S.E.K. Mqhayi – Intshayelelo

Ikhaya: kulapho alolwe khona ukucinga  

USamuel Edward Krune Mqhayi walibona ilanga ngomhla wokuqala kweyoMga ngowama-1875 eGqumashe, eDikeni (Alice) ngeli xesha uGonya Sandile wayekwisikolo solwaluko. Ngeli xesha iintsika zesizwe samaXhosa nezinye izizwana kwiAfrika esezantsi, zazisele zihexa ngenxa yogonyamelo lobukoloniyali, nangona zazisaxhathisile, amagokra namagokrakazi esilwa ngosiba nangemikhonto. Zazisele zisibhozo iimfazwe amaAfrika ayesele ezilwe namaNgesi. Kwincwadi yakhe, u-The Founders: The origins of the ANC and the struggle for democracy in South Africa, uAndre Odendaal uxoxa ngokuvokothekileyo ukuba amaxhosa ayesele engenanto yokuxoxa namangesi esandleni emveni koNongqawuse ngowama-1850, kwaye ayenyanzeliswe ukuba abeyinxalenye yoluntu noqoqosho lwabaseMpuma-Koloni.¹Odendaal, Andre. The founders: The origins of the ANC and the struggle for democracy in South Africa. Johannesburg: Jacana Media, 2012. 17-18. Ifuthe lobuKristu lalisele lifikelele kwelona nqanaba liphezulu, izikolo kunye neemishini zigcwele iindawo yonke. Iinkosi ezininzi zamaXhosa ezazisilwa ubukoloniyali zaziseluvalelweni ezintilongweni. Kwangaxeshanye, umsinga wamtshantliziyo, iinkcubabuchopho, neziphele ziingosopolitiki, zazisele zithungula, ezinye zigushuza, zidubula ngosiba. Singakhankanya amagama afana nooWilliam Wellington Gqoba, John Tengo Jabavu, Richard Kawa, Thomas Mapikela, Isaac Williams Wauchope, John Tengo Jabavu, nooRichard Kawa. Uzalwa phantsi kwezi meko ke uMqhayi.

Uyise kaMqhayi, uZiwani, wayenguMthembu wasemaZimeni, “uMzima osisithuli othi xa ekhupha into ngomlomo sele yojiwe” ufudula esitsho uMqhayi. UZiwani wayengelinye lamagokra elathabatha inxaxheba kwiMfazwe kaNgcayichibi ngo-1879, edibanisa iintonga, ekhusela isizwe sakhe kugonyamelo lwamaNgesi. UMqhayi uphuma kumnombo wabantu abasithandileyo isizwe sabo nababezinikele ngako konke ekusemandleni ukusikhusela. Utatomkhulu wakhe, uMqhayi omdala, wayeliphakathi likaNgqika elikhulu. Umama wakhe, uQashani, iintombi kaBhedle, owanikwa igama elinguNomenti emzini, wasweleka le dyongwana uMqhayi ineminyaka emibini nesiqingatha. Abazali bakhe babengamaKristu, belizwa ngabantwana abangamantombazana kuphela. Ngenxa yokuba babefuna umntwana oyinkwekwe, basithandazela esi sicelo. Ngexa yecebo likaMdali wezinto zonke, yaphendulwa imithandazo yabo, wabababala ngomntwana oyinkwenkwe, bamthinya igama uSamuel okanye uSamuweli.²Mqhayi critiques this naming system of his parents’ which privileges Hebrew. In his autobiography (Mqhayi waseNtabozuko, 1939) Mqhayi questions the choice of this name. He questions why they did not name him Sicelo or Mcelwa or Celiwe, all of which are Xhosa equivalents of “Samuel”. He admits that his parent’s thought Samuel was an English name because of their lack of understanding. Uye wachola-chola amanye amagama njengokuba ekhula, afana noNgxeke-Ngxeke noLoliwe. Kwincwadana ayibhale ngobomi bakhe, uMqhayi uthi ukuba waliphiwa eli gama likaNgxeke Ngxeke ngenxa yenkangeleko yakhe yomlomo ongahlanganiyo.³Mqhayi, Samuel Edward Krune. UMqhayi waseNtabozuko. Alice: Lovedale Press, 1939. 30. Uhambanisa kule ncwadana uMqhayi ukuba la magama zange aqhubele ndawo, wawashiya ebuntwaneni, yilonto ke singafane siwave xa kuthethwa ngaye.

