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92-860: A superior court was first established at Grahamstown in 1864, as the Court of the Eastern Districts of the Cape of Good Hope , to ease access to justice for the residents of what is now the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Districts Court was subordinate to the Supreme Court of the Cape of Good Hope in Cape Town , which had concurrent jurisdiction over the eastern districts. When the Union of South Africa

184-694: A Bantu ethnic group native to South Africa . They are the second largest ethnic group in South Africa and are native speakers of the isiXhosa language . Presently, over nine million Xhosa-speaking people are distributed across Southern Africa, although their traditional homeland is primarily the Eastern Cape province of South Africa . Their language, isiXhosa, is one of South Africa's most populous languages. The pre-1994 apartheid system of Bantustan assigned them to have self-governing "homelands" (native reserves), namely; Transkei and Ciskei , both

276-474: A South African cultural group who emphasise traditional practices and customs inherited from their forefathers. Each person within the Xhosa culture has their place which is recognised by the entire community. Starting from birth, a Xhosa person goes through graduation stages which recognise their growth and assign them a recognised place in the community. Each stage is marked by a specific ritual aimed at introducing

368-460: A black horizontal stripe, and three golden rings on a red triangle). The crest was changed to a plume of ostrich feathers issuing from a golden mural crown, and the supporters were differenced by placing an escallop on each shoulder. In 2017, Makana Revive! an independent civil society organisation was formed. During the first quarter of 2018, Makana Revive made national news when it spearheaded an initiative to repair failing infrastructure and improve

460-417: A blemish may be slaughtered for others. Further customs include the emptying the main bedroom of the bereaving family, known as ' indlu enkulu '. This room is where most of the last respects will be paid by family and friends. The emptying of the room is done in order to create space for extended family members to be able to mourn in the main room. The first family members and/or neighbours to arrive arrange

552-521: A child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to his or her fullest potential" and that "Basic education also provides a foundation for a child’s lifetime learning and work opportunities." As of August 2023, current judges of the Eastern Cape Division include: Makhanda, South Africa Makhanda , also known as Grahamstown , is a town of about 75,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa . It

644-466: A custom, but as a medical procedure to curb HIV infections. All these rituals are symbolic of one's development. Before each is performed, the individual spends time with community elders to prepare for the next stage. The elders' teachings are not written, but transmitted from generation to generation by oral tradition. The iziduko (clan) for instance—which matters most to the Xhosa identity (even more than names and surnames) are transferred from one to

736-596: A few decades it became the Cape Colony 's largest town after Cape Town . It became a bishopric in 1852. It was traditionally the capital and cultural centre of the Albany area , a district that was traditionally English-speaking and had a distinctive local culture. In 1872, the Cape Government Railways began construction of the railway line linking Grahamstown to Port Alfred on the coast and to

828-495: A goat or sheep or even a fowl is slaughtered. A cleansing ritual is done the day after the burial, in which the bereaved women of the family go to the nearest river to wash all the materials and blankets that were used by the deceased before death. Furthermore, the clothes of the deceased are removed from the house and the family members shave their hair. The shaving of hair is an indication that life continues to spring up even after death. The Xhosa settled on mountain slopes of

920-522: A major centre for journalism training, Rhodes University also hosts two student newspapers, Activate , established in 1947, and The Oppidan Press , a student initiative launched in 2007 that caters mainly to the student population living off-campus. With the establishment of the Union of South Africa the Grahamstown High Court became a Local Division of the newly formed Supreme Court of South Africa (under Cape Town). On 28 June 1957,

1012-431: A new life, respectively. Xhosa people regard white as the colour of purity and mediation; white beads are still used as offerings to spirits or to the creator. Amagqirha/diviners use white beads when communicating with the ancestors . These diviners also carry with them beaded spears, which are associated with the ancestors that inspire the diviner; beaded horns; and calabashes, to hold medicinal products or snuff. "Amageza",

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1104-599: A part of the Eastern Cape Province where most Xhosa remain. A notable population also thrives in the Western Cape province of the country. Cape Town ( eKapa in Xhosa), East London ( eMonti ), and Gqeberha ( e-Bhayi ). As of 2003, the majority of Xhosa speakers, approximately 5.3 million, lived in the Eastern Cape, followed by the Western Cape (approximately 1 million), Gauteng (971,045),

