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Ndumiso Bhotomane SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE RESURRECTION NONGQAWUSE AND THE CATTLE KILLING OF 1857 (XHOSA) The story of Nongqawuse was related by Chief Ndumiso Bhotomane on September 10, 1967, at his home in Rwantsana, Centane District, in the Transkei. The audience consisted of about twenty Gcaleka men and women. (589; tape 10, side 2) In 1857, the Nongqawuse episode occurred.! Nongqawuse was the daughter of Mhlakaza of the Ngqosini clan. She spoke here at Gxarha. She spoke in the village of the Thembu, the one Griffiths was in: Griffiths is the son of Dimanda, Dimanda is the son of Sibhozo, Sibhozo is the son of Nzabela, Nzabela is the son of Raba, Raba is the son of Faku, Faku is the son of Gcaleka. She spoke here at Qolora, speaking of the resurrection of kings, about the wealth that would follow if cattle were slaughtered and the reserves of maize thrown away. Hintsa sent my father, Bhotomane. Bhotomane was at Ndwe, up on the boundary of Lady Frere, where he had jurisdiction. He came from here at Ntlambe, and had gone to settle at Thulura. Before he went there, he had gone to settle at Khwangane in this place where we are, going with Sarhili who was on his way to Hohita, going to settle there. Now, Nzabela was here at Qolora. The girl spoke in Qolora, she spoke about this resurrection. Hintsa sent my father to see about this matter. My father came, and he believed. Sarhili came too, and so did these chiefs. The last meeting was at Hohita, at the royal residence. All the chiefs of the Xhosa had gathered there? This girl spoke at Gxarha, here in Centane in Nzabela's jurisdiction, here at Griffiths' home. She spoke about the resurrection, about wealth; she said that Hintsa would rise, she said that Ndlambe would rise, she said that Ngqika would rise, and so on. And those comments were believed . 304 She Spoke about the Resurrection 305 Now then, in 1857, Sarhili called a big meeting, at which he said that cattle would be slaughtered. He sent to Sandile in Ngqikaland. Where was Sandile? He had settled at Cumakala-at Stutterheim, yes. That is where the royal residence of Ngqikaland was. But Ngqika's graveNgqika himself died at Xesi, at Mkhubiso. Sandile was now there at Cumakala-at Stutterheim. Mlawu and Rharhabe had died. Having gone to impound Thembu cattle, they died at Xuka. Ngqika was then very young, and he went to be circumcised by Khawuta, coming from here. Khawuta, coming from Nxarini, went to circumcise him at Qonce. Now, let me come to the story that I am telling? Sarhili called a big meeting, and announced that cattle should be slaughtered. That pronouncement could not be contradicted, because it was made by the king, and he himself had already sent to other minor chiefs who were under his authority. They had concurred with his decision that the cattle should be slaughtered because of misfortune and the European government's determination that it should possess the land. God is responsible for that, yes. Maphasa spoke at that big meeting. His father, Bhuru, a chief, was present among the old ones, the parents. When he heard it said that the cattle should be slaughtered, this young man, Maphasa, pleaded with them. He said that, before they concluded that the cattle should be slaughtered , they should go to the pasture to study the grass, "that we may observe whether the grass could sustain the cattle, having been slaughtered and resurrected." They should go to the pasture. "I plead with you!" But no, his request was not heeded. It was ignored, discarded. Maphasa had to admit defeat. The message was sent to Sandile, and Sandile slaughtered his cattle. They even sent to Sigidi, here at Mpethu. And the cattle were slaughtered. But at Ngqikaland, Tyhali did not slaughter any cattle. Khama did not slaughter, nor did some other chiefs; the majority of them did not slaughter . The same thing occurred in Gcalekaland. Sarhili did slaughter cattle, and so did others. And Sandile-both of them slaughtered cattle in great numbers, each according to his stature. Sandile said that what Sarhili did Sandile had to do. "I shall slaughter the cattle!" And he slaughtered them. It was said that eight days would pass. That was a ruse; it seems to have been deliberately designed, a deception, for they knew that after eight days no one would be alive. Eight days...

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