False Prophet

False Xhosa 'prophet'
A FEW Saturdays ago, we had political leaders, religious leaders and a host of other people commemorating Ntsikana ka Gabha, a "prophet".
Ntsikana was never a prophet. It was one of the hocus-pocus conquests that contributed to the landlessness of our people.
In 1799 Ntsikana was converted to Christianity by Van der Kamp. He started converting people from then onwards. In 1815 Ntsikana went back home to his people.
They were not aware of the wave of Christianity that was crippling other parts.
Ntsikana, understanding the mentality of his people, became a self-acclaimed prophet and told them that his cronies were on their way.
He told them what to pick and what not to pick from the package brought by his cronies.
The choices were all wrong, but people chose any way. From then on, AmaXhosa remained nameless, spiritually hopeless and homeless.
Today we follow religions of all sizes and shapes; we are lost. Yet we still find time and space to commemorate Ntsikana.

Funani ka Ntontela

Daily Dispatch (February 2, 2002)