IsiBhaca Speaking People of South Africa

My name is Noluvuyo Mjoli and I am of the isiBhaca speaking people of South Africa. I was born in a Village of Lourdes, Mzimkhulu. Umzimkhulu is also a famous land where amaBhaca are found in large Numbers. Neighbouring towns such as,iXopo, Tsolo,  Mount’ ferere, Flegstaf, Matatiele, Hlane, Mgungundlovu, Lulangeni, Mpendle, Qumbu, Lutateni, Cabazi, Mhlotsheni, Tshikini, Mvuzi, Nkungwini, are all former Transkie and territory which was shared between amaMpondo and amaBhaca

My father is of the Mjoli clan, house of Sondzaba. His name was S'hlabane, his father was Mandiza. We are the descendant of amaWushe who joined forces with amaZelemu against the domination of king Shaka who wanted to expand the Zulu kingdom by taking independant nations like amaWushe, amaQwabe, etc under him as Zulus. Others have argued that Wushe is related to Zulus by the virture of Zulu giving birth to two sons, Wushe and Didi (Zelemu). However, this is a late encounter when amaWushe had already lost their autonomy after amaZelemu took charge. Nonetheless, Lufulwenja founded the surname Mjoli. His sons inherited it and passed it on. He was given birth by Mageba kaGumede kaZulu. Khalimeshe is a grandson of Didi, he was the one who gave birth to Madzikane. King Madzikane is important for amaBhaca. He is the one who fled for safety with his people during the wars of Umfecane during the late 1800s.

My genetics are traced from all the specimen but I pay homage to uNtu; the ancestors of all Bantu People. 

Sonke siyisizwe sakwaNtu sizalwa nguye uMvelingqangi. uNtu uzele uMnguni yena wazala uNkosinkulu yena wazala uMdlani yena wazala uLuzumane yena wazala uMalandela Kodwa uMalandela wabhubha enganabo abantwana kwanyanzeleka ukuba uNtombela kaLuzumane ongumntakubo Malandela makandise umzi womntakwabo ngoku Ngena umamekhaya kaMalandela kwazalwa uZulu noQwabe ngesende likaNtombela uZulu yena uzele uGumede endlini enkulu ze wazala uDidi endlini yasekunene uDidi wema sizwe sakhe kuthiwa ngaba ngabakwaZelemu uDidi yena wazala uVebi yena wazala uWabana yena wazala uKhalimeshe yena wazala uMadzikane yena wazala uSonyangwe endlini yasekunene nguNcaphayi. uNcaphayi lona uzele uDiko yena wazala uQoza yena wazala uMathakathi yena wazala uMabhijela yena wazala uDingumhlaba yena wazala uDilizantaba yena wazala uThandisizwe oyinkosi yakwaBhaca

My Mother is of the Dlamini royalty, they are the children of Mazinywana, ka Sibal'khulu.  I am also a grandchild to umzi wakwa Jali and Ndzimande. You see we were kings and queens back then before Mfecane, but today the soil has seen better days.

The elders tell me that Dlamini kind of Swaziland had two sons. That during the years of Mfecane one fled to Mozambique, while the other fled to Ntlangwini. uDlamini II, Mathalathala uqhamuka eMumbasi, eMozmbique. He is said to be the Dlamini son that went elubhacweni to eNtlangwini- modern day Mzimkhulu. Bathi ngu Dlamini wesibili.

Dlamini is part of the groups that left Swaziland, avoiding the Mfecane wars of which were inflamed by the influence of the British order.  Nations such as those of Madzikane, Moshoeshoe, Mzilikzai’s and others were affected by this ad so they fled to neighbouring lands. Dlamini settled at eNtlangwini.

Scholar, AC Mzolisi Jordan (1906-1968) remains the only one in the world of academia to produce knowledge about the Bhaca Speaking people. His Master's thesis he wrote in 1953 at the University of Cape Town sought to look at the dialect of isibhaca. It was titled, “Some Features of the phonetic and Grammatical Structure of Baca”. The book is very scarce to fight. As we speak the only copy available in the world lies in the storage of the University of Cape Town. There is hardly a copy of this online. 

David Makaula, son of King Makaula who took over after king Ncaphayi,son of King Madzikane has written a Xhosa story that seeks to trace the migration of the Bhaca people from Zulu Land up until they ended in the lands of amaMpondomise and later to areas like Tsolo, Lutateni, Mpoza, Hlane, Mzimkhulu and others. This is a useful book for starters of tracing history of amaBhaca, however, it falls short of literature bias. One example of this bias is seen when healing in the Ubungoma sense of the Bhaca people is interpreted as an act of witchcraft. 

Moreover, the author and scholar, Zakes Mda mentions amaBhaca  in a one sided view in his 2015 Novel, Little Suns. He argues that they attacked and took over the land of amaMpondomise (from page 203 on wards). 

AmaBhaca, (like many other nations such as the people of Mzilikzi who fled to Zimbabwe) ran from the lands of Zululand when it was under the rein of King Shaka Zulu. The elders tell us that Shaka had waged war on his own nation, as a result that Madzikane, son of Khalimeshe ka Zulu took his people to refuge. While AmaPondomise and the Hlubis were reaching further deep in what would be known as Transkie, AmaBhaca settled in many lands, including the lands that were known as belonging to amaMpondo. While Sonyangwe's people remained in places nearing Eastern Cape such as uQumbu and Tsolo, Ncaphayi took his within Mpondoland, passing Mzimbubu up until Umzimkhulu. AmaWushe are among the first powerful clans that gave birth to Bhaca. Dzanibe and Nqolo, Mncwabe and Mjuqu and Nyawuza are among these. I am told that Mjoli has a large royalty at Koki, where the people are still governed by monarchy.

AmaBhaca have been migrating even before the wars of Umfecane of the 1800s. Mfecane comes after the early stages of colonialism, whereby Europeans were devising ways in which they can take over Africans' territories by dividing and conquering.  So African nations would attack one another under the authority of British colonialists dictating which nation was to attack who. For example, under the government of Hamilton Hope (as Mda states) amaGcaleka (today known as amaXhosa) waged war on Sotho nations. This was happening while amaZulu were also waging wars over other nations such as that of Moshoeshoe people who then fled to Lesotho. Mfecane disrupted many African kingdoms, especially those on the southern region of African. This has resulted in cultural and language domination. Nations such as amaBhaca, amaHlubi, amaLala, amaMbo, and others have been forgotten and forced to assimilate to other ethnicities. We remain disconnected, displaced and forgotten.

The colonial, apartheid and later the Democratic government of South Africa discourage recognising isiBhaca as a language worthy to be learned in school. This is done even to the isiBhaca speaking children who have to assimilate to either isiXhosa or isiZulu. The elite families of isiBhaca look down upon this language. They regard it as a language of the uneducated and 'backward' Africans. This is gradually becoming the case with traditional dance as well as with the spiritual practice and beliefs within isiBhaca as many are or have been converted to Christianity. 

