Iyabulisa INKOSAZANA YamaTSHAWE, UMZUKULWANE wamaNUNE Nali Ibali. . . . FROM PHALO TO NGQIKA (1700-1820), AMALINDEThe Gcaleka had gradually recovered from their internal divisions, from Kawutas weakness, and from their defeat by Ngqika in 1795.Around 1805, Bhurhu, the Right-hand son of Kawuta, declared, ‘Let the people of different customs come together, and the houses of the Great Place stand close.’The resistance of dissidents led by Chief Nxito of the Tshayelo was overcome.Bhurhu did not attempt to assert his own autonomy, but threw his weight behind Kawuta’s Great Son, [His Majesty Xhosa King Hintsa, Legendary Grandson to Gcaleka], easily the most impressive figure in the whole history of the descendants of Tshawe.Two quotations will have to suffice as some indication of his political style.The first comes from his speech to his heir, at the latter’s circumcision:Now hear! Love your cattle, my people love me because I love my cattle, therefore you must love your cattle, as I have done...if you have cattle, poor men will not pass by your place, no he will stop with you..you must respect the rich only... you must not despise the poor...see the reason why I have so many cattle. I love my cattle and my people love me. A man that is a coward, when he gives you council, you must hear that man, he will give you wise council. A bad man by his council will bring you into trouble... Take care of pride, when you go into the field to look at the cattle, and you see a piece of firewood, take it up, and carry it home and make fire..When a councillor asks you for cattle, give him some, though your cattle are pretty, because through this thing, your people will love you.Available records indicate that [His Majesty Xhosa King Hintsa, Legendary Grandson to Gcaleka] was at the same time a ruthless hounder of the rich and a generous benefactor of the poor.This is not really paradoxical: it was the only way to be both wealthy and popular. Hintsa’s mode of proceeding and the care which he took to preserve the outer niceties is admirably illustrated by the following:In Hinza’s territory, a Kaffir, whose possessions excited envy and dislike, was accused of keeping a witch, which though confined during the day, roamed about the country at night, and destroyed the cattle. On this plea he was seized and deprived of everything , half of the cattle being taken by Hinza, while the other half were distributed among the councillors..The missionary... said, ‘You have plenty of cattle, why did you ruin the poor man?’ when the chief turned to him with a peculiar smile, which marked that he was not deceived, and with a tone of mock seriousness said, ‘Yes, but it is a shocking thing you know, to keep a witch wolf.Further progress was made when Nqoko, Chief of the amaMbede died, and Hintsa was able to back one of his sons, Mguntu, against the other, Kalashe.The autonomy of the powerful Ngqosini clan was destroyed by the massacre of seventeen unsuspecting Ngqosini councillors on a hunting expedition, and the degradation of their Chief to the position of headman under Hintsa’s right-Hand son, Ncapayi.Thus by degrees the Great House re-established its control over the Xhosa chiefdoms east of the Kei, and Bhurhu re-occupied Gcalekas old territory west of the Kei.Hintsa now began to consider extending his authority over the westernmost chiefdoms, and the troubles of the Rharhabes seemed to invite intervention. Nor was he hard put to choose between Ndlambe, his father’s old ally, and Ngqika, whom he had good reason to believe had nearly murdered him.Ndlambe was recognised as Chief of the Rharhabe (‘he was Hintsa’s eyes’) whereas Ngqika was not recognised at all (‘he was there but he never reigned’).Hintsa is reported to have led the allied armies against Ngqika in person at the battle of Amalinde. Events soon precipitated a crisis.A Colonial commando seized the cattle of the minor chiefs, under the impression that they were supporters of Ndlambe. They demanded that Ngqika join in an attack to recover them. He attempted to get the cattle back by negotiations, but in the meantime many of the imiDange joined Ndlambe’s war doctor, Nxele.Ngqika demanded that Ndlambe hand Nxele over to him. Ndlambe refused, saying that Hintsa alone was king and that Ngqika was just a Chief like himself (and therefore could not give him orders).Ngqika answered ‘haughtily’, ‘I too am a king!’ but he knew too well the basis on which his kingship now rested and sent urgent appeals to the Colony for its promised aid.Ndlambe forced the issue by seizing the cattle of one of Ngqika’s sub-chiefs, and Ngqika’s councillors compelled the reluctant Chief to attack.At the great battle of Amalinde (October 1818), Ngqika’s forces were overwhelmed.Ndlambe and his followers sent an urgent message to the colony ‘declaring they were anxious to remain at peace with the colony, but at the same time refusing to submit to Ngqika, whom they had conquered.The appeal was ignored by the colonial authorities, who believed that Ngqika was being punished because he had tried to repress cattle-raiding.The Fifth Frontier War (December 1818) commenced when Colonel Brereton attacked Ndlambe (December 1818), and took 23000 cattle.The Xhosa swept into the colony, attacking Grahamstown in broad daylight (22 April 1819). Inevitably, British firepower was victorious, and by October the Xhosa had been defeated. Ngqika’s ascendance over Ndlambe and Hintsa was now established... but at a cost to himself that he could hardly have anticipated. Ingaba uyazazi imvelaphi yakho?
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 02:32:37 +0000
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