Learning with
Granny!
Cybertrekkers
This month we find our group in the Transkei.
To find out why they are there and what they will be doing simply visit the last article
here.
A Walk on The Wild Coast
Part 1 - The People of the Kei
 Both
Margie and Hetty were familiar with the area and Alex had grown up in the
Transkei so knew the waters of the South Eastern side of Africa well, but young
Tion had never seen the sea before and was keen to get down and walk on the
sandy beach.
The four of them took off their shoes and walked along
the water's edge. Tion splashed and enjoyed running backwards when every little
wave tried to catch his toes.
They continued on up the krantz that jutted out into
the sea and stood and watched as the wild breakers crashed against the cliff
reaching a tremendous height before plummeting back down again. "That
really is wild," commented Alex taking Tion's hand.
 They
went inland, walking at times through grass that was taller even than Alex.
After getting a fright when some grazing cows appeared out of nowhere in their
path they finally reached a path. Margie led them to a little rural village set
high on the hillside. Enter the picture to the right to see the village.
 "Sandila
lives here with the grandmother - oh! there they are now," she pointed as
they approached a neat rondawel. A little girl about Margie's age was tending a
fire under a black three-legged pot and some wonderful smells were coming from
it. Enter the picture to the right to see the neat rondawel.
Before greeting Sandila, Margie first addressed her
grandmother. "Molo gogo," she said in a respectful way. She introduced
the others to the Xhosa grandmother (or gogo), and then to Sandila and went on
to tell them something about their hosts.
"Sandila lives with her grandmother as both her
parents work in the city. She is learning to make beaded necklaces and other
traditional jewelry. She is also learning to make baskets and grass mats and to
decorate the lovely wooden pipes her grandfather makes," she paused.
"Show them the pipes please gogo".
 "We
have sold all the beaded ones we had, but I'll show you the ones that are
waiting to be beaded," said the grandmother getting up and going inside.
Enter the picture to the right to see the pipes.
"Where's Tion?" asked Alex who usually kept
his young nephew in his sites. "Don't worry Alex," said Margie,
"he's just trying to catch a little black pig - there is a whole family of
them with their mother under a bush - he won't though - they are too quick for
him".
"He can have one next week" said the
grandmother coming outside again with the pipes and a blue envelope in her
hands. Alex declined and told her their plans to travel and learn about the
history of
'people'.
The grandmother was very excited, "Please come
back and tell me all about. I love hearing stories of places far away - what the
people are like and how they live." she went on " I have never been
very far from home but I have met many people who have come to this area from
different parts of Africa and from overseas," she pulled an old photograph
out of the blue envelope.
 "This
is me when I was a young girl and had learnt to make baskets from my mother and
this was one taken by some people who used to come from far away to buy our
baskets every year". She pulled out another photo and continued,
"…and this one many years later when I had children of my own".
Enter the picture to the right to see one of the photos.
"When I was Sandila's age, we didn't have a
school, but I learnt all the traditional ways from my parents and my relatives.
My children went to school however, and that is why my son want's Sandila to
live with us and go to the village school and learn to respect the Xhosa
traditions at the same time. She will pass her skills on to her children one
day.
Many Xhosa people have moved about South Africa and
live and work in and around the big cities - adopting the Western way of life.
There are still many of us fortunate enough to live in the rural areas of the
Transkei and Eastern Cape. Here to the North and the South of the Great Kei
River that flows down to into this turbulent sea, " the grandmother
continued.
"This coast has wrecked many old sailing ships and
some of the cargo has been scattered on the ocean floor to be tossed on the
shores years later." said the grandmother - relating stories that had come
down her from her ancestors.
"When we get home we'll ask Granny to tell us
about the Treasures from the Wild Coast" said Margie.
"Yes and tell her that we are having a gathering
in the village hall tomorrow night. There will be traditional dancing and
supper. Everyone is invited. Some of the woman will be selling some of their
handwork too." said the grandmother "You tie a knot in your
handkerchief so you won't forget" she added. "Don't worry Mama,"
said Alex, "I won't let her forget".
"I'd like to go" said Hetty. Sandila's
grandmother was pleased and offered to lend Hetty a traditional Xhosa outfit to
wear. She took her hand and they went inside together. "It's
beautiful" said Hetty as the grandmother laid the heavy white dress out on
the bed.- "Don't you want to wear it yourself?".
" It is too small for me now," the
grandmother laughed, "one day I will give it to Sandila, but I'd like you
to wear it and dance with us. I will be playing this big drum."
"Oh thank you so much," said Hettie rushing
out with the dress in a packet. She didn't show anyone the outfit, but was the
first to give Granny the message about the gathering when they got home.
Everyone was so interested in hearing about how they
had spent the afternoon and making plans to go to the party that Margie forgot
to ask Granny to talk about the 'treasures' found on the Wild Coast.
But we'll do that next time.
 Have
a look at Hetty in the lovely white dress and Sandila's grandmother playing her
drum. Enter the picture to the right to see the gathering! Alex was very pleased
to have been asked to join the guest's of honour on the stage and to help judge
the children's dances. Margie had some money to spend so enjoyed shopping at the
craft stall and Tion spent the evening running backwards and forwards between
the cooking activities outside and the lively dancing inside. He was so hungry
that he ate two helpings of samp and beans - his favorite - "nosh",
two lamb chops and a piece of boerewors.
Websites to visit:
http://www.users.iafrica.com/p/pl/playa/xhosa.htm
tThis month's poem
A Myth in Verse
The Song of The Kei by Jenny Marais
What was he doing the Great god Kei
Down in the reeds by the river?
Smoking his pipe and painting the sky -
And beckoning the hills to come hither.
Lighting the fires in the heart of the aloe.
Anchoring the green crested crane.
Scattering red ochre with each breath he let go.
Reaching out to the stars in vain.
What did he do, the Great god Kei -
When he reached the shores of the ocean?
He feasted on sealife and fish that passed by
And drank of the sea's healing potion.
He swam out as far as he could - for he thought -
He saw where the stars began.
He watched as the moon rose high in the sky -
Then the sun put an end to his plan.
He hitched a ride on the ingoing tide -
Then lay on the sand in the breeze
"What a wonderful place for a god to abide.....
I think all it needs is some trees."
The birds and the animals then arrived
And were shortly followed by humans.
With the river, the sea, the sky and the land.
The stars watched as it all began.
------------------------------------
Pub. Poetry Institution of Africa.
Next month, visit again for Part 2, The Treasures of
the Kei - sea shells, dolphins, whales, shipwrecks, carnelian beach, Ming china,
mining titanium, wild fig, coral and yellowood trees, indegenous flowers!
If you would like to e-mail Granny
your questions and ideas please do so at granny@scienceinafrica.co.za
Until Next Month, Happy Reading!
Granny Jenny
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