die
and be buried in accordance vdih
his wisL I tell you this to satisfy
you« I tell you that if the disease
returns, you may come back to me
and take your money. I tell you
that this disease is caused by the
ancestral spirit, because it wishes
that your village should remove."

The spirits said, " Now I have
divined for you ; so give me my
money."

We took out the money.

Then they said to her whose
familiars they were, "Take it;
there is the money."

They added, " I just take this
money of yours. You will come
and take it again if the disease re-
turns. I say, it will never return
again."

The woman with the fai
spirits sat in the midst of thi
house, at the time of full daylight,
when we enquired of her ; for the
spirits cannot go alone when they
are going to divine ; their possessor
goes with them. For if they wish
to go they tell their possessor, say-
ing to her, " Let us go to such a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

370

DIVINERS.

daweni etile/' lapa i tanda uma i
ye kona. Umnikaziyo ka nama-
ndAla okukuluma ; u zing' e ku-
luma kancinaiie, ngokuba naye n
ya i buza, a ti, " Bobani, ni ti^.
DJalo, ni k^nisile uku ba tshela
kwenu laba 'bantu aba zokubula
kunina?" Ukupendula kwayo,
ya vuma yona, ya ti, " Si kgini-
sile, si zek' indaba e kginisileyo,
nabo aba zokubula ba ya 'ku i
bona le 'ndaba." A ti, "Wo ba
tshela ni ik^'iniso. Mina ba ya
'kuza kumina lapa, uma V eza
'kutabata imali yabo ; uma kanti
ni ba tshela amanga, ngi ya 'ku ba
nika imali. Uma ni nga ba tshe-
langa isiminya, ngi ya 'ku ba
nika." I vume, i ti, " TJ z' u ba
nike. Tina si kuluma isiminya ;
a si wa kulumi amanga."

Wa y amukela imali umnika-
ziyo imilozL

Ya ti kutina, ya ti, " Hamba ni
kuAle ke." Sa mangala uma i ti,
a si hambe kaAle, si nga i boni.
Ya ti, " Wo si konzela ni kubantu
bakwini bonke ekaya." Savuma,
sa ti, " Yebo ke."

Ya ti, " Ni fike, n' enze nga-
kona loko e ngi ku tshiloyo."

Sa ti, "Ehe; si ya 'kwenza
ngako kona e ni ku tshiloyo."

p lace," wherever they wish to go. _

The possessor nf^Jj^ftm f»qnnnf,

speak j^® she usually says li ttle, _
lbr_ ^e ( x ni H ii ipltTTTnf thn np iritn i ^
and says, "So-and-so, when you
say so, do you tell the people who
come to enquire of you, the truthf
In reply they say, they do tell the
truth, and those who come to en-
quire will see it. She says, " Tell
them the truth. They will oome
to me here if they come to take
back their money ; and if you tell
them falsehoods, I shall give them
back their money again. If you
do not tell them the truth, I shall
give it back to them." The spirits
assent, saying, " You may give it
back. For our parts we speak
truly ; we tell no lies."

So the possessor of the spirits
took the money.

The spirits said to us, " €ro in
peace." We wondered when they
bid us go in peace, without our
seeing them. They told us to give
their services to all our people at
home. We said we would.

They said, " When you get
home, do exactly what I have told
you."

We replied, " Yes ; we will do
all you have told us to do." ^

^s That is, divine. Those diviners who divine by means of the <
imilozi generally speak in a low muttering tone ; and they sometimes |
have peculiar closed eyes. They " peep and mutter," reminding us of I
Isaiah viii. 19.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERS.

371

Sa hamba ke, sa fik' ekaya. Sa
£k&, umfana e se Alakanipile. Sa
se si kuluma naye, si kuluma,
w* eza iibaba endAUni ; sa ti, " O,
baba, i 'kuba si ng' azi inyanga. Si
be si ti, * U bulile umlozi/ ngoku-
zwa kwetii ezindAlebeni. I bule
imilozi; ya ku kuluma konke —
uokuzalwa kwetu, nokwelamaiia
kwetu, nokuba lona e si kuyena
umitshana wetu ; ya ku kg'eda
konka Umfana lo i te ka na-
kcala. I te si y' esaba, si ti u ne-
situtwane; tina sa vuma, sa ti,
* Ehe ; si ti \i nesitutwane.' Ya
pika inyanga, ya ti, * Ka naso ; u
nedMozi. IdAlozi li ti, a ku
pume umuzi/ Ya nuka impongo
em/ilope, i ti, ku ya 'kuAlatshelwa
yena, ku pume umuzi ke ; ya ti,
si ya 'ku mu kelela ikambi lom-
Alaba, i Alatshwe impongo leyo.
I tize, ku nga buyela loku 'kufa,
ya ti, a si ze si zoku i tabata imali
yetu."

Wa ti ubaba, " O, i bulile, ka-
nye nomitshana wetu. Si ya i
zwa ukuti i bulile." Wa ti ubaba,
" Ini po uma ba nga ngi tsbeli ngi

So we went homa On our
arrival we found the child better.
As we were speaking with him,
our father came into the house,
and we said, " O fcither, we never
had such confidence in a doctor.
When we heard we said, *The
spirit has divined.' The spirits
divined ; they told us all things —
oiir birth, and the order of our
birth, and that he with whom we
live is our cousin; they told us
every thing. They said the boy
has nothing the matter with him
that will kill him. They said we
are alarmed, thinking he has con-
vulsions ; and we assented, saying,
* Yes, yes ; we think he has con-
vulsions.' The diviner denied,
saying, * No ; he has not convul-
sions ; he is possessed by a spirit.
The spirit says that your village
must be moved.' The spirits
pointed out a white goat, and
directed that it should be sacrificed
for the child, and the village be
moved ; and they ordered us to
pluck for him Itongo-medicine, and
sacrifice the goat. They said, if
the disease returned, we were to
go and take back our money."

Our father said, " O, they have
divined, both as regards the dis-
ease and our relations with our
cousin. We see they have divined.
Why did not our ancestral spirits
tell me in a dream that there

Digitized by VjOOQIC

372

DIVINERS.

lele a kona be ku funayo, ba vela
ngokuba se b' eza 'kubulala um-
ntwana njena na ? Ku nani uma
ba fike ngi lele ba ngi tshele na
into a ba i solayo, ba vela ukuba
fse be bulala umntwana njena, ba
nga be be sa ngi tshela na ? Aba-
ntu abafayo laba ba izinla ! Ba
vela ngokuba se ba bulala um-
ntwana njena, be nga sa ngi tshe-
langa na 1" Wa ti, " Hamba ni,
no i tata impongo, bafana."

S* emuka, sa ya 'ku i tata im-
pongo endAlini. Ya Alatshwa ke,
wa telwa lo 'mfeina ngenyongo.
Umitshana wetu wa ya 'ku li ka
ikambij wa li kamela esitsheni,
wa m puzisa lona, wa si laAla isi-
tsha ngapandMe kwomuzi. Ya
dAliwa imbuzi.

Kwa tiwa, sa ti ukubonga kwe-
tu, " Uma si bona uma i lona
id/tlozi, si ya 'ubona um' a pile, a
nga b' e sa gula ; si ti umlozi w' e-
nz* amanga um' e sa gula. Si ya
'ubona ngokupila ; s' and' uma si
ti, i kginisile imilozi. A s' azi
uma ni bulala umntwana nje.
Abadala ba nani uma ni gulise
bona 1 Id/dozi liAle eli putshwayo,

was something which they want-
ed, instead of revealing them-
selves by coming to kill the child
in this way? What prevented
them from telling me in a dream
what they complained about, in-
stead of revealing themselves by
coming to kill the child in this
way, without saying any thing to
me first? These dead men are
£of>ls ! Why have they revealed
themselves by killing the child in
this way, without telling me ? Gro
and fetch the goat, boys."

We went to fetch the goat from
the house. We killed it, and
poured the gall over the boy. Our
cousin went to pluck the Itongo-
medicine; he squeezed the juice
into a cup, and gave it to the boy
to drink, and left the cup outside
the kraal. ^* The goat was eaten.

We worshipped the ancestral
spirits, saying, " We shall see that
the child is possessed by a spirit
by his getting well, and not get-
ting ill again ; we shall say the
spirit has lied if he is still ill. We
shall see by his recovery; and
shall then say, the spirits have
told the truth. We do not under-
stand why you have killed such a
child as this. What prevents you
from making old people ill 1 That
is a good spirit which appears in
dreams, and tells what it wants."

1^ It is a very common practice with native doctors to destroy
the vessel which has been used to administer medicines.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

DIVINERSr,

373

li kuluma izindaba." Kw' enziwa
Djalo ukubonga kwetu.

"Wa ti ubaba, " Se ngi ya 'iipu-
ma nomuzi kusasa, se u ya 'kuma
entabeui. Ini ngi tl ngi be ngi
Alezi kaAle, ungani pela ngi sa
dingile 1 Li kona inajiwa ; ngi be
ngi za 'ku li bheka kaAle. Se ngi
za 'ku u puma ke ; li pole inodwa,
li be liAle, a nga be e sa gula tim-
fana lo wami. A nga gula, ngi ya
'kuti a si lo id/Jozi ; nemilozi ngi
ya 'ku i pikisa, ngi ti, a i bulanga
kaAla" Wa tsho njalo ke ubaba.
Wa ti, " Inanwa ngi ya 'ku li funa
kusasa ; si ze si hambe, mitshana
wami, si yoku li funa inadwa, si li
Alole, loku ngi ti ngi sa dingile j
ba be se be ngi bulala."

Ba hamba ke nomitshana wake
kusasa, ba ya 'ku li Alola. Ba
fika ezweni ema/Jongwa umfula,
ba li Alola, ba li bheka, ba ti,
" LiAle ; ku fanele uma s' ake
lapa, ngokub' amanzi a seduze."
Ba buya, ba buyela ekaya.

Kwa ti kusasa sa tata izimbazo,
sa ya 'kugaula. Sa gaula ke, wa
ba se u y ' esuka umuzi, u ya puma
ngapakati kwowomitshana wetu ;

Such were the words with which
we addressed the spirits.

Our fether said, " I shall now
quit this place with my village in
the morning, and put it in a place
by itself. Why, when I thought
I was living in peace, am I still
obliged to be a wanderer? There
is a site of an old village ; I will
examine it well. I shall now I'e-
move the village ; may the new
place be healthy and good, and
this boy of mine be no longer ill.
K he is still ill, I shall say he is
not possessed with a spirit ; and I
will quarrel with the spirits, and
say they have not divined pro-
perly." Our father said thus. He
said, " I will look at the new site
in the morning ; let us go together,
my cousin, and look at the new
site, and inspect it well, for I say
I am still a wanderer; for the
ancestral spirits have killed me
for staying here."

So he and his cousin went in
the morning to inspect the site.
They went to a place on the river
TJmathlongwa, and thoroughly in-
spected it and thought it good, and
that it was a proper place for us
to build on, for there was water
near. They returned home.

In the morning we took our
axes, and went to cut wattles and
poles for the village. When we
had finished cutting, the people of
our village left that of our cousin

Digitized by VjOOQIC

374

DIVINEKS.

sa ba se si ya w aka, si ya u k^'e-
da. XJmfe,na ka pindanga a gule.
Kwa ba njengokutsho kwomlozi
owa ti, * Ka yi *kupinda a gule ; '
ka gulanga. Wa za wa kula, wa
kubela esibayeni, w' alusa ama-
tole ; wa za wa biiya wa puma
ematoleni nezimbuzi, wa buya wa
kw alusa konke, kanye namatole
nezimbuzi nezimvu nezinkomo.
Wa za wa ba indoda. Igama lake
Umpiui. Se ku indoda, u kutele.
Ngonyaka o za *uvela u za 'ku-
senga.

TJmkaukazi igama lomnikaziyo,
owesifazana. A si yo indoda, um-
fazL Wa s' azi ngokukuleka, se
si fikile kuye ; ngokuba nati sa
tshelwa abanye abantu aba ka ba
ya *kubula kuyena, ba ti, u ya
bula kakulu. W ake emtwalume
eiizansi, elwand/ile, kude nati. Ku
lalwa kanye endAleleni, ku ya sa
ku ya fikwa.

