Valuable Movie-maker!

There's tym for everything, tym to die en tym to live, to plough en to reap, to sleep en to work. I Just added dat. We all movie writers. Our lives r un-edited movies, scripts written daily and un-rehearsed lines. We act solo and have support cast around. We worry about ada people's movies en 4get da we on screen too. We get criticized, applauded, categorized en recommended 4 l8ter viewing en yet we don't c our value. Sam give feedbek en thank God 4 it, it helps us write better scripts. I thnk God 4 allowing me to act in dis movie, my life.

AROUND THIS TIME... ...KRISMAS TIME

Around this time, I remember those days…

…the days we used to receive christmas cards ka-poso

The days we exchanged brief letters

Those days we crowded Jozi stores for Christmas clothes

The days we played longer outside the yard

The days that seized fights we had at our avenues

Around this time, I remember those days…

…the days we spent the whole day on sport

Erased all hurt and hatred we got from neighbours & families

The days we appreciated each other

The days we believed what adults told us with no questions asked

The days of pinki-pinki and the stories zama-Zet

Around this time, I remember those days…

…the days we longed to buy a pair of shoes

The days we queued with faces full of Vaseline to watch a movie e-next door

The days paid no attention to the rand exchange

I remember those days.

The days we knocked at each door asking for Christmas

receiving a colourful plate of food and i-custard ne jelly

the days we didn’t call parents by names, man were abobaba

the days we got nothing for being sent to shops

Around this time, I remember those days…

…we knew that to have chicken for supper, you had to chase it & catch it

The days we left our house keys e-next door

the days we looked forward to seeing our fathers, brothers and uncles from Jozi,

coming nama-swidi

Around this time, I remember those days…

…the days we lived as a village and we all loved it

I remember those days we embraced being Afrikans

The days we laughed and shared love with strangers

I remember those Christmas days we lived life.

Around this time, I remember it is time we remember to be human

It is time we remember we blessed

It is time we remember to bless

It is time we remember to be a blessing

Around this time I remembered you.

                                                                                                 Written by Solomon Khaya Gebashe

History of AmaBhaca - my people, love and roots

Madzikane was the founder and a King of the Bhaca people. Before him his fathers tribe was known as AbakwaZelemu but after Madzikane had united many multitudes of deferent people and deferent tribes his nation was known as amaBhaca consisting of many tribes including amazulu akwaZelemu amaWushe, amaNqolo,amaNzelu, amaZizi, amaNjilo,abaseNhlwangini, amaQwabe, abaThembu etc etc. Madzikane's father was Khalimesh. His first born was crown prince SONYANGWE followed by prince NCAPAI.However because of the mfecane wars Sonyangwe the crown prince was burnt to death at night in his hut by traitors from the Memela who were vassalls of the amaBhele of uMdingi who were subjects of King Madzikane while King Madzikane was still reigning. Therefore prince sonyangwe died at Rode before he became King of amaBhaca.Soon after Sonyangwes death King Madzikane died, but before he died he split the Kingdom of the Bhacas between his deceased crown prince and his ever alive mighty warrior son prince Ncaphayi. Therefore on the death of King Madzikane, prince Ncaphayi was crowned King of all amaBhaca but because his elder brother Sonyangwe had left behind two sons in natal i.e prince Mdutyane and prince Thiba King Ncaphayi was obliged to share the throne with Sonyangwes heir. When prince Mdutyane was only 21 king Ncaphayi died in a war againstt he amaMpondo King Faku. The crown prince Mdutyane was crowned King of all the amaBhaca tribes and hence became the supreme ruler of the whole amabhaca nation consisting of more than forty four deferent tribes scattered all over from southern natal to beyond the umzimvubu river. the young King Mdutyana had huge feet to fill and disliked war and therefore took a huge fraction of the tribe and went back to umzimkhulu where he had been raised. He left the House of king Ncaphayi i.e prince Diko, prince Makaula etc to reign independently from him as was ordered by the great king Madzikane. King Mdutyana became the king over all the tribes in the umzimkhulu, Harding,Bulwer, Underberg and IXopo districts while King Ncaphayis heirs became the supreme rulers in the whole mountfrere district and over other minor clans beyond the mountfree border.

