The Ballade Of Hloma Mabuto Poem by Gert Strydom

(in answer to Theo Wassenaar)

Dingaan's big kraal Ngungunhlovu, was totally round
with thickets of bushes fencing it against the open ground
with the main entrance facing the king's huts which was to the back,
with two regiments of his impi all trained, strong and healthy.

Chorus:
I the translator William Wood are writing here a eyewitness report
that stays with me as a macabre murderous day of massacre
that I did experience along with the missionary reverent Owen
where the Zulu king Dingaan was obsessed with his power.

Sixty settlers with forty outriders did come and ask Dingaan for ground
where Dingaan did complain with the leader Piet Retief, about his robbed cattle
and Piet Retief and his men did agree to get them back for him,
armed with blunderbuss rifles did ride out in an expedition to his satisfaction.

When Piet Retief and his men did return with seven thousand cattle,
Dingaan was happy and perplexed and astonished in his kraal
and while Piet Retief asked for ground for the farmers
but Dingaan also wanted the sixty horses and eleven rifles

whereupon Piet Retief replied that he cannot give the bounty of horses and rifles
as it's not Dingaan's property and Dingaan was somewhat embarrassed,
did agree about the ground between the Tugela and the Umzimvubu rivers
while outside the camp the other farmers waited at the milk-wood trees.

On the third day I perceived from Dingaan's manner that something was wrong,
did wait until the farmers came into the kraal and warned them
and they did smile at me and said: "The king's heart is right and there is no danger."
Dingaan did however only ask innocent things from his captains.

Where Dingaan sat in his armchair
captain Inhela was left of him with his white shield,
captain Dambuza with his black shield was right of him
and on both sides of them stood the two impi regiments in rank and file.

When with the agreement the farmers did saddle their horses
Dingaan did send a messenger to go and fetch them
to come and drink beer with him and to say goodbye
and they did leave all of their weapons outside of the kraal.

The Mhlope regiment with their white shields were hardened warriors,
the Isihlangu Mnyama regiment with their black shields were inexperienced,
where they did dance nearer and nearer to the settlers
with spear stabs and hopping jumps with which they were mocking.

Dingaan shouted: "Grab them! " When the farmers did only sit for fifteen minutes
and the two impi regiments did come into movement from their shaking dances.
Thomas Halstead shouted in Zulu:"Let me speak with Dingaan! "
Ignoring it Dingaan motioned with his right hand.

Halstead grabbed his folding knife and stabbed the soldiers that were dawdling
and far too many soldiers (as many as could reach)grabbed each farmer.
Again Dingaan screamed: "Bulala amatakati" (club the wizards to death) ,
did command to take them away to the slaughtering place, the Hloma Mabuto hillock.

Thomas Halstead screamed: "We are done for, our time is up! "
Piet Retief:"Aye Lord God, let Your mercy and salvation come."
The farmers were dragged with their feet trailing on the ground
and the reverent Owen and I stood outside the kraal perplexed and astonished.

Every farmer and every outrider were knocked dead with war-clubs
Piet Retief was forced to look on and stand powerless
before everyone did close in on him and slaughtered out his heart and liver
and captain Inhela with them went as presents to his king Dingaan.

For about two hours Dingaan did deliberate with Inlela and Dambuza
and the reverent Owen and I was too scared to dare it out of the huts
when Dingaan did decide to attack the wagons with the women and children
and some more regiments did join the other two for that attack.

where Inlela and Dambuza danced past Dingaan and stabbed with spears,
where he laughed and the moment that the horde did go out to war did suddenly arrive
and they did shout:"We will go to kill all of the white dogs! "
where they did go out to drench their spears in innocent blood.

[Reference:"Hloma-Amabutho" by Theo Wassenaar.Poet's note:An impi here does refer to a tribal army.Usually a kraal is a rural village but here it does refer to a large compound in which the Zulu king did live with his regiments of soldiers and his many wives.This poem is based on the eyewitness report of the translator William Wood as regards to the massacre of Piet Retief and others.Titled:"With some particulars relating to the massacres of Messrs. Retief and Biggar. By William Wood, Interpreter to Dingaan, Cape Town: Published by Collard & Co.,24, Heerengracht.1840."]

© Gert Strydom