Iimbali zamandulo: Stories of the past (1838–1910)(Publications of the Opland Collection of Xhosa Literature)

Recollections of ordinary people, in isiXhosa and English translation, of daily life and historical events in the nineteenth century Iimbali zamandulo - 'Stories of the Past' - is a selection of historical testimonies produced by Xhosa-speaking residents of the Eastern Cape between 1838 and 1910. These narratives offer fresh insights into the history of the Xhosa-speaking peoples, providing their own perspectives on their own past. The volume contains recollections reaching back to seventeenth-century dynastic disputes, to a period preceding the southward migrations in the early nineteenth century into territories settled by Xhosa-speaking peoples. It passes on through those migrations, the clashes and resettlement of peoples and of individuals, the contest for land throughout the century, and on to the struggle for social control and the assertion of cultural identity by the century's end. To a remarkable extent, we are lent intimate access here to the lives of ordinary people, seeking better pastures for themselves, their families and their livestock; hunting, fighting and, above all, confronting personal conflict in their choices between mission Christianity and ancestral beliefs; between support for their chiefs or the colonial authorities; between active or passive resistance to encroachment on their territory; and between colonial distortions purveyed in the schools and their receding grasp of their own sustaining histories. University of KwaZulu-Natal Press: Southern African Development Community

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Jeff Peires Introduction 1. Noyi Gciniswa, Iziqwenge zembali yamaXosa (1838): Parts of Xosa history 2. Jivashe, Indaba zokucolwa kwomtu o yim-Fecane (1839): News of a Mfecane refugee's liberation 3. Charles Henry Matshaya, Life of Charles Henry (1842) 4. Gwija and Danga, [Prophecies] (1857) 5. William Kekale Kayi, Gesimilo senvelo senkosi zamaxosa (1857?): The origin of the Xosa Chiefs 6. William Kekale Kayi, Genbali yokuqaleka kokwazeka kwelizwi lika Tixo gokuqondekayo Gamaxosa (1857?): Tradition respecting the first intelligible acquaintance with God's word by the Xosa 7. William Kekale Kayi, Ati maxosa enbalini yawo (1857): The Xosa say in their tradition 8. William Kekale Kayi, Gomtu Ongu Tsikana umxosa wokuqala okwazi ngelizwi lika Tixo wabako emva konxele (1857): Of the man Untsikana the first Xosa who knew of God's word. He was after Xele. 9. William Kekale Kayi, Gokudalwa kwabantu (1857?): Of the creation of people 10. William Kekale Kayi, The Koobūlu of Umlangeni (1857?) 11. Anon., Imbali ka-Hlanga no-Dhlomo (1861): The story of Hlanga and Dhlomo 12. Tiyo Soga, U-Gxuluwe na-Batwa (1862): Gxuluwe and the Twa 13. John Mazamisa, Izizwe za-Mamfengu (1863): The Mfengu nations 14. William Kobe Ntsikana, Imbali yendoli yamandulo (1864): The story of the early Visionary 15. John Muir Vimbe, Amakosi akwa-Zulu (1864): The Zulu kings 16. John Muir Vimbe, Ukukula kuka-Zulu (1865): The Zulu expansion 17. Kokela, UMxosa (1871): A Xhosa 18. Anon., Imbali ka Ntsikana umfo ka Gaba yamhla watwetyulwa wasungulwa ngu Tixo (1875): The story of Ntsikana son of Gaba on the day he was summoned and consecrated by God 19. John Muir Vimbe, Ngembali ka Ntsikana (1875): With reference to the story of Ntsikana 20. Anon., Imbali zamam-Pondomisi akwa-Mditshwa (1876): Stories of the Mditshwa Mpondomise 21. Platje Mhlanga, A story of Native wars by an aged Fingo (1877) 22. John Muir Vimbe, Ukulwa (1878): Conflict 23. Juju Pantsi, Reminiscences of an old Xhosa (1880) 24. Vete Mziziba, Historical sketch of the Pondomise tribe (1881) 25. Mabasa and Nomlala, A brief history of the Pondomise tribe (1883) 26. Anon., Idlaka lika Soga umfo ka Jotelo (1884): The burial of Soga son of Jotelo 27. John Muir Vimbe, Ingxabano ka Ndlambe no Ngqika (1885): The quarrel between Ndlambe and Ngqika 28. W.D. Soga, Imbali ye Nkosikazi u Sutu (1885): The story of the Lady Sutu 29. William Kobe Ntsikana, Imbali zakwa Xosa (1887): Xhosa histories 30. Charles Pamla, Ama-Xhosa naba-Mbo (1887): The Xhosa and the abaMbo 31. Pambani Jeremiah Mzimba, Imbali yase Mbo (1888): The history of Emboland 32. William Kobe Ntsikana, Imbali ka Makanda ogama limbi lingu Nxele (1888): The story of Makanda known as Nxele 33. W.W. Gqoba, Isizatu sokuxelwa kwe nkomo ngo Nongqause (1888): The motivation of the Nongqause cattle-killing 34. Qitala lakwa Ngqika, Imbali zamandulo (1888): Stories of the past 35. M. Kinass, Imbali zabantsundu (1888): Histories of black people 36. John Muir Vimbe, Imbali yokufika kwe lizwi kwa Xosa (1888): The story of the arrival of the Word among the Xosa 37. William Kobe Ntsikana, Imbali zamandulo (1888): Stories of the past 38. Nathaniel Cyril Mhala, Ukuvela kwamaNdlambe (1898?): The origin of the Ndlambe 39. William F. Xatasi, Inkosi zama Xhosa (1901-02): The Xhosa chiefs 40. William F. Xatasi, Ubukosi base Xhibeni kwa Ngqika (1902): Chieftainship in the Ngqika Xhiba House 41. Isaac Williams Wauchope, Extracts from The Natives and Their Missionaries (1908) 42. Zaze Soga, NgoNtsikana (1910?): Ntsikana 43. Makapela Noyi Balfour, NgoNtsikana (1910): Ntsikana 44. Jacob Mnxu҅ ma Noyi, NgoNtsikana (1910?): Ntsikana Appendix: Two variants 45. John Knox Bokwe (ed.), Ama-Xosa history by Robert Balfour Noyi: a follower (1914) 46. William Kekale Kayi, Xosa traditions &c. (1857) English equivalents of Xhosa place names Sources References

About the Author :
JEFF OPLAND held appointments at the University of Cape Town, University of Durban-Westville and Rhodes University and taught at the Universities of Toronto, Yale, and Leipzig as well as Vassar College before his retirement. PETER T. MTUZE is the most prolific living isiXhosa writer: he has produced novels, short stories, essays, drama, poetry, autobiography and language books. Mtuze's first book, UDingezweni (1966), is regarded as a classic novel. One of his singular achievements was his translation of former President Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, into isiXhosa. He worked on the University of Fort Hare Xhosa Dictionary Project, at the University of South Africa and at Rhodes University, where he retired as Professor Emeritus.