UMqhayi ukhule engasekho unina, uyise wakhe ebe ephangela njengomphathi kwizikhululo zoololiwe phakathi kweRhini neBhofolo. Ngenxa yezi meko uMqhayi ukhuliswe ngoodade bakhe abathathu. Kwakule ncwadana, u-Mqhayi waseNtabozuko epapashwe yiLovedale Press, uMqhayi ukhumbula ukuba udade wakhe wayengumntu wokuqala ukumthengela incwadi. Ngaphezu koku, oodade bakhe badlale indima enkulu ekumqeqesheni nasekumfundiseni indlela yokuziphatha kakuhle eluntwini…. ‘…ziyandiyala, ziyandibonisa, ziyandithethisa’ ufudula esitsho uMqhayi.

Ndifuna ukulikhupha elubala ukuba xa sithetha ngenkaba kaMqhayi, isiseko sengqiqo yakhe nendlela yokubona ilizwe, ukuba oodade bakhe ngabona bantu bafanele ukunikwa isitsaba. Ngokwenje njalo ke, siyazisiphula kwindlela yaseNtshona ebona iizikolo zamamishinari nezisekwe ngamakoloniyani njengezona ziseko sembewu yengqiqo yomntu. Ababhali abafana noXolela Mangcu bayasibonisa ukubaluleka kwekhaya noluntu umntu aphuma kulo njengesona siseko sembewo yengqiqo yomntu eAfrika.⁴See for example: Mangcu, Xolela. Biko: A biography. Cape Town: Tafelberg. 2012. Mangcu, Xolela. “Retracing Nelson Mandela through the Lineage of Black Political Thought.” Transition: An International Review 112 (2013): 101-116. Oobhala ngembhali kaKumkanikazi uSutu, uGqirhalwazi Nomathamsanqa Tisani, ubethelela le ngcamango kaMangcu, esithi izenzo kunye nengqiqo yamaAfrika afana noSutu kufuneka zitolikwe ngokwendlela bebephila ngayo equka ukubaluleka kwabantu ababangqongileyo nababakhulisileyo.⁵Tisani, Nomathamsanqa. “A Historical Account of a Queen Mother’s Struggle for Land and Independence of her People.” SADET. Forthcoming Manuscript.

Unyaka u-1885, owaziwa ngamaXhosa njengonyaka wesiTwayo okanye unyaka weNdlala, wasichitha isizwe samaXhosa sazintsalu. Umhlambi weenkomo wayesifa ngenxa yesi sifo. Kule ncwadana ingobomi bakhe, uMqhayi ukhumbula ukuphela kwesimilo esakhokhelwa yile ndlala ukuquka izinto ezifana nokubiwa kwempahla emfutshane nefumaneka ezivenkileni. Kungeli lixa uMqhayi wemka eZingqayi waya eNgede kuCentani uyokuhlala noyisekazi wakhe, uNzanzana, owayengusibonda nenkokheli kwinkonzo yaseRhabe kwaGcaleka. Udade omkhulu kaMqhayi, uSatyi, washiyeka yena emva eyokufundisa eLovedale, wabe uyise wakhe eyokuhlala isigxina eRhini ekhokhela inkonzo yaseRhabe.