The Municipal Demarcation Board declared Umzimkulu to be under Kwa Zulu Natal Province, moving from Eastern Cape. Previously it had been known as Transkie. 

Historical events zakwa Bhaca
AmaBhaca are called so because they regarded themselves as those who are in exile, far away from their lands. Bhaca could also mean, hide. It can thus be used in a sentence to say, awundibhacise [help me hide away]. This would be said by someone who is looking for refuge and hiding away from the enemy who wants that group dead.  

The Maitland Treaty

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Idabi lake Nsizwa (   )

AmaBhaca namaHlubi fought the English before fleeing away from their territories. Research is still on going on the specific details of this war. 

 Impi ka bhaca noNtlangwini.  (during the period of 1960s and 70s)

Bhaca attacks Ntlangwini (Abezansi)

War caused by land conflicts. They were rebelling against the homeland system that interfered in their kingdoms as the Transkie legislation elected chiefs to govern them.  Nkosi Msingaphansi is the remnant of this policy as he is a symbol for chieftaincy in for amaBhaca despite the fact that kinddoms such as Mjoli, Dzanibe and Dlamini insist on being led by their own chiefs.

Abezansi bayathitiza njengamaswazi. amaBhaca ayandindiza futhi ayatsefula uma ekhuluma. English cannot compensate or even begin to translate what I just expressed here, apologies.

Lourdes High School

This was a really famous school. Children all over the then Zuid Afrika would travel to learn in this boarding school. The likes of Sindiwe Magona (classic author) also attended this high school all the way from Kwa Nyanga in Cape Town. In 1984, students revolted against a teacher of whom they despised since the claim that she was incompetent in her work. She was stoned to death by the students.

  Lourdes Mission

This is the famous Lourdes. Umzimkhulu, Lourdes Mission was the home of Catholicism in Kwa Zulu Natal, followed by Marrian Hill in Durban.There is conflicts about land. The Missionaries arrived. They first paid their taxes to the kings. As the colonial state was succeeding in Azania, they then took over land and declared it as theirs.  By 1845 the Bhacas had already been stripped off their Kingdom through Maitland Treaty.

Till to date Lourdes, particularly eMafabela and Moyeni are said to be lands of the Missionaries, thus these areas remain without proper sanitation and roads. The whole of Lourdes remains without water and electricity even in the year 2016. It is interesting though to not that the Mission (which us still under the Vatican order of rule as they pay their clergies to the Bishops who then reports to the Pope all the way to Europe) has very adequate electricity and water supply while the congregations remains in the Dark City (as this Municipal ward has become to be known as).

                                  Legendary Icons kwa Bhaca

Inkosi uMdzikane

Madzikane is fathered by Khalimeshe as I have stated. Madzikane gave birth to three sons; Sonyangwe, Ncaphayi and Dliwakho. Ncaphayi succeeded his father. He then gave birth to Diko who then gave birth to Qoza (Mtsakati umaBhijela) who then gave birth to Madzikane II Diko.  King Diko was friends with King Mhlonto of amaMpondomise by the eruptions of uMfecane.

Mbixane- Mystic man, story of 1998

I was very young in '98 but I remember the Story of the Mystic Mbixani being told in frantic fear by the adults at home. My father and older cousins would share series of events of how Mbixane used to whistle in the dark, communicating messages from the spirit world. Some call him the great prophet while some say he was a brutal tikoloshe who escaped from his captures. He was abducted as a young boy by wizzards who were using his brain for their works. He managed to escape later on but he was unable to return fully to the person he was, thus he could only be seen in the dark. His intelligence healed some people, while it caused the villagers a lot of fear since he has a talent to hear anything anyone said about him even in his absence. He personally dealt with those who spoke ill of him. He was a lover of the Bhaca culture and those who knew him personally, Sputla and Vukile Mjoli contend that he was a remarkable dancer; he danced isikhwapha; a famous dance within the Bhaca culture. He danced in the dark while his audience clapped for him. Villagers would trod the night to see this mysterious Mbixane. He was exorcised later on, thus very few remember his legacy.

Bhalabantfu Tulu- Warriour and legend of ukuncweka.

He was gifted in the skill of stick fighting as he would stop the show with his bravura. This elder was made famous on Ukhozi FM after his incident of losing his direction in the city of Durban. So he was found on air. So as he was being asked to tell the listeners' who he was, so that his brother could perhaps find him, he had the following to say, "ndzingu Bhalantu Tulu. ndzilahlekile eTshekwini, bendizobheka ubhuti. ndzigqoke umatshwabana onekhukhu la. Ndziphethe isbhukabhuka senkukhu esiqotshe sathsi”.His manner of speech, (even though he never intended) became a joke for the Zulu community (whom had never before heard a Bhaca man speak). Furthermore, he was made a legendary jokesman for the fact that while he was announcing this on air, his hands were gesturing, trying to demonstrate to the listeners (even though they could not see him) of what he was talking about. Those who were there say he was hitting his yellow shirt so hard demonstrating where the pocket he was talking about was positioned. They also say he was mimicking how the chicken he was carrying was positioned whilst talking to those who were listening. So, radio presenters such as Bhodloza Ndzimande were hysterical in studio during this announcement. 

Tholakele Malunda- First female maskandi artist from Bhaca

Maskandi artist was the first to bring Umzikhulu to the map as the first female Maskandi music artist from there. There are many now, Ichwane le Bhaca is among the new generation of Maskandi muscians from Cabhani. 

Temtem

Princess and great female sangoma of the Bhaca people.

THE WOMEN HISTORY HAS FORGOTTEN. 
    History has forgotten to document the role women played in Mfecane and in the creation of Icabhane. 

Part 1

  THE BHACA TRADITION, CULTURE AND PRACTICES

Traditional Bhaca speakers are identified by the 'grotesque' scars or cuts which can are very much visible on their faces because of historical reasons( such as the ones linked to Umfecane wars and migration from Zululand). This may be result of the War. Umfecane wars led our kings and Queens to advise their nations and houses to cut their skins in disguise of the enemy.

There have been many stereotypes circulating about amaBhaca. Some tend to alienate Bhaca from the nature of human behaviour by making claims such as that Bhacas are witches . This comes after the notion that Bhaca speaking people mostly practice herbal healing and spirituality as compared to adapting western medicine as well as the belief systems that comes with it.

Another stereotype associated with AmaBhaca is that Bhaca is the lower class Excrement Collectors. This comes after several of the Bhaca speaking men leaving home to find work as shit collectors in Townships were there is an overcrowding of black people. Alexander and Langa are main residences of where this stereotype was given birth to.

