DOCSLIB.ORG

Heritage Indaba Publication

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Heritage Indaba Publication CONTENTS 1. Introduction V. Nyobole 2. Remarks: Bishop Siwa Our MCSA History through Story Telling: 3. Lilyfountain and the Namaqualand Mission S. Muller 4. Methodism and the Slaves M. Hansrod 5. Methodism in Namibia F. Stanley 6. Drinking from our own Wells G. Vika 7. Methodist Heritage Memories from the Free State IT. Moeketsi 8. Methodist Heritage in Gauteng and the Central District J. Millard Jackson 9. One to be Sent to Shakasland: Methodism in KZN S. Kumalo 10. The Indian Missions in Natal GK Nair 11. Igreja Metodista Wesleyana em Mocambique D. Matsolo 12. The Planting of Methodism in the Soutpansberg Area S. Mogoba 13. Methodism at Marishane in the Sekhukhune Circuit M. Mphahlele 14. Methodism in Swaziland A. Mtshali 15. Methodism in the area of Mahikeng and Botswana K. Ketshabile 16. The Missionaries and African Education S. Gqubule 17. Reflections (summary) on Story Telling L. Jafta 18. Heritage Indaba Statement (Resolution): 19. British Methodist Heritage Jo Hibbard 20. South African National Heritage Council S. Mancotywa 21. Conclusion E. Gabriel 1 . For the first time The Methodist Church of Southern Africa convened a Heritage Indaba. This was held in Durban from the 16 to 19 August 2012, coinciding with the 150th Indian Mission Commemoration (1862). In the first two days we heard, through simple story telling, of the richness of our Methodist history and heritage from different parts of our Connexion. We listened to guest speakers, from the British Methodist Church and the South African National Heritage Council. We also had the opportunity to visit local heritage sites and learn the importance of preserving one’s heritage and history. The Indaba culminated with the Commemoration Service, as we gave thanks to God for journeying with us, the Methodist family, thus far, but also placing our trust fully in God’s care, as we are led into the future. The accounts in the following pages are quite brief in relation to the actual presentations as the purpose of this monograph is to record simple story telling of our early beginnings, and not to produce an academic publication. As Methodists we possess a rich history and heritage. Whilst history records our past, our heritage ought to ignite a sense of pride in us, giving us reason to ensure its preservation for the future. Heritage sites can be linked to the mission of our church, theologically and practically, thus presenting us with amazing possibilities for God’s Mission. May the following stories not only be preserved for posterity, but instill in us fresh ventures of faith and service 2 Preface / Introduction Rev Vido Nyobole Executive Secretary: MCSA ?? 3 Remarks Rev Zipho Siwa Presiding Bishop: MCSA ?? 4 Leliefontein and the Namaqualand Mission Rev Sammy Muller The Namaqualand Mission may be said to have begun on 23 October 1816, the day when Jantjie Wildshutt and his elders invited the Rev Barnabas Shaw and his wife, Jane, to accompany them to the home of their Namaqua tribe, “Neiemies” or “Place of Gathering”, to become their missionaries. Realising their need for a teacher who could tell them about the “Great One in the Sky,” they met Shaw near Cape Town. He accepted their invitation and Neiemies later became Leliefontein. Shaw had arrived in Cape Town earlier that year but was denied permission to preach by the Governor, Lord Charles Somerset. The London Missionary Society missionary, Schmelen, told him of the need for missionaries in the interior, thus whilst looking for a place to set up a mission station, Shaw met Wildshutt. Upon arrival at Leliefontein he recorded: “We took up our abode in a hut belonging to one of the natives which had neither chimney, not even a door, and all in all, was of small dimension”. The Namaqua people were hunters and lived a communal nomadic life. Shaw taught them agricultural skills and also started a school. In 1817, about 50 people where learning to read, and amongst Shaw’s early helpers where members of the Links family. In 1826 the first proper school was erected. Education has always been a priority at Leliefontein, and in 1970 a Hostel was built. Today the school caters for learners from Grade 1 to Grade 8. The Leliefontein Mission was the first indigenous Methodist Society in South Africa. Shaw taught the people Methodist discipline and doctrines, and witnessed with the plough and spade as well as with his preaching, prayer and reading of Scripture. One of Shaw’s achievements was to transform a nomadic farming community into an educated, settled, agricultural community with a permanent place of abode. Although they farmed cattle, sheep and goats, Shaw taught them crop farming and horticulture. Spiritually the Namaqualand Mission has come a long way. In 1817 Shaw had ten converts. By 1833 there were 120 full members and in 1835 they started to contribute financially to the Mission. By 1850 the membership had grown to 163 and today there are almost 5 000 members. Shaw’s contextual and caring ministry began in 1816. It included a respect