UMqhayi uchithe iminyaka emithandathu kuCentane apho afunde kanobom izinto zesiXhosa kunye neengxoxo ezinzulu. Kulapho abone khona okokuqala imidudo yabakhwetha, amagqirha, ukuvumisa, iintlombe,  iintlobo ntlobo zeenkomo, kunye nezinye izinto zesintu. Le ndlela yokuphila kuCentane, nenkqubo yomthetho ezi nkundleni yamnika umdla ukuba abhale incwadana adume ngayo, Ityala lamawele eyapapashwa ngo-1914 yiLovedale Press.⁶Mqhayi, U-Mqhayi wase Ntab’ozuko, 46. Ityala lamawele ngoyena msebenzi adume ngawo uMqhayi kuba waye wapapashwa kwisikhululo sikazwelonke kumabonakube eMzantsi Afrika ekuqaleni kwe-1990s. Eli bali lingempikiswano phakathi kwamawele kaVuyisile, uBabini noWele ngobukhulu. Kweli bali sifunda lukhulu ngendlela ityala elichotshelwa ngalo, eliphandwa ngayo, nokuba ikumkani ifikelela njani kwisigwebo. Eli bali lisibonisa amahlandenyuka okusombulula impikiswano kwaXhosa ngokwamava kaMqhayi. Eli bali likwasibonisa ubuhle benkcubeko yesiXhosa, ukuquka indlela ababaphatha ngayo abahambeli, umxhentso nomculo. Nam ke ndikhula ndilibukela ngomdalakazi ityala lamawele kuSABC nabahlobo bam. Owona mdla kuthi yayingeyongxoxo yeli tyala, kodwa yayiyindlela elalihlekisa ngayo, ingakumbi uPhekesa, omnye wabalingaliswa kweli bali, asibethe sife yintsini emakhaya. Ngo-2019, kuye kwabakho inguqulelo entsha yesiNgesi eyenziwe nguThokozile Mabeqa, esusela kumpoposho weli bali wango-1927 ofinyezelweyo, eyayenzelwe izikolo. Le nguqulelo ke, ngenjokuba ivulele abantu abangasiviyo isiXhosa, idale ingxoxo eninzi kunye nomdla kwiinkcuba buchopho.⁷See for example McDonald, Peter D. “Literary Space/Creative Practice: Reading Ityala Lamawele in English Today.” Current Writing: Text and Reception in Southern Africa 33.1 (2021): 44-49.

Imibhalo emininzi kaMqhayi iphenjelelwe zizinto athe wadibana nazo, kunye neemfundiso zobomi ekhaya nasesikolweni. Ezi ziquka iimfundiso ebezixabise kanobom uMqhayi. Kule ncwadana ingobomi bakhe, uMqhayi uyavuma ukuba iimfundiso azifumene kuCentane zibe sisiseko kuthando lwabantu bakowabo okudlula imfundo yoncwadi ayirhabule eLovedale. UMqhayi uye wadlala iindima ezininzi ebomini bakhe ukuquka ukuba yentatheli, umbhali wamaphephandaba afana ne-Izwi Labantu, noMteteli Wabantu. Wakhe wahlohla eLovedale naseWest Bank (kwaNongqongqo) colleges.

Ubomi bakhe ebudaleni ubuchithe ebhala imibongo, iimbali ngeziganeko nangabantu besizwe, ecelwe ngamaziko efana nooLovedale Press, njalo njalo. UMqhayi uqambe amaculo amaninzi aseRhabe, indawana engekaqwalaselwa ngabaphandi neenkcuba buchopho. Uye wakhonza phantsi kwenkosi uSilimela njengonoBhala, isithethe asirhabule kootatomkhulu bakhe sokukhonza isizwe.

