Culture Review
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uZanelanga-The Blues in isiXhosa

Ndidibene naye ndimi ndedwa eqongeni. Ndandizincina, ndincwina, ndiziva ndimncinane. Ndandicula ngoma ithile. Kuyo ndandizama ukwehlisa isingqala esasindiqhine umqala, sindikrwitsha rhoqo xa lisihlwa. Ndasondeza umboko ndahlabela:

By Naledi Yaziyo Artwork by Musa N. Nxumalo
uZanelanga-The Blues in isiXhosa

Ndidibene naye ndimi ndedwa eqongeni.
Ndandizincina, ndincwina, ndiziva ndimncinane.
Ndandicula ngoma ithile.
Kuyo ndandizama ukwehlisa isingqala esasindiqhine umqala, sindikrwitsha rhoqo xa lisihlwa.
Ndasondeza umboko ndahlabela:

Wen’ ulilanga lam elingatshoniyo
Uyinyanga yam engakhanyiyo
Usisilonda sam esingapholiyo
Silonda yhini na awupholi na?

Ungene ndimnxene ndinjalo uZanelanga wam.
Wama ngxi phambi kweqonga,wangowukuqala endambonayo ndakuqhwanyaza.
Waqhwaba izandla okomntwana ophiwe into emnandi ebengayindelanga.
Ndathi xa ndisehla eqongeni ndemva esithi:

That was sublime, ndizokuthanda wena ngenye imini.

Indlela awathetha ngayo lo mazwi yandendenzela imincili.
Ndahlala naye latshona elalomini.
Endihlekisa.
Endikhumbuza ubuncwane bobomi obungenaxhala.

Ndamthanda njalo ke uZanelanga wam.
Ngalomini wandibonayo, wandibonisa ubomi ngaphesheya kwalantlungu yayindimise kwelaqonga.
Ukusekela ngalamhla, ndivula amehlo abe ekhona, endiphathele ukukhanya.
Nam ndikhongozele, nditsho ndikhululeke.

Kodwa ke uyawazi umhlaba unjani, yinto nje engakhathaliyo.
Nam ke ndikhe ndamophula uZanelanga wam.
Ndamshiya emi yedwa kindawo esasithembeseni kuyo ukwakha ubomi.
Kaloku ndandisoyiswa bubunzulu bothando.
Kaloku xa uqhele ubumnyama, ilanga liyawothusa amehlo.

Ndimshiye emi yedwa uZanelanga wam. Ndemka, ndalahleka ebomini bakhe.
Ndandikhangeka ntoni ngelaxesha?
Andiqiniseki, kodwa ndiyazi ukuba wathi chu ukucenga, umfutho wakhe ungandiyekelelanga.

Undilande apho uZanelanga wam. Wandikhumbuza ukuba le mibuzo indizulisayo soze iphenduleke ngokungxama.
Wathi:

Zinza my Ledi. Bude ubomi. We have plenty of time to find out.

He does not say my name in full. My Ledi.
Ingaba ndim Lowo unegamana elimnandana?

Ndabuyela kuye uZanelanga wam.
Ndakhongozela kwakhona.
Wakugalelela ukukhanya.
Ndimthandela lo nto uZanelanga wam.

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