Nontsizi Mgqwetho

Nontsizi Mgqwetho was a South African poet who is widely regarded as "the first and only female poet to have written a substantial body of poetry in isiXhosa". She is well known for her poetry which was published in Umteteli wa Bantu, a multilingual weekly Johannesburg newspaper, from 23 October 1920 until 5 January 1929. The poet's body of work from this period has cemented her place as one of the greatest literary artists ever to write in isiXhosa. Her poetry has been described as swaggering, urgent, confrontational and said to reveal more about the identity and struggles of an urban Christian black woman from the 19th century than other texts of that era.[1]

Personal life

Not much is known of Nontsizi's Mgwetho's personal life. Traces of her origins come from her poetry as it was published on Umteteli wa Bantu. Mgqwetho referred to herself as "Imbongi uChizama" (poet from the Chizama clan) and later as "Yimbongikazi uChizama"- meaning female poet from the Chizama clan. Chizama was her father's clan name.[2] Mgqwetho reveals her mother's identity as Emmah Jane Mgqwetho, the daughter of Zingelwa, of the Cwerha clan, and she associates her with the Hewu district near Queenstown in a poem lamenting her death, which was published on 2 December 1922 in Umteteli Wabantu. In another poem that appeared on 18 December 1920, she criticizes L. T. Mvabaza, the editor of Abantu Batho, for bragging that he had brought her from Peddie to Johannesburg, so she seems to have lived near Peddie, possibly at Tamara, before moving to the former Transvaal.

Mgqwetho is likely to have penned two prose contributions to the King William's Town newspaper Imvo zabantsundu on 20 May and 14 October 1897, both signed Cizama (coming from Tamara near Mount Coke between King William's Town and Peddie ). Professor in African Languages Abner Nyamende, recognizes in Mgqwetho's poetry quotations from the Moravian liturgy, which suggests that she may well have been educated in the Eastern Cape by the Moravians, probably at Shiloh in the Hewu district.[3] It is unclear what Mgqwetho had come to Johannesburg for but her first poem was sent to the publications from the Crown Mines. Mgqwetho and her sister, Mary, may have stayed in the Rand to organise dances, with dance being a recurrent theme in her poetry. Mgqwetho and her sister Mary may have remained unmarried as a 1949 newspaper article refers to them as Miss Nontsizi and Mary Mgqwetho. Mgqwetho, in one of her poems, also describes herself as physically awkward and unmarried:[2]

Taru'. Dadakazi lendaba zaseAfrika Ubh'ibh'inxa lwentombi esinqe simbi Awu!Nontsizi bulembu eAfrika Akusoze wende nezinto ezigoso (Mercy, duck of African thickets ungainly girl of ill-shaped frame Awu! Nontsizi, African moss with bow-legs like yours you'll never marry!)

Poetry

Nontsizi Mgqwethu burst onto the scene when her first poem (signed "Imbongi uChizama"), which was published on Umteteli wa Bantu on 23 October 1920. She soon changed the name to "Yimbongikazi Nontsizi Mgqwetho uChizama" (Female poet Chizama) on her second until the eight poem. On her ninth poem published in December 1920 she was using Imbongikazi uNontsizi Mgqwetho. In 1921 and 1922 she was published three times on Umteteli wa Bantu. She returned in December 1923 and was published every week until September 1926. Between 23 October 1920 and 4 September 1926 Umteleli published 95 poems and three articles by Mgqwetho. She then took a two-year break before returning to have two final poems published in Umteteli wa Bantu on 22 December 1928 and 5 January 1929. Mgqwetho disappeared into obscurity and was never heard of again.[3]

Mgqwetho's poetry was always in opposition to male dominance. Her insistence on the use of Imbongikazi, the feminine form of imbongi(praise poet) signals her stance as a woman. During Mgqwetho's time, the rural praise poet, imbongi, was always a male, so she would have been barred from public performances in honour of the chief. This dominance by male poets is exhibited by the fact that isiXhosa poet SEK Mqhayi who was a frequent contributor to Umteteli wa Bantu at the same time as Mgwetho received national recognition, while she did not.[2] In this poem below Mgqwetha shows opposition to male dominance in poetry.[4]

Kuba tina simadoda nje asizange Siyibone kowetu imbongokazi Yenkazana kuba imbongi inyuka Nenkundla ituke inkosi (We as men have never encountered these female poets in our homes Because a poet—a male— rouses the court and censures the king)

A Christian, Mgqwetho supported "manyanos" (church groups for women) as they were the only space in which Christian women could speak freely. However, in her poetry Mgqwetho reveals her opposition to Christianity, which she deems the tool of oppression.[2]

Zay'konxa! Afrika ngamakandela NangeBhayibhile, nemipu, zayikahlela (They clapped shackles on you, hurled you down with a bible and musket)

One of her most powerful poems "Mayibuye Afrika" (Come back Africa) displays her political stance. In the poem, Mgqwetho laments the loss and exploitation of African land and resources. She further displays her position by adopting a critical stance of the African National Congress and its leaders, whom she castigates for fragmenting rather than unifying black opposition, and she constantly appeals for black unity in the face of white oppression. The title of the poem published on 19 July 1924 is 'Strangers strip people selfishly squabbling.' She defends Marshall Maxeke, the first editor of Umteteli, and celebrates his wife, the civil rights activist Charlotte Maxeke. A prose contribution published on 13 December 1924 records her own involvement in the April 1919 mass demonstration against passes in Johannesburg.[3]

Legacy

Nontsizi Mgqwetho's poetry was compiled into a book titled The Nation’s Bounty: The Xhosa Poetry of Nontsizi Mgqwetho by Jeff Opland, Visiting Professor of African Language and Literatures at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and Research Fellow in the Department of African Languages, University of South Africa, Pretoria. It was published in 2007.[1] Mgqwetho has often been described as one of the early black urban feminist voices in the 20th century.