One most t prevalent is the assumption that Bhacas speak a 'funny' and 'confusing' mix masala of Xhosa-Zulu-Swati in one sentence. Again this is due to history, especially the one of migration and Umfecane. The Zulus deny them and say, “Hhayi mfanakithi laba asibazi, laba abanehlanga ezingaka ebusweni!” No my brother we don’t know these ones, oh certainly not these with such huge marks on their faces! 

The Xhosas deny them and say, “Yhu hhayi akungabona abethu aba, unotshe! Khawumamele bathini xabethi bayahhamba, yiva bona bathi bayakhamba, intoni na leyo?!” Oh hell no! These ones are not our people, oh hell no! Not when they speak the way they do. Just listen to them, we don’t speak like that, we drag the H when we say we are going and they don’t. 

The Swati also deny them saying, “Laba asibati tsina, buka kutsi balicinisa njani limi uma bekhuluma.” We don’t know these people, with us we lull our tongue when we speak, yet these ones harden theirs.The nation that does not have its language listed as one of this country's official languages, yet it exists with its own distinct and vibrant language; its own people, its own diversity and culture.

Traditional practices

1. ITIYE

Itiye is more or less a thanksgiving ceremony. For us the Africa people, particularly the amaBhaca speaking people, thanksgiving is mainly done when we are giving thanks to our creator and our ancestors for whatever we are thankful for. Itiye also includes asking something from the creator and our ancestors, be it a job, blessings, a child, peace, or anything. This ceremony entails the slaughtering of a goat/ sheep. One of the two animals is slaughtered as a sacrifice which will be offered to the ancestors. Accompanying this animal would be a chicken; this chicken can be any colour except for the colour black because the black chicken is for removing bad luck or for dismantling calamities. So this chicken will be slaughtered first before the goat of the sheep as a way to gain entry when communicating with the late elders emsamu. 

2. UMGIDI

Umgidi is a  ceremony done when the family is in remembrance of the deceased members of the family. This is also a way to give response to whatever the ancestors might be needing. For example if they raise concerns that they are thirsty, hungry or cold, the family will do this ceremony.

"How can alive people know that the late are hungry, cold or thirsty?" you may be asking yourself, well the thing with spiritual faith is that the dead does communicate with the living through a number of rhetorical visions, dreams or even through abstract/arbitrary/peculiar things or events that may be occurring to someone which would otherwise not occur on normal basis. For example someone might eventually get extremely ridiculous, doing wayward  and the most insane things just because the ancestors needs his/her attention. Also the need for this ceremony might be evident by having someone getting sick with an explainable sickness which the western doctors cannot even diagnose.

Moreover other signs that the ancestors need your attention is when you collide with a set of coincidences driving/leading you to plots which will make you see that the ancestors are really trying to communicate something with you, like having your plate of food suddenly collapsing to the floor by itself, or losing all your money in a very peculiar way

This instance involves the slaughtering of a bull just to serve as a reminder that the family did not forget about it's dead or late family members. This ceremony can also be done as a way to bring home the people who died a long time ago who were never asked to spiritually return from the graveyards to be within the arena of the family home.

3. UKUZEKA/ UKUGCAGCA

Ukuzeka is when a young adult male decides to take a wife. Ukugcagca is when a girl agrees to traditionally marry the young man. The process that involves this ceremony may entail a man taking a girl he hardly knows as a wife. This may also entail a male convincing his long term girlfriend to become his makoti. This may also entail a group of men going to another village to forcibly take any girl they have chosen to become one of the man's wife. However, recently this act has been considered as a criminal offense by the court of law since they argue that it is purely human abduction.

Through the customary law, the couple will be wedded traditionally, but this instance does not mean that the marriage will be recognised by the civil courts of law. Ukukzeka is pretty much cheaper and affordable than ukutshata which will be discussed below. This is the case because this only entails the groom's family only paying ilobola,( bride's price) that does not accompany izibizo, or umabo (the demands that the other family may be demanding to the groom's family for wanting to take their daughter). So the groom's family only plays ilobola, that might be plus minus four cows or +- R5 000. and then buying new clothing for their new bride after taking her home.

4. UKUTSHATA

Ukutshata is a civilly recognised marriage. Very often, the educated and affording Bhaca speaking people opt out of this kind of marriage, unlike the uneducated Bhacas who mostly prefer ukuzeka. So this ceremony, unlike ukuzeka that runs just for one day, the ceremony of ukutshata may take several days if not the whole weekend (from late Thursday to late Sunday). 

Before this ceremony, the man first ask for the girl's hand in marriage. Even if the girl may agree, the man's family needs to first go and ask the girl's hand through the girl's family. This will take several months, since you have to pay a certain sum just to get the girl's family into opening their mouths to talk to you. We call this, imvula mlomo. Again, after that, you have to pay again, just for them to wipe their mouths with something you have brought, this normally entails bringing along brandy, or wine or whiskey. This is only now where you can start the negotiations. So during the negotiations, the girl's family will brag about how much of strength, money and hard work it took to raise this child which the man's family is now wanting to take as their makoti. If the girl was even lucky to get a tertiary education, the family will highlight how much of huge expenses this family has to pay for lobola. At times this process might even lead the family to go beyond R60 000 as ilobola, or even over 15 cows, and even more than than that if the girl has no child or is still a virgin.

After the negotiations, it is then that the wedding arrangements can proceed. and during this ceremony several number of expensive gifts like furniture, blankets, clothing and accessories would be exchanged, then the family will travel to first the bride's and then to the grooms's household. 

During the course of this event the village's teenage girls and young men boys, along with those of the visiting family will challenge one another into a series of ingoma (drance entertainment) and at night they will coerce to EVALINI. 

5. EVALINI

Evalini is where these youngsters will compete in dance festival the whole of the evening and at dawn they will choose  opposite partners amongst each other, of whom they will spend the rest of the night with. This may be in form of just sharing a conversation or indulging in eroticness, but not into sexual intercourse because it is compulsory that the girls remain virgins up until their wedding days. However, some young stars do get sexually aroused during the evalini nights and so to feed their thirst, they will have oral sex: the young man will penetrate the girl in between her thighs so that he may not temper with her pureness.

6. UKUDLIWA KWENKOM' ENCANE

This ceremony is performed after the virgin girl has been wedded. It is ONLY for a girl who got wed still a virgin, if she was not one, then she can not have this ceremony. It basically takes place before the lobola negotiations. A car will be slaughtered for this.  Also, the people who are supposed to eat this are ONLY women and the girls, not males, even though the men are the one responsible for slaughtering the cow. 

7. UMBONDO

Umbondo is when uMakoti (the daughter-in-law) and her family  shower their new in laws with gifts as a way to welcome them to this newly relationship.This ceremony entails the bride's family making ijiki (African beer) as well as baking traditional bread and other goodies and then athwale ahambise bukokamkhwenyana (then after taking these goods to her new family, and of course being accompanied by the girls and the women of the village)

Most important to note: this ceremony should not be confused with  the marriage ceremony (umtshato)because this one takes place after the wedding and it can also be delayed for even after two years of the marriage.