Sele zininzi iinkcuba buchopho ezibhalileyo nguMqhayi kwizifundo zobugcisa noluntu ukuquka uArchibald Mzolisa Campbell Jordan, Zithobile Sunshine Qangule, Wandile Kuse, Jeff Opland, Ncedile Saule, Abner Nyamende, Ntosh Mazwi, Antjie Krog, noSindiwe Magona.⁸Jordan, Archibald Campbell. Towards an African literature: The emergence of literary form in Xhosa. Vol. 6. Univ of California Press, 1973.; Qangule, Zitobile Sunshine. “A study of theme and technique in the creative works of SEKLN Mqhayi.” Masters Dissertation, University of Cape Town, 1979; Kuse, Wandile Francis. “The form and themes of Mqhayi’s poetry and prose”. PhD dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1977; Opland, Jeff, and S. E. K. Mqhayi. “Two unpublished poems by SEK Mqhayi.” Research in African Literatures 8.1 (1977): 27-53; Saule, Ncedile. “Images of Ubuntu in the essays of SEK Mqhayi in Umteteli Wabantu (1912–1939).” South African Journal of African Languages 18.1 (1998): 10-18.;  Mazwi, Ntosh Rose-May. “A critical analysis of Umfi uJonathan Tunyiswa noWilliam Cebani Mtoba as one of the unpublished biographical poems by SEK Mqhayi.” South African Journal of African Languages 34.sup1 (2014): 9-14; Krog, Antjie, and Sindiwe Magona. “Mqhayi’s chapter and verse: Kees van die Kalahari becoming u-Adonisi wasentlango.” Tydskrif vir letterkunde 52.1 (2015): 5-17. Umthamo omninzi womsebenzi wakhe sele upapashiwe ngenxa yentsebenziswano yeenkcuba buchopho kwilwimi zesiNtu ukuquka uAbner Nyamende, Pamela Maseko, Peter Mtuze noJeff Opland.Mqhayi, S.E.K “Abantu Besizwe: Historical and Biographical Writings, 1902–1944.” Edited by Jeff Opland.⁹Johannesburg: Wits UP, 2009; Mqhayi, S.E.K. “Iziganeko Zesizwe Occasional Poems (1900-1943).” Edited by Jeff Opland. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu Natal Press, 2017.

Le misebenzi ifikelela kwabo banemali yokuyithenga okanye abo bakwaziyo ukuyifumana kumaThala eencwadi. Mininzi imisebenzi yakhe engekapicothwa ngababhali nabaphandi, nengekapoposhwa. Le misebenzi ifumaneka koovimba ngoo-vimba boncwadi kwilizwe jikelele. Ngamafutshane, umsebenzi kaMqhayi mninzi, kodwa akakwazi ukufikelela ebantwini abaninzi ngenxa yala magingxigingxi ndiwakhankanyileyo, nangona kukho umdla okhulayo eluntwini nguMqhayi nakwisizwe jikelele.

I-Five Hundred Year Archive ikwiphulo lokwenza lo msebenzi ufumaneke simahla kumnathazwe ukuquka iimbhalelwano zakhe nabanye ababhali, nomsebenzi wakhe ongekapapashwa. Zikhona iindawo apho sifake khona amakhonkco athumela umlesi kwimibhalo yakhe kolu yilo. Emveni kwemililo esidlula kuyo etshabalalise uvimba wolwazi kumathala noovimba bolwazi, ukubaluleka kokufaka lo msebenzi kumakhasi omnathazwe akuthandabuzeki.¹⁰See Jethro, Duane. “ash: memorializing the 2021 university of cape town library fire.” Material Religion 17.5 (2021): 671-677. Uthi ke uGqoba xa esixhobisa ngokulondoloza imbali yethu sizezi zizwana zidlula kumqela nolwamvila logonyamelo lobukoloniyali, “Imbali yakowetu asikuko nokuba ndinga ingaziwa kakuhle ishicilelwe kuba zonke izizwe ezinembali ziba zihleli azifile noko sukuba zezicitakele”. Sikwelo phulo ke nathi.¹¹Gqoba, William Wellington. “Isizwe esinembali: Xhosa histories and poetry (1873-1888).” Edited by Jeff Opland, Pamela Maseko and Wandile Kuse. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu Natal Press, 2015.

Qongqololo.