Uguaise.

and went to it, and then we com-
pleted it. The boy was not ill
any more. It turned out in ac-
coixlance with the word of the
spirit ; he was not ill again. At
length he took out the calves at
milking time, and herded the
calves ; at length he not only
herded the calves and goats, but
all the cattle — calves, goats, sheep,
and cows. And at length he grew
to be a man. His name is TJm-
pini. He is now a diligent man.
Next year he will milk the cows.
The name of the woman with
the familiar spirits is UmkaukazL
It was not a man, but a woman.
She saw us for the first time when
we saluted her on our arrival ; for
we too had been told by others
that she was a great diviner. She
lived on the Umtwalume by the
sea, at a distance from us. It is a
day and a half s journey from
this. 20

20 The Hebrew Ovoth, according to Gesenius, was " a soothsayer
who evoked the manes of the dead by incantations and magical songs
in order to give answers as to future and doubtful things." The
demon or familiar spirit spoke in a half- whisper, half-whistling voice ;
and the Septuagiut render the word by " ventriloquist," just as those
who have witnessed divination by the imilozi have been disposed to
attribute the phenomenon to ventriloquism.

Among the Polynesians the ancestral spirits are believed to speak
to those who enquire of them with a similar mysterious voice, which
there too is ascribed to ventriloquism. (See Westminster Heview, No,
XLII., April 1862, p. 313.)

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

375

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, &c.

IsiKQOTO a s' aAlukene kakulu
nonyazi ; si ti kokubili ku impi
yenkosi e si tshay wa ngayo lapa

Heaven-herds,^^ [Bain-doctorm

W]fesiajM)t-make a great distincA
tion between hail and lightning ;
we say, each is an army of the
lord who smites us in this world.

^ Heavevrherds ; or Sky-herds.

Abalusi bezulu ku tiwa b* alusa
izulu, ngokuba ku ti ngesikati so-
kuMoma kwalo ba bone masinyane
ukuba izulu nam Ala nje libi, li pu-
mile ekutuleni, li pumela ukwenza
kabi ; ku fudumale inAliziyo zaba-
lusi, ba nga be be sa ncibilika, no-
kudAla ku ng' eAli, ba ngenwe
ivuso, ku nga ti ku za impi yoku
ba bulala. Ku ze ku ti gidi isi-
bindi lapa se li fikile. Ba pume,
ba li \q6kqe, be linga uku li buyi-
sela emuva lapa li pume kona;
y ale amatshe ukuba a we, ngo-
kwazi ukuba a ya 'kukgeda uku-
dAla notshani nemiti Ngaloko
ke ba abalusi bokwalusa, ukuze
izulu li nga foAli, li zenzele ezin-
tweni. A ba kalimi imvula, i
lungile yona; ba kalima unyazi
nesikg'oto ; ba kalima kulowo 'mu-
zi lapa V enii kona unyazi.

Heaven-herds are said to herd
the heaven, because when it is
overcast, they at once see that the
heaven is bad, and has ceased to
be calm, and has gone out to do
evil ; and the hearts of the herds
are kindled; they are no longer
happy, are unable to sw.allow any
food, and are struck with fear, as
though an enemy was coming to
kill them. At last they become
brave when the lightning begins
to flash. They quit their huts
and drive it away, trying to make
it return to whence it came ; they
forbid the hailstones to fall, be-
cause they know that they will
destroy the food, the grass, and
the trees. They are therefore
herds who herd the heaven, that
it may not break out and do its
will on the property of people.
They do not turn back the rain,
for it is good ; they turn back the
lightning and the hail ; they turn
back the lightning from the village
where they live.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

376

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC

emAlabenL S' aAlukene kodwa
ngokwenza kwaso ; iinyazi lu no-
kwenza kwalo ; kepa isik^oto ku
y* ezwakala lapo si vela ngakona j
ngokuba ngemva kwodumo olu-
kulu ku zwakala umsindo omkulii
ezulwini u hhubisa kwezinkobe se
zi tsha. Kepa aba izinyanga zo-
kwalusa, uma ku zwakala loko, ba
ya puma masinyane, si s' ezwakala
kude, ba kgala ukuba ba base eso-
Iweni, b' enzela ukuti noma li nga
ka fiki eduze, li s' ezwakala kude,
a li ti ]i fika eduze li ^ se li du-
mele, nokukuza ku size. Ngokuba
uma inyanga lapo iziilu li duma a
ya kgala i pume, ya /dala end^lini
kwa za kwa fika izulu, noma i pu-
ma uma se li fikile, a i se nama-
ndAla okung^oba isik^'oto leso ; ngo-
kuba kulukuni uku si buyisela
emuva uma se si fikila

Zi ti ngoku/ilomela kwazo, zi li
zrwa li sa ndindizela, nazo zi k^ale
ukuzilungisa, ukuze zi nga koM-
seki Ngokuba isikg-oto leso, uma

We distinguish them, however, by
the effect of the hail, which is dif-
ferent from that of the lightning ;
and the hail is heard in the direc-
tion from which it is coming ; for
after great thunder there is heard
a great sound in the sky, which
resembles the singing of maize in
a pot when the water has boiled
away. And the doctors, who are
herds of the sky, when they hear
that, go out at once, whilst the
sound of the hail is still afer off,
and begin to light a fire in the
isolo ;^ they do this before it has
come near, whilst it is still audible
at a distance, that when it comes
near it may have lost its power,
and chiding23 be sufficient. For if
when it thunders the doctor does
not at once go out, but stays in-
doors till the hail comes, even
should he go out when it has
come, he has no longer power to
overcome the hail ; for it is diffi-
cult to make it turn back again
when once it has coma

As regards their preparing for
the contest, when they hear the
sky rumbling, they too begin to
get themselves ready, that they
may not be conquered. For as to

22 Isolo is a fireplace outside the kraal, but near it, where medi-
cines capable of influencing the heaven — ^heaven-medicines — are burnt.

23 That is, by burning the heaven-medicines whilst the hail is still
distant, they diminish its power, so that when it comes, if it should be
able to come at all, it may be unable to do any harm ; but may be
readily made to obey the doctor's command to depart.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

377

inyanga i nga zili ukudAla, ku
tiwa uma amatshe e i tshaya ka-
kulu i sediize engozini ; ku tiwa
amatshe lawo a bonakalisa ukuti a
i se namandi^la okumekna nonysr
m. I ya 'kuswela ukuba i buye i
j^lanziswe ngakumbe, ukuze i be
nesibindi Ngokuba tima i bona
ekwaluseni kwayo i nga tobi noma
isikgoto noma unyazi, loko koko-
bill, a i sa melwa 'sibindi, i se i
y' esaba ; noma i bona imyazi lu
vimba ameAlo ayo i y' esaba, i fise
ukungena endAlinL

I loko ke abanta abamnyama a
ba kuluma ngako nkuti, ku kona
amand/Ja kubantu abamnyama;
ngokuba be ti nlaka olu vela ezu-
Iwini lonke, ba ya Iw azi uku lu
kdma, lawo amandAla amabili,
unyazi nesikgoto. A -ngi tsho
ukuti nezulu uku li nisa ba ya
kw azi ; kepa ba tsho bona ukuti
ba ya kw azL

Kodwa kakulu i loku oku b* e-
nza ameAlo amnyama, ngokuba a

the hail, if a doctor has not fasted,
it is said if the hail-stones strike
him much he is near to danger ;
and it is said that the hail-stones
make it manifest that he has no
longer any power to contend with
the lightmng.24 And he will re-
quire to be again purified a second
time, that he may have courage.
For if whilst herding^^ he observes
that he cannot subject either the
hail or the lightning, he has no
longer any courage, but is afraid ;
and even if he see the lightning
dazzle his eyes, he is afraid, and
wishes to go indoors.

It is this then about which
black men speak, when they say
that black men have power ; for
they say that they know how to
quell the wrath which comes from
the whole heaven, that is, the two
powers, lightning and haiL I do
not say they know also how to
make the sky rain ; but they say
they know.

But it is especially this which
darkens their eyes, for they do not

2* Uku/melana nozfulu^ — uhmnelcmcb nonyazi, — ^to counteract the
heaven or the lightning, — ^is an expression we shall often meet with.
I point out, without being able to say whether there is any similarity
in meaning, a passage — ^Ps. Ixxiii. 9 — " They set their mouth against
the heaven,** which we shall best render by, Ba melana ngonUomo
waho nezulu. No doubt the heaven in the Hebrew Scriptures is often
synonymous with God ; in other places it is spoken of as an object of
idol-adoration. There were sorcerers, diviners, and those with fami-
liar spirits known to the Hebrews ; there might also have been rain-
doctors and sky-doctors.

'^ That is, whilst endeavouring to turn back the storm.

w w

Digitized by VjOOQIC

378

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

ba tsho ukuti, lu kona olunye iilar
ka ugapandAle kwalolu a se be lu
funele imiti yoku Iw aAlula.

Isik^'oto lesi ke izinyanga ezin-
daweni zonke ; noma ku kona in-
kosi esizweni esitile, abantu a ba
tsho ngamabele ukuti, " Amabele
lawo si wa dAla ngenkosi le ; " ba
ti, " La 'mabele si wa dAla ngoka-
bani ; ngokuba li ya ti li futuzele,
si nga s' azi ukuba li ya *kubuyela
kwenye indawo, a ti a nga kwi-
tshiza, 'enze konke, si me *sibindi."

Nank' nkuduma ; uma izulu li
ya duma, li nga leti 'matshe, li
kgube unyazi, a ba i beki inyanga
yesik^'oto, ba beka inyanga yonya-
zi, ukuba i pume, i memeze ; W e-
me *sibindi uma umalusi 'alusile
pand/Je. Kepa uma e nge ko
lowo *malusi, ku kitshwa nengubo
yake, i bekwe pandAle. Y enziwe
uku nga ti uk^-obo Iwake.

I loko ke ukwenza kwezinyanga
ezalusayo izulu. Ngokuba uma
izulu li ya duma, li kg'inisile,
inyanga i ya k^'ala ukunyakama.

say there is any other wrath but
that, for which they have already
found medicines, which are capable
of subduing it.

The hail then has its doctors in
all places ; and though there is a
chief in a certain nation, the peo-
ple do not say, " We have corn to
eat through the power of the
chief; " but they say, " We have
corn to eat through the son of So-
and-so ; for when the sky rolls
cloud upon cloud, and we do not
know that it will go back to an-
other place, he can work diligently
and do all that is necessary, and
we have no more any fear."

There is thunder ; if it^^ thun-
ders without hailing, but hurls
lightning, they do not appoint an
inyanga of hail to herd, but an
inyanga of lightning to go out and
shout ; and take courage when
there is a heaven-herd herding
outside the house. But if the
herd is not at home, they take his
blanket, and put it outside. The
blanket is made, as it were, the
herd himself

This then is what those izinys^*^
nga do who herd the heaven. For
if it thunders excessively, the
inyanga begins to frown, that he

2^ It — izuluy throughout spoken of as though it was a person,
possessed of intelligence. The literal translation of the sentence is :
There is thunder; if the heaven thunders, without biinging hail-
stones, but urges on the lightning.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

379

iikuba i Alwe nayo njengezulu li
Aloma. Uma abantw bakona en-
dAlini, noma i nga ka pumi, uma
abantu be kuluma ngokukax)ko-
zela, i ya ba tiba ngokuti, " Tula
ni, ni ti nya." Ngokuba i ti nayo
in/Jiziyo yayo i se i futuzele, nje-
ngaloko nalo li za ngamandAla ; a
i be i sa tanda ukuba ku kulume
omunye umuntii, 'kupela i yo yo-
dwa e kulumayo ngokiimemeza.
Futi uma u hamba nayo endAle-
leni, izulu la ni kandanisa ni se
kude nemizi, noma u be u hamba
pambi, yona i semuva, i ya 'ku-
tsho kuwe ukuti, " D^lula, u ha-
mbe pambili;" yona i bambe
emuva kude nawe ; ngokuba i ti
uma u hamba emuva kwayo u ya
'kuzuza ingozi, ngokuba izulu li ti
u ya i bulala. Inyanga i ku d^lu-
lise ukuhamba pambili ni ze ni
like ekaya.

Ku njalo loko 'kwenza kwezulu
nezinyanga ; ngokuba abantu aba-
muyama ba ya kolwa kuloko 'ku-
kuza izulu nokutiba isikgoto.
Lezo 'zinto zombili a ba kcabangi
ngazo ukuti noma be ti ba ya z' a-
zi, ba zikoAlisa ; ba ti bona ku isi-

too may be dark as the heaven
when it is covered with clouds.
If the people of the house, whether
he has gone out or not, speak very
loudly, he silences them, saying,
"Be still altogether." For his
heart too is gathering clouds, as
the heaven when it is coming
quickly ; and he no longer wishes
that any one else should speak, but
himself only by shouting. And
if you go with him on a journey,
and it suddenly thunders whilst
you are at a distance from any vil-
lage, and you are going first and
he following, he will say to you,
"Go on in front;" and he will^
follow at some distance from you ;
for he says if you go behind him
you will meet with an accident,
for the heaven will think you are
killing him. 2'^ And he makes you
go on in front till you reach home.

