! They Arrived, Strangers, And Stayed Friends Poem by Nkululeko Mdudu

'I remember the day
the white people came',
(Khokho khuluma ndimamele)

'There was a red blaze
across the skies,
or maybe it was the setting sun'
(hayi bo! Ilanga latshona emini)

'They had a sneering
look of cowardice
and illusions of
their superior nature'
(babengenawo namandla okubopha iinkabi?)

'But we accepted them
for the curious wanderers
that we ourselves once were',
(khawutsho xhego ndimamele)

'Ag but they were
a great load of fun,
curious as monkeys
or toddlers;

They wanted everything
we had
like hungry little children,
but with natural caution.

They watched as we ploughed
and planted the fields;
clever little fellows...
quickly learned our language, ...
though I must tell you
"their accent was hilarious."

We walked together,
learned from each other;

But then.... '
(Thetha mkhulu ndimamele)

'Their hunger turned to greed!
Their curiosity saw them conniving;
plotting against us,
splitting our land

At the Orange,
Kei and Vaal rivers.
Nature herself
was so enraged
that she bubbled up
to form the Drakensburg,

the Cape point had
warned us of their coming,
the land in the north
was quickly turning to coal.
Healing was needed! '

(Yho Bawo kwakunzima ne?)
'Boy shut up and let me finish!
'a.....'
'NOT
another word son'

now Tata carries on
and I listen...

Just then,

As the ancient girl
was being ripped from inside;
an answer came from the unlikely:
a cow, an ape, a lion,
a whale and their master...

spoke in an foreign tongue,
though different to the whites.
these were some
of the things they said...
though I know not
who among us understood:

'the Earth bleeds
From your constant battles,
make peace
and her blood
will turn to gold',

Greedy and speedy Johannes
found this first,

They told us:
'Where the earth
was turned to coal;
a rich Diamond now, there
you may find',

caring Kimberly
was born of this.

'And where there were
rough and raging rivers',
they said,
'Thirst and drought
shall now be quenched'

They went on to describe
secret corners and compartments
of our land,
Starting with the Drakensberg
Our Monument to the strong
and a refuge for the weak.

In their final word,
which shook our souls together;
they pronounced this:

'All the treasures
you now reap,
due to the treaty
that you'll keep:

to hold the fortune of others
above your own
to serve the land
and never moan,

To hold on to peace
in its in its natural state,
to never take
in hand, another's fate;

and should you go
against this treaty,
your land will neither
be rich nor pretty.'

This was a year
unknown to history,
Yet its tale would ensure
democratic victory;

For you see we people
are one and the same,
we only differ in
voice, vantage and name.

(enkosi)