A legendary Xhosa warrior and father of guerilla warfare who led three of the nine frontier wars against British land dispossession will on Friday be recognised by the national government for his role in colonial resistance.
Deputy arts and culture minister Makhotso Maggie Sotyu will honour traditional leader Nkosi Jongumsobomvu Maqoma, who died on September 9 1873, by unveiling his revamped tombstone at the historic Ntaba kaNdoda mountain near Keiskammahoek on Friday.
The event forms part of a heritage restoration project undertaken by the national arts and culture department, co-operative governance & traditional affairs department and Eastern Cape house of traditional leaders in partnership with AmaRharhabe kingdom and Maqoma royal family and AmaJingqi.
The initiative is in partnership with the Eastern Cape sports, recreation, arts and culture department, SA Heritage Resources Agency, National Heritage Council, Maqoma Legacy Group and the Nkosi Maqoma Foundation.
The event will see all the royal houses of AmaTshawe, both from east and west of the Kei River, come together to celebrate Maqoma, who was the most feared commander of united military forces of AmaXhosa, King Hintsa’s most trusted lieutenant.
“The deputy minister will also express the intention to declare the whole precinct of Ntaba KaNdoda, as a national heritage site, with the intent to make the site an economic and tourism hub of heritage, culture and arts for South Africa and the world,’’ arts and culture spokesperson Nkhumeleni Thovhakale said.
Born in 1798, the AmaXhosa’s 19th century warrior spent 17 years on Robben Island for resisting colonial rule.
Maqoma died on the island under mysterious circumstances on September 9 1873 while serving a second term of imprisonment for his refusal to desist from his defence of his people’s land and freedom.
In 1978 – 105 years after his death – his remains were exhumed, having been identified by Xhosa seer Nomantombi Charity Sonandi, and reburied at Ntaba kaNdoda by the Ciskei homeland government.
The last war he fought was the Ngcayichibi War between 1877 and 1878, at Ntaba kaNdoda near the Upper Mngqesha administrative area, where his remains now lie.
The unveiling marks the 40th commemoration of the repatriation and reburial of his remains...