Such then is the action of the
heaven and of the inyanga; for
black men believe in that scolding
of the heaven, and that silencing
of the hail. They do not imagine
that when they say they knoW^^^
these things, they deceive them-
selves; they say that it is true

27 From this it is clear that we are not to regard the heaven-herd
as an opponent of the heaven ; but as a priest to whom is entrusted
the power of prevailing mediation. He is under the protection of the
heaven ; and his enemies, real or supposed, are liable to be destroyed
by it, whilst he is safe so long as he is observant of the laws of his
office. Heathen have sometimes asked me to pray for rain because I
am one whose office it is " ukumelana nenkosi," to contend with GoA
Compare Gen. xxxii. 24 — 28. And see below, where the heaven
avenges the death of the rain-doctor.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

S80

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

minya loko ukuba injanga yokwa-
lusa i namandAla okumelana non-
yazi nesik^oto ; ngokuba ba ti labo
Hbantu, nma ni buza tina, " Si ng^ a-
zi ukuba loko 'kwenza ba kw enza
ngesibindi a ba si tate pi okume-
lana nezulu na."

Ba ti, ku ti nma li za 'kuAloma,
noma amafu e nga ka bonakali
ukuba li za 'kudnma kabuAlungu,
inAliziyo yenyanga i be se i zwile
ngokuti ku kona ukufudumala
ngapakati, umuntu u vuswa uku-
tuktitela; lapa izulu li ya k^la
nkuAloma nje, naye a Alwe nje-
ngalo. Ngokuba be ti bona, se ba
li gcaba, ba li dAla. Uku li dMa
loku ba tsho ngokuba li dAla in-
komo, kepa lezo *zinkomo i ya

that the heaven-herd** is able to
contend with the lightning and
hail ; for these people say, if we
ask them, that they do not under-
stand where they get the courage
with which they contend with the
heaven.

They say that when the heaven
is about to be clouded,^ and bo-
fore the clouds appear or it is
evident that it is about to thunder
excessively, the inyanga*s heart
already feels, for ihere is heat
within him, and he is excited by
anger ; wh^i the sky just begins
to be clouded, he too becomes dark
like it. For the doctors say they
scarify with ihe heaven,^ and eat
it. To eat the heaven is this, for
the heaven eats cattle, and the

^ Or sky-doctor, heaven meaning the sky, which is not supposed
to be very high above the eaii>h.

^ Lit., about tt> arm.

^ I have translated literally here, but it will be scarcely intelli-
gible to the English reader without explanation. The natives say they
scarify with the heaven, that is, make scarifications and rub in medi-
cines, and eat it. The heaven is here used for those substances ia
which it, or its power or virtue, is supposed to be. A bullock struck
with lightning is supposed to have the heaven, or power of the heaven,
in it j so the thunderbolt which comes from heaven ; and the fabulous
bird which is supposed to descend in a thunder storm. Therefore
when they say they scarify with the heaven, they mean that the doc-
tors make scarifications in their own bodies and rub in medicines
mixed with the flesh of a bullock struck with lightning, or with the
thunderbolt, or with the flesh of the inyoniryezidu, the Hghtning-bird.
And " eating the heaven " means in like manner eating those things
in which the heaven, or its power or virtue, is supposed to be. By
this practice they are brought into sympathy with the heaven, — ^feel
with it, know when it is going to thunder, and are able to counteract
it. Here again we see the hemceopathic principle coming out in their
therapeutics, as we do in so many other instances ; similia simUibicSf —
lightning by lightning.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

381

tatwa inyama yazo, i bekwe ode-
Bgezini, inyanga i i dAle ngoku i
ncinda, i pitikezwe nemiti yayo ;
ngokuba ku ti lapo li hlahe kona
pansi, iziuyaDga zi ti n kona um-
8uka o salela pansi, kepa lowo 'in-
8uka ku tiwa inyela ^ ba ya li mba
ba ze ba li fumane, ba. sebenze
ngalo ; ba tsho ke ukuti, isibindi
leso a ba naso sokumelana nezulu
i lelo *nyela eli funyanwa lapo
izulu li Alabe kona. Kakulu ne-
nyoni leyo e ku tiwa eyezulu ;

doctor takes the flesh of such
cattle, and places it in a sherd, and
the doctor eats it whilst hot,^^
mixed with his medicines; for
where the lightning strikes the
ground, the doctors say there is
something resembling the shank of
an assagai,^^ which remains in the
earth, and this thing is called a
thunderbolt; they dig till they
find it,^ and use it as a heaven-
medicine; and so they say that
the courage which they possess of
contending with the heaven is
that thunderbolt, which is found
where the lightning has struck.
Especially the bird also which is
called th^. ^4igKtiSng -bird^ they

^^ Ukundnda, makes an izembey and eats it, see p. 290, note 52.

32 Ummka is the shank of an assagai, or of a native pick, or any
thing of that kind.

33 It is said that the doctors are directed to the place where the
thunderbolt is by watching during a storm, and, going to the place
where they suppose they saw the lightning strike, they find a heap of
jelly-like substance over the spot where the bolt entered, and digging
find it.

3* In the legends of the American Indians we meet with accounts
of Thimder-birds, or Cloud-birds. " They frequently explain the
thunder as the sound of the cloud-bird flapping his wings, and the
lightning as the fire that flashes from his tracks, like the sparks which
the buflalo scatters when he scours over the stony plain." A metaphor
which probably arose from personifying the clouds^ and supposing that
motion meant life, and where there was a voice there must be a living
being to utter it ; like the Maruts or Storm-gods of the Hindoo. The
metaphor may have been a simple metaphor at first, to become at last
to the minds of the masses a truth expressing a fitct of nature.
(Brinton's MytJia of the New World, p, 102— 104.^— A Dahcotah
thus explains the theory of thunder : — ** Thunder is a large bird, fly-
ing through the air ; its bright tracks are seen in the heavens, before
you hear the clapping of its wings. But it is the young ones that do
the mischief The parent bird would not hurt a Dahcotah. Long
ago a thimder-bird fe^ from the heavens ; and our fathers saw it as it

Digitized by VjOOQIC

382

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, BTC.

ngokuba i yona umugomo leyo
'nyoni emitini yonka TJma inya-
nga i nge nayo leyo *nyoni, inya-
nga kodwa, i nge melwe 'sibindi
njengaleyo e nayo, eya i dAlayo.
Ngokuba leyo 'nyoni izinyanga zi
gaba ngaleyo *nyoui ; ngokuba i
namafuta ; ku tiwa amafuta i wo-
na e inyanga i siza ngawo kakulu,
noma ku kona umuntu owa futwa
izulu, la m shiya ; kepa la ra shiya
nokukulu ukwesaba. Uma li ya
duma ka melwa *sibindi, u ya hln-
peka njalonjalo ; ka Alupeki enAli-
ziyweni kodwa; ku ya bonakala
uku/dupeka kwake ngokuba u ya
nyakaza njalonjalo endAlini, e swe-
le indawo lapo nga e zifaka kona.
Kepa inyanga leyo uma ya bizwa
ukuba i ze 'ku m nika lona izulu,
uma se li duma ngemva u ya tsho,
a ti, " Inyanga ya ng' elapa ; a ngi
s' esabi."

say that that is the most powerful
among all lightning-medicines. If
a doctor does not possess it, but is
a doctor only, he cannot have
courage as that doctor can who
possesses the lightning-bird, and
who has eaten it. For doctors
make their boast of this bird ; for
it is fat, and it is said to be the
fat especially with which the doc-
tors treat those who are struck,
when one has been slightly struck
and then left -, but has been left
full of dread. If it thunders he
has no courage, and is much trou-
bled at all times ; he is not trou-
bled mentally only ; it is evident
that he is troubled, for he con-
tinually moves about in the house,
and seeks a place where he may
hide himself But if the doctor
has been summoned to come and
give him heaven-medicine,^* then
after that if it thunders he says,
" The doctor has given me medi-
cine ; 1 am no longer afraid."

lay not far from the Little Crow's village." ( Dahcotah ; or, Life and
Legends of the fSioux. By Mrs, Mary Eastrnfiom, jo. 191.^ See also
the legend of Unktahe and the Thunder-bird. Cloudy-Sky, duriug
one of his earthly sojournings, had allied himself with the thunder-birds
to fight against the spirits of the waters, and with his own hand
killed the son of Unktahe, the God of rivers. For this he was doomed
to death on his fourth appearance on earth as a great medicine-man.
(Id,, p, 213, d;c,) — Catlin relates that some Indians led him to " The
Thunder's nest," where it is supposed the thunder-bird, a very small
bird indeed, hatches its eggs, and the thunder is supposed to come out
of the egg. (Life among the Indians, p, 166.^^ — Jupiter's Eagle pro-
bably has some connection with such legends.

35 Lit., the very heaven, meaning thereby, the fat of the light-
ning-bird, or its flesh, or portion of a thunder-bolt

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

383

Ngokuba leyo *nyoni, baningi
aba i bonileyo ngameAlo. Kepa
kakulu izinyanga nabantu aba i
bone ngesikati sokuduma kwezulu,
iikuba unyazi lu tshaye pansi; i
ya sala. Uma u kona umuntu
eduze naleyo 'ndawo, u ya i bona
ezinkungwini pansi, a ye 'ku i bu-
lala. Uma e se i bulele, a k^'ale
ukubalisa ngokuti, " Umakazi ngi
ya 'kuhamba nje na, loku ngi bu-
lele le inyoni e ngi nga i bouanga 1
A si yo nje le inyoni e ku tshiwo
ukuti, i kona inyoni yezulu e ha-
naba nonyazi ? " U ya balisa ngo-
kuba e i bona ukuma kwayo ku
nga fani nokwezinyoni a kade e zi
bona ; a bone ku kodwa okwayo,
ngokuba i ya bazizela izimpape
zayo. Umuntu a nga ti ibomvu ;
a bone ukuti, " Ai ; ilu/daza."
Kepa uma e bbekisisile a nga ti,
" K^'a, i pakati kwaloko, ngi ku
bona." Kepa mina ngi lu bonile
upape Iwayo uma ngi se semsu-
nduzi ; ngokuba ngi be ngi swele
njalonjalo ukubona lowo 'mbala
wenyoni ; kepa nga za nga lu bona
upape Iwayo. Lowo 'muntu owa

But as regards that bird, there
are many who have seen it with
their eyes. And especially doc-
tors, and those persons who have
seen it when it thunders and the
lightning strikes the ground ; the
bird remains where the ground
was struck. If there is any one
near that place, he sees it in the
fog on the ground, and goes and
kills it. When he has killed it,
he begins to be in doubt, saying,
" Can it be that I shall continue
to live as I have hitherto, seeing
that I have killed this bird, which
I never saw before? Is it not
really that bird which it is said
exists, the lightning-bird which
goes with the lightning ? " He is
in doubt because he sees that its
characteristics are not like those
of birds which he has known for a
long time ; he sees that it is quite
peculiar, for its feathers glisten.
A man may think that it is red ;
again he sees that it is not so, it is
green. But if he looks earnestly
he may say, " No, it is some-
thing between the two colours,
as I am looking at it." And
I myself once saw a feather
of this bird whilst I was living
on the TJmsunduzi ; for I had
wished for a long time to see
the colour of the bird ; and at
length I saw one of its feathers.
The man to whom it belonged

Digitized by VjOOQIC

384

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETa

took it out of his bag ; and truly
I saw it, and said, '< Indeed it is
the feather of a dreadful bird."
He also showed me one of its
bones ; it was like a bone in which
are many little blood-vessels and
many little grey lines ; I saw
many lines in the bone, and said,
"Truly." This then is what I
have heard on this matter, and
that was confirmed by what I saw
for myself with my own eyes.

When we say herding^octors,
we speak metaphorically, for a man
who herds cattle has weapons and
his rain-shield.^^ We take the
name of a herder of cattle, and
give it to one who counteracts the
lightning, for when he keeps it
back he shouts as a boy who is
herding cattle ; if he goes into the
cattle-pen with his weapons and ia
silent, the cattle cannot go out ;
but by whistling the cattle under-
stand that he tells them to go to
the pastures, that is, to go out of
the pen. And the herd that herds
the lightning does the same as the
herder of the cattle ; he does as
he does by whistling; he says,
" Tshui-i-i Depart, and go yon-
der ; do not come here." He
repeats this again and again.

