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A Cottage in St Francis Bay
This small book is about the “Village of St Francis Bay” and how it has evolved over the 40-odd years since “The Cottage” was built.
But – it is not a history book with names, facts and dates!
It is about the spirit of the Village and the folk who have come over the years, either as holiday makers, or more especially, those who have made it their home.
It describes old roads, bread wars, new bridges, dams, multiple floods, fires, ongoing beach wars, and the reaction of folk who lived through these changes.
One could say that it is a glimpse of St Francis Bay through the keyhole of the front door of the family Cottage, built in 1974/1975, and the anecdotes relating to “Village” life that were passed on around the dining room table. -
Chuu Ngcembe Ngemibongo
Amaxesha amaninzi xa kubonwa umntu ozihambela indlela yakhe ethe chuu iba ngathi kukho ndawo ashiyeka kuyo. Iba ngathi olu hlobo ahamba ngalo luyamcothisa ezintweni de ibe ngathi uthatha kade. Abanye wofika bemsizela bemvela bemcingela nokumcingela bethu. Ukuba ungafumana nje inyhweba yokuba ubone intunja yoko kusengqondweni nasentliziyweni yakhe ungothuka ufe isiqaqa.
Ethe chuu nje uxakathe nto wena.
Ethe chuu nje ukude ngengqiqo.
Ethe chuu nje akathanga chuu ncam.
Indaba yotyelo ayikholi, yonwabele mfundi nayo le incwadi yemibongo kaZizi.
“UZizi uzithele chuu ngcembe okomkhuhlane wexhego ungxamel’ ukundixaka kunjalo nje kuba usuke wagwev’ eXerha kolu bhalondini lweencwadi. Sithi sisajonge imibongo abe esiphakela amabalana. Nqikani ke babhem nive iBhayinari ukuba lisiphakele ntoni na kulo vimba walo uphuphuma bubomi.”
(ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Iingcinga Zendoda
Le ncwadi yemibongo, ‘Iingcinga zeNdoda’ ichankcatha kwizinto ezisondeleyo kum ezimbanjeni. Ndingabalula kuzo uthando, ukungathandwa, inkathalo, umonde, ulwazelelelo, uxinzelelo, inkxalabo ngemeko-bume umntu azibhaqa ekuyo eyedwa erhangqwe lusapho lwakhe okanye lwakowabo nezinye ke bethu izinto esidibana nazo ebomini. Kukho ukukhula nokuxhokonxwa bubomi uthi usathi uyaphefumla suke kuthi gqi ubhubhane weCovid-19. Tsi! Bafondini izinto zomhlaba! Masifundeni nantsi imibongo ke nto zakuthi sitye sibhukuxe. Inkxaso yenu inene ixatyisiwe kakhulu eMdantsane kwikomkhulu lamanqindi.
“Imibongo ephuphuma ubom enikeza ithemba kwabo bantliziyo zidabukileyo, zikrunekileyo nezidakumbileyo. Funda uzivele mfundi, inene awuyi kukhohlwa uza kukholwa, indaba yotyelo ayikholi” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Indoda Ayikwazi Kuba Yinkedama
“Emva kokuyifunda, ndinambitha ubuncwane bayo, ndizive ndidanduluka ndisithi liyinene elithi ‘abantwana likamva lesizwe’ kuba ikamva lesizwe sethu, ngakumbi esi samaXhosa, liqaqambe kakhulu ngenxa yalo mbhali, osele ephum’ izandla, ewola namawonga ngamawonga ngenxa yokukhalipha kwakhe ekusebenziseni usiba, ebhala isiXhosa. Thatha ke iitshefu zibe mbini phambi kokuba uhlale phantsi, ufunde. Enye yeyokosula iinyembezi zentlungu, enye wokosula ngayo iinyembezi zolonwabo, ngenxa yoburharha balo mbhali.”
– Gqirha Hleze Kunju
(Umphathi kuBugcisa Bokubhala, kwiYunivesithi iRhodes.) -
Izitshanguba Zentlalo
Izinto ezisingqongileyo ekuhlaleni inene aziyonto nje enokuthatyathwa lula. Ziliqela ke izinto ezisetyenziswa ngabantu ukuze banyange ezi zitshanguba zingakhethe mntu nasiduko nakufuma kwesipaji. Abantu abafana nam ke abayiyeki tu into yokubhala imibongo ukuze loo ntlungu ibangelwa zezo zitshanguba ikhe isuke nje kancinci ibaphe umtyhi.
Le ncwadi ibhalwe ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo kumntu wonke iCovid-19. Sithe sinemithwalo yethu kakade kwavele kwathi gqi isigebengakazi esishiye amakhaya eziintsalu. Andikwazanga tu ukungaphawuli ngale ntlekele apha, ngethemba lokuba niza kuyonwabela le ncwadi. Makutyiwe ke noko ngoku kudala oku kutya kubondwa.
