adminCultural Heritage, Phathisa Nyathi
SOCIAL allocation of beef cuts has a story to tell beyond nutritional value. It is an expression of relationships and distribution of power. In today’s article we seek to show how beef cuts from a beast serve as indicators of relationships, including power relations among young men. We could safely say beef cuts mirror the wider community.
Let us start with the word impundu. The cultural section in IsiNdebele examination question papers usually poses questions that demand knowledge of impundu. Impundu is part of a cow’s liver. It is found on the underside of this vital organ and is finger-like in shape. There are attendant restrictions as to who may eat impundu and who may not.
A full appreciation of the said restrictions requires that we identify something else that goes by the same name. Once again, we come across familiar questions in IsiNdebele examination question papers where learners are asked to give two meanings of the same word such as the following: imbokodo, inhlanzi, ulimi, impumulo, impundu, isibindi, impukane and many others.
Impundu is another term for isango lesibaya, the cattle byre/pen entrance. During the time when cattle were being doctored with various medicinal concoctions impundu was very important. Medicines in potsherds were place at the entrance so that cattle walked over the medicines. Some of the medicinal concoctions, known as umthuso or ibaso were meant to enhance fertility of the herd.
Sometimes such concoctions were used to prevent predators such as lions and leopards from attacking livestock. When a lion tried to plunge its claw nails into a cow’s body it failed to do so. The same principle was applied on chicks. When a hawk, (uhelwane) swooped low to catch the chicks the claws of its talons did not open. The poor hawk tried several times without success till it gave up. That was the time when Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems were advanced. Sadly, the adoption of western science poured scorn over everything indigenous, including indigenous knowledge.
The situation was further aggravated by the fact that spiritual channels of transmission of indigenous knowledge to future generations were blocked. The past and the present disengaged and present generations are the worse for it as they are not privy to the knowledge systems of their ancestors. Now the African does not believe that such measures ever worked. Only a few feeble echoes from the past reach out to present generations. The greater bulk of African indigenous knowledge remains trapped within the thick mists of history.
This reminds me of a recent interview I had with the filming team from London. Zeinab, the film presenter asked me, “Do you believe these spiritual measures can cause rain to fall?” An answer quickly oozed out effortlessly, emphatically and unapologetically. “Yes, indeed. This world and the wider cosmos is complex, too complex to be fully explained and interpreted through one form of knowledge system. The West thinks it has keys to a full understanding of all cosmic phenomena. That is not true!”
We have, in previous articles, pointed out that the cattle byre zone was a male domain. Men held their discussions there, consumed their food there and, in the wee hours of the morning, went there to irrigate the soil. The cattle palisade, uthango lwesibaya, was sometimes poorly secured and cattle breached it. Usually, there was one neighbour who, on account of his intimate relationship with the head of household, felt obliged to drive in cattle and secure the palisade to avoid them escaping once again.
This was done without reference to the head of family. Later, on some other day, would the good neighbour inform his friend about the act? This was a special neighbour who enjoyed the privilege of consuming impundu when others were not accorded the same honour.
When the rest of men saw the head of household sharing impundu with a particular neighbour they knew what that meant or what was being expressed. Language communicates and expresses, yet that language need not always be verbal. Have we not been told that actions speak louder than words? All it takes is for people to be socialised in the same way. Both verbal and non-verbal language is intelligible to all members of the same community.
Let us now turn to another related beef cut. It is a cut that is an integral part of the liver. This particular piece of liver is smaller than impundu. It is called ubhedu. Many readers of the column will remember the popular programme presented by Luke Mnkandla on Skies FM titled, “Ezidla ubhedu loLMK.” Some of you will, hopefully, figure out why songs may be said to be “eating ubhedu.” However, what should be apparent is that ubhedu is an appendage of a liver that is eaten/consumed under certain conditions: ubhedu luyadliwa.
What is important to appreciate here is that unlike the liver which may be consumed by many, ubhedu, by virtue of its size, is consumed by one person. Tradition has it that someone may roast ubhedu while the physically stronger individual is gleefully watching. Before he who roasted it partakes of it, the powerful person dashes like a chameleon when it catches a fly with its long tongue. He snatches ubhedu and consumes it.
What this translates to is that ubhedu is a beef cut which is a reserve for the strong and/or the powerful. He who roasted it watches helplessly as the powerful reaps where he did not sow. Inyoni itshayelwa abadala. Ubhedu loselwa abaleziqwanga lamandla. Sometimes the powerful reap benefits that they do not deserve. The weak are vulnerable and fall prey to the vagaries of the powerful.
Now back to the LMK radio programme titled, “Ezidla ubhedu.” My own shot at offering some interpretation would be to recognise the supremacy of some people over others. These are people who overpower others, though in the physical sense. Equally, there are songs that make stronger vibes or sound nicer and appeal more to the audience than other songs. In a way, they beat other songs. Zingoma ezigabhela ezinye!
Hopefully, we are now in a better position to appreciate the full import of Luke Mnkandla’s programme title, “Ezidla ubhedu.”
Indeed, these are songs that are well chosen for their popularity based on the fact that they were well composed, so well rendered that they are a cut above the rest. Indeed, learning does not end. All along I did not fully comprehend the meaning of the title for that programme. But after applying my mind to it, I appreciate both the literal and figurative meanings and interpretations.
Online Reporter