Such doctors as these say they
have a common feeling with the
' heaven. They say this because

^^ A small shield which is used as an umbrella to ward off rain
and hail.

e lu pete wa lu kumula esikwameni
sake ; nga bona nembala, nga tsho
ukuti, " Hau ! olwenyoni esabe-
kayo." Wa ngi Ixmisa netambo
iayo; la fma, netambo li fakwe
umtanjana omuncinyane w^azi
nomtshwana o ^langana nompo&ir
na ; nga bona imitshwe eminingi
etanjeni Iayo, nga ti, " Nembala."
I loko ke e nga ku zwa ngaleyo
'ndaba. Kwa pela ngaJoko ke, e
nga zibonela kona ngawami ame-
hlo.

Izinyanga zokwalusa si kuluma
ngom^tuekiso, ngokuba umuntu
owalusa izinkomo u nezikali ne-
g^'okwe lemvula. Sa tata lelo
'gama lomalusi wezinkomo, si biza
omelana nonyazi, ngokuba uma e
lu tiba u ya memeza njengom^tna
wezinkomo; yena uma e ngena
esibayeni nezikali zake, a tule nje,
zi nge pume izinkomo ; kepa ngo-
kuAloAla ikwelo, izinkomo zi y' e-
2wa ukuba u ti nga z' aluka, ukuti
a zi pume esibayeni Na lowo
'malusi owalusa unyazi w enza
njengalowo wezinkomo; w enza
njalo ke ngokuAloAla ikwelo ; a ti,
**Tshui-i-L Hamba, u ye le; u
ng' ezi lapa." A pinde njalonjalo.

Lezo 'zinyanga zi tsho ukuti zi
y' ezwana nezulu. I loku ukutsho

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

385

kwazo, ukuba ngesinye isikati ku
tiwa inyanga etile i ya li tumela
kwenye uku i linga, i bone uma
inyanga e kginileyo na. Kodwa
a i i lingi eya miselwa i yo ; i li-
nga izinyanga ezinye e nga zi kqo-
ndi uma za miselwa kanjani na ;
ngokuba i loku e i bona ngako
ukuba inyanga impela, ngoku i
buyisela lona, nayo i k^^ale ukupu-
tuzela uknngena endAUni ukuzi-
lungisa.

sometimes it is said a certain doc-
tor sends the lightning^^ to an-
other doctor to try him whether
he is a powerful doctor or not.
He does not try the doctor who
appointed him ; he tries others
whose appointment he does not
understand f^ for it is this by
which he sees that another is
a doctor indeed, by his send-
ing back to him the lightning,
and he too begins to bustle about
and to enter his house to set him-
self in order. 3^

27 Lit., the heaven, or sky.

2^ Here again we have apparently an intimation that the izinyor
nga were priests — ^not self-appoint«d, but commissioned by others who
preceded them. But there appears also to have been dissidents —
those whose commission was not known. Man is the same every
where.

3® We find similar trials of skill among sorcerers of other coun-
tries. It is said a German sorcerer was called to see if he could not
" extinguish " our far-famed sorcerer Roger Bacon. He raised a spirit
which he ordered to carry off Roger Bacon. But Roger was too
strong for the German, and the raised spirit, instead of taking away
Roger as commanded, carried off his own master. — In like manner
" the priest Eirikur " having snatched by his sorcery from the hands
of " the good folk of Sida " a murderer who was condemned to lose
his head, — a not very priestly act, it may be, — ^they " hired a man
from the "West firths who dabbled in magic to send a great cat to slay
Eirikur." Eirikur's magic and prophetic power could not protect him
from this cat. The sender worked, — the " sending " was sent, — ^and
unlooked-for rushed upon its victim ; and Eirikur was saved, not by
magic and inner sight, but by " quickness " and help of a pupil in
sorcery. And " Puss," that is, the " sending," soon lay dead upon the
ground. Eirikur had triumphed. But triumph is nothing without
revenge. He must teach the people that Eirikur — priest and sorcerer,
strange but not uncommon combination — ^must not be trifled with.
So he " despatched a sending to the man in the West firths, and put
an end to him almost as quickly as to his goblin-cat." (Icelandic
Legends, p. 262.^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

386

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

Kwa ti ngesikati esadAlulayo
nktihambela kwami kwiti, nga
fika nga lala ; kwa ti ku sa, nta-
mbama izulu la ^loma, la ba lib!
kakulu, ngesikati 'umbila u kaAle-
la. Nga ngi Alezi emnyatigo, li
dnma kaknlu ; nomne wetu u
inyanga, wa ngena endAlini e giji-
ma, V etula ihau lake nezik^n
zake, wa puma. li ti uma li tsho
ngamandAla, naye wa tsho ngama-
ndAla ukumemeza nokuAloAla i-
kwelo. Nga buza kumame, nga
ti, "Lo 'muntn w enza ni nal"
Wa ti, "Musa ukukiiluma, loko
nma ku nje a ku be ku sa ku-
lunywa. Umalusi/* Nga tula
ke. Kepa la V eAlisa amatshe
amaningi Nga ti u za 'kufa,
ngokuba ng' ezwa ukutshaya kwa-
wo ehawini lake ; kwa nga ku kci-
tekele umbila. Kepa noko wa
bangeka, ka ngenanga endAlini.
Na ngonyazi Y enze njalo ; ka z* a
ngena la za la sa.

Ku te kusasa ng* ezwa ku tiwa
emzini kababekazi enzansi, enya-
meni, UmaAlati u te u ya puma,
izinyanga ezinkulu zi nga ka pu-
mi; wa memeza kanye, e ti,

It happened in times past when
I visited my people, on my arrival
I lay down ; on the following day
in the afternoon the sky became
overcast, and was very dark in-
deed ; at the time when the maize
was blossoming. I was sitting at
the doorway whilst it was thun-
dering excessively ; and my brother
who is a doctor entered the house,
running, and took down his shield
and his string of medicines, and
went out. When it thundered
aloud, he too shouted aloud, and
whistled. I asked my mother
what the man was doing. She
replied, " Do not speak, for when
it is like this no one any longer
speaks. He is a heaven-herd."
So I was silent. And the heaven
cast down many hail-stones. And
I thought he would die, for I
heard them stiiking on his shield ;
it was as though maize had been
thrown on him. But although he
was resisted very much, he did not
enter the house. And as regards
the lightning, in like manner the
heaven resisted him; but he did
not enter the house until it was
bright again.

In the morning I heard it said
that at my uncle's village, at Inya-
ma, down the river, one XJma-
thlati said he would go out before
the great doctors went out; he
shouted aloud, saying, "Depart^

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

387

" Muka, u ye le." Kwa ti swiswi
emzimbeni, wa ngena nyovane
endAlini. Wa pinda nomunye,
wa ti u ya memeza, la m vimba
umlomo. Ngaleyo 'mini la u fu-
latela lowo 'muzi ; wa ba owalo,
la zenzela. Ba Alala ngezindAlu ;
la wa k^eda amabele, la wa ti nya.

Kepa nga ti unia ngi ku zwe
loko, nga ti, " Kanti inyanga enje-
ngaleyo i y* a/^luleka na 1 Si ya
'kudAla ni nonyaka, loku z* a^lu-
lekile ngokwalusa na 1 "

Kwa tiwa, " A ba zilanga.
B' a^lulekile nje."

and go yonder/' But the hail
smote loudly on his body, and he
came into the house backwards.
Another went out, and when he
shouted, the heaven stopped his
mouth. On that day the heaven
turned its back*^ on the village ;
it was entirely in its power, and
it did its will. They remained in
their houses ; it entirely destroyed
the com.

When I heard this I said,
" Forsooth is such a doctor as that
conquered] What shall we eat
this year, since they have been
unable to herd 1 "

They replied, " They did not
fast.*^ They are therefore con-
quered."

^^ It is well to note this use of fulatela ; to turn the back on an
enemy means to have conquered him utterly.

*i Here we find fasting — abstinence from food and labour — one
of the conditions of successful performance of the duties of an office.
There is this saying among the natives, " Umzimba ow esutoA^o njcdo-
njah u nge hone kahle okvrimfihlo,^^ The continually stuffed body can-
not see secret things. And they have no fciith in a fat diviner — do
not believe that he can divine. Their diviners fast often, and are
worn out by fastings, sometimes of several days' duration, when they
become partially or wholly ecstatic, and see visions, &c. This is very
instructive, and throws light on the results of fasting among those
who suppose themselves to be the objects of a divine revelation.

It is curious how universally a system of fiisting prevails amongst
different peoples, being regarded as a merit, or as a means of prepara-
tion for a work, or for the reception of a revelation from a superior
power, or as an expression of self-contrition, or as a means of pro-
ducing a high order of spirituality. It would be interesting to trace
this custom to its root, but this is not the place for such a subject.
We may, however, refer to some instances among the Polynesians,
where neglect of fasting by others is supposed to have seriously inter-
fered with the work of some great man : —

" Maui then left his brothers with their canoe, and returned to
the village ; but before he went he said to them, * After I am gone, be

Digitized by VjOOQIC

388 HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

Loku 'kuzila oku tshiwoyo ngo-
muntu owalusayo, ku tiwa inyanga
eya mu misayo i ti, "Ka muse

As regards this fasting which is
spoken of a man that herds the
sky, it is said that the doctor who
appoints him says, ** Let him not

courageous and patient ; do not eat food until I return, and do not let
our fish be cut up, but rather leave it until I have carried an offering
to the gods from this great haul of fish, and until I have found a
priest, that fitting prayers and sacrifices may be offered to the god, and
the necessary rites be completed in order. We shall thus all be puri-
fied. I will then return, and we can cut up this fish in safety, and it
shall be fairly portioned out to this one, and to that one, and to that
other ; and on my arrival you shall each have your due share of it,
and rettirn to your homes joyfully ; and what we leave behind us will
keep good, and that which we take away with us, returning, will be
good too.'

" Maui had hardly gone, after saying all this to them, than his
brothers trampled under their feet the words they had heard him
speak. They began at once to eat food, and to cut up the fish. When
they did this, Maui had not yet arrived at the sacred place, in the
presence of the god ; had he previously reached the sacred place, the
heart of the deity would have been appeased with the offering of a
portion of the fish which had been caught by his disciples, and all the
male and female deities would have partaken of their portions of the
sacrifica Alas ! alas ! those foolish, thoughtless brothera of his cut
up the fish, and behold the gods turned with wrath upon them, on
account of the fish which they had thus cut up without having made
a fitting sacrifice. Then, indeed, the fish began to toss about his head
from side to side, and to lash his tail, and the fins upon his back, and
his lower jaw. Ah ! ah ! well done Tangaroa, it springs about on
shore as briskly as if it was in the water.

" That is the reason that this island is now so rough and
uneven — ^that here stands a mountain — ^that there lies a plain — that
here descends a vale — ^that there rises a cliff. If the brothers of Maiii
had not acted so deceitfully, the huge fish would have lain flat and
smooth, and would have remained as a model for the rest of the earth,
for the present generation of men. This, which has just been re-
counted, is the second evil which took place after the separation of
Heaven from Earth.'' (Polynesian Mythology, By Sir George Grey.
Pp, 43—45.^

So when the powerful magician Ngatoro-i-rangi wished to ascend
to the snow covered top of Mount Tongariro he said to his com-
panions, " Remember now, do not you, who I am going to leave be-
hind, taste food from the time I leave you until I return, when we
will all feast together." Then he began to ascend the mountain, but
he had not quite got to the summit when those he had left behind
began to eat food, and he therefore found the greatest difliculty in
reaching the summit of the mountain, and the hero nearly perished in
the attempt. (Id., p. 156. J

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

389

ukudAla uma e piwa utshwala bu
isikope." Futi, "Ka muse uku-
d/ila imifino e nga shwamanga."
Futi, " Ka muse ukukcapuna ezi-
ko, uma izinkobe zi nga k' epu-
Iwa." Futi, " Ka muse ukud/da
inyama, uma inkomo i nga ka bo-
bos wa." Futi, " Ka muse uku-
d/Ja izindumba uma e nga zi
nikwanga." I loko likuzila uku-
dAla okuishiwoyo izinyanga. No-
ma e lambile, wa fumana abantu
be dAla utshwala, uma bu nga se
gcwaliswe, a nga ti ukuti, " Mina
kambe ni y* azi ukuba ngi y' a-
lusa."

