The Tongue Is Fire: South African Storytellers and Apartheid

SO TALL HE TOUCHED THE HEAVENS

Mdukiswa Tyabashe SO TALL HE TOUCHED THE HEAVENS (XHOSA) The Mpondomise poet, Mdukiswa Tyabashe, was seventy-four years old when he performed this poem on August 12, 1967. Mr. Tyabashe was formerly the official poet, the imbongi, of Chief Lutshoto of the Mpondomise. This poem was performed at the royal residence of Chief Diliz' Iintaba Mditshwa at Mdibanisweni, Tsolo District, in the Transkei. In the audience were about two hundred Mpondomise men and women. (122; tape 3, side 2) Shu! Shu! Shu The pain goes deep! An old wound has been laid bare. It has been laid bare, And the pain goes deep: This old wound, A new torment Has been inflicted by Diliz' Intaba, Perpetrated by Diliz' Intaba. Diliz' Intaba! The one Who topples mountains, Cold, lofty mountains, The Drakensberg Mountains, The Nomkholokhotha Mountains: He splinters them! He is the grain of the people, We are all given life's grain, We are all given life's grain He gives it to the favored ones! It was given to Matiwane, It was given to Bushula's people, It was given to those of Bhungane. We saw it, We watched from a distance, From across a river. 223 224 Part Three: The Threatened Dream "He touched the heavens, and he was beautifuL" Mdukiswa Tyabashe, a Mpondomise poet and historian. Matiwane arrived, And struck a man with a millet head, Catapulting him to the Free State. He alit there and left a wonder, He arrived there and left a sign Which I shall not divulge. I swear, I shall not reveal to you The omen left by him Because this country Is ruled by preachers, This country Is ruled by evangelists, This country Is ruled by women's church leaders, People whose sensibilities Are as delicate as a hen's chicks. I have said it again! I have said it again! So Tall He Touched the Heavens 225 I have said that The heroes of Ntibana revealed it, Blinded as they were By the sun of Makhandezinyoni! Those heroes, The children of Mqangqeni's daughter, Are beautiful: It was splendid to see Gqirana Stalking astride the Malephe and Mjika Rivers Because of Makhandezinyoni! Makhandezinyoni! He was so tall He touched the heavens. And he was beautiful, This forebear of Diliz' Intaba: He was beautiful Because he lived up to The standards set by Ngubenani! I have said it again! I have said it again! I have said that The heroes of Jengca have class. The children at Xhwangu's place Are distinguished Even though . Even though . even though they are old now, So old they have worn-down teeth. These contemporariesRambatotshile 's people, Falase's people: They do not compare To this child of Matshiliba. He fought against growing old, He contested age. He clung with his legs To the milk-skin, He drank ravenously From the calabash. 226 Part Three: The Threatened Dream Zebangweni was startled: He considered himself The great one at his home. But we know the heir Of the great ones of the past, We know that the real successor Surpasses this little fellow Even in the sound that he makes! He is the child of Makhamba Who was exposed at Mabilokazi's place: It was said that he was a puny thing; A feeble thing! He did not go to Madubedube's place; Even though we begged him to do so, Our voices were ignored. I say to all of you, To the old woman who was fined In the court; I say to all of you: I spoke to Matheguda, The rough one, But no matter how I approached him He remained elusive. Even though I gave my hand to him, He turned his back to me. He turned his back, And left me. I am a gentle person by nature, And I was humiliated. Diliz' Intaba! ...