UNontando Jabavu
Umbhali nentatheli uHelen Nontando (Noni) Jabavu wazalelwa kusapho lwezifundiswa eMpuma Koloni ngama-1919. Wathi akubaneminyaka elishumi elinesithathu, wafunda eNgilandi, waqhubeka ehlala khona iminyaka emininzi. Waba ngomnye wababhali neentatheli zase-Afrika ezingamanina. Ngo-1955 uNoni Jabavu wabuyela eMzantsi Afrika wahlala iinyanga ezintathu. Watyelela uyise uNjingalwazi D.D.T. Jabavu waseForthare, nezizalwane eMpuma Koloni naseGoli. i’The Ochre People’ eyapapashwa okokuqala ngo-1963 yingxelo ecacileyo yohambo lwakhe nequlathe iinkumbulo ezicace gca zelizwe awayelithanda nabantu awadibana nabo.
“Ilizwi lombhali” kuDrawn in Colour nalo lingabangumdla: “Ndingowamazwe amabini endinyaniseke kuwo: UMzantsi Afrika apho ndazalelwa khona neNgilandi apho ndafunda khona. Ndithe xa ndifumana umnxeba ovela kutata, ndabhabha ndabuyela eMzantsi Afrika ukuze ndibephakathi kwaBantu bakuthi, ndishiya umyeni wam onguMngesi emva eLondon. Ekupheleni kwala nyaka, mna naye saya kuhlala eMpuma Afrika, ukusondelela udadewethu ekukuphela kwakhe owayetshatele apho. Apha ndibalise nto ngemvelaphi neemeko endisuka kuzo. Le yingxelo yam ngamava neendlela zokubona umahluko phakathi kweMpuma noMzantsi Afrika ekungeniseni kwazo intlalo yaseNtshona.
UJabavu wasweleka nge-19 kweyeSilimela ngo-2008 eneminyaka engama-88. Lo mqolo ulandelayo obhalwe yimbongi uMakhosazana Xaba yimbeko emfaneleyo lo kaJabavungenxa yesakhono sakhe sokubhala nobuntatheli.
Isigqibo sam sokubhala ibali ngobomi bukaNoni Jabavu siqhutywe kukufuna ukwazi nokucaphuka okungazenzisiyo ngenxa yento ebibonakala kum njengokungaqatshelwa kwendima yakhe yokuqala njengombhali nentatheli. Ubani kufuneka afunde nje iincwadi zakhe ezimbini (uDrawn in Colour noThe Ochre People) ukuze abone ukuba wayenesiphiwo kangakanani njengombhali weziganeko zobomi. Iikholamu zomhleli zakhe zobuntathetheli zibonakalisa isimbo sokuchaza esakha umfanekiso-ngqonweni ebekufanele ukuba besingaqhelekanga ngexesha lakhe. Ngelixa bendinodliwano-ndlebe noWally Serote owayehlala eBotswana ngokuya uNoni wayehlala khona naye, ndifunde nto eqinisekise iingcinga zam zokuqala ngaye.
“Wayesithi thina madoda asikwazi ukunxulumana naye (uNoni). Wayelinina elaliphila ngaphaya kwamaxesha ethu.” Le nto ithetha lukhulu nangakumbi kuba uSerote yingcali yoncwadi nezenkcubeko yena kuqala.