Umuntu wemvula nga m bona
ebimcinyaneni bami uma ngi nga-
ngongangamana ; ibizo lake ku
tiwa Umk^B^kana. Wa be inya-
nga enkulu na kwazulu yokunisa

drink if he is given beer in a cup
that is not full." And, " Let him
not eat herbs before the feast of
firstfruits."^ And, " Let him not
take a handful of boiled maize
from the fireplace, if the maize has
not been taken from the pot."
And, " Let him not eat th6 flesh
of a bullock until it has been
opened." And, " Let him not eat
izindumba If he has not been given

them." This is the fasting which .

the doctors speak o£ And if a
man is hungry and come to men
who are drinking*^ beer, if the
vessel is not frill, he would say,
" For my part indeed you know
that I herd the heaven."

When I was young, about the
size of Ungangamana, I saw a
rain-man ;** his name was Um-
kgaekana. He was a great doctor
even among the Amazulu,^ skil-

^2 At the period of the year when the new food is ripe, varying
with different places, the chief summons all his people to a festival,
(which is called uhudhUda umkosi;) all the people make beer, which they
take with them to the chief's village ; at the chiefs village, too, much
beer is made. When the people are assembled the chief has oxen
killed by his soldiers, and there is a great feast of one day with sing-
ing and dancing. This is called ukushwama^ and the people return to
their homes and begin to eat the new produce. If any one is known
to eat new food before this festival he is regarded as an umtakatiy and
is killed, or has all his cattle taken away.

*^ The natives speak of beer as food, — and of eating it, and ap-
peasing hunger by it. They also call snuff food, and speak of eating
it

^* I translate litei*ally, a rain-man or man of rain, a rain-doctor,
oiife capable of causing rain or drought.

*^ Lit., In the house, country, or nation of Uzulu ; that is, of the
traditional founder or unkulunkiilu of the Zulu nation.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

390

HEAVfiN-DOCTORS, ETC.

imvala. Kepa kwazulu wa e nge
vele kakiilu enkosini ; ngokuba
amakosi akwazulu a e nga vumi
ukuba umuntu kazaua nje ku tiwe
u pata izulu ; ngokuba iziila kwa
ku tiwa eleukosi yakona kupela.
Ngaloko ke wa fiAleka. Kepa e
nga yekile uku li nisa ngasesa
Wa za wa wela, ngokuba w* ezwa
ku tiwa, " Izinyanga zonke zezulu
a zi bulawa" W ek^a, wa fika
lapa' esiluugwini ; wa fika e nga
pete *luto, e hamba nja Kepa
kw* azisa ukuba u fika nje, u fikele
kwabakubo aba m aziyo.

Wa tolwa iukosi yakwamad/Ja-
la ; nati e ya i si tolile ; ibizo
layo ku tiwa Unjeje kasehhele.
Kepa wa Alala isikatshana, la ba
li balele kakulu izuliu Ba kgala
abantu bakubo ukunyenyeza ngaye
enkosini, ukuti, " Lowo 'muntu u
m bona nje ; uma u kcela kuye
imvula, u nga ku kconisela.

ful in producing rain. But among
the Amazulu he did not show
himself much to the chief; for the
chie& of the house of TJzulu used
not to allow a mere inferior*^ to
be even said to have power over
the heaven ; for it was said that
the heaven belonged only to the
chief of that place. Umkgaekana
therefore remained hidden. But
he did not cease to produce rain in
secret. At length he crossed to
this side the TJtukela, for he heard
that LTtshaka had said, " Let all
the heaven-doctors be killed." He
escaped, and came among the Eng-
lish; he came here without any
property, by himself aJona*'^ He
came without any thing, because
he came to his own relations.

He became a dependent of the
chief of the Amadhlala ; it is
the same to whom we were sub-
ject ; his name was Unjeje, the
son of Usechele. And when he
had staid a short time, the heaven
became very hot and dry.^^ His
own people began to whisper about
him to the chief, saying, " You see
that man ; if you ask him, he can
cause the rain to drop for you.

^^ Uzana, dim. of ize, nothing ; izana, a little nothing, that is,
something less than nothing itself Uzana, a proper name, meaning
The-les8-ifian-nothing^mcm, All men of low degree are called aha-
ntwana hakazana, Children of Uzana, — this hypothetical man of
naught.

47 Lit., Just walking, that is, without any incumbrances of pro-
perty or cattle.

4^ There was long continued drought and hot weather.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

391

Inyanga enkulu pezu kwazo zonke
izinyanga."

Kepa loko kwa hamba kanci-
nyane, kwa za kwa pumela obala ;
s' ezwa sonke ukuba XJmk^'aekana
u inyanga yemvula. Inkosi i
koelile kuye ukuti, ka ke enze, i
bone uma ku isiminya loko na.
Kepa — ngokuba ngalesi 'sikati
izulu la li balela — ng* ezwa ku
tiwa, " XJ ti, ' A ba li bheke ngo-
suku lokuti ; li ya 'kuna.' "

Kepa w' emuka wa ya eAlatini,
e ya 'kulungisa izinto zake; wa
zing' e bamba njalo, kwa za kwa
fika leyo *mini. Kwa ti ngamAla
li nayo, kwa tiwa, " Nembala u
inyanga ! " Kwa ba njalo ke nja-
loDJalo. Wa piwa izinkomo, wa
kceba inasinyane.

Kepa ngemva kwalo 'nyaka izu-
lu la ba lukuni ukuna. Ba m
Mupa kakulu. Loko 'ku m Alupa
nami nga m bona, nga m bhaukela,
ngokuba ngi bona amadoda e fika
na sebusuku e tshaya ngamawisa
emnyango wendAlu yake, a m ki-
pe, a ti, ka pume, a koke izinkomo
zawo a m nika zona, ngokuba izulu
a li 8a ni. B' enza njalonjalo.
Kepa a Alupeke kakulu, ngokuba
ngesinye isikati a fike ekuseni, a
m kipe; a baleke^ a m jigijele

He is a great doctor above all
other doctors."

And this was first spoken of a
little, and at last openly ; and we
all heard that Umk^-aekana was a
rain-doctor. The chief asked him
just to set to work, that he might
see if it were true or not. And —
for at that time the heaven was
hot and dry — ^I heard it said,
" TJmk^'aekana says, * Let the peo-
ple look at the heaven at such a
time ; it will rain.' "

And he went away into the
forest to get his things ready ; he
went there continually, until the
day he had mentioned came. And
when it rained, the people said,
" Truly, he is a doctor ! " And it
was always thus. He was given
cattle, and very quickly became
rich.

And after that year the heaven
was hard, and it did not rain.
The people persecuted him exceed-
ingly. When he was persecuted
I saw him and pitied him, for I
saw men come even by night and
smite his doorway with clubs, and
take him out of his house, telling
him to come out and give them
back their cattle which they had
given him, because the heaven no
longer yielded rain. They did this
constantly. And he was greatly
troubled, for sometimes they came
in the morning and took him out
of his house ; he fled, and they

Digitized by VjOOQIC

392

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

ngaiuawisa ; a baleke, a tshone
eAlatini, li ze li tshone, e nga dhhr
nga, *esaba ukuza ekaya ; ngokuba
ba be ti ba ya 'ku m bulala impe-
la, uma imvula i nga ni Kepa
loko be ku tsho ngekcebo labo,
ukuti i kona e za 'kwenza masi-
nyane, ngokuba e ti, " Loku ngi
za 'kufa na.** Kepa izulu nga ku
bona li ya na ngesinye isikati em-
katini wokusebenza kwake.

Ku te ngomunye unyaka, uma
ba bone ukuba izulu li ya tanda
ukubulala amabele, ba m zonda
kakulu. Ngaleso *sikati nga ngi
nga se ko. Nga se ngi lapa kwiti,
emapepeteni. Ng' ezwa ku tiwa
izulu li na nje kakulu, li g^'iba
Umk^'aekana u file. Ku tiwa ba
m bulele ngobuti ; a ba m bulele
ngoku m gwaza. Ng* ezwa loko
ke ; kwa tiwa, ba ya Alupeka labo
'bantu, ngokuba amasimu abo a ya
kukuleka imvula. I loko ke e
nga ku zwayo ngenyanga yemvula.

Kwa ti ngolunye usuku um£ma
wake, (o yena e be tandwa kakulu
uyise, igama lake Ung'eto ; uma e
ya eAlatini xxyiae u be hamba naye ;
ngokuba e ti u m tanda ngoba e
tumeka ; ngokuba uma umuntu e
nisa izulu u swele umntwana uku-
ba a tume yena njalo, a nge n^abe

threw clubs at him ; he ran away
down into the bush, until the sun
set) without eating, being a&aid to
go home ; for they said they would
really kill him, if it did not rain.
But they said that through their
subtlety, thinking that he would
do what they wished at once, be-
cause he expected them to kill
him. And I saw that it sometimes
rained whilst he was working.

And on another year, when
they saw that the heaven wished
to destroy the corn, they hated
him exceedingly. I was not there
at that time. I was with my own
people, the Amapepete. I heard
it said that it rained excessively,
that it might cover the dead body
of TJmk^aekana with earth. It is
said they poisoned him, and did
not stab him. I heard it said that
those people were troubled, for
their gardens were carried away
by a flood. This then is what I
heard of this rain-doctor.

One day his son, (the one that
was most dear to his father, named
Un^'eto, who went with his fether
to the forest when he went there ;
for he said he loved him because
he could send him where he wish-
ed ;^^ for if a man is causing it to
rain, he requires a child, that he
may send him constantly without
refusing in the least, that the hea-

^^ Lit., Send-aUe, — ready to go on a mission.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

393

nakanye, iikuze izulu li tambe,) —
wa tsho ngemva kwokuncenga, wa
ti, " Woza ni, ngi ye 'ku ni bonisa
lapo ubaba e beka kona izinto zake
zeziilu,*' Sa hamba emini, s' ala-
sile ngakona. Sa fumana empa-
ndwini ku kona izitsba zi sibeke-
Iwe, nebaka^a lokupe/da ; wa si
bonisa loko 'kwenza kukayise, ne-
mifunzana e botshwe ngenko-
nAlwane ; wa si bonisa tiokupe/Ja
kukayise. Kepa sa ku bona loko,
s' esaba, a sa tanda ukungena, sa
baleka njeya, ngokuti li funa izulu
li si tabate uma si pata imiti ye-
nyanga. Sa m shiya pakati, sa
baleka, sa ya ezinkomeni.

Ku pela ke leyo 'ndaba e nga i
bonayo.

Umpengula Mbanda.

ven may be yielding,) — ^this son
said to me, after I had earnestly
besought him, " Come, and I will
show you where my father placed
his things with which he treated
the heaven." We went at noon,
having herded our cattle near
the place. Under an oveijutting
rock we found covered vessels,
and a churning stick ; he showed
us what his father did, and little
bundles of medicine bound with
inkonthlwane f^ he showed us
also how his father churned. But
when we saw that we were afraid,
and did not wish to go in, but ran
away, thinking perhaps the light-
ning would stiike us if we touched
the medicines of the doctor. We
left them under the rock, and ran
away to the cattle.

This is the end of what I saw.

The Shy, Sim, Moon, cmd Sta/rs.

Izulu e si li bonayo leli ehluAlaza
si ti idwala, li ye la Manganisa

The blue heaven which we see we
suppose is a rock,^^ and that it

^0 Inkonthlwcme, a small tree whose bark is white, and used to
tie up bundles.

^^ The notion that the heaven is a solid body or roof over this
world is very common, probably universal, among primitive peoples.
The Hebrews spoke of it as a firmament, that is, a beaten out solid
expanse, which was " strong as a molten looking glass." Job. xxxvii.
18. It was supposed to suppoii; a celestial reservoir of waters, and to
have doors, open lattices, and windows, through which rain, hail, and
dew descend. It also supported the heavenly bodies ; and is spoken

Digitized by VjOOQIC

394

HEAVEN-DOCTOKS, ETC.

umAlaba, nmAlaba n pakati kwe-
Zulu, izulu li gcinile ngapandAle
kwomAlaba ; si ti a u se ko um-
Alaba ngale kwezulu.

Nabantu e si ti ba kona ngale
kwezulu, a s' azi ukuba ba kulo
idwala ini, noma ku kona indawa-
na e umAlaba ngale ; a si kw azi
loko. Into e si y aziyo inye nje
Ukuti ba kona. Ngaloko ke si ti
ku kona indawo yabo, njengeyetu
le.

