Ngingu Tu Gwala ngazalwa ngo 1935 ngizalelwa endaweni yaseMalangeni eHammarsdale. Ngizalwa umaZungu, ngikhulele khona ngafunda khona amabanga aphansi ngaze ngafika ebangeni lesithupha ngasengiphuma ngiyosebenza emafemini akhona eHammarsdale.
Ekwaluseni
Ubaba ubesebenza kaloliwe, umama egada ekhaya thina sisesikoleni. Ekhaya bekufuyiwe kakhulu izinkomo, izimbuzi, izinkukhu, amakewu neziklabhu. Kudala bewungena esikoleni usukhulile kakhulu. Ngesikhathi ungakakulungeli ukuya esikoleni ubulusa izinkomo. Kumnandi ekwaluseni ufunda izinto eziningi. Ukwelusa ukuhambisa inkomo emadlelweni uhlale uzigade zidle, uziyise kophuza amanzi zibuye zidle utshani kuzekushone ilanga. Uma kukhona esengwayo uyibuyise ngesikhathi sokusenga isengwe bese ibuyela emadlelweni. Lapha emadlelweni kunokwethu esasikwenza, laba asebekhulile kunathi babesiqhatha silwe, besifundisa ukulwa ngenduku bekufundisa nokuvika ungadlali abanye abafana.
Ukudla
Sasidla izithelo zasehlathini amajikijolo; amadolofiya; ugwava nokwatapheya, ngoba sasingekho isikhathi sokubuyela ekhaya uyodla kwakuyibanga elide ekhaya uma ususemadlelweni. Sasibuye sintshontshe izinkukhu zikamama sizidlele emadlelweni lapho silusele khona. Sasiyibamba ngokuthi umbila sasiwubopha ngosinga lokudoba ofishi ukuze inkukhu ingaboni ukuthi uboshiwe ummbila bese iwugwinya siyidonse sishone nayo esikhotheni. Sifike ehlathini sibase umlilo esidulini, bese sithatha inkukhu siyikhiphe ezangaphakathi, bese siyibeka emlilweni lona esesiwubasile. Ivuthwe sishaye esentwala. Ngakusasa omunye uzontshontsha eyakubo kanjalo kanjalo. Zaziziningi izinkukhu zingabonakali ngisho kukhona engekho. Sasibuye sintshontshe namaqanda siwafake ‘edramini’ lomquba ngakusasa sowathola esevuthiwe kube umphako lowo. Sasidla sisutha yingakho emakhaya babesibona seliyoshona ilanga.”
By: Nelisiwe Hlongwane