for the Namaqua culture of never “eating, drinking or smoking alone” that continues to this day. 5 Methodism and Slaves at the Cape Bishop M Hansrod In 1833 King William IV signed off the emancipation of slavery in all British colonies, which included the Cape of Good Hope. On 1 August 1834 a huge celebration was held in the government gardens and on 1 December 1834 all slaves in Cape Town were freed. On the last day of slavery the Rev Barnabas Shaw held an evening service, and at the stroke of midnight, and to a full Wesleyan Church, he announced: “Slavery is dead!” All the churches helped former slaves rebuild their lives, find new homes and occupations. One of the responses of the Methodist Church was to establish a community agricultural project at Raithby near Stellenbosch. Whiteside (1906:71) writes: “In the year 1834 when slavery was abolished… there were about 39,000 slaves in Cape Town.” In June 1834 an old wine store was purchased in Somerset West and converted into a school room and place of worship, and was officially dedicated on 28 September 1834. In 1847 the main church was enlarged and a new Chapel was built. The Rev Richard Ridgill served for many years as resident minister. Workers from the surrounding farms attended services, walking for miles carrying their shoes in their hands which they put on when they arrived at the church. The historic church at Somerset West, soon after celebrating 175 years of Christian witness had an unforeseen misfortune when in June 2010, the front of the church building collapsed due to a violent storm. The Methodist Church at Stellenbosch was established in 1837. In 1845 the farm “Moddergat” was purchased as an experiment in farming for the Coloured people of the area. They were to remain working for the farmers but would have their own allotment at Raithby on which to grow their crops. This was not a great success as the farmers resented the arrangement. In 1851 Moddergat, also known as Brackenbury’s Valley, was renamed “Raithy” after the home of their benefactor in England. The main church on Stellenbosch Plein was built in 1870. Methodism spread to Sir Lowry’s Pass in 1855 when land was purchased to build a church. In 1859 the Rev Henry Tindall was appointed to Overberg, Robertson. Moister in his A history of Wesleyan Missions (1869:166) writes that the Rev Henry Tindall collected a large congregation, formed a prosperous native church and opened an elegant new chapel. The chapel was built in 1863. Out stations were also formed at Lady Grey, Montague and 6 Newmanville. A chapel was built at McGregor in 1863. All these churches were part of the Cape District which comprised a number of circuits, the Overberg Circuit being one of them. Methodism in Namibia Rev F Stanley The Transgariep (land beyond the Gariep [Orange] River) was known as German West Africa in 1905 and in 1915 became South West Africa, while today it is known as Namibia. Methodism in Namibia was formerly established in 1834 at Warmbath (Nisbet’s Bath). In a prior attempt, Rev Threlfall, Jacob Links and Johannes Jager were martyred in 1825. Rev Edward Cook was the first appointment at Warmbath, and he worked mainly among the Bondleswarts clan, the most powerful in Namibia at the time. Cook was assisted by Peter Links from Leliefontein who was also his interpreter. Attendance at the services increased and the work grew. A church to hold 500 people was built, together with a manse and school. In 1836 the Rev Jackson joined him, thus allowing Cook to visit other tribes, as far as Walvis Bay. David Afrikaner, of the feared Afrikaner family, was later converted and a church established near his home. The Rev Joseph Tindall was sent to this station, known as Hoole’s Fountain. After nine years of hard life, Cook became ill. The family set out for Cape Town but he died en- route and his body was taken back to Nisbett’s Bath for burial. Today, a stone stands in his memory with the inscription: “In loving memory of Edward Cook, Wesleyan missionary who burned out his life to serve the Bondleswarts people, dying in the desert, March 9 1843 aged 43…” Rev Tindall helped expand our work to Gobabis in the east, and he also moved a section of the Bondelswarts people to Naosanbis, starting a school there. The Nama chief Amraal was converted. The Topnaard, another Nama tribe, were also reached with the Gospel. The work at Naosanbis was later closed due to tribal wars and was handed over to the Rhenish Mission.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Interaction Between the Missionaries of the Cape
    THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE MISSIONARIES OF THE CAPE EASTERN FRONTIER AND THE COLONIAL AUTHORITIES IN THE ERA OF SIR GEORGE GREY, 1854 - 1861. Constance Gail Weldon Pietermaritzburg, December 1984* Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Historical Studies, University of Natal, 1984. CONTENTS Page Abstract i List of Abbreviations vi Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Sir George Grey and his ’civili­ zing mission’ 16 Chapter 3 The missionaries and Grey 1854-6 55 Chapter 4 The Cattle Killing 1856/7 99 Chanter 5 The Aftermath of the Cattle Killing (till 1860s) 137 Chapter 6 Conclusion 174 Appendix A Principal mission stations on the frontier 227 Appendix B Wesleyan Methodist and Church of Scotland Missionaries 228 Appendix C List of magistrates and chiefs 229 Appendix D Biographical Notes 230 Select Bibliography 233 List of photographs and maps Between pages 1. Sir George Grey - Governor 15/16 2. Map showing Cape eastern frontier and principal military posts 32/33 3. Map showing the principal frontier mission stations 54/55 4. Photographs showing Lovedale trade departments 78/79 5. Map showing British Kaffraria and principal chiefs 98/99 6. Sir George Grey - 'Romantic Imperialist' 143/144 7. Sir George Grey - civilian 225/226 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge with thanks the financial assistance rendered by the Human Sciences Research Council towards the costs of this research. Opinions expressed or conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not to be regarded as those of the Human Sciences Research Council.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life and Work of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Within the Church of Scotland from 1975 to 1985
    HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422 Page 1 of 11 Original Research The Life and Work of the anti-apartheid movement within the Church of Scotland from 1975 to 1985 Authors: This article analyses the impact of the Church of Scotland (CoS) magazine Life and Work on the 1 Justin W. Taylor Dutch Reformed Church and other individuals and bodies during the period 1975–1985. It does Graham A. Duncan1 this through investigating the editor’s approach to South African affairs and the nature of Affiliations: contributions that he published. Significantly different views were expressed by those who had 1Department of Church lengthy exposure to the South African context as missionaries of the CoS and ‘tourists’ (holiday History and Church Polity, makers, relatives of residents in South Africa and church visitors). As the period progressed, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of changing attitudes are discerned that came more and more into line with the anti-apartheid Pretoria, South Africa stance of the General Assembly expressed through its boards and committees. Research Project Details: Project Leader: G.A. Duncan Project Number: 02618958 Introduction The Church of Scotland (CoS) produces a monthly magazine called Life and Work (L&W). This Description: This research is part of the magazine was established by Rev. Archibald Hamilton Charteris in 1879 under the title Scotland research project, ‘History of Life and Work: Theological Education in Africa’ In 1929 when the United Free Church of Scotland reunited with the Church of Scotland Life and Work was directed by Prof. Dr Graham Duncan of the Department of subtitled The Record of the Church of Scotland in recognition of the United Free Church publication, The Church History and Church Record, but this name was changed to Life and Work (L&W) in 1996 when the magazine was relaunched in Polity at the Faculty of full colour.
    [Show full text]
  • Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
    Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa The Uniting Church in Southern Africa was formed and constituted in 1999 as the outcome of the union between the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. These two churches shared the same origin dating back to the 19th century when Britain took over the Cape Colony. Their distinctive characters were that the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa was constituted among soldiers and settlers who arrived in the Cape in 1820. The Reformed Presbyterian Church on the other hand was a product of Scottish missions intended for the indigenous Africans, which started at Lovedale Mission in Alice. It became autonomous in 1923. Efforts to bring these two churches together have a long history which basically is a mirror reflection of the history of South Africa's macrocosm. Clearly the transition to democracy in the 1990s gave impetus to the union process so the link of union to democracy in South Africa is symbolic sui generis. History of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) CELEBRATING THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNION OF THE UNITING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN SOUTHERN AFRICA (UPCSA) The History of the UPCSA Several attempts to unite the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC) and the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA) were pursued during the 20th century. All failed until, with the coming of democracy in South Africa, the RPC in 1994 initiated a new attempt. This culminated in the formation of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) on 27 September 1999. This is the Union that we celebrate during 2009!! THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST Through the Word and the Spirit God calls the Church into being and sustains it as a people gathered into fellowship in Christ.