1196-442: A sense of belonging and cultural identity and traditions hence people draw their cultural ways of living and meanings, as Xhosa people use them as social markers. Xhosa people believe that the beads also create a link between the living and the ancestors as diviners use them during rituals. Thus beads have some spiritual significance. Social identities/markers with regards to age, gender, grade, marital status, social rank or role and

1288-649: A sitting of the Cape Colony legislature (a move to defuse a call for the creation of a separate colony). Grahamstown had its own municipality until 2000. Since then, it has expanded into the Makana Local Municipality in the Cacadu District . From 2012, the Makana Local Municipality was unable to reliably provide water to its citizens. The crisis continued to grow during 2013. In 2013, South Africa's minister of water Edna Molewa

1380-427: A specific sequence of events and rituals which need to be performed in order to regard a funeral as dignified. Once the family has been notified that a member has died, the extended family comes together in preparation for the burial of the deceased. The " umkhapho " (to accompany) ritual is performed in order to accompany the spirit of the deceased to the land of the ancestors. The local male clan leader or his proxy

1472-556: A traditional dress code informed by the individuals social standing portraying different stages of life. The 'red blanket people' (Xhosa people) have a custom of wearing red blankets dyed with red ochre, the intensity of the colour varying from tribe to tribe. Other clothing includes beadwork and printed fabrics. Although in general, Xhosa lifestyle has been adapted to Western traditions, the Xhosa people still wear traditional attire for special cultural activities. The various tribes have their own variations of traditional dress which includes

1564-493: A veil made of beads, is also part of their regalia, they use these beads by swaying them in someone's eyes so as to induce a trance-like state. Inkciyo is a beaded skirt that serves as a garment covering the pubic area. Among the Pondo people (Xhosa clan) the beads are turquoise and white in colour. This skirt is worn during a virginity testing ceremony among Xhosa people undergoing their rites of passage into womanhood. Impempe

1656-472: Is a wedding song called " Qongqothwane ", performed by Miriam Makeba as "Click Song #1". Besides Makeba, several modern groups record and perform in Xhosa. Missionaries introduced the Xhosa to Western choral singing. " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika ", part of the National anthem of South Africa is a Xhosa hymn written in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga . The first newspapers , novels, and plays in Xhosa appeared in

1748-433: Is a whistle that has a necklace on it. The whistle symbolises one's introduction to adolescence. Xhosa beadwork and other cultural beadworks have cultural ties, but nowadays beads are also worn as fashion pieces, too, either as cultural appreciation or appropriation. The use of cultural beadworks as fashion pieces means that anyone can wear these pieces without having to belong to that cultural group. The Xhosa culture has

1840-720: Is also host to the Puku Story Festival since 2013 presented by the Puku Children's Literature Foundation. The festival was created in partnership with the National Arts Festival and the African Studies Department at Rhodes University with the aim to facilitate access to literature and educational/recreational materials in Xhosa. The town is home to the oldest surviving independent newspaper in South Africa. Grocott's Mail

1932-405: Is dependent on numerous things such as her level of education, the wealth status of her family in comparison to that of the man's family, what the man stands to gain in the marriage and the overall desirability of the woman. The payment of the bride-price could be in either cattle or money depending on the family of the woman. The modern Xhosa families would rather prefer money as most are situated in

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2024-1078: Is home to Rhodes University , the South African National Library for the Blind , the National English Literary Museum , the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (formerly the JLB Smith Institute), the International Library of African Music (ILAM), the Albany Museum , and the Institute for the Study of English in Africa. A number of palaeontological discoveries made from Waterloo Farm in

2116-585: Is home to more than forty religious buildings and is nicknamed the "City of Saints". According to one story recorded by H. V. Morton , The town earned its nickname from Royal Engineers stationed in Grahamstown in 1846 who were in need of building tools. They sent a message to Cape Town requesting a vice to be forwarded to them from the Ordnance Stores. A reply came back, 'Buy vice locally'. The response was, "No vice in Grahamstown". According to