8. Ukuthomba

This ceremony is performed when a girl starts her first menstrual periods. For the whole duration of the first periods, she will be expected to seat alone on the floor. Hereon, she is not allowed to engage in any conversation with the rest of the family members. If this situation begins when she is attending classes, she is still expected to keep quiet in class and should make sure she does not in many words conversate with the males unless she is asked a question. On the last day of the periods, she will then be taken to the river to bath away the old life of girlhood and enter into womanhood. What accompanies this ritual is Umgqababovu, which shall be explained shortly.

9. UMGQABA BOVU/ UMHLONYANE

This ceremony is done when a girl child becomes of age, when she reaches her stage of womanhood or starting menstruation. As part of this ceremony a goat will be slaughtered as a celebration that the girl is finally a woman. During this period, a girl will be made to seat down alone, away from the people (but around the house), till her first menstrual cycle finishes. She will then be painted with red or dark shades of face paint and be advised in how she should behave since she is no longer a girl now but a woman who is prone to pregnancy and marriage now that she can menstruate. Other girls will come along and accompany her to wash in the river afterwards. But during the course of the day, Music and dance will lead the way.

10. IMBELEKO

Imbeleko is a welcoming ceremony done to introduce the new born child to the creator and to the ancestors. This ceremony is usually delayed because others have it when they are even five years old, but traditionally it should take place 12 months after the child has been born. The process entails slaughtering a goat, which the child will then put its skin as a wrist band till it unties itself.

 Ukuchaza

Face-cutting for the Bhacas is an old tradition that was derived from the time of King Shaka Zulu. Because the Bhacas fled from Zululand, running away from Shaka's venomous anger towards them for being the group that had lost the battle against other Zulus, Bhacas sought refuge elsewhere, and as a way to camouflage, they had to disguise their faces, hence the face cutting.

Bhacas are mostly identified by the long scars running vertically on their cheeks. However, this tradition is not so popular with the recent generation due to globalisation and the new government policies that dismiss some cultural practices as human rights "abuse".

Traditional Food

Umdokwe

Umkhupha-

Isiqhuphashi-

is'dudu-

ubhontshisi-

11.1 Religion

90% of residents in Umzimkulu are based on the Roman Catholic faith. They were converted from traditional and spiritual faith during the time of the missionaries. Even though many are Christians, however they have not let go of their African beliefs as they still practice rituals. Unlike the Pentecostal church (abazalwane)  which preaches that ancestors are dead ghosts, the Catholic Church on the latter has allowed the people to praise the white god while maintaining their own indigenous one.

11. 2. Ubungoma

Ubungoma as an African practice has been looked down upon as a barbaric practice. Academics as well as professionals have come to understand the nature of ubungoma as a practice purely as a superstition. Ubungoma works as a mode of healing as well as a religious practice.

In an article published by Hassan Isilow, he contends that traditional healers lie to rip people off. “Most “blacks” and a few of the other races believe in superstition and the powers of the ancestors, it created the perfect opportunity for unemployed foreigners and a few local con artists to take advantage”. Writing for an online column on CII Broadcasting news media, Isilow strongly feels that ubungoma has been run for money making purposes, since the nature of ubungoma as a religious belief for Africans, is on its own a superstition.

This belief has been perpetuated by how western discourses choose to frame this mode of healing. Most people have been bought to trust surgeons and western-trained doctors. This is so drastic that many of our indigenous cultural rituals have also been transferred to hospital care. For example ukwaluka or initiation is now performed in a clinic since western doctors claim tradition is murdering young Xhosa boys. This is one example of how medical practices from the west continue to demonize alternative medical treatment of other worlds.

Ubungoma and ubunyanga are old ways of healing which were employed in the continent before the Asian and European invasion. On the question on who becomes a sangoma. Not everybody can be a sangoma of course. This has to do with a calling. 

Unlike the west where on applies to a medical school to be a doctor having the prerequisites of math and science. Ubungoma is slightly different. It takes an informal training where one does not really have a paper validating his/her expertise. This divine knowledge about life, philosophy, science and herbs is passed on from the creator and ancestors that guide one.

Ubungoma uses natural herbs as well as spirits to heal the body. They study the mind, body and spiritual response to heal any type of illness. They can also heal trauma by studying human mind sand understanding how the body works. There are early tribal life diseases which western medicine fails to understand even today. These include physical conditions such as, umeqo, idliso, ibhandi, ukuthwetshulwa, and many others.

Ubungoma has several stages. The following seeks to explain a distinction between the different phases of ubungoma. Terms worth defining here are Ubungoma, ukuthwasa, inyanga, umthakathi and ukuthwetshulwa.

Mental Illness for the Bhaca speaking people

Africans have been using this method of gathering knowledge prior to modern techniques that involves hospitals and mental institutions. Africans identified t have been called have been and still undergo training either from a trained sangoma or under water or mountains where the spirits of the called resides Ubizo, by those who are studying ubungoma, has been as a painful process one undergoes when one realises sort of some extra human senses not yet discovered by conventional science. Symptoms associated with it usually entail restless dreams, visions as well as visitation of departed souls. 

Others have been noted to be seen talking to themselves as the people they converse with cannot be seen by another person. Other symptoms include the fond of isolation, aggression Ukuthwasa is triggered by a long process of a physic opening. One is exposed to complicated experiences that may even take the person’s life becomes ill both mentally and sometimes physically ill (Mdlalose, 2009: 12). Kruger also noted that other symptoms include a sudden development of the longing for isolation, frequent disappearances, where the person’s whereboauts are unknown for longer hours or the day or th night (Kruger, 1978: 28). Moreover, the person with ubizo may be often understood as being socially rude due to the person’s approach of speaking or seeing things as they instead of what is socially acceptable as a way to converse about matters.

Some sangomas reject the Christian doctrine of faith, while other modern sangomas are also Christians. This trend is mainly influenced by the missionary rule in Africa which to date is still managing to convert people this resurrection. Most from christian backgrounds may somehow be reluctant to accept the calling as their religion often percieve the calling as a possession of demons which should be dealt away. Others have a fear that people will see them as being backward or as pagans.

For those who take time in grasping that they have such duty waiting at their shoulders, dreams become important signifies, thus some cleansing and purifying methods that may include smoking or drinking herbal mixtures is often used to increase the connection between the person and their subconsciousness. 