    [Show full text]
  • The Origins and Early Development of Scottish Presbyterian Mission in …
    The origins and early development of Scottish Presbyterian mission in … The origins and early development of Scottish Presbyterian mission in South Africa (1824-1865) Graham A Duncan Department of Church History and Polity, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa Abstract This article traces the origins and development of the Scottish Presbyterian mission in South Africa through its Scottish antecedents to its actual establishment in South Africa in 1824 until the end of the first phase of the mission in 1865. It begins by examining the Scottish context, the contribution of voluntary societies and the “Disruption”, both of which had serious implications for missionary growth. It then moves to South Africa and examines the birth of the mission through mission stations, institutions and the participation of black people. The origin of the Mission in Scotland The Reformation The Preface to the Scots Confession (1560) states clearly, “And this glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached through the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come.” The Confession closes with the prayer, “… let all the nations cleave to the true knowledge of Thee” (Cochrane 1966:163, 184). Clearly, it was the intention of the nascent reformed Scottish church that mission to the world was a priority. However, for more than two centuries, this did not materialise. The severe shortage of ministers may have been responsible, in part, for this state of affairs as well as the internal political situation in Scotland. While Ross (1986:33) acknowledges the insignificant missionary impulse and indifference on the part of the established church from the 16th century Reformation up to the late 18th century, he claims that mission has always been integral to the life of Christianity “despite its high and low points”.
    [Show full text]
  • The Development of Secondary Education Amongst the Xhosas in the Ciskei During the Period 1941
    THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AMONGST THE XHOSAS IN THE CISKEI DURING THE PERIOD 1941 - 1968 BY E.Q. BUKWANA ·.~ THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AMONGST THE XHOSAS IN THE CISKEI DURING THE PERIOD 1941 - 1968 by ERIC QAYISILE BUKWANA submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the subject HISTORY OF EDUCATION at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF I A COETZER JANUARY 1998 DECLARATION "I hereby declare that THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AMONGST THE XHOSAS IN THE CISKEI DURING THE PERIOD 1941 - 1968 is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acktiowledged by means of complete references." ERIC QAYISILE BUKWANA JANUARY 1998 :_: N 1 ~A ·:rv.RY 373. 68792 BUI<W \\\\\\\1\1\\\\\ 1 0001707563 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My sincere gratitude goes to: My parents, for their tireless efforts, especially my father, S M Bukwana, who insisted showing me the value of education till he died in 1984, a year after I have obtained my first degree; Mr A B Magocoba, one of the staff members in the Fort Hare library, for his kindness in giving me guidance as to how references of this library are used; Miss N V N gqeza for her assistance of referring me to old men such as Mr S N Stuurrnan and Mr V M Booi in her locality; Mrs N Majolobe, who patiently typed the manuscript; Prof I A Coetzer, my supervisor, who through his constructive comments and suggestions guided me throughout my research; and the Almighty, who gave me strength towards the completion of this work.
    [Show full text]
  • An Overview Translation History South Africa 1652
    An Overview of Translation History in South Africa 1652–1860 By Birgitt Olsen A research report submitted to the Faculty of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts: Translation Adelaide, South Australia, 2008 i Abstract This research report comprises an outline of South African translation history in the years 1652 – 1860. The report is divided into three chapters, covering scriptural and secular translation history across two time periods, namely 1652-1750 (scriptural and secular), 1750-1860 (scriptural) and 1750-1860 (secular). A catalogue of translations done in these time periods is also included. The research methodology is based on hermeneutical principles, and therefore seeks to interpret and represent historical material in a way that makes it relevant for contemporary circumstances, always focusing on the individuals involved in events as well as taking into account the subjectivity of the researcher. In conclusion, but also as a part of the overall rationale for performing the research, the report discusses the immediate importance to modern society of understanding the historical linguistic dynamics between cultures, as represented in translation activity. ii Declaration I declare that this research report is my own unaided work. It is submitted for the degree of Master of Arts: Translation, in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any other degree or examination in any other university. ________________________________ Birgitt Olsen 20th day of November, 2008 iii Acknowledgements My sincere and warm thanks go to my supervisor, Dr Elizabeth Meintjes, for her perspicacious, patient and humorous assistance in the years it to me took complete this research report.
