Childhood Days Long Walk Original Manuscript (Image #11)

he replied: "Andizi Ndisaqula" (I will not come, I am still putting on my sword). He was charged and convicted and that ultimately led to his deposition. The only form of tribalism of which I first became aware in our small world at Qunu was that between the Xhosas and Fingoes. As far as the standard of education was concerned the latter were in those days the most advanced section of the community. They were the first to produce clergymen, policemen, teacher, clerks, interpreters, and agricultural demonstrators. They were amongst the first to become Christians, to build better houses and use scientific methods of agriculture. Their economic standard was higher than that of their Xhosa compatriots. This disparity gave rise to feelings of hostility between the two sections. My father lived above these prejudices and was accepted warmly by both sections. The Fingo brothers, George and Ben Mbekela, were among his closest friends and he consulted them on numerous problems. It was because af their influence that my mother became a Christian and I was baptized and sent to school on their advise. The old man, George, was a sort of godfather and visited me regularly at Mqhekezweni. It was at Mqhekezweni that I learnt for the first time that Ngangelizwe, immediately after the war of Nongxokozelo in 1875, officially banned the use of the word "Fingo" against any Thembu citizen in his kingdom. In that war the Thembu army was badly mauled by the Gcalekas and its reputation was saved, if at all, by the courageous stand of a Fingo regiment inder Menziwa at Mthentu. Even to the present day the Menziwas rank amongst the most respected families in the Thembu Court. In spite of his friendship with Christians, my father remained aloof from Christianity and instead pinned his own faith on Quamata, the God of his fathers. As the most senior member of the family, he was family priest. Occasionally a goat would be slaughtered and he would officiate the traditional rites connected with the breaking of the