Ukulahleka kobuntu bethu: ukutshabalala kwencwadi kaMqhayi Ulwaluko

Ngomhla we-15 kweyoMqungu ngowe-1940, uMqhayi wabhalela umlawuli wezopapasho eLovedale, uR.H.W Shepherd, esithi unomdla wokupapasha incwadi yakhe esihloko sithi ‘Ulwaluko,’ esithi sele kulithutyana eyibhalile. Ngelo xesha wayesele ehlaziya ubhalomagama lwayo. UMqhayi wahambisa wathi, uya kuzihlawulela neendleko zopapasho lwale ncwadi. ‘Indlela endingagcoba ngayo ukuba ingapapashwa!’ wafudula esitsho: ‘ndiza kudinga imifanekiso emithathu okanye emine yabakhwetha nabaxhentsayo.’ Le ncwadi yayinamaphepha efoolscap ali-100, uMqhayi enqwenela ukuba kubekho imifanekiso ephakathi kwesi-7 ukuya kutsho kwi-10 yabakhwetha bemi bodwa kweminye ke bemi beliqela. Kwafa nje iveki yanye, waphendula uShepherd, esithi uyifumene incwadi yakhe kwaye xa sele egqibile ukuyibhala, efumene nemifanekiso, uya kuyithumele kuye. Eneneni, uMqhayi wayifaka incwadi kwinyanga elandelayo waze uShepherd ngomhla wama-22 kweyoMdumba wathumela le ncwadi kumfo owayethetha isiXhosa, uOldjohn – owayeqeshwe yiLovedale Press ukuba afunde ze ahlaziye ubhalo lwesiXhosa- kwaye anikeze iingcamango zakhe.¹²UPeires uthi Oldjohn wangenfumfo wayethetha isiXhosa owayeqeshwe yiLovedale Press ukuba ahlaziye afunde ubhalo lwesiXhosa. Jonga uPeires, Jeffrey. “Lovedale Press: literature for the Bantu revisited.” English in Africa (1980): 71-85. Inene ke, U-Oldjon wayekujonge ngamahlo abomvu ukuyifunda le ncwadi.

Ingxelo kaOldjohn isikhanyisela nzulu ngemicimbi eyayiqulathwe kule ncwadi. ‘Ingxam yaleM.S kukubonisa ukubaluleka kwesiko lolwaluko. Umbhali uzama ngandlela zonke ukubonisa ukuba ulwaluko asiyonto yobuhedeni, emxamnye nobuntu, njengokuba iimishinari zisitsho. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, [uMqhayi] ulibonisa eli siko njengesiko elihle, elinesidima sesizwe… kananjalo uyavuma ukuba ikhona imikhutyana, ngenxa yokungahoyi nokungakhathali, ethe yangenelela kweli siko nethe yasihlisa isidima seli siko elisweni labahambeli.’

Eyona nto wayezama ukuyibonisa ngosiba kule nwadi, uMqhayi, kukuphikisa nokuhlaba amadlala endlela iimishinari ezazilibonisa ngayo eli siko lolwaluko, njengesiko elinobuhedeni, nelingenandawo ecaweni. UMqhayi buqu wayelixhoba lale ndlela yokucinga eyakhokhelela ekugxothweni kwakhe eLovedale ngenxa yokukhetha ukoluka ngendlela yesiXhosa. Kule ncwadana ke, uMqhayi wayelithethelela eli siko, echaza nzulu ngengqiqo yalo ukusukela xa ubani engena esuthwini ukuya kuthi ga xa kutshiswa umzi wakhe. U-Oldjohn, kwingxelo yakhe, uhambisa athi ‘umbhali ubonakalisa ukuwuqonda nzulu lo mxholo abhala ngawo kwaye uwubonakalisa ngendlela enambithekayo. Akagxili kumcimbi wokusikwa ohambelana neli siko, ubethelela nje indima yemfundo kweli siko, onke amawonga awafumanayo umntu xa elenzile, kunye nazo zonke izinto ezilindeleke nezijongwe kulowo uye walamkela.’ U-Oldjohn utyatyadula athi, le ndlela awuvelele ngawo lo mcimbi, uMqhayi, inzulu, ingcotshile ukodlula zonke ezinye iindlela ezikhe zavelelwa ngabanye ababhali abafana noT.B Soga kunye noJ.H Soga. Olona luvo wayeluveza uMqhayi kukuba le nto yokugxekwa nokunyenjwa kweli siko ziimamishinari yinkcithaxesha kuba amakholwa amaninzi, nabanye abefundisi, bayaziba boluke bucala.’ UMqhayi ke wayevelisa uluvo lwakhe olukhatshwa luphando lokuba kutheni icawa kufuneka icinge ngohlobo olwahlukileyo ngolwaluko. Uthi ke xa egqibezela, uOldjohn uphawula ukuba ‘Kufanele ukuba lo mbhali uthabathe ixesha elide lokuqokelela nokudibanisa olu phando,’ esoleka esithi, ‘Ayikho incwadi yesiXhosa endiyaziyo equlathe olu lwazi… ngokolwam uluvo, elona xabiso lale ncwadi kukuchaza ngendlela ekhethekileyo ngeli siko, kunye noluhlu lweenkosi neminyaka eyoluka ngayo.’

