Poem
Gcina Mhlophe
HISTORY IS A HEAVY MATTER
History is a heavy matterIt is a strange animal with multiple heads
Colours too many to ever count
The creature’s unique colours have a way
Of awakening the most indescribable pride
But others bring back such sad memories
The very worst memories
Of events that left our ancestors
perplexed, speechless
And then it makes you feel so much joy
You hear massive drums pounding
Deep in your heart, with invisible hands
Beating a rhythm that goes Gu! Gu!
Another Gu! Gu! Another Gu! Gu!
Reminding you that these colours and faces and eyes
Are the proud heritage of a nation
They are shining, glittering brightly
And when one of the heads speaks directly
Come closer, go on and touch me,
Feel free to even caress me if you so wish
Yes, go on. Show off, tell the world
What a great achiever you are
Just by mentioning my name
Then remember who you are
Where you are from and where you are going
The warm glow of a happiness so overwhelming
The smile spreads down to your very toes!
And such indescribable pride about your history
But then one of the creature’s heads turns and shouts
Stop! Stop right there!
Remember that it is not only great events
That make up your history or that of any other nation!
Apply your mind, remember well the painful atrocities
And terrible mistakes
Learn, grow and be certain not to return to those times
That hurt your very soul
It is clear that the heart loves to suppress and cover well
This way it wants to avoid wasting precious tears
Oh, how they flow, unstoppable, when the heart breaks into pieces
As it sees the ugliness on the face
Of the multi-headed beast
Head raised up high, threatening, opening
The worst and deepest wounds
Prompting us to earnestly say
Indeed, history is a heavy matter
The maidens we honour here today
Died painfully fighting for their rights
The times were not at all like today
The laws of the land did not allow them
To even begin to open their little mouths
King Cetshwayo was unprepared for what happened
They defied the orders forcing them to marry old warriors
So he ordered them all to be killed
Today we honour the maidens of Ingcuce Regiment
Heroines we respect as we sincerely say
They did not lay down their lives in vain
Their memory inspires us to open our eyes
To face today’s challenges
It is time for us, young and old
To empower ourselves and each other to build the nation.
To make our ancestors in the land of Mthaniya proud
Yes, indeed, history is a heavy matter
But a great educator too
Courage, children of Africa, Courage!
© Translation: 2010, Gcina Mhlophe
UMLANDO YINTO ENZIMA
UMLANDO YINTO ENZIMA
Umlando into enzimaIsilo esimakhanda khanda
Usikhumba simabalabala eminingi
Ecishe ingabaleki
Imibalabala evusa usinga
Ijabulise inhliziyo ngaphakathi
Neminye ethi ivuse umunyu nosizi
Lapho sesikhumbula
Izehlakalo ezashiya okhokho nokhokhose
Bebambe ongezansi
Umlando bakwethu yinto enzima
Lesi silo simakhandakhanda
Sike sithi uma usibukisisa
Ugcwale ukuziqhenya
Uzwe izigubhu ezingaziwa
Sishaya kamnandi kuwena ngaphakathi
Zithi gu gu! Gu gu!, zithi gu gu!
Ingani phela amagugu esizwe lana
Ayacwebezela ayakhazimula
Athi woza qala kimi, ngithinte kahle
Ungiphulule, ugabise nanokugabisa ngami
Uma uthanda, maqedane ukhumbulisise
Ukuthi ungubani ufisani uphokophelephi na
Enpilweni.
Ukuzethemba koza?
Whoo yeka! kumamatheke ngisho nezinzwane!
Kepha elinye ikhanda lesilo lona
Liyaphenduka, usathi uyazigqaja
Lithi Mana bo! Akubona ubuhle bodwa
Obusemlandweni wakho
Futhi noma owaso nasiphi na isizwe
Khumbula nezibuhlungu izigameko
Ukuze ufunde, ukhule, ukugweme ukubuyela
Emuva kulezo zikhathi
Ezithanda ukukhathaza umoya wakho
Ingani phela inhliziyo iyathanda
Ukulalisa yembeze futhi izifihle izinkumbulo ezimbi
Phela isuke yenqaba nezinyembezi zayo, ezehlayo
Zigobho-gobhoze lapho isiqaqamba kalusizana
Ngenxa yokubona ububi, obusebusweni
Besilo esimakhanda - khanda
Esesiphakamise elona lakhe laba limbi ikhanda leli
Kuvuke namadala wona amanxeba
Lapho sesisho impela sithi
Umlando lona yinto enzima
Izintombi esizikhumbulayo namuhla zashona
Kabuhlungu, zilwela amalungelo azo
Isikhathi sasingafani nesanamuhla
Umthetho wezwe wawungavumi ngisho ukuthi
Zilokothe ukuyivula imilonyana yazo!
Inkozi uCetshawyo wayengakulindele neze okwenzeka.
Kepha kithina izintombi zeNgcuce
Zingamaqhawekazi esiwakhumbula
Ngenkulu inhlonipho, Sisho futhi nokuthi
Ukulahleka kwezimpilo zazo akulona Ize leze!