Banga lona nalo si ti a li ko
ngale ; ngokuba uma li ngale nga
6i nga li boni ; nga li sitile, nje-
iigalabo 'bantu aba ngale, e si nga
ba boniyo. Lona li nganeno, ngo-
ba si li bona ka/^lekaMe lonke ; a
ku site nendawana nje yalo.

encircles the eai-tb, the earth being
inside the heaven, and the heaven
ending outside the earth ; and we
suppose there is no other earth on
the other side of the heaven.

And the men^^ who, we sup-
pose, are on the other side of the
heaven, we do not know whether
they ai-e on the rock, or whether
there is some little place which is
earth on the other side; we do—,
not know that. The one thing I
which we know is this, that these \
heavenly men exist. Therefore \
we say there is a place for them, \
as this place is for us. ^'^'^

And the sun we do not say is
on the other side of the heaven ;
for if it were on the other side we
should not be able to see it; it
would be hidden like the men
who are on the other side whom
we do not see. The snn is on this
side, for we see the whole of it
thoroughly ; not even one little
spot of it is concealed.

of as a floor on which the throne of God rests. Ezek. i. 26. The
Greeks had similar ideas, and applied the terms brazen and iron to
the sky. The Latin ccelum is a hollow place, or cave scooped out of
solid space. (Smith* a DictioTuiry of the Bible, Fibmamknt.^ The
Arabs believed in numerous heavens one above the other, a belief
which St. Paul enteiiiained, and which is common to the Hindus, and
to the Polynesians. Among the Chinese there is a myth, in which
Puanku or Eldest-Antiquity is represented as having spent 18,000
years in moulding chaos, and chiseling out a space that was to contain
him. And it is through openings made by his mighty hand that the
sun, moon, and stars appear ; not as the Amazulu think, shining on
this side of the blue rock. (See Nursery Tales of the Zulus, Vol,
/., p, 152. The Heaven-Country.) See some amusing diagrams by
Cosmas-Indicopleustes, made on the supposed revealed cosmogony of
the Bible. (Types of Mankind, Nott and Gliddon, p, 569, J

S2 See Nursery Tales of the Zulus, Vol /., p, 316. Appendix,

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTOR^, KfC.

395

Nenyanga futi nayo i uganeno
njengelanga, nezinkanyezi fdti zi
ngaueno nazo, — ^kokutatu loka
Namafii a nganeno j nemvula si ti
i ngaueuo, i nela lo 'mMaba ; ngo-
kuba uma i ngale nga i nga iiki
lapa, ngokuba si ti izulu li idwala.

Ilanga iikuhamba kwalo indole-
la zalo zimbili kupela nje ; emiai
indAlela yalo li hambi), ezulwini ;
ngoku/ilwa indAlela yalo li ngena
elwandAle, emanzini, li bamba
ugawo li ze li pume endaweni yo-
kupuma yakusasa.

Ilanga ukuhainba kwalo endAle-
leiii yalo yokubusika, i yodwa;
ngokuba li ya li bambela njalo li
ze li goiue endaweni etile, noma
intaba, noma isi/Ja/da ; a li dAluli
knlezo 'ndawo zombili ; li pume
endMiii yalo yobusika ; ukupuma
kwalo li buyele endaweni yeAlobo.
Si ti ngokupuma kwalo endaweni
yobusika li landa i/ilobo, li ze li
gciue ngentaba noma umuti ; li
buye li landa ubusika njalo. Zi
kona izindAlu zalo lapa si ti,
^'Manje ilanga li ngenile endAli-
ni ; " si tsho ngokuba li ma izin-
sukwana kuleyo 'ndawo ; uma li

And the moon too, like the sun,
is on this side ; and the stars too
are on this side, — all three. And
the clouds are on this side ; and
rain we say is on this side, which
descends on this world ; for if the
rain were on the other side it
could not come here to us, for we
suppose that the heaven is a rock.

The sun in its course has only
two paths ; by day it travels by a
path in the heaven; at night it
enters by a path which goes into
the sea, into the water ; it passes
through the water, until it again
comes out at the place where it
rises^^ in the morning.

As regards the path of the sutfj; 1

its winter path is different from '
its summer path; for it ti-avel^
northward till it reaches a certain
place — a mountain or a forest,
[where it rises and sets,] and it
does not pass beyond these two
places ; it comes out of its winter
house ; when it comes out it goe43
southward to its summer place.
We say that when it quits its
winter place it is fetching the
summer, until it reaches a certain
mountain or tree; and then it
turns northward again, fetching
the winter, in constant succession.
These are its houses, where we say
it enters ; we say so, for it stays
in its winter house a few days ;

^^ We see here the reason of the rising of the sun being expressed
by ukupvma^ to come out, because it is supposed to come out of the

water.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

396

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

puma s' azi ke iikuba li bu gcinile
ubusika, se li landa iAlobo ; nem-
baJa li ye li hambela ku ze ku ti
ukukula kweAlobo li ngene endAli-
ni yaseAlobo iziusukwana, li pnme
njalo.

Inyanga ukutwasa kwayo si^ti i
twasile inyanga ngokuba si i bona
entshonalanga. Kwa ku tiwa
inyanga i fa nya ; kanti a ku nja-
lo ; i dAliwa izinsuku, i ye i ncipa,
i ze i be ngangozipo nje emeAlwe-
ni ; lapo ke se i tatwa ilanga ; li i
fumaua empumalanga, li hambe
nayo, li ze li i shiye entshonalanga,
i bonwe lapa ku k^la ukuti zibe
ukuAlwa, ku tiwe i twasile inya-
^S^ > ^ 7^ ^ ^^^^^ ; i ze i fulatele
enzansi, si ti inyanga se i bheka
enzansi, i ye i Alangane ukutshona
kwelanga, i ze i selwe ; i buye i
ncipe futi, i ze i fcr

Izinkanyezi a si tsho ukuba zi
ya hamba njengelanga nenyanga ;
zi mi njalo zona. Kodwa zi kona
izinkanyezi ezi hambayo, ezi fayo
futi njengenyanga.

and when it quits that place we
know that it has ended the winter
and is now fetching the summer ;
and indeed it travels southward,
until, when the summer has grown,
it enters l^e summer house a few
days, and then quits it again, in
constant succession.

As to the renewal of the mooir,
we say it is new moon because we
see it in the west. It used to
be said the iuoon dies utterly;
but it is not so ; the days devour
it,^^ and it goes on diminishing
until to appearance it is as thin as
a man's nail ; and then it is taken
by the sun ; the sun finds it in the
east and travels with it, until he
leaves it in the west, and it can be
seen when the twilight begins,
and we say it is new moon j
and it goes on growing until
it ia full. At last it has
it back to the east,^ and we
say the moon is rising more and
more eastwai-d, and at last it is
full ;^^ it rises when the sun sets ;
and at last the sun rises before the
moon sets ; and it again wanes,
until it dies.

We do not say the stars travel
like the sun and moon ; they are
fixed continually. But there are
stars which travel, and which die
like the moon.

^^ How easily a mythical personification may arise from such a
metaphor as this.

^^ Enzansi here meaning by the sea, which is, Eastward.

^^ DUingana ig also used to express full moon. Inyanga se i
dUingenef The moon is now fulL

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

397

Isikcelankobe ngesinye isikati
si ya njamalala, si boDakale nge-
siDje isikati

Futi isilimela si ya fa, si nga
bonakali. Ebusika a si ko, ku ze
ku ti lapa ubusika se bu pela si
k^ale ukubonakaki si sinye — inka-
nyezi ; si be zitatu ; si ye si kula si
ze si be isika;ukwaiia, si dandalaze
obala lapa se ku za 'kusa. Si tsho
ke ukuti isilimela si twasile, no-
nyaka u twasile ; ku liny we ke.

Ikwezi li ma endaweni yalo
njalo ; lona V andulela ukusa nela-
nga ; ku bonwa ngalo ukuba ku
ya sa manje ; ubusuku bu dAlulile,
li pumile ikwezi, nomtakati a fi-
nyele lapa e ya kona, ngokuti,
'' XJma ngi hamba kancane ngi za
'kuselwa, ngi ya 'kufika ekaya ku
sile." Nen/tloli i finyele ku nga-
puma ikwezi ; y azi ukuba se ku
sile, I njalo ke leyo 'nkanyezi.

ludosa inkanyezi e puma ngar
pambili kwekwezi ukuhamba kwo-

Isikcelankobe^^ (the evening
star) is sometimes invisible, some-
times seen.

And Isilimela^s (the Pleiades)
dies, and is not seen. It is not
seen in winter ; and at last) when
the winter is coming to an end, it
begins to appear — one of its stars
first, and then three, imtil going
on increasing it becomes a cluster
of stara, and is perfectly clear
when the sun is about to rise.
And we say Isilimela is renewed,
and the year is renewed, and so
we b^n to dig.

Ikwezi (the morning star)
keeps its place constantly ; it pre-
cedes the morning and the sun ;
and by its rising we see that
the morning is coming ; the night
has passed, the morning star
has arisen, and the sorcerer turns
back rapidly from the place where
he is going, becaitse he says, " K I
go slowly, the light will rise on
me, and I shall reach home when
it is light" And the spy rapidly
turns back ; when the morning
star rises he knows that it is now
morning. Such then is this star,

Indosa is a stai* which arises be-
fore the morning star, when night

^^ Isikcelankobe J also called Idpekankobe, — Isi-kcela^kobe : Izinr
hohe is boiled maize \ ukukcela, to ask. The star which appears when
men are asking for boiled maize, — ^their evening meal. — Isi-pekc^nko-
be : vhupekay to boil. When the maize is boiling for the evening
meal.

^^ Isilimela^ The digging-for-[stars.] Because when the Pleiades
appear the people begin to dig. Isilimela se si ba landUe abalimij
The Pleiades have now fetched the diggei-s.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

398

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

koAlwa; ku ti nortiA abantu be
libele be ^ezi be dAla utshwala,
noma ukudAla kwomtimba, ba nga
bona indoea i pumile, ngokuba
yona i ba bomvu, ba ti, ''A si
lale ; se ku Alwile." Ku lalwe ke.
XJmontu ka tsho ukuU, ** Loku ku
pume indosa a ngi sa yi 'kulala ; "
u ya 'kulala a z' a koAlwe. Indosa
ku sa i pezulu kakulu, li pume ke
ikwezL

is advanced; and if men have
staid drinking beer, or eating the
meat at a wedding feast, if they
see Indosa arisen, for it arises red,
they say, " Let us lie down ; it is
now night." And so they lie
down. A man does not say,
'* Since Indosa has arisen I shall
not now lie down;" he wiU lie
down for a long time.^* In the
morning Indosa is very high in the
heaven, and the morning star
risen.

Tlie Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Ukuma kwelanga ngokutsho kwa-
bantu, ku tiwa ilanga li inkosi
enyangeni na sezinkanyezini ; ngo-
kuba uma li pumile zi ya fipala
zombili inyanga nezinkanyezi, ku
kanye lona lodwa, li ze li tshone,
and' uba zi kanye zona.

Ku tiwa ukuhamba kwalo li ya
hamba impela ezulwini, li ze li
ngene elwandMe ; li buyele empu-
malanga lapa li puma kona. Ku
tiwa li hamba emanzini Lapa li
puma kona ekuseni ku kona isi-
gak^ esikulu; ku tiwa leso 'si-
gak^a uiiina walo ; si ya li pelezela
lapa se li za 'upuma, si li shiye
ekupumeni kwalo, si buyele elwa-
ndAle. Si bomvu njengomlilo. I
loko ke e ngi kw aziyo ngelanga.

As regaixls the position of the sun,
in the opinion of the people he is
chief above the moon and stars;
for when he has arisen both moon
and stars become dim, and he
alone shines, until he sets, and
then they shine.

AlS regards his motion, it is said
he really travels in the heaven,
until it goes into the sea, and re-
turns to the east from whence he
arose. It is said he travels in the
water. "Where he arises in the
morning there is a great ball ; this
ball is called the sun's mother ; it
accompanies him when he Is about
to rise, and leaves him on his
arising, and goes back into the sea.
It is as red as fii-e. This then is
what I know about the sun.

^^ Lit., until he forgets, that is, is in a deep sleep.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEK-POCTORS, ETC.