“Imibongo ezoba imifanekiso-ngqondweni ngobuchule obungaphaya komlinganiselo. Yiva nje imibongo efana nale: NGASESPORWENI EDEAL PARTY, INDODA EHLAMB’ IZITYA, SOZE INDODA INGAKHALI (I) no (II), LIHLE IBHAYI EBUSUKU, IVILA LOMBHALI, EDUTYWA EDOLOPHINI ndibala ntoni na. Mna ndithi intlalo yethu izele zizitshanguba ezifuna ukucocwa. Njengoko le mboni yakwaZizi sel’ iyihlahlile indlela nathi babhali nabafundi masizeke mzekweni, singen’ efolweni sicoce ezi zitshanguba; izitshambuluka ke ngokwasemaMpondweni kuwe Lawundini” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Mhla Latsh’ Ibhayi
Isihloko sale ngqwebo sithi, ‘Mhla Latsh’ iBhayi’ into ethetha ukuba kuza kwaziwana. Nangona kusaziwana kunjalo ke, ubukhulu becala amabali la ayacaca ukuba umbhali ziingontsi namasuka-ndihlale ahlangene nawo kulaa mimandla ikuMneno-Nciba kwatsho kwaqandusela la mabalana angcathu ancindi ivuzisa izinkcwe. Ubukhulu becala ngamabali la ayimvula-mehlo ukuba, ‘okuze buponi kotshabalala, okuze ngamathontsi kozinza,’ njengoko oko uya kukufumanisa kwimixholo yamabalana afana no‘INENE ULUNTU NGEZISULU’. Akhona amabali oya kuwafumanisa esityhilela izizeka-bani zoxinezelelo lwengqondo kubani, ngenxa yobugewu awathi wabhungca ngezikaSibi kubo, mabali awo afana no‘ENDLELENI EBUYA E-ADDO’. Masingafinci ke bantakwethu, nqikani nizifincele. Kakade iqwela nesigananda sifincwa ngamakhwahla namagqala.
“Amabalana anonambitheko okomsindleko kumhambi, adiza ilihlo lokhozi kumbhali olirharha nonosiba olunyumbazayo. Ebalisa nje uyahlekisa kodwa uyafundisa. Mna ndithi qha, Zizi elimnyama neenkomo zalo zabalaza mzala womntu amathunzi anabile kukud’ eBhayi, malitsh’ iBhayi!” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi).‘UMhla Latsh’ iBahyi’ uphumelele iMbasa yamaBali amafutshane kaNadine Gordimer yowama-2021
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Ndiyaqal’ Ukuyibona Le
Le yincwadi yamabalana amafutshane neye yachaphazela kanobom imiba enobuzaza phakathi koluntu. Umbhali ukhupha imbilini yakhe engagogotyanga lutho ngezinto eziliqela esithi sityhubele kuzo kwiindawo esihlala kuzo. Bali ngalinye liyakholeleka, lidlwengula umxhelo likwadlikidla nesimo sengqondo esimele sibe naso kwizinto ezisingqongileyo nesizibona qho. Umbhali ukholelwa ekubeni la mabali anako ukukhulisa iingqondi ezithe qwa kwaneencoko ezakhayo eluntwini.
“Ewe izinto azifani nyhani Zizi kwaye nam ndivuleke amehlo njengontlalontle, kunjalonje ndiyifince nzima iediting yale ncwadi ngoba bendimana ndisima ndibe nomsindo nokuchukumiseka kwezinye iindawo. Mandicaphule ibali lokuqala – kulusizi ukufumanisa ukuba amanina athile, hayi onke, ayabankula abayeni bawo abababona njengamabunga, emva kokubakhukhuza ubutyebi neemali zabo. Isiphelo sikaNgwadluma sokugajuzwa ngumnk’ akhe, de awe qikili phantsi abhubhe abantu bejongile ngenxa yoxinizelelo lwengqondo sindichukumise kakhulu Zizi. Akwaba ke la mabali amnandi kangaka, nayimvulamehlo yokuba ‘ezi zimanga sizenzayo siluluntu masiziyeke’ angaselwa iso sithi ngokuba kaloku, ‘zigqitywa kuhlwile zibonwe liwuhlabile’. Tshotsh’ ubekho sekaMila noOnez.” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Ndiza Kutshat’ Ubeyonce
Le ngqokelela yamabalana amafutshane iphicotha imibandela yokuhlala embaxa nexananazileyo. Imalunga nezigqibo ezithatyathwayo neziphumo zazo. Igubhulula izinto ekungafane kuthethwe ngazo. Injongo yombhali ngokwenza oko ‘kugubhulula’ kukwakha, ukulumkisa nokukhulisa ukuba ziingqondi kwethu bafundi beencwadi. Yifunde kunjalo nje soze uzisole.
