The Sunday News
Pathisa Nyathi
CURIOSITY got the better of me. The night seemed to go on and on ad infinitum. When the thick blanket of darkness was rolled away at dawn that heralded the commencement of the day’s rituals. I was aware these people, though originally Nguni, had lost many of their traditional Nguni roots. Morning is like spring, it heralds the new dawn. Summer is about to take centre stage.
Winter is night. The trees take off their clothes and go to bed. All this is done to allow them time for regeneration. The cycle of life embraces life and death or at least its approximation. The earth does so on a seasonal basis. I looked out through the window and witnessed the blanket roll away from the earth. Morning filled the space. All this was regeneration.
The day would keep the people busy and in the process deplete their energy reserves. At that point there is need to rest. The blanket of darkness rolls on the earth. The tired people get the opportunity to lay their bodies down and recuperate, as it were. This is a daily cycle of life. Human beings, being an integral part of nature, undergo diurnal, monthly and seasonal cycles that form the basis of life — the constant change.
The morning, like spring, is worth celebrating. It gives promise to life. The trees once again get dressed up. Both trees and animals give birth to their young. Life continues into the future. I looked forward to day’s ceremony with bated interest. Their Inxwala should embrace elements of both the first fruits and regeneration of the king and his people. The nation goes through an annual cycle of renewal and regeneration.
We got up early, as they say the early bird catches the fattest worm. We wanted to occupy a vantage place where we could see all the major events taking place. We were keen to document all that we witnessed. It was our hope that back home some of our experiences would come handy when we hold similar ceremonies.
The scene of the day’s events was Mtenguleni. The king was still holed up in his royal palace referred to as Laweni. What caught our attention were the several tents belonging to the corporates that came to support the traditional event. After all, these people constitute their market. MTN and Airtel were present together with the banks. There were numerous exhibitions fringing the huge circular arena.
Some people were selling artefacts of Ngoni culture. We took the opportunity to tour the various stands. Reverend Paul Bayethe Damasane purchased an ox-hide shield which graced the front part of his car. My eyes were attracted by the breasted clay pots. I figured out that there was some inherent and interesting symbolism. The pot of circular shape represents woman and therefore the concept of fertility and continuity. The two breasts further reinforced the idea of fecundity and continuity.
That took my memory back to Algiers where African nations were attending some cultural extravaganza a few years ago.
There I saw a drawing of a young lady who was holding a clay pot. The clay pot was decorated with the chevron design. I could not help seeing one concept being represented at three levels. The young lady herself represented fertility. The pot that she held was of a circular design and it too represented woman and the idea of fecundity. Finally, the pot was decorated with the chevron motif which is a symbolic representation of woman with her fertility qualities. We have often argued that Africa concerned herself with the idea of continuity. This became clear in the project My Beautiful Home where Matobo women came up with beautiful motifs on their walls. We shall soon, in this column, be interpreting the designs that the womenfolk posted on their walls.
The huge arena also took a circular design. This is a common design in Africa, particularly south of the Sahara. The design of the arena should not be seen as isolated and unique. The circle is Africa’s architectural design which is inspired by the broader universe. Africans have, from time immemorial, tried to replicate the heavens on earth. What they observed of the universe, of which they are a part, is that it is eternal. Eternity is an idea that is sought after by Africa. It is a representation of continuity and fertility. The circle is pan-African. The circular design lies at the centre of African thought.
Given that shape, the arena forced people to sit in a circular fashion. This is precisely how traditional Africans used to sit.
Apparently, this is the way Moslems sit during their worship. The various exhibitions fringing the arena also assumed a circular design. This was a traditional ceremony which exhibited African thought which pervaded and conditioned ritual conduct.
The first dignitaries to arrive and assume their positions in the arena were the Ngoni chiefs, mostly from Malawi. There were between 12 and 15 of them. They sat under the main tent where Paramount Chief Mpezeni was going to sit. The next tent was occupied by the various chiefs from Zambia’s several ethnic groups. This was the tent which our delegation occupied. We sat on the second row from the front. In the same tent was the daughter of Paramount Chief Mpezeni. One chief in front of us attracted our attention. He wore a crown of cowry shells.
Zambian President Rupiya Banda occupied the tent to the right of that where the Ngoni chiefs sat. It was clear the day belonged to the traditional chiefs. The President was not the centre of attraction. By this time the atmosphere was electric and jovial. There was beer drinking and traditional dancing going on. The people had come to rejoice the regeneration of their kingdom. We did observe that the women who were participating in the day’s events were elderly women. All of them, without exception, were bare breasted. They did a lot of clapping for the dancing men. Their dress was all traditional and wore bands (imincwazi) on their heads.
Then the king emerged from his Laweni Royal Palace. There were thunderous ululations from women and wild chants from men:
Ngwenyama!
Inkhosi yamakhosi!
Bayethwe Baba!
The king, who walked with stately gait, wore sandals on his feet and an idumbu/ibhetshu on his waist. He was also clad in a lion skin. The royal salute and chants went on riotously till he resumed his seat. One of the most important events during the entire ceremony was yet to take place. It was the ritual that carried the symbolism of renewal and rebirth. In ritual terms it was the height of the day’s proceedings. That belongs to the next installation.