UShepherd zange onele yile ngxelo, waqhubeka wayokufuna ingcebiso yomntakwabo, uPeter Shepherd, imishinari yomlungu eyayingugqirha. UPeter Shepherd waphendula ngenyanga kaTshaziimpuzi, esitsho ngezimvo ezihambelana nezikaOldjohn. [add link here to the letter in our archive] Izimvo zakhe zazisithi ulwaluko lwenzeka kakuhle nangokukhawuleza esibhedlele. Ukuxhasa ezi zimvo zakhe, wayesolatha iingingqi apho iinkosi zaguquka kubuqaba zaba ngamakholwa zaze zayeka ukulenza eli siko. Ingxelo yakhe yayiveza ukuba yayingelolwaluko ingxaki, koko eyona ngxaki yayiyimikhutyana ehambelana nesikolo solwaluko. Efaka izimvo zakhe zobumishinari, uPeter waxoxa esithi, ‘ukuba sinokulungisa ezi mfundiso zesi “sikolo soqeqesho sobudoda” siza kuba yintoni na?’ waqhubeka wathi, ‘kodwa ukuba siza kuthi eli siko malivele lenzeke kungekho sizathu, ingabonakala lo nto ngokungathi siphakamisa isiko elitenxileyo lakudala, kuba engqondweni yomntu oMnyama, kungabakho into ethi ukuba bangalenza, mabalenze ngokwendebe endala.’ UPeter Shepherd waphetha kwelithi yena uphakamisa ukuba amaXhosa aqhube ulwaluko ngohlobo lwamaJuda elithabatha iintsuku ezisibhozo. Kulo lonke olu phononongo, kwakungekho nendawana enye apho uPeter wayehlab’ amahlongwane ingxam yoko kwakuxoxwa nguMqhayi. Wayiphosa kwaphela okanye zange ayihoye into yokuba le ncwadana yayingaxoxi ngokusikwa kodwa yayijongene nexabiso lemfundiso equlathwe leli siko, ukuquka imbali etyebileyo ngeli siko exhaswe luphando.

Emva kwethutyana, UMqhayi walandelisa ngembalelwano ebuza ukuba ime ndawoni na incwadi yakhe kupapasho, uShepherd waphendula wathi uyithumele kwiKomiti yezopapasho, kumzi iLovedale, kumhlangano wayo wokuqala. Watsho ukuba uza kumbhalela kungentsuku zatywala ngesigqibo. Ngenene, kweyoMsintsi uShepherd wabuyela kuMqhayi esithi ikomiti iwujongile lo mcimbi, kodwa phambi kokuba umzi iLovedale uyamkele njengabapapashi okanye abashiceleli le ncwadi, lo mba uza kusiwa kwiimvaba ngeemvaba zeecawa, nakwisiGqeba seeCawa, kuphume izwi elinye ‘kuba lo mba uyathethisa’. [add link here to the letter in our archive] Ingumqa kum into yokuba umzi lo ubethwa ngeentonga zosiba nguMqhayi uphinde ube nguwo oza kukhangela indlela efanelekileyo yokusombulula lo mba. Le ncwadana yabuyiselwa kuMqhayi, zange kuphume nto emva koko.

