Difference between revisions of "Nongqawuse"
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| + | [[Nongqawuse]] is the name of a [[Xhosa]] prophetess whose prophecies led to the [[Xhosa]] cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857, a historic figure who has been the subject of numerous literary and artistic works. | ||
== The name == | == The name == | ||
| − | '''[[Nongqawuse]]''' appears to be the currently accepted spelling of her name | + | While '''[[Nongqawuse]]''' appears to be the currently accepted spelling of her name, but there have been many alternative spellings over the years, among them [[Nongqause]], [[Nonqause]], [[uNonqause]], [[uNongqawuse]], [[Nongquassi]] and [[Nongkwase]] (in [[Afrikaans]]). |
== The historic figure and theatrical character == | == The historic figure and theatrical character == | ||
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A historic figure who has been the subject of numerous literary and artistic works (see for example the extensive lists by Offenburger and Davies, cited among the sources below), including a large number of plays and other performance pieces. | A historic figure who has been the subject of numerous literary and artistic works (see for example the extensive lists by Offenburger and Davies, cited among the sources below), including a large number of plays and other performance pieces. | ||
| − | She was the Xhosa prophetess whose prophecies led to the Xhosa cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857. Born in 1840 in the Kentani district and raised by her uncle (Mhlakaza, a famed spirit-medium), the oral history has it that as a young girl she was sitting on a rock at a pool near the Gxara River in 1856, when she saw the faces of her ancestors appearing in the pool. They told her that they would drive all the white settlers out of the country. A huge wind would come up and blow all the settlers into the sea. But first, as an act of faith to prove their belief in the world of the spirits, the Xhosa would have to kill all their cattle and destroy all their crops. | + | She was the [[Xhosa]] prophetess whose prophecies led to the Xhosa cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857. Born in 1840 in the Kentani district and raised by her uncle (Mhlakaza, a famed spirit-medium), the oral history has it that as a young girl she was sitting on a rock at a pool near the Gxara River in 1856, when she saw the faces of her ancestors appearing in the pool. They told her that they would drive all the white settlers out of the country. A huge wind would come up and blow all the settlers into the sea. But first, as an act of faith to prove their belief in the world of the spirits, the [[Xhosa]] would have to kill all their cattle and destroy all their crops. |
== The plays == | == The plays == | ||
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''[[The Light – Ukukanya]]'' ([[Mary W. Waters]], 1925) | ''[[The Light – Ukukanya]]'' ([[Mary W. Waters]], 1925) | ||
| − | ''[[The Story of the Native Doctor]]'' ([[Mary W. Waters]], 1926) | + | ''[[The Story of the Native Doctor]]'' (a short story: [[Mary W. Waters]], 1926) |
''[[Engaba – A Place of Refuge: The Story of the Cattle-Killing]]'' ([[Cecil Lewis]], 1926) | ''[[Engaba – A Place of Refuge: The Story of the Cattle-Killing]]'' ([[Cecil Lewis]], 1926) | ||
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''[[The Girl Who Killed to Save (Nongquase the Liberator)]]'' ([[H.I.E. Dhlomo]], 1935) | ''[[The Girl Who Killed to Save (Nongquase the Liberator)]]'' ([[H.I.E. Dhlomo]], 1935) | ||
| − | ''[[ | + | ''[[Nonquassi (film)|Nonquassi]]'' (a film: [[Leon Schauder]], 1939) |
| + | |||
| + | ''[[Nona]]'' by [[Jack Cope]] | ||
''[[The Cattle-Killing]]'' ([[D.L.P. Yali-Manisi]]/[[Jeff Opland]], 1970) | ''[[The Cattle-Killing]]'' ([[D.L.P. Yali-Manisi]]/[[Jeff Opland]], 1970) | ||
| Line 36: | Line 39: | ||
''[[Red Earth / Umhlaba Obomvu]]'' (Saskia Janse, 2006) | ''[[Red Earth / Umhlaba Obomvu]]'' (Saskia Janse, 2006) | ||
| − | ''[[ | + | ''[[Poet and Prophetess]]'' (an opera, Mats Larsson Gothe and [[Michael Williams]], 2008) |
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
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Sheila Boniface Davies (compiler): 2010. ''Creative accounts of the Xhosa cattle-killing''[http://www.persistentfrontiers.com/xhosacattlekilling/docs/sbd-creativeaccounts.pdf] | Sheila Boniface Davies (compiler): 2010. ''Creative accounts of the Xhosa cattle-killing''[http://www.persistentfrontiers.com/xhosacattlekilling/docs/sbd-creativeaccounts.pdf] | ||
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| + | |||
| + | Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Return to == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[ESAT Personalities N]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[Main Page]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:41, 20 February 2024
Nongqawuse is the name of a Xhosa prophetess whose prophecies led to the Xhosa cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857, a historic figure who has been the subject of numerous literary and artistic works.
Contents
The name
While Nongqawuse appears to be the currently accepted spelling of her name, but there have been many alternative spellings over the years, among them Nongqause, Nonqause, uNonqause, uNongqawuse, Nongquassi and Nongkwase (in Afrikaans).
The historic figure and theatrical character
A historic figure who has been the subject of numerous literary and artistic works (see for example the extensive lists by Offenburger and Davies, cited among the sources below), including a large number of plays and other performance pieces.
She was the Xhosa prophetess whose prophecies led to the Xhosa cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857. Born in 1840 in the Kentani district and raised by her uncle (Mhlakaza, a famed spirit-medium), the oral history has it that as a young girl she was sitting on a rock at a pool near the Gxara River in 1856, when she saw the faces of her ancestors appearing in the pool. They told her that they would drive all the white settlers out of the country. A huge wind would come up and blow all the settlers into the sea. But first, as an act of faith to prove their belief in the world of the spirits, the Xhosa would have to kill all their cattle and destroy all their crops.
The plays
Among the stage plays, oral stories, films and TV plays in which she features are:
U-Nongqause: Isiganeko so ku xelwa kwe nkomo 1857 (Mary W. Waters, 1924)
The Light – Ukukanya (Mary W. Waters, 1925)
The Story of the Native Doctor (a short story: Mary W. Waters, 1926)
Engaba – A Place of Refuge: The Story of the Cattle-Killing (Cecil Lewis, 1926)
The Girl Who Killed to Save (Nongquase the Liberator) (H.I.E. Dhlomo, 1935)
Nonquassi (a film: Leon Schauder, 1939)
The Cattle-Killing (D.L.P. Yali-Manisi/Jeff Opland, 1970)
Nongqawuse: A Treachery of Winds (Nigel Maister, 1988)
The Prophet (Brett Bailey and cast, 1999)
The Day of the Two Suns (Zakes Mda, 1999)
Red Earth / Umhlaba Obomvu (Saskia Janse, 2006)
Poet and Prophetess (an opera, Mats Larsson Gothe and Michael Williams, 2008)
Sources
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/nongqawuse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nongqawuse
http://www.encounter.co.za/article/118.html
Andrew Offenburger (compiler): The Xhosa Cattle-killing Movement[1]
Sheila Boniface Davies (compiler): 2010. Creative accounts of the Xhosa cattle-killing[2]
Go to the ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities N
Return to South African Theatre Personalities
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