899

Ngenyanga kwa tiwa kuk^^la i
ya fa, ku pinde ku vele enye inya-
nga. Kepa kwa za kwa bonwa
ukuba k^ ; kanti a i fi, iuye njalo
njengelanga. Kodwa ukii£% kwayo
ukuba i ncipa, i dAliwa iziusuku, i
ze i site elangeni, i sitwa imisebe
yalo, i nga b' i sa bonakala. I
tat we ilanga, li ham be nayo izin-
sukwana, i pinde i shiywe, i bona-
kale ekutshoneni kwalo. Izing^
peli za za za bona ngokuk^pela
kwazo, zi ti, "Ku ngani ukuba
inyanga ku tiwe i file, loku i sita
elangeni nje na 1 " Ku ti emini
lapa izulu li bukeka, nelanga li
nga sa /tlabi kakulu ameAlo nge-
misebe, i bonwe ngokuAlala emtu-
nzini omkulu; umuntu a bheke
pezulu, a kg'apelisise eduze nela-
nga, a yeke ukubheka umAlaba,
'enyusele ameAlo pezulu, ku ze ku
pele ukukanya oku kajopa ame^lo,
'ejwayele ukubona eduze nalo, ne-
zulu li kcwebe kaAle eme^lweni, li
nga wa vimbeli, i ya bonwa ekca-
leni kwelanga, noma li ya 'ku i
shiya ekutshoneni kwalo, noma li
ya 'kutshona nalo. O i bonileyo
a bize omunye, a ti, " Inyanga a i

As regai'ds the moon, it was
said at first the moon dies, and
another moon comes into being.
But at length it was seen that it
is not so; that the moon does
not die, but is one like the sun*
But its death is that it diminishes,
being eaten by the days, until it
hides itself in the sun, that is, in
its rays, and is then no longer
visible. It is taken by the sun,
and he goes with it a few days,
and then leaves it again, and the
moon is seen when the sun sets.
Obsei"vers at length saw by their
obsei'vation, and said, " Why is it
said that the moon is dead, when
it is merely hiding itself in the
sun V And during the day when
the sky can be looked at, and the
sun no longer pierces the eyes
much with his rays, the moon is
seen by a man standing in a deep
shade, and looking upwards, and
fixing his eyes intently on a spot
near the sun and ceasing to look
on the eai*th, and raising his eyes
to the sky, until the light which
pierces the eyes ceases, when the
eyes are accustomed to look at a
i^t near the sun, and the sky is
clear to the eyesight, and the sun
no longer forces him to close his
eyes, the moon is seen at the edge
oi the sun, whether the sun will
leave it when he sets, or set with
it. He who sees it calls another.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

400

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

file, njengokubv ku tiwa i ya fa ;
nansi. Bheka pezulu. W ake
umkanya, u kcimisise ameAlo, u
jwayele elangeni, u za *kii i bona.**
Nembala a fune, a fune, a ze a i
bone, a ti, " Nembala i iiAlwe imi-
sebe."

Kwa bonwa nezinkanyezi emi-
ni ; nami loko nga ku bona. S' a-
ke embava. Emini enkulu nami
ngi pika, ngi ti, " Inyanga i ya fe
impela." Kwa ti s' alusile lapa
ilanga se li pezulu kakulu ; si hlezi
emtunzini, si lele ngemiAlana, si
kcambalele, si bheke pezulu. XJm-
fo wetu wa ti kumi, " U ya i bona
inyanga. Nansiya, i namatele
ekcaleni kwelanga." Nga m piki-
sa. Wa ti, " Kgingisisa ; u za 'ku
i bona." Nembala nga tulis' ame-
hlOf nga bheka elangeni na sekca-
leni kwalo, ame/ilo a Alangana na-
yo. Nga i ti tshazi uku i bona,
ya nyamalala. Nga pinda nga
tulisa ameAlo, nga i bona, nga ti,
"Nembala." Nga bona nezinka-
nyezi — ^ya ba nye kukgala ; za za
za ba ningi, ngi zi bona. Nga
dela ukuba nembala inyanga ka i
fi. I loko ke e ngi kw aziyo nge-
nyanga.

Ku tiwa i induna yelanga.

and says, " The moon is not dead,
as they say it dies; there it is.
Look up. Shade your eyes, and
bring the eyelids together, and get
accustomed to the sun, and then
you will see it." And indeed he
seeks and seeks until he seed it,
and says, " Truly it is hidden by
the rays."

Men saw the stars too during
the day ; and I too have seen
them. We were living on the
TJmbava. At midday I too dis-
puted and said, " The moon really
dies." But we were herding when
the sun was very high } we were
in the shade, lying on our backs
without sleeping, and looking up-
wards. My brother said to me,
" You see the moon. There it is ;
it is close to the edge of the sun."
I contradicted him. He said,
" Look hard ; you will soon see it."
And indeed I fixed my eyes, and
looked earnestly at the sun and
at the edge of the sun ; I saw the
moon for a moment ; I again fixed
my eyes, and saw it clearly, and
said, " It is true." I saw also the
stars — at first one ; at last I saw
many. So I was satisfied that the
moon does not die. That is what
I know about the moon.

The moon is said to be the sun's
officer.

Digitized by VjOOQIC ^

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

401

The Male avd Female Heavens.

IzuLU abantu ba 1' a^lukanisa ka-
hili ] li linye ku tiwa izulu eU du-
ma ngemvtinga enkulu, ku tiwa
elenduna lelo ; a Y esabeki, a V oni
'luto ; ngokuba lona, noma li du-
ma, into yalo imvula 'knpela.
XJma li duma ngelenduna si ti,
" Nonyaka nje izulu li bekile, ngo-
kuba li nga dumi ngokona."

Elensikazi ku tshiwo lona uku-
duma kwalo li bonakala ngezinyazi
na ngesikgoto ; nomoyana o fika
umubana. Abantu ba baleke, ba
ngene masinyane. Unyazi Iwalo
lu zinge lu ti nso masinyane, lu
nga libali; umuntu u ya kg'ala
'etuka, se lu kade lu dAlulile ;
umbala walo lu luAlazana nemi-
kwazana ebomvana kancinane ;
iikuduma kwalo izulu eli njalo li
ya nkenketeka kakulu ; ku nga li
za 'udabula amakandaj li duma
kabi lelo ke.

Umuntu uma la m fumana
endAle u koAlwa nokuba a nga
zifaka pi ; na send/^lini indAlu i be
ncinane, a fune indAlu yesibili e
vimbela unyazi; nomAlaba u be
mundnane ngaleso 'sikati soku-
nkenketeka kwalo, ku dingeke
nendawo lapa abantu nga be zi&ka
kona. Lelo 'zulu lensikazi libu-
Alungu bukulu. UbuAlungu balo
ukuba li nga niki 'muntu isikati

The people speak of two heavens'f^
the one which thunders with
deep roar is the male ; it is not
dreadful, it does no harm ; for
although it thunders, it causes no-
thing but rain. When the male
heaven thunders we say, " This
year the heaven is peaceful, for it
does not thunder injuriously."

It is said of the female heaven
that its thunder is attended with
lightning and hail ; and the breeze
which comes with it is rather bad.
And men run away and go into
their houses at once. Its lightning
is usually forked and rapid ; as
soon as a man starts it has passed ;
its colour is bluish, and has little
reddish streaks ; this kind of hea-
ven thunders very shrilly ; it is as
though it would split the head ;
and so its thiinder is bad.

K it meet with a man in the
open country he cannot tell where
to go ; and even indoors the house
seems small, and he wants a second
house into which the lightning
cannot enter ; and the world itself
seems small at the time of its
shrill thunderings, and men seek
for a place where they can hide
themselves. The female heaven
causes much pain. The pain it
causes is that it does not give a

Digitized by VjOOQIC

402

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

sokuma isibindi ; 11 kandanisa ma-
sinyane li buyekeze; ngaloko ke
li dabulc umuntu ngovalo ; ingo-
muso umuntu a nga li boni ukuba
li ya *kuba kona ; a ti, " Kg'a ;
ingomuso a li se ko ; " nokusa a
nga be e sa ku bona ukuba li ya
'kusa, li dAlule ; a bone ukuba li
ya 'udAlula naya

Into e si y aziko ngezulu lensi-
kazi ukona ; ukuba okwalo ukona
'kupela ezinkomeni na sebantwini
na semitini. Ngemva kwalo ku
gcina ukuba li balele kakulu. Si
y' esaba uma izulu lensikazi ku
vame lona ; ngalo 'nyaka si ti,
" Ilanga li ya 'uke li ku tshise
ukudAla ; umuva waleli 'zulu mu-
bi."

man time to take coui'age ; it*
presses upon him suddenly with
constant repetition; it therefore
tears a man with terror, and a man
cannot see that to-moiTow will
ever come ; he says, " No ; there
k no to-morrow ; " and he can no
longer see that the light of another
day will shine in the heaven and
pass away ; he sees that the heaven
will pass away with him.

What we know of the female
heaven is the injury that it does ;
that it belongs to it only to injure
cattle, and men, and trees. After
it there follows intense heat. We
are afi^id if the female heaven
occurs again and again ; in such a
year we say, " The sun will burn
up our crops ; this heaven is fol-
lowed by evil."

The Smiting of tlie Heaven.

Uma ku kona izinkomo ezi tsha-
ywe unyazi, kulukuni kubantu
ukusondela kulezo 'nkomo uma be
nge 'zinyanga ; ngokuba ba ti,
" Uma si sondele kuzo lezi 'nko-
mo, se si ya 'kuba se si zibizele
unyazi lu ze kutina ; a si nga yi,
kona lu nga yi 'kuza kutina."
Kepa inyanga i ya ya kuzo ; um-
/tlaumbe i ti, " A zi dAliwe."

Ukud/Jiwa kwazo zi dAliwa ku

If there are cattle which have
been struck by the lightning, it is
difficult for the people to approach
them unless they are heaven-doc-
tors ; for they say, " If we ap-
proach these cattle, we shall be
calling the heaven to come to us ;
do not let us go, then it will not
come to us." But the doctor goes
to them ; perhaps he says, " Let
them be eaten."

The mode of eating them is

Digitized by VjOOQIC

nEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

403

Alanzwa iijalonjalo ; uma se ku
pelile ukuAlanza, abantu ba yoge-
za ; y elape inyanga, ukuba i ti i
vimbela ukuza konyazi.

Kepa konke loko kwokwesaba
iziiikomo ezi tshaywe unyazi, labo
'bantu abesabayo a b' esabi ngoku-
ba be ti unyazi lu ya 'kuza kubona
ngezinkomo ; b* esaba kakulu ngo-
kuba uma be yile ezinkomeui, uma
li ya duma ngemva kwaloko, a ba
sa yi 'kukcabanga, ba ya 'kuti nge-
zwi eli nga li kginisile, ba ti, " Si
ya 'kubona impela." Ngokuba be
ti ngokuya ezinkomeui, " Si T oni-
le izulu ; li ya 'ku si sola ngoku si
tshaya njengeziukomo." I loko ke
oku veza ukwesaba kubantu, ngo-
kuba lobu 'bunzima b' eAlela ema-
kanda, a bu veli pansi ; uma bu
vela pansi, umuntu nga e ti, " Ngi
ya 'ubona lu vela ngakuleya inta-
ba, ngi lu gudAlukele." I loko ke
ukwesaba kwabantu ; b' esaba into
e s' engeme sonke ; a ku veli loko
ngokuba ku ya 'kwenzeka impela ;
ku vezwa ukukcabanga loko, ngo-
kuba le into i ngapezulu kwetu ; a
si namandAla oku i vika njenge-
tshe li ponswa omunye umuntu.

this : — The people eat them, and
t^ke emetics continually ; when
they leave off emetics, they go and
wash ; and the doctor gives them
medicines, that he may prevent
the lightning from coming.