Udliwanondlebe uJeff Opland awayenalo noNkosi S.M Burns-Ncamashe kunye noG.M Pemba ngo-1979 lubonisa lukhulu ngezinto ezinokuba zenzeka kuluhlu lwemibhalo kaMqhayi engazange ipapashwe, ukuquka incwadana le yolwaluko.¹³Jonga uMqhayi, 2009, 17-18. UPemba uchaza ukuba ngenxa yomdla kuMqhayi, wayokundwendwela eNtabozuko kwikhaya likaMqhayi emva kokusweleka kwale ngqondi ukuya kubona imeko nempilo yosapho lwayo. Wabona imeko yomsebenzi kaMqhayi ingentlanga kwaphela, waze wafumana imvume kumfazi kaMqhayi, uTshabo, ukuba ahambe nawo lo msebenzi. UPemba wafumana ingqokelela yamaphepha awayekholelwa ukuba yeminye yemibhalo yokugqibela kaMqhayi ngaphantsi kwebhedi yakhe. ‘Usapho lwalusebenzisa la maphepha njengamaphepha okusula kwindlu yangasese!’ wafudula watsho uPemba. Uye wacela ke ukuba athabathe awayesele ahambe nawo, awagcine ekhuselekile, naye uTshabo wavuma. Egangqaza okwenja yomkhondo emanqineni kaPemba, uS.M Burns-Ncamashe, owayefundisa eFort Hare ngelo xesha, waya kuwalanda la maxwebhu kuPemba ephethe iimpephamvume ezisuka kumfazi kaMqhayi.  Kubonakala ngokungathi uBurns-Ncamashe wayesenza uphando ngoMqhayi, kodwa eyona nto ingacacanga kukuba kwenzekani kolu phando. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, akukho nephetshana elinye elakhe lafunyanwa ngale ncwadana ‘Ulwaluko’ nakowuphi na umdudo. Kudliwanondlebe lwam noNjingalwazi Ncedile Saule, wangqina ukuba ngenene walibona iphepha elinye lale ncwadana kuNcamashe ngethuba esenza uphando lwakhe lwezifundo zobuGqirhalwazi.

Zimbini izifundo endingathanda ukuziphawula kulo mba. Esokuqala, yayingumcimbi wolawulo kwimizi yopapasho efana neLovedale Press, ukuphicotha imisebenzi yababhali, kujongwa ukuba ababhali babhala ntoni, kwaye ngokunjani. Le mizi yayiphantsi kolawulo lweemishinari.¹⁴Bona uPeires, 1979. Olu lawulo, ndiyafuna ukutsho, ukuba lube negalelo elikhulu kwilahleko yendyebo yoncwadi obelunokusinceda ukusityebisela ngendlela yokwenza izinto ngesiNtu, kunye nengqiqo equlathwe zezo zinto ngeli xesha bekukho impehle eze nobukoloniyali enenjongo yokukhukhulisa imbali yamaAfrika. Esesibini isifundo singendlela esiwuphethe ngayo uvimba wolwazi lwethu thina maAfrika.

Njengokuba sele ndibonisile ngasentla, uncwadi lwamaAfrika luye lwaba phantsi kweliso elingqingqwa eLovedale. Imbangi yoko yayikukuba lo mzi woshiceleloncwadi wawuphakamisela phezulu ixabiso negqiqo yobuKristu kusenziwa idini ngengqiqo nendlela yokubona izinto ngeliso lobuAfrika. Ezinye zezinto ezazirhaxa ababhali bamaAfrika yayiyindlela yokubhalwa kwesiXhosa eyayiguquguquka ngalo lonke ixesha, kunye neLovedale eyayihleli iphepha imicimbi equlathe ezopolitiko kuncwadi. Asiyoncwadi kaMqhayi kuphela eyafumana le mpatho, kwakukho nezinye iincwadi zababhali abaphum’ izandla abafana noL.S.D Raditladi, owayebhale incwadi ngobomi bukaKgama oMkhulu. Ingqumbo yeminyanya kaA.C Jordan yenye yeencwadi eyafumana amagingxigingxi phambi kokuba ipapashwe ngowe1940, kwiminyaka engama-20 emva kokuba ibhaliwe. UJeff Opland uphawula indlela awayengonwabanga ngayo uShepherd sisiphelo seNgqumbo Yeminyanya kunye neenzame namatiletile awathi wawenza ukuzama ukuba uJordan atshintshe indlela ephela ngayo le ncwadi. UJordan wala kwaphela, esithi uza kwenza ngohlobo abona ngalo njengombhali. Le ndoda imhlophe yayinqwenela isiphelo esonyelisa amasiko esiNtu samaMpondomise, kube kuphakanyiselwa phezulu amasiko aseNtshona. UShepherd uphela egoba uphondo, exelela uJordan kwiinyanga ezintathu ngaphambili ukuba iLovedale iza kuyipapasha le ncwadi. 