King Mdutyana took many wives and had many sons and daughters. The great and senior house Indlu Enkulu gave birth to crown prince Cijisiwe who was not favoured by king Mdutyane to succeeed the throne ,Xaxaza and Maqaba are all sons of maNgwandlu the great wife. Then from the second wife (Indlu yekunene) was prince Nomtsheketshe who was hand picked by king Mdutyane as the crown prince to the amaBhaca nation, then from the third wife (Iqadi lendlu enkulu) was prince Msingapantsi.king Mdutyane sent prince nomtsheketshe to mountfrere to live with his brother makaula for protection from witchcraft of the great wife. King Mdutyne died suddenly before the age of 40 while all his sons were young and while there was still a dispute regarding his heir therefore his brother prince Thiba became Regent King of the amabhaca nation of umzimkhulu and natal. Regent King Thiba made the Bhacas very powerful and defeated all the neighbouring native tribes in umzimkhulu and natal including the troublesome nhlangwins of Fodo kaNombewu. Thiba was as ruthless as his uncle King Ncapai had been. When nomtsheketshe had become of age he returned to umzimkhulu,Thiba seemed to favour Cijisiwe to be the King whereas some tribes under the bhacas favoured prince Nomtsheketshe therefore a war broke out between the sons of Mdutyane. Thiba and Cijisiwe formed an army against Nomtsheketshe and Msingapants however Thiba and Cijisiwe were defeated and sent into exile by Nomtsheketshe and Msingapantsi in association with the griquas. Therefore prince Nomtsheketshe became the King of the amaBhaca nation but it was not for long because new laws had come into existence in bhacaland or in the bhaca kingdom which had now been formally recognised by the English as Griqualand East. King Nomtsheketshe burnt one of his subjects to death for practising witchcraft and was exiled from Bhacaland/ Griqualand East by the English Governors for refusing to be tried in a court of law. In his absence King Nomtsheketshe abdicated the throne and crowned his ally and brother prince msingapantsi of Iqadi leNdlu enkulu as King of the umzimkhulu Bhacas and King of the great house of King Madzikane, it is worth noting that according to customary law inthe event of the great house being absent the son of iqadi assumes the throne,Till this day the house of King Mdutyana is separated and there is ill will between the amabhaca of natal and the amabhaca of umzimkhulu. King Nomtsheketshe went into exile in pondoland but was later accommodated by his uncles King Makaula and Diko in mountfrere where he was given land to settle with his five sons and followers. King Shaka of the amaZulu nation was born by the wife of iqadi to the great house and took a spear and killed the son born by the great wife of king Senzangakhona so it is no deferent with the amaBhaca nation of Africa

King Ncapayi had many wives. The great and senior house (FIRST WIFE and Indlu Enkulu)of Ncapayi gave birth to DIKO and SOGONI, from the second wife (Indlu yekunene) was Makaula, the third wife (Iqadi lendlu enkulu) was Dabula. The Kingdom of Bhacas is currently being revived by the great house of Ncapayi, Inkosi Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko. The home of the Bhacas and the Kingdom is in Mount Frere, KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape.

Ncapayi is said to have been a fearless freebooter, a diplomat of note who showed even more intelligence than his father.

According to Rev. Soga, during the same year in which Ncapayi’s father –Madzikane – was killed, Ncaphayi entered Tembuland to avenge his father’s death. The Thembus under King Ngubengcuka made an ineffectual stand and the Bhacas swept away a large number of cattle (Soga, p. 443)

Before King Madzikane died and because of the relationship he had with King Faku, he advised his son to temporarily be a tributary King in Pondoland. He indeed did that and Faku at this time welcomed the Bhacas as this also coincided with the arrival of Nqetho, a Chief of the Qwabes who had moved from Natal running away from King Tshaka’s army because he could not serve under King Dingane. When he entered Pondoland and tried to secure land by violence, Faku was anxious to rid him out and therefore secure assistance from Ncaphayi to eject Nqetho. AmaBhaca drove them away back into Natal and Dingane issued an instruction to kill Nqetho (Soga, p. 443).