2208-786: Is situated about 125 kilometres (80 mi) northeast of Gqeberha and 160 kilometres (100 mi) southwest of East London . It is the largest town in the Makana Local Municipality , and the seat of the municipal council. It also hosts Rhodes University , the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court , the South African Library for the Blind (SALB), a diocese of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa , and 6 South African Infantry Battalion . Furthermore, located approximately 3 km south-east of

2300-465: Is the largest Arts festival in Africa and sees some of the leading talent on the South African and international art scene arriving in the town for a celebration of culture and artistic expression. South Africa's National Science Festival, was established in 1996 to promote the public awareness, understanding and appreciation of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation. The town

2392-405: Is the one who facilitates the process. The purpose of umkhapho is to keep the bonds between the deceased person and the bereaved alive so that the deceased may be able to return later and communicate as an ancestor. During this ritual, an animal such as a goat is slaughtered. A larger animal like a cow may also be slaughtered for an important person like a head of the family whilst a goat without

2484-426: The 2011 census the population of the town was 67,264, of whom 78.9% described themselves as " Black African ", 11.3% as " Coloured " and 8.4% as " White ". Since 1994, there has been a considerable influx of black people from the former Ciskei Xhosa homeland, which lies just to the east. The first language of 72.2% of the population is Xhosa , while 13.7% speak Afrikaans and 10.8% speak English . The town

2576-815: The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling political party in the government . Xhosa is an agglutinative tonal language categorized under Bantu linguistic classification. While the Xhosas call their language "isiXhosa", it is usually referred to as "Xhosa" in English. Written Xhosa uses a Latin alphabet –based system. Xhosa is spoken by about 18% of the South African population, and has some mutual intelligibility with Zulu, especially Zulu spoken in urban areas. Many Xhosa speakers, particularly those living in urban areas, also speak Zulu and/or Afrikaans and/or English. The Xhosa are

2668-526: The Eastern Cape . According to oral tradition, the modern Xhosa Kingdom was founded somewhere before the 15th century by Tshawe (whom the royal clan of the Xhosas is named after) who overthrew his brother Cirha (assisted by his brother Jwarha) with the help of the amaNgwevu clan of the amaMpondomise Kingdom. Tshawe and his army then incorporated formerly independent Nguni clans into the Xhosa Kingdom. Khoekhoe tribes were incorporated, including

2760-556: The Fourth Xhosa War as a military outpost by Lieutenant-Colonel John Graham as part of a campaign to secure the Eastern frontier of the Cape Colony . Initially Colonel Graham decided to establish his headquarters on the loan farm Noutoe, now known as Table Farm, but at the recommendation of Ensign Andries Stockenstrom it was moved to the homestead of the loan farm De Rietfontein, belonging to Lucas Meyer . Construction on

2852-579: The Free State (546,192), KwaZulu-Natal (219,826), North West (214,461), Mpumalanga (46,553), the Northern Cape (51,228), and Limpopo (14,225). There is a small but significant Xhosa-speaking ( Mfengu ) community in Zimbabwe, and their language, isiXhosa, is recognised as an official national language . This community is the remnant migrated from central Africa into South Africa upon

Eastern Cape Division - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-539: The High Court , as well as the Magistrate's Court for the Albany District. As a result of the presence of a High Court, several other related organs of state such as a Masters Office and a Director of Public Prosecutions are present in the town. A few other Government (mostly provincial) departments maintain branches or other offices in the town. Grahamstown was the only settlement outside Cape Town to host

3036-516: The South African Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has rescued from road cuttings from back in the mid- 1980s. The legacy of disparate education during Apartheid still echoes in the provision of secondary education in this former frontier town, where significant discrepancies in matric pass rates and general quality of education exist. Addressing this problem is one of the town's greatest challenges. In March 1984,

3128-512: The developing national railway network inland. It was completed and opened on 3 September 1879. Grahamstown grew rapidly to become the second-largest city in South Africa after Cape Town until 1930. The early 1860s saw the development of more schools, the botanical gardens, and the Eastern District Supreme Court was established. In 1864, a full parliamentary session was held in Grahamstown, instead of Cape Town. There

3220-410: The 1820s, as many 1820 Settlers and their families left farming to establish themselves in more secure trades. In 1833, Grahamstown was described as having "two or three English merchants of considerable wealth, but scarcely any society in the ordinary sense of the word. The Public Library is a wretched affair". As of 1833, it was estimated that the population of Grahamstown was approximately 6,000. In

