Izimbongi
Izimbongi abantu abanobuciko ngendlela yokubeka inkulumo ngendlela ehehayo, enoju futhi enongayo. Izimbongi ziloba, ziphinde zihaye ngezinto noma ngezigameko ezenzekayo ngoba zinemvume yokukhuluma iqiniso noma ngabe lilumela kanjani. Izimbongi imilando yamakhosi kuqala beziyazi ngekhanda nezigameko zamakhosi, okusuka ekukhuleni kwawo kuze kuye ekuphatheni kwawo, lokho bekwenza zikwazi ukubongela lamakhosi uma zigedeza ngawo.
Kuningi obekwenziwa izimbongi emandulo namanje ngokunjalo, sizothi ukunaba ngakho kancane, sibale izimbongi ezidumile zakwaZulu mase silandelisa ngezibongo zamakhosi akwaZulu ayehaywa izo belu izimbongi ngezihayo zawo ezisuka ebuqhaweni awo lamakhosi, kanye nezigameko adlule kuzo endleleni eya ebukhosini.
Imisebenzi yezimbongi
- Ukukhipha Impi
Bekuthi uma kuzoliwa impi, izimbongi zibe khona empini zizohaya ngaphambi kokuba kuqale impi emandulo. Ngaphambi kokuthi amabutho ehlasele, imbongi ibiqala ngokuhasha amakhosi asatshalwa noma asekhotheme azala inkosi ebusayo, iwahaye ize iyofika kuyo le ebusayo, icela inhlanhla yokunqoba empini okubhekenwe nayo, amabutho empi wona ebevuma inkondlo yenkosi ngenkathi imbongi isahuba, uma isithathe ikhefu amabutho asho ngazwi linye ethi “Bayede uliZulu” noma bathi “Musho okaNdaba”.
Ibithi uma isiqedile ukuhuba imbongi amabutho mase ayahlasela lapho kuyohlaselwa khona, yona iqhele iwadedele, ime endaweni la ezokwazi ukubuka khona konke okwenzekayo ukuze izokwazi ukuhaya ngayo impi isadudulana, isho amaqhawe aselele khona lapho empini. Uma inqotshwa impi bekuzwakala ngayo imbongi impongoloza, noma futhi isinqotshiwe impi sekuphindelwa emuva, imbongi ibihaya ngokuhlabana empini.
- Ukutshalwa kwenkosi
Uma kutshalwa inkosi, isuke ifihlwa emva kokukhothama, izimbongi izona ebezenza lomsebenzi osuwenziwa abefundisi esikhathini samanje uma kuthunwa emalibeni. Uma kutshalwa inkosi, bekuhutshwa amahubo ebiwathanda isaphila, imbongi ibe ibongela yona, icela kumathongo ayo inkosi ukuthi ayamukele emndenini njengoba isizoba kanye nabo. Bekuba yiyo futhi imbongi ecela emathongeni ukuthi asingathe isizwe esikhathini sefu elimnyama elibasingethe njengoba kutshalwa inkosi. Uma sekuphunywa ekhaya sekuyotshalwa yona inkosi imbongi ibihamba phambili, isho ngezwi losizi, izothela umsebenzi okufanele uthelwe.
Eminye imisebenzi yezimbongi ibihlanganisa ukubongela imikhosi yakwaZulu kanye nokugcina imilando yesintu.
Izimbongi zakwaZulu
- Magolwana Jiyane
- Mshongweni (Imbongi kaShaka)
- Maqayingana kaLutholude
- Klwana kaNgqengelele
- Mahlangeni Khumalo (Imbongi kaCetshwayo)
- Manxele Buthelezi
- Mnyamana Buthelezi
- Ndevana Khanyile
- Vumandaba kaNtethe
- Mhlakuva sodondo
- Hlantela kaQukaza
- Hemlana kaMbangezeli
- Sobhedase Qwabe
- Shingana kaMpande
- Ndabuko kaMpande
- Sehla kaNdengezi (Imbongi kaDinuzulu)
- Hhoye kaSoxhalase (Imbongi kaSolomoni)
Brief overview
This article discusses the role of poets in the ancient Zulu and the contemporary society. The poet’s role was to praise kings, archive important traditional history based on the kings’ experiences and based on social occurrences. Poets were given permission to express their feelings, in disapproving and approving on some of the decisions made by kings, while also playing a role during and after warfare. In this article we also mention few Zulu poets whose work is still celebrated even today.