A fragment on Xhosa religious beliefs
Brownlee, Charles
Журнал:
African Studies
Дата:
1955
Аннотация:
SYNOPSISThe following is a copy of a manuscript in the possession of the Rev. Joseph McCracken of Alice. It is evidently a memorandum of answers to certain questions put to Charles Brownlee, regarding Xhosa beliefs and customs, by someone acquainted with Zulu custom. It was probably written over seventy years ago. Brownlee died in 1890. He refers to Callaway'sUnkulunkulu, which was published in full in 1870. So he wrote this between those dates.Regarding the Hon. Charles Brownlee, C. M. G., I am indebted to Dr. R. H. W. Shepherd of Lovedale for the following notes:“Born at ‘Chumie’ Mission Station in 1821.“Died on 16th August, 1890, in King William's Town.“First Secretary of Native Affairs in Cape Colony.“Present at opening service of Lovedale Institution on 21st July 1841.“Throughout life a warm friend of missionaries.“In 1887 he conferred on John Bennie the title of ‘The Father of Kafir Literature’.“In 1853 he was appointed to reside with the Xhosa and neighbouring tribes, and to exercise control over them.“He opposed the plans for the Cattle‐killing in 1857. When he heard of them he said, ‘Naphakade’, and this became his Native name.“He and his wife succoured the victims of the Nongqawuse affair. (This is commemorated in a memorial window in the Presbyterian Church, King William's Town.).“He was a member of the Xhosa Bible Revision Board, appointed after the publication of Appleyard's Version in 1864. Other members were A. Kropf, J. W. Appleyard, Tiyo Soga and Bryce Ross.“He was a member of the Commission of Native Laws and Customs, 1883.”I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to the Rev. J. J. R. Jolobe, B.A. for assistance with some of the Xhosa references in this “Fragment”. As was common in Brownlee's time, the Xhosa were referred to as the “Kafirs”. I have retained Brownlee's spelling, both of English text and Xhosa words, as well as his lack of punctuation; but in the footnotes, and in quoting from Kropf s dictionary, I have put the Xhosa into the accepted orthography.C. M. DOKE
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