3312-462: The 19th century, and Xhosa poetry is also gaining renown. Several films have been shot in the Xhosa language. U-Carmen eKhayelitsha is a modern remake of Bizet 's 1875 opera Carmen . It is shot entirely in Xhosa, and combines music from the original opera with traditional African music. It takes place in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha . The movie Black Panther also features

3404-822: The Amatola and the Winterberg Mountains. Many streams drain into great rivers of this Xhosa territory, including the Kei and Fish Rivers. Rich soils and plentiful rainfall make the river basins good for farming and grazing making cattle important and the basis of wealth. Traditional foods include beef ( Inyama yenkomo ), mutton ( Inyama yegusha ), and goat meat ( Inyama yebhokwe ), sorghum , milk (often fermented , called " amasi "), pumpkins ( amathanga ), Mielie-meal (maize meal), samp ( umngqusho ), beans ( iimbotyi ), vegetables , like "rhabe" , wild spinach reminiscent of sorrel , " imvomvo " ,

3496-648: The Cape Hottentot Corps in the Zuurveld's Commander of the Regiment, Colonel John Graham, who, in June 1812, oversaw the construction on the corps' new headquarters, located on the site of the present Church Square. Grahamstown went on to become a religious, military, administrative, judicial, and educational centre for the surrounding region of Albany . Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa announced

3588-407: The Cape by Europeans in 1652, the native populations were gradually pushed eastwards until, in the 1700s, the borders of the Cape Colony had pushed populations far enough east (with relations between colonist and native significantly broken down) to create a critical mass of hostile population to resist the colonists in the Eastern Cape. This sparked off the Cape frontier wars , which represent some of

3680-664: The Ciskei Division. In 2013 under the Superior Courts Act, 2013 they became local seats of the Eastern Cape division, once again subordinate to Grahamstown. In December 2019 the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa ruled against the ban of children without birth certificates from receiving basic education in South Africa. The court ruled that "It is an important socioeconomic right directed, among other things, at promoting and developing

3772-626: The City of Grahamstown adopted a flag, one of six designs prepared by heraldic expert Prof. Hugh Smith, of Rhodes University. The following is a list of tower clocks in the town, with their location and if they are in working order: Two large festivals take place annually in the town: the National Arts Festival in June/July and SciFest Africa in the first term of the year and attracts some 50,000 people. The National Arts Festival

Eastern Cape Division - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-475: The Eastern Districts Court, under the name Eastern Cape Division, became a provincial division. In certain other areas of provincial government, Grahamstown similarly served as a centre for the Eastern Cape. In 1994, Grahamstown became part of the newly established Eastern Cape Province , while Bhisho was chosen as the provincial capital. It is the seat of the Eastern Cape Division of

3956-664: The Grahamstown court retained concurrent jurisdiction; that court is now a local seat of the division. In 1973 the Transkei was removed from the jurisdiction of the Grahamstown court when the Transkeian High Court was established at Mthatha . When the Transkei received nominal independence from South Africa, that court became the Supreme Court of the Transkei. Initially decisions could still be appealed from

4048-626: The Inqua, the Giqwa, and the amaNgqosini (both Khoi and Sotho origin). Formerly independent clans (many of Khoekhoe origin) and chiefdoms in the region became tributary to the amaTshawe and spoke isiXhosa as their primary language. The Xhosa polity achieved political ascendancy over most of the Cape Khoe extending to the very fringes of the Cape Peninsula. With the settlement of

4140-457: The Ngunis lived in for some time before continuing with their migration. Upon crossing mountains and rivers in South Africa, these farm-working agro-pastoralists brought their cattle and goats with them and absorbed the weaker San groups in the region. They also brought weapons, notably their assegais and their shields and would form groups or chiefdoms and kingdoms mainly in what is now

4232-767: The San were made out of ostrich egg shells which were chipped to small size, bored and polished and strung into sinews. Producing them took a long time, so they were scarce, highly priced, valued and in demand. It is recorded that it was only in the 1930s that the Portuguese introduced glass beads through trade. Adornments serve a particular purpose across different cultures as social markers . They are used to ascertain where one belongs to with regards to identity, history and geographical location. They reveal personal information with regards to age and gender and social class as some beads were meant to be worn by royalty. Beadwork creates

4324-566: The Transkei and Ciskei were reincorporated in South Africa on 27 April 1994, their Supreme Courts remained in existence, but three months later their Appellate Divisions were abolished and their jurisdiction transferred to the South African Appellate Division. When the final Constitution came into force the remaining General Divisions became High Courts of South Africa, known as the Transkei Division and

4416-452: The Xhosa language. Beads are small round objects made of glass, wood, metal, nutshell, bone seed and the likes, which are then pierced for stringing. Before glass beads were introduced, people used natural materials to make beads. Xhosa people relied on the San to sell beads to them through trade or barter exchange. Xhosa people would give hemp to the San in exchange for beads. The beads made by

4508-482: The Xhosas. During the course of the battle, the British were running low on ammunition. The Xhosas, with a force of 10,000 troops under the overall command of Ndlambe 's warrior son, Mdushane , were unable to overpower the garrison of some 300 men. Nxele surrendered and was taken captive and imprisoned on Robben Island . On Christmas Day in 1819, he tried to escape but drowned in the attempt. Grahamstown grew during

4600-446: The beads are representative of the stages of one's life. Motifs on the beads often used include trees, diamonds, quadrangles, chevrons, triangles, circles, parallel lines that form a pattern that is exclusive to certain age groups. Although the beadwork has some cultural significance with certain motifs having exclusive meanings, the creator of the beadwork has creative control and can create and draw meaning from individual preference. Thus

4692-440: The bride's family. To solidify their unity the family of the bride will head to the groom's household where the elders will address her with regards to how to carry herself and dress appropriately at her newly found household, this is called Ukuyalwa . Furthermore, a new name will also be given to her by the women of the groom's family and this name signifies the bond of the two families. Burial practices and customs include

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4784-426: The celebrations would commence. These include slaughtering of the livestock as a grateful gesture to their ancestors as well as pouring a considerable amount of the alcoholic beverages on the ground of the bride's household to give thanks to their ancestors. The groom's family is then welcomed into the family and traditional beer, Umqombothi , will be prepared for the groom's family as a token of appreciation from

4876-415: The central military outpost in the region. On 22 April 1819, a large number of Xhosa warriors , under the leadership of Nxele (or the Xhosa prophet Makhanda ), launched an attack against the British garrison stationed at Grahamstown. The Xhosas had warned Colonel Willshire, the commanding officer, of their planned attack on the settlement. It was one of countless attacks launched on the nascent colony by

4968-607: The city council had a new coat of arms designed by Ivan Mitford-Barberton and H. Ellis Tomlinson in 1950. It was granted by the College of Arms on 20 July 1950, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in September 1994. The new arms were: Or, on a pile Gules, three annulets placed 2 and 1 Or; on a chief Sable, three escallops Or (in layman's terms: a golden shield displaying, from top to bottom, three golden scallop shells on

5060-426: The corn was taken from the family food reserves as well as donated by family members and neighbours. In the 21st century, it is regarded as taboo to feed mourners with ' inkobe ' and, as a result of shame, funeral catering has become a lucrative business for the industry during burial events. On the day of burial, before extended family members disperse to their homes, the ukuxukuxa (cleansing) ritual occurs and

5152-579: The court to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa , but in 1979 an Appellate Division was established in the Supreme Court of Transkei. A similar process took place in the Ciskei , which received nominal independence and established its own Supreme Court at Zwelitsha in 1981. In 1984 an Appellate Division was established and the court moved to new buildings in Bhisho . When

5244-426: The descendants of the amaMfengu are part of the Xhosa people and they speak isiXhosa and practice the Xhosa culture. Xhosa unity and ability to fight off colonial encroachment was to be weakened by the famines and political divisions that followed the cattle-killing movement of 1856–1858 . Historians now view this movement as a millennialist response, both directly to a lung disease spreading among Xhosa cattle at

5336-522: The establishment of Rhodesia with Cecil Rhodes . Some archaeological evidence has been discovered that suggests that Xhosa-speaking people have lived in the Eastern Cape area since at least the 7th century . The modern Xhosa are Nguni people, a stock of Bantu The Xhosa people are descendants of the ancestors of Ngunis. Xhosa oral history also mentions a historical settlement called 'Eluhlangeni' believed to have been in East Africa in which

5428-596: The indigenous people of the area. Municipality (1) — The first arms were assumed in September 1862. They quartered an incorrect version of the arms of Graham of Fintry with those of Jan van Riebeeck (in incorrect colours), with an ostrich as a crest. The supporters were a leopard and a giraffe, and the motto was Virtute et opera . Municipality (2) — In response to a call by the Cape Provincial Administration for municipalities to have their coats of arms checked and, if necessary, re-designed,

5520-404: The individual to their counterparts and also to their ancestors. Starting from imbeleko , a ritual performed to introduce a new born to the ancestors, to umphumo (the homecoming), from inkwenkwe (a boy) to indoda (a man). These rituals and ceremonies are sacrosanct to the identity and heritage of the Xhosa and other African descendants. Though some western scholars question

5612-450: The kraal, inkundla , of the woman's family. If the family does not possess a kraal they will simply be kept outside the household as they will not be allowed to enter the household without the acknowledgment and acceptance of the woman's family. It is here where the lobola ( dowry ) negotiations will begin. The family of the woman will give them a bride-price and a date for which they must return to pay that price. The bride-price

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5704-509: The longest military resistance to colonialism. The historical end result would be the containment of large portions of the Cape native population into native reserves in the Easternmost part of the Cape. However, these populations would also continually serve as labour inside the Cape Colony. These native reserves would be re-branded "homelands" in the 20th century and would only be fully dismantled in 1994, with populations moving back into

5796-429: The main bedroom to accommodate this seating arrangement by placing a traditional grass mat ( ukhukho ) or mattress on the floor. Mourners do not require an invitation to attend a funeral and everyone who can and would like to attend is welcome. This means that the bereaved family has to cater for an unknown number of mourners. Traditionally, mourners were fed with ' inkobe ', which is boiled dried corn and water, and

5888-422: The marriage as per tradition. Following Ukuthwala , the man will then be in discussion with his parents or relatives to inform them of his choice in bride. During this discussion the clan name, isiduko , of the woman would be revealed and researched. If it were found that the woman and the man share the same clan name they would not be allowed to proceed with the marriage as it is said that people with

5980-517: The meanings drawn from the beadwork are not rigidly set. Among the Thembu (a tribe in the Eastern Cape often erroneously referred to be a Xhosa tribe), after circumcision, the men wore, and still wear, skirts, turbans and a wide bead collar. A waistcoat, long necklaces, throat bands, armbands, leggings and belts are part of his regalia. The dominant colours in the beadwork are white and navy blue, with some yellow and green beads symbolising fertility and

6072-476: The name change from Grahamstown in the Government Gazette No. 641 of 29 June 2018. The purpose of gazetting was to publicise the minister's decision for objections or comments by 28 July 2018. Prompted by a Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation that geographic features, including geographical names, be renamed as a "symbolic reparation to address an unjust past", a proposal was for

6164-600: The new headquarters, located on the site of the present Church Square, thus began in June 1812. As part of the campaign, Graham was ordered to clear 20,000 Xhosa living in the region led by Ndlambe ka Rharhabe from the Zuurveld . During the campaign, which formed part of the Xhosa Wars , Graham ordered the adoption of numerous scorched earth tactics, which included the burnings of Xhosa farms. By 1812, Graham had completed his assignment, and transformed Grahamstown into

6256-456: The other through oral tradition. Knowing your isiduko is vital to the Xhosas and it is considered a shame and uburhanuka (lack-of-identity) if one doesn't know one's clan. This is considered so important that when two strangers meet for the first time, the first identity that gets shared is isiduko . It is so important that two people with the same surname but different clan names are considered total strangers, but two people from

6348-429: The past two decades have sparked a global interest in the fossils of the Eastern Cape Province and this has resulted in numerous international collaborations. These discoveries and collaborations have been made possible by the persistent work of Robert W. Gess of the Devonian Ecosystem Laboratory, Albany Museum, who has dedicated most of his life excavating and studying blocks of black shale that he, with later support from

6440-417: The practice has caused controversy, with over 825 circumcision- and initiation-related deaths since 1994, and the spread of sexually transmitted infections , including HIV , via the practice of circumcising initiates with the same blade. In March 2007, a controversial mini-series dealing with Xhosa circumcision and initiation rites debuted on South African Broadcasting Corporation . Titled Umthunzi Wentaba ,

6532-434: The relevance of these practices today, even urbanised Xhosa people do still follow them. The ulwaluko and intonjane are also traditions which separated this tribe from the rest of the Nguni tribes. These are performed to mark the transition from child to adulthood. Zulus once performed the ritual but King Shaka stopped it because of war in the 1810s. In 2009, it was reintroduced by King Goodwill Zwelithini Zulu, not as

6624-399: The same clan but with different surnames are regarded as close relatives. This forms the roots of ubuntu (human kindness) – a behaviour synonymous to this tribe as extending a helping hand to a complete stranger when in need. Ubuntu goes further than just helping one another – it is so deep that it even extends to looking after and reprimanding your neighbour's child when in the wrong. Hence

6716-428: The same clan name are of the same relation and cannot be wed. Once discussions with the family are complete and satisfactory information about the woman is acquired then the family of the man will proceed to appoint marriage negotiators. It is these very negotiators that will travel to the family of the woman to make known the man and his intentions. Once the negotiators reach the family of the woman they will be kept in

6808-458: The saying "it takes a village to raise a child". One traditional ritual that is still regularly practiced is the manhood ritual, a secret rite that marks the transition from boyhood to manhood, ulwaluko . After ritual circumcision , the initiates ( abakwetha ) live in isolation for up to several weeks, often in the mountains. During the process of healing they smear white clay on their bodies and observe numerous customs. In modern times

6900-743: The security and hygiene in the CBD. Donations were received from both local and international citizens and alumni. The South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement has a strong presence in Makhanda. Xhosa people Eastern Cape : 5,102,053 Western Cape : 2,326,704 Gauteng : 862,124 Free State : 320,645 KwaZulu-Natal : 405,140 North West : 225,023 Northern Cape : 101,062 Mpumalanga : 50,225 The Xhosa people , or Xhosa -speaking people ( / ˈ k ɔː s ə / KAW -sə , / ˈ k oʊ s ə / KOH -sə ; Xhosa pronunciation: [kǁʰɔ́ːsa] ) are

6992-422: The series was taken off the air after complaints by traditional leaders that the rites are secret and not to be revealed to non-initiates and women. In January 2014 the website ulwaluko.co.za was released by a Dutch medical doctor. It features a gallery of photographs of injured penises, which sparked outrage amongst traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape. The South African Film and Publication Board ruled that

7084-420: The spiritual state can be ascertained through Xhosa beadwork. Symbolic references are drawn from the beads through the colour, pattern, formation and motifs. However, it ought to be taken into cognisance that some of these messages are limited to a certain group or between two people. In Xhosa culture beads represent the organisational framework of the people and the rites of passage that people have gone through as

7176-404: The sweet sap of an aloe , or " ikhowa " , a mushroom that grows after summer rains. Traditional crafts include bead-work, weaving, woodwork and pottery. Traditional music features drums, rattles, whistles, flutes, mouth harps, and stringed-instruments and especially group singing accompanied by hand clapping. There are songs for various ritual occasions; one of the best-known Xhosa songs

7268-407: The time, and less directly to the stress to Xhosa society caused by the continuing loss of their territory and autonomy. Some historians argue that this early absorption into the wage economy is the ultimate origin of the long history of trade union membership and political leadership among Xhosa people. That history manifests itself today in high degrees of Xhosa representation in the leadership of

7360-403: The town lies Waterloo Farm , the only estuarine fossil site in the world from 360 million years ago with exceptional soft-tissue preservation. The town's name-change from Grahamstown to Makhanda was officially gazetted on 29 June 2018. The town was officially renamed to Makhanda in memory of Xhosa warrior and prophet Makhanda ka Nxele . Makhanda was founded as Grahamstown in 1812 after