But as to all that fear of eating
cattle which have been struck by
the lightning, the people are not
afraid because they suppose that it
will come to them on account of
the cattle; but they are afraid
especially because if they have
gone to the cattle, and it thunders
after that, they will no longer
think, but will say what is
apparently true, " We shall now
really see it come to us." For
they say that by going to the cat-
tle they have sinned against the
heaven ; and it will punish them
by striking them as it struck tho
cattle. It is this then that causes
fear in men, because the dreaded
thing comes from above and not
from below ; if it come from be-
low, a man might say, " I shall see
it coming from yonder mountain,
and avoid it." This then is the
fear of men ; they are afraid of
something that looks down upon
all of us ; the fear does not arise
because it will really strike ; but
it arises from thinking that it is a
thing above us ; we cannot defend
ourselves from it as from a stone
thrown by another.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

404

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

Treating tlie Heaven,

Abantu uma izulu li duma, ba
puma, ba kuze; ba tate induku,
ba ti, ba za 'utshaya ubane Iwe-
zulu. Ba ti ba namandAla okwa-
Alula izulu. Ba ti ba ya memeza,
ba tate amahau nezinduku ; ba
tshaye emahaweni, ba memeze.
Li ti izulu se li sile, ba ti, " Si V a-
Alulile." Ba ti ba iiamandAla
okwaAlula izulu. Uma li duma
izulu, ba tata imiti, ba i base em-
lilweni ; ba ti, ba tunyisela izulu.
Uma li nga dumi, V esabe ngaleyo
'miti, ba ti ba ya jabula ngokume-
lueza izulu ; ba ti, inAliziyo zabo
zi ya jabula, be V aAlula izulu.
Ba ti, ba ya V a^lula izulu ngemiti
yabo.

Uma indAlu i tshile ngobane
Iwezulu, ba ya ezinyangeni ez' a-
ziyo ukupata izulu, zi fike nemiti,
z' elape abantu bonke bakulowo
'miizi lapo izulu li tshaye kona.
B' elatshwe kakulu ; ba gcatshwe,
ku nciodwe umsizi ; ku betelwe
izikonkwane enAla kwomuzi, na
Dgapambili kwomuzi, ezindAleleni
zonke, na seminyango yezindAlu,
na pezu kwezindAlu, na sesangweni

"When it thunders the doctors go
out and scold it ; they take a stick,
and say they are going to beat the
lightning of heaven. They say
they can overcome the lightning.
They shout and take shields and
sticks ; they strike on their shields
and shout. And when it clears
away again, they say, " We have
conquered it." They say they can
overcome the heaven. When it
thunders they take medicines and
bum them in the fire ; they say,
they are smoking the heaven. If
it does not thunder, but is afraid
of the medicines, they are glad
because they shout to the heaven ;
and their heart is glad when
they overcome the heaven. They
say they overcome the heaven ,
with their medicines. \^

If a house is burnt by the
lightning, they go to doctors who
know how to treat the heaven,
and they come with their medi-
cines, and treat all the inhabitants
of the village where the lightning
has struck. They are treated very
much 'y they are scarified and take
umsizi ; and little rods are driven
into the ground on the upper side
of the village, and in front of the
village in all the paths, and near
the doorways of the houses, and
on the tops of the houses, and
near the entrance of the cattle x)en.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

405

lezinkomo. Kw elatshwe ngemvu
emnyama, ukuze izulu li be mnya-
ma, li nga tandi ukutshaya kona
futi ; ngokuba uma be Alaba imvu
emAlope li ya 'kupinda li tshaye
futi ekaya. Ba tanda ukwenza
ngemvu emnyama, ukuze izulu li
nga be li sa pinda li tshaye ekaya.

Inyanga yokwelapa izulu i ya
nemvu emnyama ; uma ku nge ko
imvu emnyama, a ba namandAla
okwelapa ; ngokuba be funa imvu
emnyama. Inyanga i ya i gwaza ;
inyama yayo i Alanganiswe nemiti,
ku gcatshwe abantu, ku bekcwe
izikonkwane, zi bekcwe ngomuti,
zi gaunyekwe, zi betelwe ezind/ile-
leni

They ai^e treated with a black
sheep,^ that the heaven may be
dark^i and not wish to strike there
again; for if they kill a white
sheep it will again strike in that
homestead. They wish to work
with a black sheep, that the light-
ning may not strike that home-
stead agayEi.

The doctor who treats the hea-
ven goes with a black sheep; if
he has not a black sheep, they
cannot treat the heaven ; for they
require a black sheep. The doctor
kills it; its flesh is mixed with
medicines, and the people are sca-
rified, and the little rods are
smeared with medicine and fixed
and driven into the paths,

He(wenr Medicines,

XJmabope umuti wezulu o tshiswa-
yo, o tshiswa esolweni, uma izulu
li za kabi. JJhokqo futi u tunyi-
sela izulu ; nom/Jonyane owezulu
njalo uku li tunyisela ; nomkatazo
wona ke umuti o Alala ezikwini
zenyanga, ukuze ku ti uma ku
ngena unyazi i lu kwife ngawo, e

XJmabope is a heaven-medicine
which is burnt in the isolo^^ when
there is a threatening of a severe
thunder storm. ^^ JJhokqo also is
used for smoking the heaven ; and
umthlonyane is used for the same
purpose ; and umkatazo is a medi-
cine kept among the doctor's
medicines, that if the lightning
comes into the house he may

^^ The Ossetes, in the Caucasus, a half Christian race, sacrifice a
black goat to Elias, and hang the skin on a pole, when any one is
struck by lightning. (Thorpe, Op. cit. Vol, /., p, 173.^

®^ That is, unable to see clearly, so as to strike again where the
black sheep has been sacrificed.

«2 See p. 376, note 22.

^^ Lit., If the heaven is coming badly.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

406

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

u Alangaiiise nemiuye ke imiti ;
amagama ayo a ngi w' azL I leyo
ke e ngi j aziyo imiti yezulu.

Omunye umuti wezulu u be isi-
betelelo ; ku tatwe amafuta ale, a
Alanganiswe nemiti yalo, kw enzi-
we isivimbelo ezin/dangotini zonke
zoniuzi ; ngen/ila ku be kona isiko-
nkwane, oAlangotiiii lomuzf ku be
kona ezinye futi; lezo ke z' alu-
Bile, z* aluse umuzi, na sesangwe-
ni ; umuzi wonke, ku be na sezi-
nd/ilini na ngapeza kwezindAlu.
Li ya vinjelwa ke ngaloko, ukuba
li koAlwe ukuba li ya 'ungena
ngapi na. I loko ke e ngi kw a-
ziyo.

Ku ti njalo ekupeleni konyaka
lezo *zikonkwane zi vuselelwe nge-
zintsha ; kw aziwa ukuti elidala
izulu lonyaka o d/ilulile li d/ilule
nawo ; kodwa lo li za ngokwalo.
Ku njalo ke ku vela izikonkwane
iminyaka yonke.

Ku ti inyanga ey alusa izulu
ngam^la i dAla imifino yonyaka

putf^^ at it with this medicine,
which he mixes with other medi-
cines, whose names I do not know.
These then are the heaven-medi-
cines which I know.

Another heaven-medicine is isi-
betelelo ; its oil is taken and mixed
with other heaven-medicines, and
obstructions are made on every
side of the village ; rods to
which these medicines are applied
are placed above the village, and
others at the side ; so these rods
herd the vilhige ; they are placed
too at the entrance of the
cattle-pen ; the whole village is
thus herded ; and inside the
houses, and on the tops of the
houses these rods are placed. And
the heaven is shut out by these
means, that it may be unable to
find a place where it can enter.
This then is what I know.

And at the end of the year the
rods are renewed by setting new
ones in their place ; it being known
that the old heaven of the year
which has passed away has passed
away with the old year ; but the
present year has its own heaven.^
Hence new rods are set up every
year.

When a doctor who hei-ds the
heaven eats green food of the new

64 The medicine is chewed, and whilst the breath is saturated
with it, the doctor j)uffs at it.

65 That is, each year has a character of weather peculiai* to itself.
This is remarkably true of Natal, no two years being alike.

Digitized by VjOOQIC

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

407

omutsha, ku tiwe i y' esliwama,
ku zilwe ku nga setshenzwa ; aba-
ntu ba Male emakaya, ba nga se-
benzi. Futi ku ti uma li wisa
isikg'oto, ba nga sebenzi, ba zile
ngokuti, " O, uma si sebenza si
banga izulu." Konke loko a kw e-
nziwa. Noma li vunguza umoya
ngesikati sokuba se ku linywa, ku
njalo futi a ku linywa, ku ya zilwa
njalo, ngokuti, " Uma si lima si
ya zibangela. KuAle ukuba si zile,
kona umoya ngomso u nga yi 'ku-
fika ngamand/da."

I loko ke 6 ngi kw aziyo nge-
zulu. Kepa imiti yona e patwa
izinyanga miningi, eminingi e ngi
nga y azi uma imiti mini na.

year, and the people are told that
he is eating new food, they
leave off work on that day,
and stay at home without working.
And if it hails they do not work,
but leave off, saying, "O, if we
work we summon the lightning."
All the works of men are omit-
ted. Or if a great wind arises
during the digging season, they
leave off digging in like manner ;
thinking that if they work they
summon the lightning to smite
them. It is proper for them to
leave off, and then the violent wind
will not come again.

This is what I know of the
heaven. But heaven - medicines
which are used by the doctors are
many, many of which I do not
know.

The Insingizi cmd Ingc{ung({ulu.

In D ABA ngensingizi. Insingizi
inyoni yezulu, inyoni enkulu. Ku
ti uma izulu li balele kakulu, li
tshise amabele ngelanga, ku yiwe'
ezinyangeni zemvula ; abanye ba
pange ukufuna insingizi ngokuti,
" Uma si tole insingizi, sa i bulala,
izulu li ya 'kuna, i fakwe esizibe-
ni." Nembala i bulawe, i fakwe
esizibeni Ku ti uma li na, ku
tiwe li na ngensingizi e buleweyo.
Ku tiwa izulu li ya tamba na;a ku

of the Insingizi,
V heaven-hird ; it
If the heaven is

is a large b ird,
scorching,,' and the sun burns up
the corn, the people go to rain-
doctors ; others hasten to find an
Insingizi, thinking that if they
find one, and kill it, the heaven
will rain, when the bird has been
thrown into a pool of the river.
And indeed it is killed and thrown
into a pool. And if it rains, it is
said it rains for the sake of the
Insingizi which has been killed.
It is said the heaven becomes soft

Digitized by VjOOQIC

408

HEAVEN-DOCTORS, ETC.

bulewe insingizi ; li y* ezwela, a li
bi lukuni ; li ya i kalela ngemvu-
la, li kala isililo. Abantii ba sinde
jigokudAla amabele. I loko ke e
ugi kw aziyo ngensingizL

I yona e inyoni e fimwayo ku-
uezinye izinyoni; ngokuba ku ti
nonrca li balele izulu, uma ku bo-
nwa izinsingizi zi hamba obala zi
kala, abantu ku nga ti lapo ba
bona isibonakaliso semvula ugoku-
bona insingizi, ba tembe ukuba li
za 'kuna, loku izinsingizi zi kala
kangaka.

Enye inyoni, ing^ng^lu, inyo-
ni enkulu ezinyonini zonke ; nen-
singizi i landela inggungQiilu.
Kepa insingizi i d/ilule, ngokuba
umAlola wayo munye nje, imvula
'kupela, — ^ukuba izulu li ne uma i
bulewe. Kepa ing^ng^ilu i ne-
miAlola eminingL Uma i tshekele
umuntu, a li yi 'kutshona ilanga
umuntu lowo e nga gijime nezin-
dAlela e funa izinyanga zoku m e-
lapa, ku be indaba enkulu, ku
bhekwe into embi e za 'uvela kulo-
wo 'muntu. Futi imiAlola yeng^^u-
ng^nlu ukuba uma i kala pezulu,
ku tiwa li za 'kuna. Futi uma i
hamba i tshaya amapiko, ku tiwa
i bika impL

if an Insingizi is killed ; it sym-
pathises with it, and ceases to be
hard ; it wails for it by raining,
wailing a fimeral waiL And so
the people are saved by having
com to eat. This then is what I
know about the InsingizL

It is this bird which is sought
for more than all others ; for al-
though the heaven be dry and
scorching, if the people see many
Izinsingizi walking in the open
country and crying, it seems to
men that they see a sign of rain
because they see the Izinsingiid,
and they trust that it will rain be-
cause they cry so much.

Another bird, the Ing^ung^ulu,
is larger than all other birds ; the
Insingizi is next in size to it. But
the Insingizi is of more import-
ance, because it gives but one kind
of omen, that of rain, — that the
heaven will rain if it is killed.
But the Inggung^iilu gives omens
of many things. K it drops its
dung on a man, the sun will not
set before that man has run in aU
directions looking for a doctor to
treat him ; and it is a matter
of great consequence, and men
expect some evil to happen to
him. Another sign which the
Ingg^ng^Tilu gives is, that if it
cries whilst flying, it is said it
will rain. And if as it goes
along it smites its wings together,
it is said it reports the anival of
an enemy.

Digitized by

Q)^gle

Digitized by VjOOQIC

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "The religious system of the Amazulu : with a translation into English, and notes"

See other formats