Kusipha amandla, kusipha imvuselelo
Kusivula amehlo kabusha, khon’ukuze
Nathi sibhekane nezanamuhla izingqinamba
Kwabadala nabancane lesi isikhathi
Sokulwa impi yokuzakha, ukwakhana
Nokwakha isizwe esihle sikaMthaniya
Yebo umlando yinto enzima
Kepha uyafundisa! Qinidolo mAfrika!
© 2007, Gcina Mhlophe
Poems
Poems of Gcina Mhlophe
Close
HISTORY IS A HEAVY MATTER
History is a heavy matterIt is a strange animal with multiple heads
Colours too many to ever count
The creature’s unique colours have a way
Of awakening the most indescribable pride
But others bring back such sad memories
The very worst memories
Of events that left our ancestors
perplexed, speechless
And then it makes you feel so much joy
You hear massive drums pounding
Deep in your heart, with invisible hands
Beating a rhythm that goes Gu! Gu!
Another Gu! Gu! Another Gu! Gu!
Reminding you that these colours and faces and eyes
Are the proud heritage of a nation
They are shining, glittering brightly
And when one of the heads speaks directly
Come closer, go on and touch me,
Feel free to even caress me if you so wish
Yes, go on. Show off, tell the world
What a great achiever you are
Just by mentioning my name
Then remember who you are
Where you are from and where you are going
The warm glow of a happiness so overwhelming
The smile spreads down to your very toes!
And such indescribable pride about your history
But then one of the creature’s heads turns and shouts
Stop! Stop right there!
Remember that it is not only great events
That make up your history or that of any other nation!
Apply your mind, remember well the painful atrocities
And terrible mistakes
Learn, grow and be certain not to return to those times
That hurt your very soul
It is clear that the heart loves to suppress and cover well
This way it wants to avoid wasting precious tears
Oh, how they flow, unstoppable, when the heart breaks into pieces
As it sees the ugliness on the face
Of the multi-headed beast
Head raised up high, threatening, opening
The worst and deepest wounds
Prompting us to earnestly say
Indeed, history is a heavy matter
The maidens we honour here today
Died painfully fighting for their rights
The times were not at all like today
The laws of the land did not allow them
To even begin to open their little mouths
King Cetshwayo was unprepared for what happened
They defied the orders forcing them to marry old warriors
So he ordered them all to be killed
Today we honour the maidens of Ingcuce Regiment
Heroines we respect as we sincerely say
They did not lay down their lives in vain
Their memory inspires us to open our eyes
To face today’s challenges
It is time for us, young and old
To empower ourselves and each other to build the nation.
To make our ancestors in the land of Mthaniya proud
Yes, indeed, history is a heavy matter
But a great educator too
Courage, children of Africa, Courage!
© 2010, Gcina Mhlophe
HISTORY IS A HEAVY MATTER
History is a heavy matterIt is a strange animal with multiple heads
Colours too many to ever count
The creature’s unique colours have a way
Of awakening the most indescribable pride
But others bring back such sad memories
The very worst memories
Of events that left our ancestors
perplexed, speechless
And then it makes you feel so much joy
You hear massive drums pounding
Deep in your heart, with invisible hands
Beating a rhythm that goes Gu! Gu!
Another Gu! Gu! Another Gu! Gu!
Reminding you that these colours and faces and eyes
Are the proud heritage of a nation
They are shining, glittering brightly
And when one of the heads speaks directly
Come closer, go on and touch me,
Feel free to even caress me if you so wish
Yes, go on. Show off, tell the world
What a great achiever you are
Just by mentioning my name
Then remember who you are
Where you are from and where you are going
The warm glow of a happiness so overwhelming
The smile spreads down to your very toes!
And such indescribable pride about your history
But then one of the creature’s heads turns and shouts
Stop! Stop right there!
Remember that it is not only great events
That make up your history or that of any other nation!
Apply your mind, remember well the painful atrocities
And terrible mistakes
Learn, grow and be certain not to return to those times
That hurt your very soul
It is clear that the heart loves to suppress and cover well
This way it wants to avoid wasting precious tears
Oh, how they flow, unstoppable, when the heart breaks into pieces
As it sees the ugliness on the face
Of the multi-headed beast
Head raised up high, threatening, opening
The worst and deepest wounds
Prompting us to earnestly say
Indeed, history is a heavy matter
The maidens we honour here today
Died painfully fighting for their rights
The times were not at all like today
The laws of the land did not allow them
To even begin to open their little mouths
King Cetshwayo was unprepared for what happened
They defied the orders forcing them to marry old warriors
So he ordered them all to be killed
Today we honour the maidens of Ingcuce Regiment
Heroines we respect as we sincerely say
They did not lay down their lives in vain
Their memory inspires us to open our eyes
To face today’s challenges
It is time for us, young and old
To empower ourselves and each other to build the nation.
To make our ancestors in the land of Mthaniya proud
Yes, indeed, history is a heavy matter
But a great educator too
Courage, children of Africa, Courage!
© 2010, Gcina Mhlophe
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère