Xhosa mystic saw the light

I recently had opportunity to attend a live gospel show of Joyous Celebration. I’m normally not a happy-clappy kind of Christian, but I had to drive my relatives who are into that sort of thing.

Well, the show was a real stopper, especially the choreography which I’m told is done by its rather intrusive conductor, Lindelani Mkhize.

The strength of Joyous Celebration is its eclectic music, from Zionist sounds to kitsch ballads to faux opera. But once you get into the groove ‘ngumgqungqo lento (it’s a trance like). I found myself, with a David-like need that required me to stand and dance, actually more like inkenqe kaNtsikana.

Let me explain. Ntsikana was a Xhosa prophet who lived during the nation’s difficult time when British colonial encroachment in the Eastern Cape was intensifying. One day Ntsikana awoke early, as was his custom, to watch the sunrise. He saw sunrays leaning strangely against the entrance of his hut and coming to rest on him.

“Do you see what I’m seeing?” he asked his servant boy who was separating calves from heifers in front of his house. The boy replied in the negative. Three times Ntsikana asked the boy, thrice he got the same answer.

When the sunrays left him the rays went to the cattle enclosure and rested on his favourite ox. Ntsikana sat next to his kraal contemplating the happenings.

At the hour when the sun reaches its highest peak, Ntsikana went inside his hut to prepare for a tribal dance that was taking place in the village that afternoon. He left for the tribal dance feeling a little queasy. While he was dancing with his usual dexterity, an uncanny spirit carried him into a mild trance. The moment he recovered he stopped and sat down, feeling even queasier. When the spirit momentarily left him he recovered.

Having caught his breath and feeling better, he stood to dance again. The same thing happened again. Three times this happened until he gave up and called upon his entourage to accompany him home.

When the group was about to cross the river, Ntsikana had an irresistible impulse to stop and stoop over the water to wash the ochre off his face. He threw his beautiful leopard skin kaross away and demanded to be given something less pretentious. People were astonished. They asked: “What has fallen over Norhongo, the heifer that stints its milk?”

Ntsikana answered: “There’s an insistent voice within me that says: ‘Let there be prayer! Let everything bow its knees to Dal’ubomi [Creator of life]’.”

When they reached the house, Ntsikana told them again about the thing that has entered me; commanding me and all of you to pray ceaselessly. It tells me we must convert from our sinful ways and not listen to that liar, Nxele, who has misguiding people.

Ntsikana had a mystical need to cleanse himself of what he called ‘impurity’. His thoughts developed to resemble Christianity. He preached against witchcraft, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, gluttony, covertness, and so on.

Ntsikana had many converts to his Christian way. Soga, a councillor in Ngqika’s royal house, was an early convert. He summed up the mood of the times: “The Word has given birth out of our rocks KwaGqoboka, rocks are flowing water, the desert has given birth to rivers in the wilderness.”

All his life, Ntsikana had to fight against the militant shadow of Nxele, the Xhosa war prophet. Ntsikana’s message was in essence this: Things are bad at Gaga. Nxele is telling people lies. Dalibom is coming to fence this land against lies. The true God is Mhlabazihlangana (Nations-mix) and is Ndikhoyo-Naphakade (I’m Forever Am). His son has lighting supernatural eyes, and is Sifuba-Sibanzi (Broad-Chested Tayi).

Sele! Sele! Ahom, ahom, ahom!

He came to me at the Lake of Arms (Breakfast Vlei).

Nation of Phalo! Respond! Respond!

You’re being called by Heaven.

Hom! Homna! Hom, Hom!

The sound says as He comes.

Proclaim this at Gqorha! Proclaim it at Mankazana.

He is the shield of truth. He is the maker of stars and Pleiads.

He amalgamates flocks rejecting each other.

His name is Dalibom. The creator of all life.