”Unfortunately, much of modern psychiatry has failed to recognize the significance of these episodes of mental illness. As a result, transformational crises are often suppressed by routine psychiatric care, medication, and even institutionalization” (Booi, 2004: 2). Booi here argues that there is a persistent diagnosis made by the medical field that fits ubizo into mental illness as some unique for of schizophrenia. Booi critiques psychiatrists who have sought to fit ubizo within the description of mental conditions such as that of it being recognized as schizophrenia. Schizophrenics, unlike those who are called to become shamans do rarely contribute positively in their communities by healing people. The illness they undergoe becomes a process of self-realisation, a way for them to understand themselves and the powers vested in them (Booi, 2004: 5). Early research done about schizophrenia relates that schizophrenia is not caused by one factor which could be pointed to as a base, however, conditions such as anxiety, depression contribute to imbalance of neurons in the brain, leading the person vulnerable to unstable moods or images of the subcosciosness. Others have also linked it to heredity, as it is genetically transferred (Booi, 2004: 7).

 Stages of the calling

Ukuhanjelwa Zizinyanya (Visitation by Ancestors)

Mndende argues that the spirits can visit a human being in many forms not just in ways in which film or television, or even books tends to depict. When one is called, one usually suffers from a sickness which doctors from a western trained system may fail to diagnose because of their inability to relate to sickness that people with Ubizo may be suffering from. This illness may take any form, such as the inability to walk, or wake up or even to a temporal blindness or tormenting dreams or visions that might make one restless during the day or at night. She goes on to stress that a family member may become sick because of the stubbornness of the one called to accept the calling. For Credo Mutwa, he was sick for several years, unable to walk or relived himself. He mentions how doctors could not figure out what the matter was with his body. Mndende stresses that one may even die if one ignores the signs of being called to the works of divinity.

Ubizo

Africans, regardless of where they are situated at, are people with spirits, their gods resides in them in the form of spirits which a lot of them get to have. Ubizo is a call from the ancestors to become a sangoma. By western frameworks, ubizo is understood as Schizophrenia, but by tradition, this is a mystic situation. Schizophrenia is considered as a mental problem where one withdraws psychologically. 

This condition is said to be disturbing the normal type of thinking. Symptoms associated with it are, hallucinations, delusions. People with ubizo are sometimes referred to mental institutions because they are deemed as unfit for society.  

 Dreaming/ Ukuthonga

Dreaming is another element of those who are called. Dreams become a window of the subconscious mind and they carry messages to the one who is called (Mndende, 2002: 69). Mndende and most traditional sangomas regard it as Ukuthonga.  It is worth stressing that these dreams can never be clear if the body is not in harmony with the soul and the mind. When one is distracted, one may miss the signs of the calling, thus the wrath of the ancestors manifests its way in several ways including taking a loved one in the family or to cause an ailment which cannot be cured by biomedicine as they themselves would not be able to correctly diagnose it. Several misdiagnosis of this process have often been patients sent to psychiatry wards because of arguments that claim that patients are suffering from hallucination, or schizophrenia. Often than not, people take longer to accept the calling because most of them tend to ignore or to be unaware of the power of their dreams and possible meanibgs (Mndende, 2002: 75).

Mndende argues that amathongo or dreams differ from visions. She says dream play a different role than visions as dreams are only one aspect of communication between two or more people in the subconscious mind. For her, anyone can dream about anyone or about anything.  She reiterates, however, that visions are different as one mostly gets to see people that he/she is related within that vision in which the ancestors are showing him/her. She says that this vision will come in a manner of a dream, whether one is asleep or awake. “Ithongo lisoloko lingumyalezo osuka kwizinyanya” (Mndende, 2013: 5).  Unlike dreams are always commanding messages that come from the ancestors. She adds that these visions are a way to connect the dead with the living so that crucial messages or warnings may be passed in due course.

Ukwamukela idlozi/ Imvuma kufa

Ukuvuma is a ceremony done when one finally admits and surrenders to the call (76). This acceptance relives one from the sickness. Mdlalose purports that the called one does not choose where he/she wants to go for training; as this is predestined and revealed through dreams. Sometimes, one would just disappear and would not return for some time, especially those training in natural scenery such as inside caves, inside water or in a forest. For those who have been instructed to go to a trainer, they would simply wander till they arrive at that person’s house, despite what the logistics entail (Mdlalose, 2009: 37).  It I stressed that an initiator should be welcomed with a song which he/she learns through dreams (Mdlalose, 2009: 40). Ingoma (traditional song) is a tool through which to express joy, disappointment, frustration, and conflict. Singing a song can give hope and serve as a form of healing under any circumstances (Mndende, 2002: 83).  

Furthermore, the initiator will be welcomed by burning the incese for him or her as a ritual to invite good spirits. This will be followed by a purying session where the imitator will be required to wake up early every day to purge, as to detox and open up senses which might be blocked by the foods people eat which is filled with too much toxins that block the senses of a diviner (Mdlalose, 2009).

“During imvuma kufa, the umkhwetha (novice) changes from ordinary clothing into the attire which should be has been instructed to Wear by the ancestors who communicate, through dreams, the type of animal skin or beads which need to be worn by the novice” (Mndende, 2002: 81). The goat symbolizes the animal which calls upon ancestors as it is known as the questioning animal, mainly because most African nations use it when they communicate with the spiritual world (Mutwa, 2000: 41). From this, it is required that the initiate drinks blood from this goat and wears its skin as wristbands while the bile is put on the head of the initiate. The red ochre will be applied all over the body.  All this is to symbolize that the called is with spirits and is currently undergoing training. Once completed, these rituals are not required (Mdlalose, 2009: 48). The goat skin symbolizes acceptance by the ancestral spirits. The drinking of the bile is to incite detox as the initiate should cleanse in and out of toxic chemicals that might hinder his/her sharpness (Mdalose, 2009: 58).

In order to test the readiness of the initiator, things will be hidden for it purposefully, so that he/she can use all the senses to find them. This is done to prepare him/her so that he/she can diagnose illnesses once he/she is a healer. The longer it takes for this skill to be sharpened the longer he/she will remain in the training (Mdlalose, 2009: 60).  Graduation is when this process has been mastered, when the initiator can even see things in visions or in dreams that direct him/here where she should go to dig medicine, depending which gift he/she has been gifted with. 

Ukwethwasa

This is a ritual to enter the state of ubungoma. Before one can be a Sangoma, one need to first answer to the calling of the ancestors by the initiation of ubuthwasa. 

This is a process where a professional sangoma trains you for the things of the African gods. During initiation, the mngoma must recall images that she saw in her trance, this helps when reasoning and trying to make of things. A vision appears in her imaginary or subconscious mental state.

This process may take up to six months, sometimes even a year, depending on how quickly you coordinate with your spirits that have sent you as well as with your instructor, the sangoma who will be training you. Anyone, regardless of age can have a calling to become a sangoma.

      Isangoma

Isangoma is the end product of ukuthwasa. This is where you are now proclaimed as a qualified traditional healer/ seer and doctor of the African gods. By this, you are formally a sangoma which can consult with people without the supervision of other sangomas or trainers. Sangomas have a God-given gift to reason as well determine what type of medicine can heal a person suffering from a particular sickness.