    [Show full text]
  • An Overview Translation History South Africa 1652–1860
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Wits Institutional Repository on DSPACE An Overview of Translation History in South Africa 1652–1860 By Birgitt Olsen A research report submitted to the Faculty of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts: Translation Adelaide, South Australia, 2008 i Abstract This research report comprises an outline of South African translation history in the years 1652 – 1860. The report is divided into three chapters, covering scriptural and secular translation history across two time periods, namely 1652-1750 (scriptural and secular), 1750-1860 (scriptural) and 1750-1860 (secular). A catalogue of translations done in these time periods is also included. The research methodology is based on hermeneutical principles, and therefore seeks to interpret and represent historical material in a way that makes it relevant for contemporary circumstances, always focusing on the individuals involved in events as well as taking into account the subjectivity of the researcher. In conclusion, but also as a part of the overall rationale for performing the research, the report discusses the immediate importance to modern society of understanding the historical linguistic dynamics between cultures, as represented in translation activity. ii Declaration I declare that this research report is my own unaided work. It is submitted for the degree of Master of Arts: Translation, in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any other degree or examination in any other university. ________________________________ Birgitt Olsen 20th day of November, 2008 iii Acknowledgements My sincere and warm thanks go to my supervisor, Dr Elizabeth Meintjes, for her perspicacious, patient and humorous assistance in the years it to me took complete this research report.
    [Show full text]
  • The Trivial Round, the Common Task: Minutes of the Missionary Board of the Glasgow Missionary Society (1838-1843)
    The trivial round, the common task: minutes of the Missionary Board of the Glasgow Missionary Society (1838-1843) J.S. Ross Department of Church History and Missiology Dumisani Theological Institute KING WILLIAM’S TOWN E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The trivial round, the common task: minutes of the Missionary Board of the Glasgow Missionary Society (1838-1843) This article seeks to bring to attention a hitherto little-known account of missionary life among the Xhosa people in the Cape Colony during the period 1838-1843 as contained in “The minute book of the Missionary Board of the Glasgow Missionary Society, adhering to the principles of the Church of Scotland, in Caffraria, and in the neighbouring Colony” (MBGMS). The Missionary Board was responsible for providing adequate material infrastructure and logistical support to enable the accomplishment of the aspirations of the Society. The author argues that such mundane work is often neglected in modern missiological historiography, which focuses rather on the more “‘spiritual” aspects of mission work. The historiographic approach adopted in this article is that of modern narrative history. By focusing on some of the themes, trends and struc- tures presenting themselves in the record, the MBGMS is permitted to speak for itself with relatively little retrospective interpretation. It is demonstrated that the Board made an important contribution to the achievement of the goals of the Glasgow Missionary Society, as seen in the rise of a Xhosa middle class and the emergence of a significant group of black intellectuals, whose voice and influence are being recovered after years of enforced neglect.
    [Show full text]
  • Empire Unbound - Imperial Citizenship, Race and Diaspora in the Making of South Africa
    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2015 Empire Unbound - Imperial Citizenship, Race and Diaspora in the Making of South Africa Khwezi Mkhize University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the African American Studies Commons, African Languages and Societies Commons, and the African Studies Commons Recommended Citation Mkhize, Khwezi, "Empire Unbound - Imperial Citizenship, Race and Diaspora in the Making of South Africa" (2015). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 1096. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1096 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1096 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Empire Unbound - Imperial Citizenship, Race and Diaspora in the Making of South Africa Abstract "Empire Unbound" is an exploration of the history and politics of empire and imperial citizenship that went into the making of South Africa before the Second World War. The making of racial difference in South Africa is often located in the temporal and political terrain that is Apartheid (1948-1994). In this dissertation I look to the history of South Africa in the long nineteenth century and recuperate the frameworks of empire and imperial citizenship in making sense of struggles for belonging. Empire, both as a form of government and imaginary, invokes a degree of scale that exceeds the nation-state. It also historically precedes the nation-state, which has come to exemplify the model form for organizing sovereign polities. In "Empire Unbound" I argue that as South Africa became a self governing territory in the early twentieth century it folded the remnants of empire into its instrumentalities of racial governance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Early History of Blythswood Missionary
