Inkondlo kaZulu

Benedict Wallet Vilakazi

• Publisher: Wits University Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781776140596
• eBook ISBN: 9781776145379
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: African Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

Inkondlo kaZulu (Zulu Poems), the first volume of poetry by B.W. Vilakazi, was first published in 1935. This was the first book of poems ever published in isiZulu; it also marked the launch of the newly established Bantu (later, African) Treasury Series (published by the University of the Witwatersrand Press), a collection of twenty classic works written between 1935 and 1987 in African indigenous languages. It contains superb nature poems and also reflects Vilakazi's contact with Western modernity. As both a traditional imbongi (bard) and a forward-looking poet who could fuse Western poetic forms with Zulu izibongo (praise poetry), he used his writings to express his resistance to the realities of capitalist exploitation of African labour and the appalling injustices of the migrant labour system. By committing to writing in poetic form what had traditionally been conveyed orally from one generation to the next, he preserves for future generations deep philosophical and emotional experiences of Zulu society.

The republication of Inkondlo kaZulu affords the reader the opportunity to reappraise Vilakazi's intellectual significance and his renown as the 'father of Nguni literature' at a time when the need is acutely felt to unshackle ourselves from ethnic boundaries and break the invisible chains of inherited prejudice.

1

NgePhasika

Le nyang’ engiyibona yethwasa,

Ihlephukile phezu kwamahlombe

Entshonalanga, laphaya ezansi –

Isikhumbuz’ izindab’ ezinkulu ezindala.

Ngakho konke lokhu Nkosi Sibonga wena.

Sikhunjuzwa wen’ uthwabaza

Emhlabathini wezwe lakithi -

Wona lona waBantu abamnyama,

Ungakhonzwa zigqili, nazichaka.

Ngenxa yalokho Nkosi Siyamangala.

Wawunamandl’ okusaphuca

Igolide, nesiliva, namatsh’ egugu;

Namhl’ ahlobise izigqoko neziphika

Zamakhos’ omhlaba, nezikhulu zamabandla,

Kodwa wena wadlula wacimez’ amehlo.

Ngakho konke lokhu Nkosi Sibonga wena.

Walal’ ocansin’ olwendlelwe phansi;

Wahlala nesintu emigqikini yokhuni;

Wadla nabangcolile yizifo nezono,

Kodwa umfoweth’ omhlophe

Uyangidela, uyangiphundla: ngiyamnukela.

Ngenxa yalokhu Nkosi Ngizoshonaphi?

Inyang’ iphumile, umthal’ uqhakazile.

Inyanga nguwena, izinkanyezi zomthala

Yizona zinyembezi zakho nezami,

Wen’ owazula, udingiswa izwe lonke.

Khanya usus’ umnyama phezu kwaMhlaba!

Ngakho konke lokhu Nkosi Sename nathi.

Ngiyezwa besondel’ ukukukhaphela.

Igazi nomzimba wam’ uyathuthumela;

Nami bangithengisa nxazonke zomhlaba,

Ngoba ngidalwe ngabamnyana.

Kangilikhethanga leli bala, ngaphiwa nguwe.

Ngenxa yalokhu Nkosi Ngibonga wena.

Lapho bekubethel’ ogodweni,

Usungulo lungenamahlon’ okungena

Lubhoboz’ inyam’ emanzi luyibhanqa

Nokhun’ olomil’ olungezwa zinhlungu,

Kuyampompoza kweyam’ inhliziyo.

Ngakho konke lokhu Nkosi Ungangikhohlwa.

Ngikhumbuze min’ engimnyama

Izifundo nenkambo yempilo yakho

Wen’ owaling’ ukusifundisa

Ubunzima buka “Qha”,

Ngezenzo nangemicabango.

Ngenxa yalokho Nkosi Ngiyakubonga.

2

Inkelenkele yakwaXhosa

Umkhosi was’ uhlatshwe walawulwa,

Lonk’ elikaKleli noSandile

Layizwa intokazi kaMhlakaza

Yon’ eyayiwabonile lawo

Mathong’ okhokho bay’ abangazange

Baze bawadikaze ngamehlo.

Ilanga labe selimiswa njalo,

Lapho ngisho wena salukazi –

Umxhilibana njengodade nje,

Wawuzobhilelwa ubutshitshi,

Ukhunjuliswe lokhuy’ okudala,

Zithi kuwe izinsizwa: Qoma!

Kwaphum’ ixheg’ eselibhinca nhlanye,

Lathath’ ubhoko ladondolozela

Liqinis’ imisiph’ emilenzeni;

Lagcob’ amafuth’ ezimvub’ ekhanda

Khon’ izinwele zizobuyelana;

Laqal’ ukuphoth’ amadev’ angwevu.

Elinye lezwakala selishela

Lithi: “Uyongiphendula uthini,

Mabani lapho sengithi kuwena,

Ngiyakuthanda ntombi kaSandile?

Uyogwinya nje amazwi ami?”

Kwakusemnandi betekulisana,

Kumnand’ ukuzulisana ngem’qondo.

Kwabhinca kwahloba amakhehla

Ngisho nanamadolo njengoMthontela

Acwala ongiyane, neziqhova,

Namasakabula, nezinsimba.

Alinga nokubhina ethi: “Yeka

Kuseyithi seqa njengamathole!”

Bheka izibaya nezinxuluma

Kukhamisile lezo ziprofitho

Zamandikikazi kaXhosa

Aphupha njengoJosef’ eGibhithe,

Kepha won’ ephupha imbubhiso

Yenzalo yawoyise oMlanjeni.

Phendukis’ amehlo, uzobona

Amanqe, izinyoni zaphezulu

Zizitika, zilale zingembethe;

Nezinja, nenkentshane, nezimbodla,

Zenza isimonqo sasethala.

Likhul’ igama lakho Nongqawuze!

Laphuma lon’ ilanga njengemihla,

Nomoya wathi walakahle p...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Isingeniso
• Introduction
• 1. NgePhasika
• 2. Inkelenkele yakwaXhosa
• 3. Ukhamba lukaSonkomose
• 4. We moya!
• 5. Inqomfi
• 6. Impophoma yeVictoria
• 7. Woza Nonjinjikazi!
• 8. Khalani maZulu!
• 9. Umcabango wasekuseni
• 10. Sengiyokholwa-ke
• 11. Cula ngizwe!
• 12. Ma ngificwa ukufa
• 13. Ngizw’ ingoma
• 14. Ithongo lokwazi
• 15. UShaka kaSenzangakhona
• 16. Ngomz’omdaladala kaGrout
• 17. Phezu kwethuna likaShaka
• 18. Aggrey we-Afrika
• 19. UNokufa
• 20. Isenanelo eminyakeni engamashumi mahlanu
• 21. Wena-ke uyothini?