Isizwe sibhityile ngenxa yezi ncwadi zingazange ziwubone umtha welanga. Indlela usapho lukaMqhayi oluye lwaphatha ngawo umsebenzi kaMqhayi lusibonisa ngemingeni phakathi kwabo bafundileyo nabangafundanga, kunye nendlela yokwakha nokulondoloza uncwadi lwamaAfrika. Le mpatho nokungakhuseleki komsebenzi kaMqhayi ibonakalisa ukunganikwa okanye ukungaziwa kwexabiso kwawo ngabagcini bomsebenzi wakhe. Iinjongo zikaNcamashe- owabeka izandla zakhe kulo msebenzi nongazange awulondoloze okanye awuzise eluntwini- azicaci ncakasana. Le ndawana isafuna uphando nzulu: indlela yokuphatha umsebenzi wesiNtu: Ngubani umntu omakafikelele kulo msebenzi eza kuxhamla ntoni? Ngubani umntu ekufuneka axhamle kulo msebenzi? Ingaba inobulungisa nenyaniso na le nto? Okanye kufuneka sijonge ecaleni senze ngokungathi ayibalulekanga le mibuzo.

Iinkcuba buchopho eziphanda ngale micimbi ziyavumelana ukuba olu lawulo lokuba kupapashwa ntoni, njani yiLovedale lube nemiphumela emibi ekuveliseni iimbali ezingahambelaniyo nengqiqo yobuKristu. Ndicinga ngale mpatho njengembubhiso. Ndisebenzisa eli gama ‘imbubhiso’ elisuka kwisenzi ‘ukubhubha’ njengesafobe ukubonakalisa ilahleko eshiya umntu ezilile exele ofelweyo. Ndiwuthabathisa lo mcimbi wokubhubha kwingxoxo ebekwa ngumlinganiswa uNgxabane ebhekisa kuDingindawo, kwincwadi kaA.C Jordan Ingqumbo yeminyanya.¹⁵Jordan, Archibald Campbell. Ingqumbo yeminyanya. Alice: Lovedale Press, 1940. Le ngxoxo yenziwa emva kokuba umlinganiswa ophambili, uNobantu ebulele inkwakhwa, isinyanya sooJola. Echaza ubunzulu benxeba lokubulawa kwesi sinyanya sooJola, uNgxabane wakhala enkundleni esithi ubhujisiwe. ‘Hayi Jola, uthetha ngezihelegu wena. Ayisosihelegu esi; Izihelegu siyazazi. Le nto ingaphaya kwesihelegu. Kungasuka kuthiwe sisiqalekiso, kukufa; yimbubho yesizwe. Ngubani na onokuthetha xa isizwe sibhujisiwe! Uza kuthetha nabani? Uza kuthetha asinde njani yena ekubhujisweni?”¹⁶Jordan, 1940. UJordan ufanisa umntu obulewe ngolu hlobo njengalowo ubhubhileyo, ngokuba akakwazi ukuthetha, akanabuciko namazwi, kuba izwi lakhe, elingundoqo ebuntwini bakhe, linyamalalisiwe. Ndisebenzisa esi safobe ngale ndlela ukubonakalisa ubunzulu bokutshabalala kwencwadi kaMqhayi ‘Ulwaluko’ kuba le lahleko yale ncwadi, ingebubuqu bayo bodwa, kodwa namava nengqiqo equlathwe yiyo esenza abantu. Oku ke kukulahleka kobuntu bethu.