Sikhahlela uJohn Knox ‘Mdengentonga’ Bokhwe
Xyoo1800. Iqashiso liphume nobawo uJohn Knox ‘Mdengentonga’ Bokwe (1855-1922) oyinzalelwane yakwaNtselamanzi eDikeni.
Le nyanga yinyanga yokuhlonipha nokunika imbeko eyodwa kubantu baseAfrika, amasiko, izithethe, iingoma, inkcubeko, okubhaliweyo nezinye izinto zamaAfrika.
UJohn Knox Bokhwe ngomnye ozibaluleyo ngomsebenzi wakhe njengonondaba kwiphephandaba Imvo Zabantsundu, efikela kuJohn Tengo Jabavu. Indima yakhe kwintlalo, imfundo nenkcubeko yabantu abamnyama abathetha isiXhosa, ayinakuthandabuzeka.
Udlale indima ecacileyo ukusungulwa kweYunivesithi yaseFort Hare eyayisaziwa ngalo maxesha ngokuba yiSouth African Native College ngo1916.
UJohn Knox Bokhwe uzalwa ngubawo uCholwephi Bokhwe, unina inguLena Bokhwe, uyise ngomnye wabantu bokuqala ukufunda eLovedale ukusungulwa kwayo.
Eminye yemisebenzi yakhe esancancwa nanamhla oku yingoma yakhe ethi Plea for Africa eculwe kakhulu zikwayala eziphambili kweli kuquka neemvumi ezifana noSibongile Khumalo.
Amaxhwangusha engoma afana neCape Town Philhamornic Ochestra akhe azifikisela nawo kwingoma yakhe ethi Plea for Afrika.
Ngenxa yoncuthu olukule ngoma, iimvumi zomculo weekwayala ezifana noSibongile Ngoma noPhumeza Matshikiza zisazifikisela unanamhla oku kule ngoma.
Akaphelelanga apho kodwa ukwayiqambile ingoma ethi Vuka Deborah nayo esathandwa kakhulu nangona indala, ngenxa yobuncwane obuvuza kuyo.
UJohn Knox Bokhwe udlale indima ecacileyo kwinkolo yobuKrestu ngokuguqula amaculo amaninzi ewasusa esiNgesini, ewasa esiXhoseni. Uwabonile amazwe amaninzi aphesheya kolwandle ehamba nosapho lukaGqirha James Stewart. Uvela eScotland nakwamanye ke amazwe.
Utshate izihlandlo ezibini nalapho athe walizwa ngabantwana abahlanu. Intombi yakhe uThandwefika Bokhwe wafunda waba nguGqirha, enye yeentombi zakhe uFreda Bokhwe watshata noZK Matthews. Emva kokubhubha ngo1922, amathambo akhe abekwa kwilali yakwaGaga kwaseDikeni apho.
Sibi isizwe esingabakhumbuliyo oovulindlela baso, okanye esithanda ukuncoma ezinye izizwe sisoyiswa kukuncoma oonyana neentombi zaso.
Ngegalelo lakhe kumzi ontsundu othetha isiXhosa kufunxe, kwaxhamla noonkamfu.