Lost in Tradition

A search for the origin of culture and religion: the double edged sword. The Hunter-Gatherers.

From as early as 1593 there were Xhosa-speaking people as far south as the Umthatha River, in what is today, the Eastern Cape. During the 19th century the Hlubi, Zizi, Tolo and Bhele person migrated to the region, now known as the Transkei (and is now a part of the Eastern Cape).

They subsequently became known as the Mfengu under the leadership of paramount Chief Hintsa. In 1835 the British colonists and missionaries claimed them as refugees of Zulu King Shaka’s “Total War” of the late 1820’s. Thus the Xhosas became the main African people who were exposed to the colonists and their way of life, particularly in towards the late 18th century.

This intense contact with the colonists made a profound impact on the Xhosa particularly in the fields of religion and education: Xhosa-speakers are, today, predominately Christian. Xhosa marriage bares similarities to that of Zulus particularly in that the marriage is sealed by the transfer of cattle (ikazi) from the family of the groom to that of bride as compensation for the bride’s family.

The Xhosas, too, are firm believers in the ancestors whom they refer to as Imiyanya. According to Miss Ramahoshe the most important aspect of the Xhosa lies in their pride and their rites of passage. According to Ramahoshe, the Xhosa are at the forefront of initiation in South Africa. Originally initiation had militaristic significance, yet today it is a rite of passage which sees many males leaving the luxuries of their home to stay in the mountains for a few weeks before being circumcised and sent home as men. The Xhosa are also renowned for their sense of pride and their unwillingness to compromise – particularly with their dialect. Proud and diplomatic… that is the Xhosa way.

	While many of us are made aware of our heritage by our parents and grandparents, it is still a problem that a lot of us are walking around oblivious as to who we really are and where we are really from.

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