Opinion / Columnist
I come from #ThisVillage of Ntabazinduna (Hill of Chiefs)! - Part 1.
17 Jul 2016 at 04:26hrs | Views
On the outskirts of #ThisCity, KoBulawayo, is situated a village like no other! It's about 40km from #ThisCity of Kings and Queens in almost the eastern direction to the city which is now a shadow of its former glory. There are indeed deep historical links that connect these two places. So, here I was naturally born, and partly brought up for it takes a village to raise a child who seeks wisdom and understanding at all times.
Let me quickly mention that I am fascinated by the science of making decisions, especially the analysis of them and the approach to decision making. #ThisVillage is an embodiment of deeply spiritual (in the supernatural context) and critically historical perspectives. Therefore, I will address mainly these two aspects in this article, and probably do justice to the significance of a "hill" in humankind.
We are home to one of the best schools across the nation where some of the finest brains which have been drained worldwide have been produced, that is, at eNgwenya (John Tallach High School). The country is Zimbabwe, but of late they are some people already who refer to that part of the nation as Mthwakazi, maybe just like the whole country was formerly Rhodesia. We also have David Livingstone Secondary School, named after another interesting character to ever walk or tread the terrains our land.
While it may not matter, I should mention we also have within the borders of #ThisVillage one of the largest Police Training depot. Unfortunately, I am not sure whether we have also trained in that depot some of these most brutal "oRobayi" who are clearly performing extremely barbaric acts we never imagined and ultimately giving a disservice to the people.
Back to #ThisVillage and the significance of its "Hill". Therein are found vital truths, critical perspectives, practical lessons, philosophical ideologies, traditional value systems, and supernatural spiritual parallels to the Christian context. By the way, we also have a dam that never runs dry of water unlike the Kariba Dam!
Historically, this is where King Mzilikazi executed or sealed his sacred final decision against some chiefs who had acted otherwise under the guidance of iNdunankulu ("Prime Minister") uKhondwane Ndiweni (corrupted version being known as Gundwane Ndiweni). They took a wrong decision with regards to the choosing of deserving transitional leadership for the greater good of the young Ndebele nation and its progress (development).
Well, we may say they were fed up (basebediniwe) with being leaderless or leading themselves because King Mzilikazi was "alive" but as good as dead. The King was in a place of less influence and inspiration in their lives as a young nation that was beginning to enjoy freedom in every sense from King Shaka. They were typically growing as a young nation in the "presence" of an absent father! He was still present on the face of the earth, but not useful enough to sustain the soul of the nation! Hence they decided enough is enough (sokwanele) and became not afraid (asisesabi) to replace #ThisKing.
The greatest costly mistakes humans could ever make in the so called "best interests" of the nation are represented by that hill. Indeed, there are some decisions that can be made where the margins of error are next to zero in positions of responsibility for the whole nation! When the decision is proven to be bad and wrong, you pay the ultimate price possible for the extenuating circumstances and the incriminating evidence!
But why execute them on a "hill", which is about forty-kilometres and to the eastern direction of isigodlo (The Royal Palace)? Now this needs us to draw parallels to the significance of a hill from biblical perspectives! Our forefathers indeed understood these things of spirituality supernaturally, maybe contrary to the notion that the Christian belief systems were brought by so called civilisation or the whites per se.
To begin, we must take note of the number forty (40) which represents the end of a long journey in the wilderness, and ultimately the end of oppression. The King and his nation had been in the "wilderness" moving away from the oppressive rule of King Shaka in the Zulu Kingdom. Also we must remember biblically that wise men were from the east, so as people of the Ndebele nation looked to the east of iSigodlo they were supposed to remember the value of wisdom or lack thereof as immortalised with the death of the Chiefs!
Mind you, Abraham made the best sacrifice on a hill (Mount Moriah) which may as well be likened to opportunity costs within economic decisions, Moses died on top of a hill (Mount Nebo or Pisgah) after having been only shown the horizons of the promised land from a distance which he was never to enter just like the chiefs who never entered the new Ndebele nation to be fully and formerly established.
Moreso, Caleb who was one of the only people with Joshua (former faithful spies of Moses) to enter the promised land, and famous for leading the march for towards the Fall of Jericho Wall, asked to be given the mountain (Hebron) as an inheritance in the land of Canaan and died there. King David said he looks up to the hills from where cometh his help, Jesus took his friends to Mount of Transfiguration and the charismatic Peter requested they stay there, and finally King of Kings Jesus Christ himself was crucified at the cross on the hill of Golgotha to save the whole world!
Well, they say the higher you go the cooler it becomes. So it's cool to be from Ntabazinduna! This is because Hills also represent SAFETY (during war), PROVISIONS (poverty alleviation), HOPE (dreams and visions), CHALLENGE (competitiveness), GAINED HEIGHTS/SUMMIT (top achievements or benchmark standards), WIDER HORIZONS (perspectives and wisdom), OBEDIENCE (law-abiding) and many more!
So just like Caleb (Joshua 14:12-13), our forefathers made a conscious decision to settle in #ThisVillage. They realised that we need not to run to the Hills (emakhaya or rural areas) for safety or survival during times of war (extreme challenges), but we must also master the art of living in the Hills (emakhaya) during moments of relative peace. In #ThisVillage we have no time to mumble or complain in the valleys of fear! Instead, we rise to the occasion sikutshele nxa sesidiniwe ukuthi asisafuni kumbe ukuthi ley'into oyenzayo siyayizonda!
Watch out for my next article about #ThisVillage as I may even briefly give an account of the Gukurahundi incidents within the borders of #ThisVillage, and illustrate how we have stayed true to most of those principles and values represented by a Hill. By the way, in #ThisVillage even President Mugabe or Zanu-PF fear to tread with their feet on any day.
Ngiyabonga mina, ngiphinde ngihloniphe njalo indunankulu (paramount chief) yesigaba uChief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, lokubingelela izakhamuzi zakithi eManxeleni ezifana laboDabengwa (#ThisVillage, My Village!). Kumnandi ukuba lapha emakhaya afana lawaseNtabazinduna.
This article has been written in a personal capacity for the re-awakening of ordinary villagers by Mthokozisi Ndiweni. He is an emerging young professional pursuing to be fully qualified as a Decision Scientist and Economist, and about to complete his studies for a BCom in Quantitative Management and Economics at UNISA. He can be contacted on ndixam@gmail.com .
Let me quickly mention that I am fascinated by the science of making decisions, especially the analysis of them and the approach to decision making. #ThisVillage is an embodiment of deeply spiritual (in the supernatural context) and critically historical perspectives. Therefore, I will address mainly these two aspects in this article, and probably do justice to the significance of a "hill" in humankind.
We are home to one of the best schools across the nation where some of the finest brains which have been drained worldwide have been produced, that is, at eNgwenya (John Tallach High School). The country is Zimbabwe, but of late they are some people already who refer to that part of the nation as Mthwakazi, maybe just like the whole country was formerly Rhodesia. We also have David Livingstone Secondary School, named after another interesting character to ever walk or tread the terrains our land.
While it may not matter, I should mention we also have within the borders of #ThisVillage one of the largest Police Training depot. Unfortunately, I am not sure whether we have also trained in that depot some of these most brutal "oRobayi" who are clearly performing extremely barbaric acts we never imagined and ultimately giving a disservice to the people.
Back to #ThisVillage and the significance of its "Hill". Therein are found vital truths, critical perspectives, practical lessons, philosophical ideologies, traditional value systems, and supernatural spiritual parallels to the Christian context. By the way, we also have a dam that never runs dry of water unlike the Kariba Dam!
Historically, this is where King Mzilikazi executed or sealed his sacred final decision against some chiefs who had acted otherwise under the guidance of iNdunankulu ("Prime Minister") uKhondwane Ndiweni (corrupted version being known as Gundwane Ndiweni). They took a wrong decision with regards to the choosing of deserving transitional leadership for the greater good of the young Ndebele nation and its progress (development).