    THE EARLY HISTORY OF BLYTHSWOOD MISSIONARY INSTITUTION Thesis Submitted in Partial FulfiLment of· the Requirements for the Degree of BACHELOR OF DIVINITY of Rhodes University by Alastair Rodger, B.A. (Cape Town) Grahamstown, January, 1977. EXTRACT FROM B.D. THESIS, "THE EARLY HISTORY OF BLYTHSWOOD MISSIONARY INSTITUTION" BY A. RODGER. The Mfengu, or Fingos, of the Transkei were a mixed group of refugees. Originally driven from Natal during the Mfecane, they moved into the Transkei and then the Ciskei. In the 1860's some were allowed by the Cape government to settle in an area in the Western Transkei which it had recently seized. The majority of those who moved were opposed to mission work and education. · When therefore the government agent for Fingoland, Captain Blyth, and a Free Church of Scotland missionary, Richard Ross, gained the support of a few headmen for an educational Institution in the Transkei, and approached Dr James Stewart of Lovedale to found such an Institution on the lines of Lovedale, they had very slender support. Stewart agreed on condition the Mfengu subscribe £10.00 towards the cost. Support for this somewhat startling and, to some, unpalatable request was gained mainly because it was known that the government intended introducing a hut tax which would be far more onerous than the levy which, it was estimated, would be required to find the sum Stewart was asking. Blyth was able to use the agreement to a voluntary levy for an institution to persuade the government to postpone the tax. The Institution was built on a larger scale than had been planned, for the Mfengu made two subscriptions, each larger than the total requested, and Stewart raised money in Scotland.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dawn of Literature Among the Xhosa Dr A
    TOWARDS AN AFRICAN LITERATURE IV: THE DAWN OF LITERATURE AMONG THE XHOSA DR A. C. JORDAN Lecturer in Bantu Languages, University of Cape Town IN all the speech communities of the Southern Africans, what literacy exists is inseparably bound up with Christian missionary enterprise. To be able to "preach the Word", the missionaries had not only to learn the languages of the people, but also reduce these languages to writing. Translators, interpreters, preachers and teachers had sooner or later to come from among the aborigines themselves. And so some of the apt converts had also to be introduced to the rudiments of modern learning through the medium of the language of the missionary body concerned, But since, outside of the missionary bodies, no one undertook to educate the Africans, acceptance of "the Word" remained the only means of access to any form of modern learning, and literacy became the exclusive privilege of a few Christian converts and their progeny. The dawn of literacy is to be associated, first and foremost, with the Glasgow Missionary Society, whose representatives reduced the Xhosa language to writing at a small mission station on the banks of the Tyhume (Eastern Province) in 18 21. The first man ever to write a book in Xhosa was John Bennie, one of the three Glasgow missionaries who founded Lovedale. Some time before the coming of the Glasgow Mission, Ntsikana1 had caught the spirit of the Christian religion from the preachings of Dr. van der Kemp and, indeed, had founded his own Church. Ntsikana refused to be baptized by the Glasgow Missionaries, but on his deathbed expressed the wish that his followers should take their families and his two wives and sons to the mission station at Gwali (Old Lovedale).
    [Show full text]
  • Being Some Account of the History of the Printing, Packaging and Newspaper Industry of South Africa, and of The
    NICPRINT-50 Being some account of the history of the printing, packaging and newspaper industry of South Africa, and of the National Industrial Council for Printing, prepared to mark the Jubilee of the Council 1919-1969. Town by L.J. PICTON Cape Presented to the University ofof Cape To1r,n in satisfaction of requirements for the degree of M.A.(Econ.) University This edition of 150 copies was printed offset on Croxley Script by ES & A Robinson ·(Pty) Ltd and bound.by John Dickinson & Co Ltd in collaboration with Cape & Transvaal Printers Ltd. 1969 The copyright •f this thesis is held lty the University cf Czp Town. UCT LIBRARIES Reproduction of t~e whole er any i-art C000013192X may be made for study i-urpeses enly, anti not for publication. The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derivedTown from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposesCape only. of Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University Acknowledgments (i) Introduction (iii) Abbreviations (viii) l. Cape Printing 1780-1825 l 2. Cape Town 1825-1850 12 3. Mission presses before 1850 22 4. Cape Town 1850-1900 33 5. Eastern Province 1850-1900 50 6. Natal 67 7. O.F.S. and Kimberley 76 8. Transvaal 84 9. Mission presses after 1850 102 lOo A Technical Revolution llO 11. The Twentieth Century I 121 12.
    [Show full text]