Sangoma’s main priority is to heal people not only in using natural herbs but to also act as a traditional counsellor/psychiatrist or even a psychologist. This is achieved through throwing bones, going into a trance as well as consulting with the client’s ancestors.

Inyangas on the other hand do not go for supernatural training nor do they ever throw bones. Their expertise is only to prescribe natural medicine to their clients. Their training for this comes from a pure understanding of how medicine works. This may be a passed on hereditary gift or through apprenticeship/overshadowing an already practising nyanga. The bush is the home of the Sangomas because it is were all trees that have medicine are found.

Inyanga

Please note, Sangomas and inyanga are two different people. This is the mistake the film makes as it does not make any distinction between a sangoma, inyanga as well; as umthakathi. Sangomas have only the power to see through and heal people, whilst inyangacan also work as a witchdoctor that can heal as well as kill people with the medicine they make.

Inyanga is what the doctor was before the Whiteman came to Africa and demonised them. Wherein inyanga is your doctor by the words of today, then your sangoma is what can be regarded as your psychologist as well as psychiatrist. In the same way that western doctors save lives, inyanga also does that with natural herbs which the western doctor purifies in his/her lab. 

Also in the same way that western doctor can prescribe poisonous/lethal medication to his/her patients, the inyanga can also prescribe herbs that will harm or kill their patients. Also, in the same way that western doctors get customers who want over/under the counter prescriptions for other people, the inyanga can also prescribe for its customers on which medication to use and not use for the goodness of the medication as well as for its horrors. 

What is worth noting is that inyanga and umthakathi are two different things. While umthakathi remains the witchdocter with black magic that is intended to kill or harm people, Inyanga on the other hand is the traditional healer who does not necessary have to go to an initiation school to learn to go to a trance. Their role is only to study herbs and heal people, not to see. In some cases izinyanga do also practice witchcraft. Witches are feared and their medicine is known to be lethal.

The nature of ukuthwetshulwa

Ukuthwebula takes place immediately after death. When a person dies suddenly, in a car accident for example, umthwebuli (a person who is able to perform ukuthwebula) at the scene of the accident captures the spirit of the person while their body is still warm. The body of the person is left behind, but a sign that a person has fallen victim to ukuthwebula is that their body doesn’t become stiff and cold as a dead being’s is supposed to (a process scientifically known as rigor mortis).

Some supernatural occurrences of science that used to take place in ancient Africa are still relevant to date. The act of witchcraft is one of them. Others include rainmaking, divine healing, etc. There have been national cases about witchcraft in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Limpopo. The death and alleged resurrection of the Makandi singer, Mgqumeni whose real name is Khulekani Khumalo introduced this discourse to mainstream media when a man by Gcabashe claimed to have been this singer as he explained that he was abducted and managed to escape. Fingerprints found the story to be a stunt and therefore untrue. However, in Umzimkulu, the year 1992 marked return of a man who returned from death as he was turned into a zombie by skilled muthi users within the area.

The verb, ukuthakatha, means ‘to practise witchcraft, deal in nefarious charms, concoctions, poisons, etc.’. The related agent-noun is ‘umthakathi’ (plural ‘abathakathi’), meaning ‘one who practises witchcraft’, whereas the concept noun ‘ubuthakathi’ simply means ‘witchcraft’.  University of KwaZulu-Natal Zulu Studies lecturer, Ndela Ntshan-gase, said the practice was a science of black people who worked with different kinds of muti. 

“The literal meaning of ukuthwebula is "photography", as one might imagine. And a person who has been "photographed" is called umkhovu (presumably the original photo print)” (Ngcobo, 2012). In African spirituality and cultural practices ukuthetshulwa is when a skilled herbal person uses medicine to do harm to others by abducting them and turning them to utikoloshe. “Basically that person will do whatever is asked of them by the ‘captor’ without being seen by anybody else. The ‘captors’ don’t seek permission from that individual’s family to do so. They just take it (the spirit) and the family buries their loved one without knowing,” (Gatsheni, 2012). 

Spirits

It must be highlighted that nature of tikoloshe is not only limited to the indigenous knowledge of the Bantu people. European and Eastern cultures have come to identify utikoloshe as a zombie. Utikoloshe has been believed to be a demonic spirit by the Catholic church in Medieval age, thus rituals to exorcise people. A spirit is an energy, good or bad. Archetypes is another western word for it.

Amadlozi-ancestral spirits

When missionaries came into territorial lands of the indigenous people all around the globe, they termed their methods of healing as “strange ways and customs of the primitive people” (Kievem 1964: 12). This was then a starting point of how bio-medicine received priority over other indigenous healing modes that have today reserved a back seat in the medical field.

Authors specializing in this discourse argue that idlozi or an ancestral spirit could be anything that could be find in someone’s genetic make-up or anything in nature. Amadlozi are in other words a group of genetics (that once lived through a body but are no longer visible, thus they enter into a person as spirits) that make up a person. This is why they are referred to as ancestors or ancestral spirits. Credo Mutwa (1960) argues that, “all living things are swimming across a great lake called Time, and those things that are of flesh-and-blood are outdistanced in the race across the lake of Time by those things that are spirit, such as souls and enas” (Mutwa, 1960:569). Moreover, he says, “Each tree, each blade of grass and each stone that you see out there and each one of the things that live are part of god” 561. Nokuzola Mndende (2013) expands that idlozi could be people who lived in the mountains, river, or anywhere and that the person they enter does not speak for them as the ancestor speaks for itself through a person. This extract helps us unpack types of spirits which the film deals with. They are good spirits as well as bad ones. It could be because of many different types of spirits; nature spirits, ancestral spirits, etc.


To be carrying spirits means one is carrying souls of people who have once lived before (Mdlalose, 2009: 11). It is a mystery to know whether one cannot also carry spirits who once wanted to live but died when they were too young. It must be stressed that Nguni spirits are different and are there for different purposes as well since the Orisha spirit is used a lot by the Eastern African cultures. The ife too is popular in Nigeria. Pasipamire, Chaminuka, Nehanda and Mhondoro are among those found within the Great Zimbabwe from the Shona speaking people. AmaLinda and Mamlambo are shared in the region of what used to be Mapungubwe as they are found either in water or in the mountains of the Southern Africa.

