The Sunday News
Pathisa Nyathi
A cattle byre or pen was an important site within a homestead. It was the preserve of men from which women and girls were excluded which meant in essence that they were being excluded from sites of wealth and spiritual power.
The one economic activity that was carried out by males within the cattle byre was milking. Milk in its various forms or stages of curdling was an important component in the diet of the Ndebele. Indeed, milk was consumed by relatives and defined the limits of kinship.
A daughter-in-law initially did not consume milk as she needed to be fully integrated in order for her to pass as an integral part of the family she married into. This is why royal princesses, when getting married to important men such as prominent chiefs, took with them cattle among which were cows to provide her with milk. She simply did not eat curdled milk from her in-laws (amasi akwabozala).
Cattle in general and the milking process in particular were sources of historical information, cultural knowledge, and language such as vocabulary, proverbs, taboos and wise sayings. Ayihlabi ngakumisa is a Ndebele/Zulu proverb and title of James Phambano Ndebele’s novel which is a set book for A-level students. Ikhotha eyikhothayo, it licks the one that licks it. Imitha ngokuphindwa, Inyama iphekwe ngomhluzi wenye, the list is endless. If one were to fully exhaust all the knowledge or cultural information relating to cattle, one would be well informed with regard to requisite history, knowledge, language and proverbs of the Ndebele people. Language follows and names all our activities and thoughts.
Bulling had its language which men and herd boys used. “Iyalandelwa”, it is being followed, (by the bulls), “iyagadwa”, it is being mounted, (by the bulls), “iyaxotshwa”, it is being pursued, (by the bulls), “iyakhwelwa”, it is being mounted. “Isilomthondo” it has been bulled (sperms have been deposited in its body). Ndebele men sometimes said it just as it was, blunt and straight to the point. Accordingly, they would nonchalantly say “iyazekwa”. The term lays emphasis on the art of doing something well and effectively. The Ndebele for example say, in relation to Mkhithika Thebe (UMhlongana kaNkolotsha) when he went to report to King Mzilkazi, “wafika wayizeka indaba enkosini” meaning he eloquently reported the matter to the king, concerning the treachery of his uncle Khondwane Ndiweni and his accomplices in installing Prince Nkulumane as king at Gibixhegu.
Calves were penned in a byre adjacent and attached to the main cattle byre. There was a small entrance leading into the main pen. A young boy manned the entrance and allowed one calf at a time. Usually calling on the name of a given cow got its calf stampeding out. If per chance it did not recognise the name of its mother, it was approached and led out into the main pen. Rheims, (imichilo) made from cow hide were used to hold the cow during milking.
A calf was allowed to suckle for a little while before it was driven away and its mother milked. A rheim was used to tie the cow round its neck or horns. This done, its neck was bent and legs tied too, using the same rheim. Others tied the legs alone, that is if the cow was not too wild. There were cases when the cow was not tied at all; iyangenwa — literally it is entered.
A milking pail (ithunga) or isiganu is used to receive milk. The milking vessel is carved out of wood from soft and non-toxic trees such as marula (umganu). The milk pail is provided with two lugs towards its upper end. These lugs (amansumpa) are provided to make sure the pail does not slip through the milker’s legs. The pail and its slugs have given rise to a famous proverb, ‘selidumela emansumpeni’ which pupils have problems with regarding its literal meaning. When the pail (ithunga), sounds, (selidumela), in the lugs, (emansumpeni), you know it is almost full. This is in reference to something that is about to be fulfilled or succeeded. At Amagugu we then go on to tell the students about other amansumpa: warts on a person’s skin, amansumpa on a clay pot and amansumpa made by injecting cow dung into an opening made in a woman’s skin. When the opening heals there will be a swelling, a lump referred as insumpa, plural amansumpa.
Each wife had cattle allocated to her for milking purposes. Milk from such cows was collected separately and taken into the particular wife’s kitchen hut, izinkomo zesengelo lokaSicwayiza. Either milk gourds (amagula) or inqayi, clay pots were used to collect the milk and taken to the kitchen hut where it was initially placed in clay pots for the initial curdling process. Milk fat (ulaza) is collected, ukwengula ulaza out of which iphehla and umfuma are produced. The proverb, “Lala lulaza sikwengule,” stems from this process. In earlier articles we made reference to these issues and we need not belabour the point. The milk pail was, as a rule, never taken home. Instead, it was left at the cattle byre, placed upside down on one of the palisade poles of umbelo.
After initial milking the calf was allowed to suckle for a while before being driven away and milking resumed. This is known as ukuphinda umphehlo. Boys would, after milking, engage in ukukleza — milking into their mouths. The sound of warm frothing milk in one’s mouth was a scintillating and satisfying experience. Boys would also bring discarded whey (umlaza) and milk into it. The milk gourds (amagula) had openings at their bases through which whey was allowed to flow out. Ingcotho was used as a plug. The whey, being acidic, caused the milk to coagulate just as happens when lemon juice is added to fresh milk. Boys would also make porridge out of milk and sorghum meal, isathiyane.
Here the story of Chief Malaba is told about Insukamini kaManondwane Tshabalala which without consent helped themselves to Malaba’s gain to make isathiyane which scalded them.
A cow that has just calved did not have its milk taken home for consumption. The milk was boiled and made into a dish called umthubi. When the calves got to a certain age they were weaned naturally when the cow’s udder dried.
After calving the following year there were weaners that resumed suckling (ukumunyela). A weaning device (uqhweba), made from umvalasangwana tree, was used. The weaning device was attached to the calf’s nostrils. Each time the calf tried to suckle the sharp ends of uqhweba pricked and pained the mother who kicked the misbehaving weaner till it gave up the mischievous attempts.