7452-739: The town to be renamed after Makhanda , in recognition of his failed attack against the settlement's garrison in 1819. On 2 October 2018, Grahamstown was officially renamed Makhanda in the memory of Makhanda, The Prophet. St. Michael and St. George Cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown . The town also has Roman Catholic , Presbyterian , Ethiopian Episcopal , Methodist , Baptist, Pinkster Protestante, Dutch Reformed (Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk), Charismatic, Apostolic and Pentecostal churches. There are also meeting places for Hindus, Scientologists, Quakers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Muslims. The city

7544-509: The upkeep of Xhosa traditional practices. These rituals have been practiced for decades by the Xhosa people and have been incorporated into modern day Xhosa marriages as well. The purpose of the practices is to bring together two different families and to give guidance to the newly wed couple throughout. To start off the procedures the male intending to marry goes through Ukuthwalwa which entails him choosing his future bride and making his intentions of marriage known, however this practice

7636-417: The urban cities where there would be no space nor permits for livestock. Upon return of the man's family on the given date, they will pay the bride-price and bring along gifts of offering such as livestock and alcoholic beverages, iswazi , to be drunk by the family of the bride. Once the lobola from the man's negotiators is accepted then they will be considered married by the Xhosa tradition and

7728-443: The village. This is reflected in the traditional greeting Inkaba yakho iphi ? , literally "where is your navel?" The answer "tells someone where you live, what your clan affiliation is, and what your social status is and contains a wealth of undisclosed cultural information. Most importantly, it determines where you belong". Xhosa marriage, umtshato , is one that is filled with a number of customs and rituals which relate to

7820-407: The website was "scientific with great educative value", addressing a "societal problem needing urgent intervention". Girls are also initiated into womanhood (Intonjane). They too are secluded, though for a shorter period. Female initiates are not circumcised . Other rites include the seclusion of mothers for ten days after giving birth, and the burial of the afterbirth and umbilical cord near

7912-593: The wider Cape. In the 19th century, the Xhosas fought and repulsed many tribes that were escaping the Zulus in the Colony of Natal , this was during the historical mfecane . Those who were accepted were assimilated into the Xhosa cultural way of life and followed Xhosa traditions. The Xhosas called these various tribes AmaMfengu , meaning wanderers, and were made up of clans such as the amaBhaca , amaBhele , amaHlubi , amaZizi and Rhadebe. To this day,

8004-748: Was created in 1910, the Eastern Districts Court became the Eastern Districts Local Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa . In 1957 the division was removed from the concurrent jurisdiction of the court at Cape Town and renamed as the Eastern Cape Provincial Division. In 1974 the South Eastern Cape Local Division was established in Port Elizabeth to serve that city and the surrounding districts, although

8096-762: Was founded in 1870 by the Grocott family, and bought out a newspaper called the Grahamstown Journal , which was founded in 1831. Robert Godlonton , a previous owner of the Journal had used it and his other papers to oppose Andries Stockenström 's treaty system and advocated seizing more land from the Xhosa . It is now a local newspaper operated by the Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies, and still retains its name. As

8188-426: Was not done by all the tribes within the Xhosa people. In modern day, the man and woman would most likely have been in courtship or a relationship prior to Ukuthwalwa . Decades before Ukuthwalwa would entail legal bridal abduction, where the man could choose a woman of his liking to be his bride and go into negotiations with the family of the bride without her knowledge or consent. She would have to abide to

8280-466: Was talk of making Grahamstown the capital of the Cape Colony because of its central position. Grahamstown was the location of the testing of the first diamond find by Henry Carter Galpin. In 1904, Rhodes University College was established in Grahamstown through a grant from the Rhodes Trust. In 1951 it became a fully-fledged University, Rhodes University . The name "Grahamstown" originated from

8372-501: Was tasked with restoring the water supply of Grahamstown following protests over a nine-day water outage. Causes for the outage include financial mismanagement, with under-spending on infrastructure. The task force established by Molewa had not solved the problem by 2014. A 2021 auditor-general's report found that the municipality’s liabilities exceeded its assets by R813 million (equivalent to US$ 54.2 million) and that it has failed to keep full and proper records. By 2022 senior management

8464-436: Was the subject of a criminal investigation and provincial government had to make quarterly reports to the Supreme Court of Appeal on the municipality's financial recovery. In October 2015, more than 500 people were displaced and more than 300 shops looted during a wave of xenophobic violence. Some people use traditional African medicine because it is believed to be effective. There are some plants which are popular with

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