The Nguni, which is a prime root for this research entails three ancestral spirits which possesses its people because of geography, namely, amaNdawe, amaNdiki and Inono. All of these are carried by the spirits of Ndau, or Umndawu. Swati, Shangaan and Zulu Sangomas are likely to be enetered by these spirits.  “The Nguni people brought with them their ancient Nile Spiritual system”. Briefly, the Nguni people are descendant of kemit as they migrated to the east as well as to the Southern of Africa. The name Nguni is derived from Kemetic divinity. The three Nguni spirits according to Mdlalose reside in the Ngunis ever since the wars of migration prior to European colonial rule in the South. These spirits were used greatly too during wars times in the times of rulers like Soshangane, Shaka Zulu, Mzilikazi and by the maShona and Swazi people.

amaNdawe are spirits of the water which are argued to be traced back to Swaziland (Mdlalose, 2009: 21).So this then mean that those possessed by this spirit would go train in the river as this is a water spirit.  Moreover, amaNdawe connote to the maternal side of those that have departed whilst amaNdiki remain of the paternal side of the family (Mdalose, 2009: 21). Mdlalose asserts that it is possible for someone to be possessed by both these spirits, actually by custom; these two should be aligned and made one by an act of performing a ritual, especially when the initiate goes through the training already having had married over to another family (Mdlalose, 2009: 22). This will be dealt with later in a section where one accepts the call to become isangoma. iNono on the other hand is a spirit of souls which die when the person is still a child. This form of spirit is argued to be the highest form of virtue within ubungoma, thus remains complicated and takes longer to train for (Mdlalose, 2009: 29). “UMnono is the spirits of the ‘abalozi’, hence it is the only type of healing which is rarely found and known in Africa. 

The UMnono takes much longer time than the other IsiNguni spirits to mature. It can take between 10 – 15 years because it does everything on its own and one must be a good reader of the dreams and images as they operate through you.  Also if the person is possessed by Umnono and is not accepting the calling  as quickly as they want, they can come with very hush sentences which can easily leads to death” (Erternal Spirits, 2010).

Ubungoma can be an issue of heredity, as healers are passed on from generation to generations genetically. Family members do pass it on to their descendants. However, it is questionable whether it comes from royalty to royalty since kingdoms are also a social construct. Mutwa stresses that people who are called are no special than any other living human being, since everyone has their inner voice talking to them, but that those who listen to the call train to sharpen this inner voice. 

However, isangoma is one particular person out of the many who can be contacted by the world of spirits which may have lived before but only exist now as voices that reside within this person. Mdlalose explains that someone who is called can also be identified by being ill from a sickness which cannot be explained or diagnosed as a condition. Some suffer mentally, while some are physically ill for quite some time without knowing why they are sick the way they are. Others even go consult shamans in unison with western doctors trying to figure where the problem may be. Mdlalose notes that all this becomes a process of spirits entering her body and that the person needs to look deep within him/herself to understand the nature of her/his sickness

Art 

Amabhaca use clay to paint walls of their. For the flooring, they use cow dung and umhlaba omhlophe. The  dual photos  below(taken at the interior of my birth home in Umzimkulu: my mom and gran are the ones in the visuals) represents African genuisness: the very same one that the west refuses to see as art. Till date Africans in the rural areas continue to use this method of heating as well as of painting their walls. Mind you, this costs no cent, just an excellent way of using what nature provided: woods, stones and the soil.

It is up to us to cherish and uplift our own systems.

Part 2

          12.   UKUNDLAVINA/ CULTURAL WEAR

Ukundalavina is the act of wearing Bhaca traditional clothing for a specif event. Each certain life stage is represented by a certain kind of clothing.

12.1 Abantwana

This is a collective term combining young children (infants and kids) from both genders.

12. 2. Amajongosi

These are girls who are no longer infants but who have not yet became of age, as they are approaching to teenagehood.

 12. 3. Intombi

By their clothing, they will be associated with a woman who has became of age, who is still unwedded and definitely a virgin because non-virgin girls, by tradition are not supposed to wear like this.

Similarly to the girls above, this is also a woman who has become of age and who is still a virgin, but because this one, unlike the previous ones, is reed dance goer. Reed dance is when virgin girls gather in one annual ceremony for virginity testing. It is not a all compulsory that Bhaca girls attend this virginity testing, but is is required especially when you attend cultural events and go to eValini.

It is important to note that Bhaca girls do not necessarily go bare-chested, showing off their breast, but because of the reed dance, it is compulsory that their breast be shown and that they should not wear any underwear. But this is only for this event, nothing else but for this that they go bare breasted, hence on normal occasions, they will be covering them.

12. 4. Intombazane

Intombazane refers to any woman who is not wedded. This is particular to those who have ultimately passed their prime stage of being virgins girls. This can be someone who has delayed in getting married or to someone who is no longer a virgin.  One identifying factor of this kind of girl is by the length of clothing she likes to wear, her clothing would usually be overneath the knees, covering their thighs, unlike with virgin girls who prefer wearing anything underneath the knee caps, showing off their thighs and well shaped bodies.

12. 5. Ibhungu

This terms refers to a young man who has become of age, unlike the distinction made for females, with males there is no distinction between a virgin male and a non virgin one. It is worth noting that Bhaca boys do not go for initiation, unlike other cultures.

12. 6. Insizwa

Insizwa is a young adult man who has matured and has passed the teenagehood stage, but not necessarily wedded. However, there is a blurry line between a wedded male and a non wedded one, since some of the wedded ones still overlap with the inswizwa that still attends ivali (eValini).

12.7. Indoda

Indoda is a man with a wife and probably with children, owning his own household and heading the home without his parents' guidance.

12. 8. Idikazi

This terms is an offensive way of referring to an unwedded woman who has children outside the wedlock, and who probably still living at home with her parents and has never received inkomencane,  lobola or the damage payments that get paid for a child born out of a wedlock.

12.10. Umakoti

A newly weds woman is called umakoti, this may be a childless woman. sometimes someone who is already having infant children, and perhaps still living with her in-laws.It is not compulsory that a dikazi cover her head, but it is without doubt, necessary for a Bhaca married woman to cover her hair or head as a way to show respect. As for showing parts of her flash: very little if at all her skin should be visible, thus the long sleeves.

12.11. Umfazi

As earlier mentioned, an already established married woman is called umfazi, this can be a woman already having her own household with children old enough to be teenagers.

12.12. Umqwani/ izalukazi

Umnwqwani refers to any elderly person in the family, be it, a man or a woman. at this stage isalukazi is someone who is approaching or has approached senior age: already having children who are married with their own respective children as well. 

Izibongo zamaBhaca

·    Zulu – OoZulu, Khalimeshe, Nofisa ongafi, ofa ngamaloyo. Mageba Ndabezitha ,  ooNombuso ooVebi ooWabane. Mafula ngesibumbu ngexa yokuswela ingobozi, Notibunwana etincane ngokwuswela tona, onato ufute kulo nyoko, Thole leSilo ngoba yiSilo ngokwaso…

·  Wushe – ooMjoli, Phathwa, Wushe, Qubulashe, Mthsi owathsi ukuwa wabhekisa amasebe eThukela, Nonkasa, Mbedu, omaphungel’ esosini amakomitshi ekhona, masindza ngonwalu itizwana tisindza ngobulongwe, Godongwana kaMjoli ka Bekwa kaWushe ka Lufulwenja kaMageba.

