In the words of Zukiswa Pagama.
Keiskamma Art Project
Hamburg.

This is one of the stories that would never fade in all generations of the Xhosa Nation. Even though a generation a century has passed since this incident occurred, it feels like yesterday. It is unforgettable as it contains the main cause of the poverty, emptiness and hardships of the Xhosa Nation. It was a disaster and a great disappointment.

Nongeawuse a Xhosa girl of about fifteen years of age claimed that she had seen strange people down by the Gxarha River, which her uncle Mklacaza described as their ancestors. She told the nation that those strangers had commanded her to tell the Xhosa people that they should kill all of their cattle and not plough the land. On a certain date a great wind and storm would come from the east and blow all the white people into the sea. From the deep sea new healthy cows would come and they would live happily ever after and never die. People were reluctant at first but eventually they all killed their livestock and didn’t plant the land. They believed Nongeawuse and hoped for the best but the worst came. The Xhosa people’s hearts were crushed, and their souls were buried alive. Losing the cattle like that was unbearable.

The Keiskamma Art Studio is like a silver lining to these poor women who are struggling to make ends meet. They are bringing back the cows but only in sewing this time. By embroidering our work with these nice fat colourful cows we are instilling back a lost sense of pride. It is our way of showing the African Renaissance, to a rainbow nation that lives under one umbrella of peace. Here at Keiskamma Art these women believe that they can bring about change and new hope. Since the nation was brought down by a young woman, these women hope to one day uplift the standard of living in this desolate rural place.

Cattle symbolise the wealth, prosperity and life of the Xhosa people. By loosing the cattle, the people lost their well being, their identity their pride and for the first time doubted their religion.

Their hearts were crushed, and their souls buried alive. Losing their cattle like that was unbearable, first by the lung sickness then by their own swords, because of their faith and to the ancestors. Their respect to the king Sarhili and to the dead, cost them their pride. I too would have believed Nonqawuse. I would have obeyed Mhlakaza. At that time a man was known among men by a herd of cattle he owned. That was how they identified themselves. Without cattle there was no life for the Xhosas as they were farmers and had no proper education. Their cattle made their life to bloom and prosper. To cultivate their lands they used the cattle - to do functions of sacrifice to the ancestors, blood of cattle was spilled, so as to strengthen the bond between the dead and the living so that great showers of blessing would fall upon them. For Lobola, cattle were used not money. Some people still blame the girl, who they believed brought along the disaster, some blame the white traders, especially Sir George Grey who was the Governor at that time, they said he was the one who disguised himself and confused the girl, which led to the destruction of the whole nation. Resulting in great poverty, the beginning of slavery for the Xhosas and the losing of their best lands to the white traders.

But all has changed, Nonqawuse’s prophecy is being fulfilled in small ways. When Nelson Mandela, the greatest Xhosa King that has ever lived, emerged from the dark walls of Robben Island, it was like he had been dead, and was coming out from the sea, with wealth in both hands, for he was armed with peace and reconciliation. The ‘old system’ was thrown into the sea and a new rainbow nation was born. The old saying “Behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining”, today at Keiskamma Art Centre, here at Hamburg and nearby villages, a group of unemployed women are trying to recapture the long lost pride of the Xhosa Nation.