The Thembus defeat by the Bhacas discussed above, also led to Faku making an arrangement with Ncapayi when Pondos wanted to attack the Thembus. They entered Thembuland on three successive occasions and each time their raid was a success. Ncapayi is said to have been a fearless freebooter that was respected by many nations (Soga, p. 444)

Soga asserts that cupidity is said to have been the force that brought Faku and Ncapayi to work together. It is also cupidity that is said to have destroyed their good working relationship. Because they were both strong, it became difficult to know which one more powerful that the other. The freebooter attacked Nyanda, the Right Hand section of the Phondos under Ndamase, the son of Faku. He raided Nyanda successfully. Meanwhile the alarm had been raised with Faku and therefore Faku assembled a powerful army and this came up with the Bhacas and attacked them on all sides. Faku drove the Bhacas before him on the ridge kuNowalala. Ncaphayi was wounded and forced over the rock, falling on to a ledge some distance from the Bottom. He was in helpless condition with both arms broken, besides a severe assegai wound. He laid there for days, persuading those who came to look at him to put an end to his misery and kill him. No one could do this until Faku gave orders that he must be killed. Thus the death of Madzikane’s son, king Ncapayi in 1845.

In about 1837 Boers arrived in Natal with herds of cattle and the Bhacas saw an opportunity to attack and raid. Between 1837/39/40, the Boers are said to have been fighting in Natal when the Bhacas teamed up with the Bushmen and raided.

In about February 1838 the Boers settled in the upland of Natal and had successfully set the foundation upon which they could erect the Republic of Natalia, which after their victories over Dingane, they extended northward to uMfolozi and St. Lucia Bay (Blue Book on Native Affairs, 1885). The Boers had managed to get into arrangements with other Kings but and therefore did not consider them as potential enemies anymore. For an example they considered King Faku as friendly King and rated Ncapayi as having a powerful military and also a threat.

When the Boers came back, they decided to attack the Bhacas (Bryant, p. 400) and raided 700 and 50 horses (Nchanga, 119). This is said to have provided the spark for the British intervention in the Bhaca land (At this time this land had become part of Natal). There is still an area near the town of Maclear which is still called Ncapayi land (Kapayi land – because they could not pronounce “Nca”).

By 1845 the Bhacas had already been stripped off their Kingdom through Maitland Treaty. Ncapayi, the First Enemy in the Maitland Treaty dies and was survived by his first son from his great wife, Diko. But Diko is to be reduced to a headman later on.

INkosi Diko was a hero, a stubborn and a fearless leader of courage. He led amaBhaca nation for 35 years from 1845 to 1880 after the death of his father iKumkani Ncapayi ka Madzikane. INkosi Diko was the grand-son of King Madzikane ka Zulu.

iNkosi Diko was a fierce leader who fought against the annexation of the land by the British Colonial Government and he even resisted handing over amaBhaca nation to become British subjects. As a result of his resistance to the oppressive rule of the colonisers he never became the favourite of colonial government of his time. That government could not stand him and they decided to overthrow in 1880. The oppression of Diko’s house has been felt by all eight (8) generations, for a period of 130 years.

According to the writings of Anderson Mhlawuli Makaula (1988), by virtue of birth and according to tradition, Diko was the heir to iKumkani Ncaphayi, but, because of some councillors of amaBhaca who liked Mamjucu, the mother of Makaula, she was fraudulently made a great wife, hence her son attained chieftainship. Makhohlisa (the mother of Diko and Sogoni) who was Ncaphayi’s wife of the great house (uNdlunkulu), was not loved by these councillors, hence they plotted against her.

It happened that Ncaphayi had killed a man in one of the Mfecane battles and according to amaBhaca tradition, iNkosi was not supposed to have any contact with his wives until he had undergone some medical treatment. A separate accommodation was to be provided for him. Ncaphayi was then placed in isolation for a stipulated period. It was further conspired by the councillors under Qulu Siwela that the wife who goes to cook for iNkosi Ncaphayi in isolation and conceives during that period would be the one who would give birth to the chief that would succeed Ncaphayi after his death.

The councillors first went to uNdlunkulu Makhohlisa, (Diko and Sogoni’s mother) and deceived her that she must not dare put her foot in the isolation place where Ncaphayi was sleeping, because this would weaken her sons and thus cause death by assegai among her children. This sounded reasonable to Makhohlisa. Thereafter the same councillors went to advised Mamjucu, (the second wife) to go and cook for iNkosi Ncaphayi in the isolation place. She acted as instructed and her son, Makaula was then made iNkosi of amaBhaca.