·  Mjoli – Qubulashe, Bhuqa, omagadlela njengengqam, Indlu kaSondzaba, Hlathi, Fafaz uNonina, Mswanzeli, Nokholwa wokwakhe, Wabane, Maqholo, Mthi owathi ukuwa wabekisa amasebe eThukela, Nyawo, Danisa, Ntundzela, uMalandelwa zintombi zithi ndizeke, Babalo, mzimvubu, Izotshw’elihle, Uphika-nelanga, uNoma-ndzondzo, uMshwawu, uDlilanga, oBuso bumnyama ngathi sisonka sojiwe, abamnyama ngamabom ukuba bayatsandza ngabe bangabelungu.

·   AmaChiya – ooGalweni, ooChiya wohlanga, Sodladla, Magangadz’ udonga kuvuleke indlela ,cwangu cwangu.

·    AmaMpovane – Siwela, Vitsheka, Matalankosi,  Songiwe, Nomlakalakane, Gubudza Nyamana

·AmaNqolo– amaNqolo,  oaGaba kathsayithsi omahlambahlaletsheni ngenxa yokuswel’itawuli, abantu abangayekhathsi imbola ngoba bahleli bebahle, bakhi bexonya bangaleluki

·  AmaNcwabe

·  AmaJili  – ooMaseng’ inkomo noba ilele ngenxayokuthsandza intusi

·  Mweli (Jili, Msingawuthi, Ngqambela, Sibakhulu, Ntlangwini’s enebathat yaseMakhuzeni)

·  AmaNdlangisa – Thole, Gqagqane, Buzini, Ndlangisa, Mzimshe, Lwandle

·  AmaTshezi – Jalamba, Mqalungangenduku,

·  AmaTolo – ooTolo, ooDlangamandla, Mchenge Mabhanekazi

·   AmaJuta – OoJuta, Mencwa, Sjekula

· AmaGusha

·  AmaNjilo – Manci, Mkhonde, iS’khonde esikrakrayo, iNdlovu esikwa ihambha, Vela bethetha, Njilo, Balisa, Debule, Msokweni, Silwa nenkunzi mbini, Kubhej’umsobomvu, Wabane, Tyani, Bhekiso, Ndlov’edli goduka, Mbali, Mdludla odludl’amthambek’ebhek’othukela, Qolo, Zotsho, Mabandla kamaqolo, Maqolo engqelezintabeni, Tshitshis’intaba, Mdludla ka Bekiso, Zinde Zinde, Zinemiqala engenamqala sisilima

·  AmaKhambule – Khambule Mncube Mayela omalandelwa yintombi ithsi bhuti nditeke

· AmaMbothwe – Mbothwe, Mlibati xabanisa abantu belungisa bona abangayi ebhoshi baze baye ngosuku lwesithathu, oMatalankosi abantu abangafi noba kunini abafa mhla kuthande bona. Ngqiza, Juqu, Juleka, Sigwamba sentswangu, Zibutha kandaka-ndaka, Nomtshwe.

·  AmaDladla

·    AmaBhele – Dlambulo, Khuboni, Qunta, Mafu, Langa, Mnomana, Mbutho, Ncwana, noNtanda kuphakanyiswa, Ulanga lokulunga, Umbutho, noMbikazi ngob’umnt’ogxathu akalahlwa,  umafuza afulele njengelifu, Ndabezitha, uNtshangase, Madiba-ndlela. Iinto ezidiba de zidibe nendlela, Unontanda Usengel’abantwana xa likhithika, unosepha ayigijimi iyakhokhoba ukubhek’ eluqala, undamane, amyengane, amayekethe, Undlwana zinamaphela phez’ukwentab kalenge, othebul’ukunatha nje ngabendl’enkulu Umakhunga, unkilane, umabandla, uvaphi, Iintw’ezimpundu zinga zingongiwa, Amatya egoduka khon’ukuze angathinjwa lithambo lasemzin, nditsh’abaty’isikhwebu sakwamkhwekazi, kwaNoqambulo, Iintw’ezingawutyiyo umbilini wempahla, ezity’owenyamakazi yon’ihlal’emahlathini; Iinyath’ezasind’abazingeli sebezosele, Ingab’asilobhele elo, ngoba ibhele laphekwa nelitye lenyengane, lavuthwa ilitye, lasala ibhele lihleli, amaBhele izinto eziqhwanyaza ngemali. Zibunywana zibutshelezana zinga zingazingangiwa ngabakhwekazi, Bhedlana lase Lenge, amaBhele asicoco sinuka intsindwana amakrokrozela njengelifu lemvula, Mphemba abantu Bephemba ngamabele kanti abafokazana baphemba ngamaphepha, Silo sase Lenge ngwane yezixhobo zothukela, umthan’ ontyingantyingana omi phezu kwentaba, Inyathi eyasinda abazingeli sebeyosele izinto ezingawudliyo umbilini wenkomo,zidla owenyamakazi.

·  AmaGamedze – Gamedze, Mntimande, Bhambolunye tingaba mbini tifute ekhaya kulonyoko.

· AmaHlubi – (hayi isizwe samaHlubi kaLangalibalile, kodwa itibonga nabantu ababesuka kwisizwe samaHlubi) umzekelo ooRhadebe – Mafuz’ afulele njengefu lemvula! Mashwabada,  owashwabadel’ inkomo kanye nempondotayo!

·  AmaDlamini – (hayi isizwe samaDlamini, kodwa abanye abantu bakwaDlamini ngesiduko) Sibal'khulu, Magaduzela, Jama ka Sjadu, Nkosi, Mzimzi, umanzinywana, omabonela empunzini.

·    AbakwaMasoka

· AmaXesibe – (hayi abantu besizwe samaXesibe kaXesibe wakuloMpondo noMpondomise, kodwa kukhona abantu abangena phasi kukaMadzikane bamaXesibe) oo Ncosa ooBhuku Sinqashe Nkamangane Mfazi webelelide elancelisa ingane phesheya komfula uMganu Sabela wabizwa emazibukweni Xesibe

·   AmaBhovu – ooDumela oMvaw’bhekwa ubhekwa abawatiyo ooGxumisa

·AmaNguse – ooFola Fakade Mabembe khabekhulu Fol’odlilaxa Nguse Ngubezizwe unyawunyawu

·   AmaGebashe –

·   AmaDzana – OoDzana oKhatsini omncwabe omfupi

·  Sinama – Rhadu, Mjoli, Somadoda, Fikeni, Nhlumayo, Gcuma, Malandelwa yintombi ithi ndizeke noba kungesipha samazimba, Iintombi ezinamadhusu amhlophe ngathi zihlamba ngobisi, Wulawula mathole endlovu

13. NMZ BHACALAND: the lifestyle

         Profile compiled by: Noluvuyo Mjoli

contact me on         noluvuyomjoli@gmail.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywk_vyXpss8