“Liphinde labuya iZiz’ elimnyama neenkomo zalo, gxebe iincwadi zalo, kaloku akufuywanga eGqeberha, gxebe eKariyerha. Hahaha! Ndiyakudlalisa Dlamini mbhem eeh, awudlaliswa na wena uyimali? Okwam kuncinci kukuthi nje nam ndizitshatele uBeyonce wam ngamava endiwafunde kumabalana athi, “UNOMAKHENYA” nelithi, “NGUMNTU WAPHI LO?” nawe khawuzikhangelele owakho uBeyonce kolu cwambu lwamabalana amade kodwa angengomdintsi wendinisa etsho ngomsina-ndozele ekwenza ulibale isiqalo nesiphelo sebali. Hamb’ uhambe Zizi ungabi sabhek’ emva mbhem.” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Secrets of a Walking Stick
This is a delightful little collection of somewhat whimsical, somewhat satirical vignettes and reflections on the “State of the Village”, as well as the world at large, as seen through the eyes of the inhabitants of an umbrella stand in a cottage in a seaside village.
The author, Mike Silberbauer, a self-styled “Village Eccentric”, has imbued his collection of sundry walking sticks, plus the odd umbrella, with distinct and highly appropriate personalities, and proceeds, in the form of conversations in the umbrella stand, to recount stories from his and family’s lives, as well as sometimes highly astute observations on various contemporary and historical “happenings” in the world out there.
The device of animating inanimate objects to tell a story is not new, but Mike has done it extremely well, especially in defining the characters and personalities of his storytellers. Rather than fall into the trap, as his foreword writer put it, of “composing eloquent sentences”, Mike has perfected a simplistic, almost innocent style, which makes for a refreshing, fun and light-hearted read. -
Travels, Trails & Tribulations – An Octogenarian’s Odyssey
It was only in retirement that David Alston fully succumbed to the desire to write, encouraged by seeing his name in print next to sundry stories that had been submitted to various newspapers and magazines over the years.
Once the bug had bitten however, no power on earth could stop his pen from filling up sheets of paper. While many of them ended up in his ‘out tray’ (a euphemism for his wastepaper basket), an inventory of completed works taken earlier this year revealed that sufficient usable material was ready to be inflicted on an unsuspecting public.
Here is the cream of the crop: the vagaries of travel in various parts of the globe, the trails undertaken by a group of over-seventies who should have known better and some light-hearted pieces which fall under the category of “you can’t make this stuff up”.
So relax, settle into your armchair with a cup of tea or preferably something stronger, and pick a story at random that hopefully will make you rush to read the rest. And may it never be said of Travels, Trails and Tribulations – an Octogenarian’s Odyssey – as American literary critic Dorothy Parker did in a pithy review of a tome that had particularly displeased her: “This is not a book to be put down lightly; it should be thrown aside with great force.”
Enjoy, and a special thank you to David’s cartoonist and long-standing friend, Dennis Havinga, whose delightful drawings greatly enhance the ‘funnies’. -
Ukuphuma Kwelanga
Ukuphuma kwelanga esi sihloko sibonisa ukuqala kwemini ethi ibe lithemba kumntu atsho abe namandla okukwazi ukumelana nemingeni yemini. Emva kwesifingo sobumnyama kuye kuthi qheke ukusa. Ebomini uye udibane nabo ubunzima kodwa kufuneka umntu ahlale enethemba lokuba nakobakhe ubom kuseza kuba khona ukukhanya. Lo nto ithi kufuneka ubani asoloko ehleli ethembeni. Le ncwadi iqulethe imibongo amabali amafutshane kunye neentsomi ezithi zinike ithemba nakubani oziva edangele atsho afumane ithemba. Inceda ubani afumane izakhono zobom. Apha uza kufumana umbongo othi uRonta onika ulwazi kulowo ungazange wahlala kuwo. Namabali amafutshane endingabalula ibali elithi bagotywa bebatsha elingomzukulwana othi ngenxa yokusoloko ehleli nabantu abadala aphele ethetha izinto ebekungafanelekanga azithethe. Le ncwadi iyonwabisa iyahlekisa kulowo uthe wathatha ixesha wayifunda.
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Umthubi
Le ncwadi yeyemibongo yesiXhosa. Yincwadi yam yesibini enjongo zayo zikukuqhubeka ndidlala indima yokuphucula, ukufundisa, ukulondoloza, kwaye nokonga ulwimi lwethu. Ndinelizwi elincinci elihleli lindikhumbuza ukuba mandidlale indima yam ekuphuculeni ilizwe lethu ukuze abantwana bethu nesizukulwana sethu sibe nako ukuphila ubomi obububo. Ndihlaba ikhwelo ndikhuthaza nabani na oneendlebe ukuba adlale indima yakhe ukuze ashiye umzila nomqela othe qabavu ukubonakala nokucaca oku. Yeyele ke mawethu khaniyonyule nakweli tyeli.