Ever-since then, because of this conspiracy, this trick and treachery, the Great House of Ncaphayi has suffered a great deal of disrespect, degradation and injustice throughout generations that followed.

After iNkosi Ncaphayi’s death Diko (his first and eldest son) led amaBhaca from 1845. iNkosi Diko was always in conflict with the British Government and he blatantly refused the annexation of the land of amaBhaca nation. When the British supremacy pervaded the Transkei territory during the 1860s, the government pioneered the annexation of the Transkeian territories. Amakhosi were to give up their power and paramount and become subjects of the British Colonial government. Magistrates were to take over the power from amaKhosi, especially those who refused submitting their nations to be under the British rule. iNkosi Diko was one of those traditional leaders who resisted and he was then overthrown as iNkosi, deposed and made headman by the colonial government in 1880.

Battles were fought throughout this period, for an example, a friend to iNkosi Diko was iNkosi Mhlontlo of amaMpondomise who is said to have killed a magistrate at Qumbu in resistance against such annexation. Other amaKhosi who accepted annexation were rewarded for their loyalty to the oppressive colonial government and eventually they were looked after and treated well by the colonial government.

The plan to destroy any trace of iNkosi Diko and his descendants has prevailed over generations after this great hero had died. Even today, Diko’s files, from iNkosi Diko himself, Qoza ka-Diko, Mthakathi ka-Qoza, Mabhijela ka-Mthakathi, Dingumhlaba ka-Mabhijela and Mzawugugi ka-Dingumhlaba (all the descendants of Diko) have been removed from the archives in Mthatha. The big question is: What happened to these files and where are they?

AmaBhaca are mainly found in the small towns such as Mount Frere, uMzimkhulu, Xopo and some surrounding areas. The isiBhaca language is a mixture of isiXhosa, isiZulu and isiSwati. The language of isiSwati was influenced by the fact that King Madzikane’s mother was from one of the Royal Houses of the Swatis of aMalambo. He grew up within the Swatis from his mother’s side and therefore spoke the language. Although he accepts that he is not an authority on this, Jordan, A.C. (1953) argues also assets that in the traditional history of the Bhacas, “uDlamini and kwaDlamini” figure a great deal (P.5). He further states that the Bhaca language was stifled to death chiefly by isiXhasa through, amongst others, schools and churches and that a large number of enlightened Bhacas were taught to look down upon their mother tongue.

Diko is the first son of Ncapayi, (Makhohlisa a daughter of Dzanibe clan was the first wife of Ncapayi) with his younger brother Sogoni from the first wife of Ncaphayi. The younger brother from the second wife was Inkosi Makaula followed by Inkosi Dabula and others from other younger wives. Inkosi Madzikane ll Diko is the Crown Prince of iNkosi Dilizintaba, ka Dingumhlaba, ka Mabhijela i, ka kaMthakathi, kaQoza ka Diko ka Ncaphayi, ka Madzikane, ka Khalimeshe, ka Vebi, ka Wabane, ka Didi, ka Zulu, ka Ntombela, ka Malandela, ka Dlungwana, ka Ndaba.

INkosi Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko is currently the Head of the kwaBhaca/LuBhacweni Traditional Council at ELundzini Royal Kraal, Ncunteni Great Place, LuBhacweni A/A in Mount Frere, KwaBhaca.

AmaBhaca were therefore stripped off their dignity and their Kingdomship by the Colonial Powers, the Boers, the Griquas and later on, the apartheid systems did not make it any better. The home of the Bhacas is in Mount Frere, while other Bhacas who went back to KwaZulu are in Mzimkhulu and Ixopo under the Zulu Kingdom.

Reference: http://www.kwabhacakingdom.co.za/aboutus.html

 

Mazibuyel' emasisweni!... ...back to the roots!

I remember the tough times I had in Transkei,

I remember the richness in brotherhood I got,

I remember the times spent in mountains and valleys.

My mind is populated with fond memories,

My heart is filled with warmth,

My spirit rejoices for overcoming

I look back and smile,

Picture the journey I travelled,

Laugh at those who wished horror,

I'm rooted because of you.

Umuzi mkhulu is the town, I visited once in a while

Umfula mhle is the village, I learnt stick-fighting and got my pride

Esicelweni my village is called, that is where my root is

Mazibuyel' emasisweni!!