Well, we may say they were fed up (basebediniwe) with being leaderless or leading themselves because King Mzilikazi was "alive" but as good as dead. The King was in a place of less influence and inspiration in their lives as a young nation that was beginning to enjoy freedom in every sense from King Shaka. They were typically growing as a young nation in the "presence" of an absent father! He was still present on the face of the earth, but not useful enough to sustain the soul of the nation! Hence they decided enough is enough (sokwanele) and became not afraid (asisesabi) to replace #ThisKing.
The greatest costly mistakes humans could ever make in the so called "best interests" of the nation are represented by that hill. Indeed, there are some decisions that can be made where the margins of error are next to zero in positions of responsibility for the whole nation! When the decision is proven to be bad and wrong, you pay the ultimate price possible for the extenuating circumstances and the incriminating evidence!
But why execute them on a "hill", which is about forty-kilometres and to the eastern direction of isigodlo (The Royal Palace)? Now this needs us to draw parallels to the significance of a hill from biblical perspectives! Our forefathers indeed understood these things of spirituality supernaturally, maybe contrary to the notion that the Christian belief systems were brought by so called civilisation or the whites per se.
To begin, we must take note of the number forty (40) which represents the end of a long journey in the wilderness, and ultimately the end of oppression. The King and his nation had been in the "wilderness" moving away from the oppressive rule of King Shaka in the Zulu Kingdom. Also we must remember biblically that wise men were from the east, so as people of the Ndebele nation looked to the east of iSigodlo they were supposed to remember the value of wisdom or lack thereof as immortalised with the death of the Chiefs!
Mind you, Abraham made the best sacrifice on a hill (Mount Moriah) which may as well be likened to opportunity costs within economic decisions, Moses died on top of a hill (Mount Nebo or Pisgah) after having been only shown the horizons of the promised land from a distance which he was never to enter just like the chiefs who never entered the new Ndebele nation to be fully and formerly established.
Moreso, Caleb who was one of the only people with Joshua (former faithful spies of Moses) to enter the promised land, and famous for leading the march for towards the Fall of Jericho Wall, asked to be given the mountain (Hebron) as an inheritance in the land of Canaan and died there. King David said he looks up to the hills from where cometh his help, Jesus took his friends to Mount of Transfiguration and the charismatic Peter requested they stay there, and finally King of Kings Jesus Christ himself was crucified at the cross on the hill of Golgotha to save the whole world!
Well, they say the higher you go the cooler it becomes. So it's cool to be from Ntabazinduna! This is because Hills also represent SAFETY (during war), PROVISIONS (poverty alleviation), HOPE (dreams and visions), CHALLENGE (competitiveness), GAINED HEIGHTS/SUMMIT (top achievements or benchmark standards), WIDER HORIZONS (perspectives and wisdom), OBEDIENCE (law-abiding) and many more!
So just like Caleb (Joshua 14:12-13), our forefathers made a conscious decision to settle in #ThisVillage. They realised that we need not to run to the Hills (emakhaya or rural areas) for safety or survival during times of war (extreme challenges), but we must also master the art of living in the Hills (emakhaya) during moments of relative peace. In #ThisVillage we have no time to mumble or complain in the valleys of fear! Instead, we rise to the occasion sikutshele nxa sesidiniwe ukuthi asisafuni kumbe ukuthi ley'into oyenzayo siyayizonda!
Watch out for my next article about #ThisVillage as I may even briefly give an account of the Gukurahundi incidents within the borders of #ThisVillage, and illustrate how we have stayed true to most of those principles and values represented by a Hill. By the way, in #ThisVillage even President Mugabe or Zanu-PF fear to tread with their feet on any day.
Ngiyabonga mina, ngiphinde ngihloniphe njalo indunankulu (paramount chief) yesigaba uChief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, lokubingelela izakhamuzi zakithi eManxeleni ezifana laboDabengwa (#ThisVillage, My Village!). Kumnandi ukuba lapha emakhaya afana lawaseNtabazinduna.
This article has been written in a personal capacity for the re-awakening of ordinary villagers by Mthokozisi Ndiweni. He is an emerging young professional pursuing to be fully qualified as a Decision Scientist and Economist, and about to complete his studies for a BCom in Quantitative Management and Economics at UNISA. He can be contacted on ndixam@gmail.com .
Source - Mthokozisi Ndiweni
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