SCHOOLS IN MPONDOLAND
4.6 The Mpondo cultural background .1 Introduction
4.6.2 The Mpondo Language
For better and clear understanding of the terms to be.analysed in this study, it is necessary to identify and highlight some terms and sounds of IsiMpondro. Although this language was never written, it still exists as it is spoken by the people in their communities (Mcetywa 1992). This means that language continues to exist even if people speaking it cannot write it.
When you know a language you can speak and be understood by others who know that language. This means you are able to produce sounds which signify certain meanings and to understand to interpret the sounds (Formkin and Rodman 1978 : 1-2).
On their arrival, the missionaries and the colonists ignored IsiMpondro as a language and imposes the teaching of IsiXhosa at all government and mission institutions. The purpose was to facilitate the SUbjugation of the amaMpondo. This was further accelerated by the flooding of Mpondoland with imported Xhosa teachers, preachers and priests. Tactfully underlined by this strategy, was to divide and rule. They knew that three foreign languages namely IsiXhosa, English and Afrikaans taught at Mpondo schools would definitely have a serious impact on Mpondo culture as a basis of unity.
Consequently, confusion and conflict occurred amongst the Mpondo as they felt threatened in hospitals, clinics, surgeries, schools and churches by foreign languages imposed upon them. One Mpondo elderly lady once remarked thus:
thina maMponrdo krolokro sacindrezelwa babe lungu saza sakhwitshilika kubo ngoku sizacindrezolwa baba fazi bama Xhosa balapha esibhedlela.
We Mpondo people, since we were oppressed by Whites and liberated, we are still oppressed by Xhosa women (Macabe 1998 : 06).
Though the problem is still rife, there are some indicators which are aimed at bringing about a solution to the language interaction which hinders effective health services to the Mpondo people. The government has introduced a language board called Pan South African Language Board (pANS ALB) (Interview : Dr Alberts, Department of Arts and Culture, Pretoria, 1995). Its intention is to address the demands of the South African Language Act that makes all languages in this country equal. Those languages which were undermined are now taken seriously and are to be developed.
Researchers are collecting data on Mpondo language terminology for the purpose of publishing the first IsiMpondro dictionary. A project for the development of an IsiMpondro dictionary has been set up at Lusikisiki. During the time of writing of this thesis this project had already collected IsiMpondro terminology from a-i. These terms are characterized by particular Mpondo sounds e.g. "nd" is always accompanied by "r" as in isiMpondro, "nk" is always accompanied by "r" as an inkromo etc. (Interview Fiko, (LIP) IsiMpondro Language Project, Documents: 2000).
Documentation and recognition of IsiMpondro as a language will enhance the level of understanding between African Traditional healers and the western medical practitioners.
Language in any society is the bridge for the flow of knowledge. There is a total lack of knowledge about what is happening amongst Mpondro traditional healers because their
language is not known. Yet, they continue doing things in their own language. Once this language is known to people other than Mpondros, working in the western medical centres, barriers of misunderstanding and hostility will be broken.
4.6.3 Mpondo beliefs
Central in the religion of Mpondo people is the belief in the existence of a Supernatural Being. There are several Mpondo names attributed to God viz. Mvelingganji meaning the first one to appear or emerge. Mdali meaning the creator of all things. Magojela meaning the one who can reach any place. Nkrunkrulu (original Mpondro) meaning the most great. From the meaning of these tenns one grasps the fact that Mpondo people are believing in one God who is supreme.
The concept of a Supernatural Being is at the very top of Mpondo worship but the names of a Supernatural Beings are always not mentioned. This is based on the reverence attached to the Supernatural Being. Most of the worship is done via the ancestors. As a result it may be deduced that Mpondo people worship the ancestors.
Belief in the existence of a Supernatural Being namely Mveli-ngganji i.e. the first to appear, is very clear. But the belief in the existence of heaven does not exist. All what they are aware of is the sky which is taken as the abode of the Supernatural Being. ''For them no one is allowed to point a finger to the sky (Interview, Nqandikokoko Nombeke, 1999 October).
Besides the respect of the sky, many places are regarded as sacred by Mpondo people.
Such places are certain rivers, forests, mountains, graves, kraals, homesteads, courts, huts, etc. "If they regard certain trees, woods, mountains, roots with reverence, it is because these are abodes of spirits that were human (Smith 1950 : 84).
Also important is the notion of the external influence noticed in the use of some terms such as Thixo which is derived from a Khoi Khoi name of a God called Tigua. The impact of Christianity and missionary teaching on Mpondo belief and knowledge of God became serious after annexation in 1894. Division of communities occurred as their traditional names of God were done away with, while others were replaced by the Christian orientated names. Such names are Somandla, i.e. almighty Sonininanini i.e.
everlasting.
As a result, interaction occurred between Christianity and ATR. Institutions run by Christians became centres of attack and destruction of the Mpondo culture and their religion. This caused serious problems for the community as the members felt that their culture was threatened by the teaching of Christian values in the western health centres and schools while the African beliefs about healing was undermined and regarded as backward and barbaric. The concept of beliefs among Mpondo people is part of their culture. Sometimes it becomes difficult to separate religion from the entire culture of the people. Everybody practising African culture is fully regarded as a believer and is religious.
Thus religion permeates the whole life of human beings present and life after death.
The common belief and practice among most Africans would include the religious role of ancestors, the importance of rituals and the community, the existence of mystical power which can be used to inflict good or bad on individuals and communities and the existence of sacred people, places and objects (Phiri, 1997 : 52).
4.7 Mpondo Mythology: Its relation to their underworld view and cosmology 4.7.1 Introduction
''Myth was a type of word, a discourse for making sense out of the present in terms of a primordial past (Chidester 19 : 07). Common among Mpondo people's religious life is the use of myths to explain certain problems such as the cause of death, the origin of life and their understanding of the underworld and their cosmology.