I remember the 4 hour periods the bus used to pass,

The joy I had seeing a vehicle coming towards our bus-stop,

The pride I displayed after accounting our herd.

Every day was an adventure, fighting for no reason

Learning the ways and means of survival in a village was a constant battle

Ever milestone achieved was a step closer to manhood

Mazibuyel' emasisweni!

I remember the privilege of wearing shoes,

The joy of white bread with peanut butter,

The times we spent around the fire laughing

I remember gestures we did when entering the house,

The smiles we shared when seeing girls,

The times we spent heading to school felt like hours

I remember the one church we all went to,

The journey we took going there,

The spirit of community we had.

Masibuyeleni emasisweni!!

I still hear the sound of the whip,

The cry of a boy in training to be a young man,

The times I spent learning from my cousin.

Ingane ikhuliswa yisizwe, I can testify to that.

Our culture is rich in Ubuntu, respect, ways of life

Our customs define who we really are,

My experiences in uMzimkhulu are a treasure

My existence is a blessing, a treasure continuously explored.

Mazibuyel' emasisweni!!

Rittin by Khaya Sol Gebashe

--

Influence is based on what you focus on in life.

Iron sharpens .....

It's easy for Islands to be Islands but no man is an Island.
This might sound pointless until you search and find the point of it.
I once heard that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, how close is this to the truth.
Too many times we try to take out the twig in our brother's and sister's eyes and we forget that we have logs in our OWN eyes.
Remember that there is no smoke without fire. OK! you ready to hear this now since you read to this point.

I'm learning that every walk in life is a journey, my being here and the challenges I've faced can empower someone else one day. I'm learning that I'm NOT better than you and you not better than me therefore we co-exist so we can learn from each other.
I'm learning that for every dark period in one's life there will surely be a lighter period too, a period to reflect and use lessons learn in the dark, hard, unclear period. I'm learning that every day is a gift from God, no one is too clever or wiser than God. I'm learning that God's love is enough for all of us whether you believe or not. I'm learning that going to church does not make you a better person but a relationship with God makes you a humble person. I'm learning that blood is thicker than water and love conquers all evil. I'm learning that I wont know everything and I'm okay with that. I'm learning that life is short yet it needs drive, zeal and passion to be fun and rewarding. I'm learning that I'm not alone, I have you and you and you.

Therefore no man is an Island, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu!
Rittin by Khaya Sol Gebashe

--

Influence is based on what you focus on in life.

Plans vs Reality

Ourlives are dominated by plans and plans involves seeing things happen in spirit before they happen in reality. We plan for the future while fighting the present challenges in our lives and at times it seems like we going nowhere slowly. The reality is even if we don't plan nor see future at the present time, someone will surely see it for us. I looked back to the year after my matric, the future looked dark, uncertain and I had no hope to lift me off the ground. The only thing I had then was a plan, one single plan to help me restore my hope. As I looked, I noticed that the older I got the more my plans came to reality and little plans became as I enjoyed the reality. In essence, plans were not getting smaller but my view of those plans was smaller, limiting and not forth-looked. I got lost into reality and forgot to plan for the next near future. As we busy getting lost in reality, forgetting to make plans someone uses the opportunity to make some plans for you. Eish, the challenging thing about this is plans and reality can not be separated. We make plans for the reality or future we would like to see ourselves in. Reality presents what we put in plans, now that is spiritual. This is like asking "is the glass half-full or half-empty", it all depends on your view and attitude on life.

We get challenged when chasing our dreams, plan and visions by all sort of forces, people and spirits. At times by our own families and friends but the one thing I find to be standing is the survival spirit we all have. We have been given a spirit of courage to conquer even when we don't think we can. To fight for as long as we willing to fight and overcome. My reality now is re-shaping my plans for the near future. We also find that as we do so, we opposed and de-motivated to carry through what we deem to be great or good plans for the future based on the plans others have of you. I then learnt that you can have plans for your future and someone WILL have plans for you and you would have to decide whether you merge the two or not.

What am I saying then, I saying our current reality is most probably a result of our plans and more is still in plan probably for the near future realities. We intend to be great fathers/mothers, husbands/wifes, brother/sisters, colleagues, friends and citizens but daily we faced with the reality of making our plans a reality in a society that is negative and perssimistic.

Khaya

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