Thursday, October 18, 2012

I am South African



I am a South African
I owe my being to the women in red, white and black
I owe my being to the women in purple and black
I owe my being to the women in black and white
Who seek no positions
Who take no credit
Who never fight to be seen
Who expect no crowns
Abafazi boxolo               (women of peace)
Abafazi bankol’ingagungqhiyo      (women of unshakable faith)
Abafazi abathi behluphekile bathi bahluthi     (women who are poor yet count themselves as rich)
I owe my being
To women who do not beg
Who seek no human favours
Who seek the favour of One
When they appear before God
They know that kugqinyiwe, kwanele  (it is finished, it is enough)

I am South African
I owe my being not to the hills
Nor the mountains
I owe my being to the women
Abathi mntan’am qina          (who say my child be stand strong)
Mntan’am kuyanyanyezelwa   (my child perservere)
Mntan’am uThix’uyaphendula   (my child God answers)

I am South African
I do not owe my being to the mountains
I owe my being to the women whose faith is as unshakable as mountains
I owe my being to women who have said God’s love is deeper than the ocean
I owe my being to the women
Who have gathered every Thursday from Colonial days, apartheid and post-apartheid days
I owe my being to the women whose prayers are going up to heaven as I write

I am South African
I owe my being to every unacknowledged missionary
Who left England, Germany or France
Who braved unknown lands and scripted languages never before written
Who made mistakes but created ways for the future
I owe my being to my grandmothers’ prayers
I owe my being to my great grandmothers’ conversion
I owe my being to the fire of the Methodists
The faithfulness of the Anglicans
And every mother who prays
I am a South African

© siki dlanga
Inspired by Women’s Thursday prayers over Mhlobowene radio station.


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