Staffrider Vol.3 No.4 Dec-Jan 1980 - DISA

unning through the blood vessels of the comrades; throughthe restless blood circulation of the Son. It was just no coincidence:it had been planned, long planned by the badzimo.There was much work to be done, and it was such importantwork it could be done only with dedication, by an unselfishgroup of people without any hangups whatsoever, andaccording to the amadlozi, the Comrades Trio and Son fittedthe requirement like a glove.The first obstacle was to deal with — perhaps topple — thetyrannical puppet, after which the people would decide whatto do next. That was the Son's suggestion, accepted withoutany deliberation: that tyranny was the order of the day forthe masses was not the real issue, only how to deal with it.Fatso pondered: 'Unzima lomthwalo, comrades, butnevertheless it is not insurmountable.''We've only got to be united, then we'll be a formidableforce against the evil forces,' 4-by-5 philosophised.'However,' reacted the Father, 'we should be carefulabout being over-hasty.''You're wrong, Father,' said the Son politely. 'Freedomdoes not wait for anybody.''You gotta grab it with both hands before it slips out ofyour grasp forever,' Fatso retorted.'Yes, because . . . ', then she started singing in a surprisinglysweet and inspired voice:'Hayi umkhulu lomsebenziumsebenzi wenkululekou-Mandela ufuna amajoniamajoni enkululekonaba oSamora bafuna amajonihayi amajoni obu bhanxa.''Hey, 4-by-5,' an animated Father shouted, 'where the helldid you get that song. I think I like it — it's many years sinceI heard it.'•It was a bizarre scene.The group was singing a topicalghetto historical piece, providingtheir own percussion on dustbinlids and empty beer cans ...J'Oh, that's nothing . . . this car trip reminds me of ourdrive to Pretoria, 20 000 of us women, with MaNgoyi leadingus in the '50s.'Meanwhile ... As the evening approached back at theSon's village, the Village Sage, old and frail, had got up tothe amazement of everybody, and performed what was tohim a holy ritual he last performed many, many decades ago:blowing his mhalamhala. Within minutes, people from allover the village began trudging to the Main House, with litnatural torches in their hands; men, women and children.They came, one and all — as one. The Village Sage's horncarried some tidings they reckoned, for the Old Man hadbeen the natural advisor to the Son during his Father's absencefrom his traditional inheritence of being the villagechief.On the other hand ... as the Comrades Trio and Sonapproached the village, the Son firmly placed his palm on themechanical horn, and when he removed his palm to avoidbeing a nuisance, he found that the hooter would not stoptooting: it was now on automatic! Try as he might the hornwould not refrain from blowing, as if responding to the OldMan's horn, because he had not stopped blowing either.Indeed the Old Man's horn stopped only when the car hadcome to a standstill in front of him, amid the ululations fromthe maidens and mothers alike. And with a frenzied ibongireciting the Father's and clan's history at record speed.'He's backckckckckckckckckckckckckckckck!!!' was allthat the Old Man said, in a soft voice after he had motionedwith his right hand for silence. Then he stepped forward,scooped a piece of umhlaba with his right hand, while holdingonto his horn dearly, and when the Father climbed out ofthe car, said: 'This is yours, my son. Retrieve it.'And he did.'I've been waiting; we've been waiting all these years foryou. We've been ready to go into battle for our rights, but wedared not do so without you, our traditional Head, becausewe would have invoked the wrath of the gods. But now thatyou are back with us once more, we can face up to thechallenges before us, especially the arrogant onethat each and every family household must popout R5 in two days' time, to that despicable""snake that is giving us hell. Now that you're back, there's nomore time to waste; we'll attack tonight.''But, Wise Father, don't you think that is too risky?''No, Father: we've had enough. We can only take thismuch — 'Still the Father was not absolutely convinced.'There are mostly women here and . . . 'Retorted 4-by-5 in her old defiant tone, which she quicklywatered down on observing the expressions of disapprovalfrom some of the mothers next to the Village Sage: 'Chief,we all know that a battle can't be delayed indefinitely becauseof lack of adequate equipment: we ourselves — all of ushere — are sufficient weapons to do anything we aim toaccomplish. And another thing — liberation does not onlywear trousers, it also happens to wear a dress.'And for that, 4-by-5 received a thunderous applause.'We'll liberate ourselves,' said the Old Man'excitedly, 'andthen we'll march further and liberate our brothers and sistersin the cities too.'But before that, the Father had to be reunited with hisfamily first while he awaited the sounding of mhalamhala,the horn of Afrika, and . . . ppfff . ., .puudududuuu . . . •42 STAFFRIDER, DECEMBER 1980/JANUARY 1981