Belief in the existence of the invisible underworld is tied up with the myth of the origin of the people. To the Mpondo, Mvelingqanji, the first to appear, is the creator of the whole universe and all that is in it. There is no explanation as how the creation process occurred.
4.7.2 The creation myth
In an attempt to explain the origin of the universe and all that is in it, two myths are still circulating among the Mpondo. There is a myth that says people emerged from the underground, from a rock or a hole. Secondly there is the myth of the reeds. This one says people emerged from under the water, or a river covered by reeds.
4.7.2.1 The myth of the rock
The Mpondo has a myth which suggests that people came out of the hole in a rock. This registers the fact that, "the origin of the creative principle is wrapped in mystery. It was there at the beginning and it has always been there (Metuh-Ikeng 19 : 47). ''Human beings emerged in the beginning from the hole in the ground. This emergence myth has been recorded among Mpondo" (Albert 1968 : 13). Supporting this myth Ndibaza Msunza on interview mentioned that human beings emerged from the rocks (Interview
1969: 15 in Mcetywa 1998 : 201).
To Mpondo, people the underworld is full oflife. This stems from the belief that:
Life there was understood to be ideal and desirable. It was seen as a world of mist with green fields, cattle grazing and people living in peace and harmony. In some way the life down there had control and power of the life up here above the surface of the earth (Setiloane).
The main significance of the creation stories is that people emerged from the ground.
The question of how this occurred is not explained. Secondly this myth qualifies the belief that people emerged from the ground also indicating where they go to after death according African belief It also indicates that the creation process is a unique act which can only be attributed to God and to nothing else. But it is primarily concerned with bringing things into being from no pre-existing substance (Methu-Ikeng 1987 : 50).
No exact place is pointed where this took place. There is no individual who is said to be the first to appear. The myth seeks to explain that a community of
people, wives, husbands, and children emerged. Parents came out of the hole in the ground. They came out together men with their wives, children and their animals, cattle, sheep, goats and dogs (Setiloane 17).
In order to trace the place where this hole was situated our historical records can assist us in this regard. Ndamase in his book Ibali nentlalo yamaMpondo says that, "AmaMpondo aphuma e Mnyanza, Igama lornzi ka Mpondo Kwakuthiwa kuse Lubhelu". This means:
"Mpondo people originated from Nyanza and the name of their home was Lubhelu"
(Ndamase 1924: 35).
The place referred to as a Nyanza is similar to the name of a province called Nyanza in Kenya of central Africa (Metuh-Ikeng 1987 : 74). In his assertion of this fact,
"Livingstone maintained that divinity who is said to have led the first people out of a hole in the ground to be as far north as the lakes of central Africa" (Livingstone 1857 : 06 in Setiloane 1986 : 18).
Also observed in this myth is the Mpondo system of burial in the ground and the respect rendered to a grave. For instance, when people are buried in the grave they are made to face East. The reason for this, is that the hole from which the first people emerged was situated in the East of central Africa. The idea is that the dead are set in readiness to journey back to where all humanity has come from (Setiloane 1986 : 18).
The realization is that the deceased are embarking on a journey to the forefathers. Bidding him or her a farewell always centred around these words:
Remember us where you go, ask them to send us rain and food and grain. It was understood that the dead go to a hole that never gets filled, out of which the first inhabitants of this earth were led by Loowe (Setiloane 1986: 19).
A strong belief among the Mpondo is that there is continuity of life after death. This stems from the fact that people came out of the hole in the ground with everything to sustain their life. It is also believed that when people are going back they must fully prepare to continue with life because they came out with animals to help them. Also, when they are buried, they go back with their arms, utensils, medicine, etc. for continuity of life in the underworld.
4.7.2.2 The myth of the reeds
Every culture has its fund of mythology. It is now commonly accepted that myth can no longer be discounted as mere fabrication of the fertile minds of primitive peoples handed down from generation to generation. In the myth there is something of a communal memory of the group as it has grappled with the question of its and all human origins, life on this earth, being (what is the human person) and even the hereafter (Setiloane 1986 : 14).
Another myth about the human being's origin is that, "human beings emerged from a bed of reeds" (Brownlee 1916 : 116). Mpondo people believe in the emergence of the people from the bed of reeds which usually grow near the river. This belief is in line with the belief that people go to the river after death. There are various reports that deceased people were thrown into a river as a kind of burial. The meaning of this is that the deceased were sent back to where they came from.
For this reason, Mpondo people believe in the sacredness of water, some rivers, and pools which are usually taken as the dwellings of the ancestral spirits. This explains why there are some religious rituals which are specifically performed near the river. Some rituals are performed for health purposes for ''water symbolism is important" (Linden 1979 in Phiri 1997 : 166).
Common among amaZulu and Swazi people is a religious ritual called Umhlanga performed for girls who are of mature age. Umhlanga is a Zulu Swazi term for the reeds.
This festival called Umhlanga is significant in that it is a religious festival enacting the event of the first people coming out of a bed of reeds, as related in the myth, This endorses the fact that people who came from the river where there are reeds should continue to come through birth given by the young females who are a symbol of the nation's continuity. "At the centre of the Umhlanga ritual of the Swazi is a prayer that the ancestors who themselves came out of the bed of reeds, must continue to ensure national fertility for national growth" (Setiloane 1987 : 16).
Closely linked to this is the report which is usually made by the people who are undergoing divination training - that there is life under water. There is a saying that people are having huts, owning cattle, cooking food, making beads and ornaments under water. Also explained by this is that the river is where the ancestors are believed to be dwelling. (See p 31 Ukuthwasa ngamanzi and Ingxwala on p 20, Chapter 3).