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Pathisa Nyathi
Just how much of traditional Africa’s way of life can we unravel if we do not understand metaphors and symbolism?
It was common to express and or effect an idea through the use of metaphors. A look at symbols which were part of the visual arts tradition will bear testimony to this assertion. Chevrons, circles and triangles were used to represent women as part of Africa’s recognition of their bigger role in effecting continuity or fertility.
The use of symbolism helped the African to access what was physically inaccessible. He could manipulate situations in his favour. Getting hold of a buffalo spoor enabled him, through symbolic manipulation, to disable or immobilise the buffalo. Having the spoor of the buffalo in his hands was tantamount to holding the buffalo, which, once immobilised, was caught up with and killed. This is the art, craft and science of Africa which is on the decline.
However, today we are looking at the symbolism associated with fire. “Tshitshi nana. Nana tshitshi!” This was a common slogan not so long ago when theatrical performances were used to get the message of HIV/Aids across to the people. Tshitshi is uttered when children are being advised to stay clear of fire as it might burn them. At the literal level fire burns. Fire at the symbolic level may mean something totally different. In an earlier article we asked about the perception, not just of fire anywhere, but fire within the hearth in the kitchen hut. We could pose the question concerning the “tshitshi nana” chant and ask which fire was being referred to. It certainly could not have been a reference to the literal fire for we see no connection between it and the spread of HIV.
The hearth in a Ndebele kitchen was circular in design and centrally located. It was a shallow depression with three hearth stones within it. Those familiar with the number three will know it was significant in the African cosmological world. Jesus’ world was an African world in terms of cosmology. It therefore comes as no wonder that he was dead for three days after which he resurrected.
His eternal life was directly linked to his death. Both these ideas are part of the repertoire of African worldviews.
Remember the circle is, in African terms, symbolic of women. With its three hearthstones the African completed an anatomical picture.
What will become apparent are the complementary symbols: the circle, the depression within the circle and the three hearthstones. Let us remember too that Africa expressed herself within the limits set by moral ethics. The drawing of sexual organs was generally avoided, especially those of the women folk. To circumvent the moral-ethical constraints, symbols were used to deal with issues otherwise relegated to the realm of taboos. What then emerges is the symbolisation of woman through the hearth and its associated fire for cooking food — a function generally performed by women.
Let us see how the image of fire was applied to a different situation. When an emissary (umkhongi), was sent to a certain family to ask for their daughter’s hand in marriage the words, in Ndebele, were as follows, “Uzuyesicelela umlilo.” Surely, the young man’s family had enough fire in their homestead. The fire being referred to was not the literal fire but the symbolic fire — the daughter in question. Given the above expose, it is clear why a daughter would be referred to as a fire. One could say she would be making fire at her in-laws’ place and preparing food for them. But alas, it cannot be that role of making fire.
The services of the daughter-in-law are being sought so that the man’s family, through her, extends their blood line.
Her role was unequivocally driven in by her father when she emerged from the cattle byre: “Ufike uveze abantu!” Her role was procreation — ukuzala yikuzelula. It is never in doubt concerning how she would play a part in the process of procreation. It is through sexual reproduction. Remember the hearth and its symbolism!
Let’s take the theme of fire further. When a woman is old and no longer wants “to be shaken,” (ukunyikinywa) by her husband, she brought her niece, a brother’s daughter to be married by her aunt’s husband. In SiNdebele it was said, “Uzevusa amaseko.” The young niece within whose blood vessels runs hot blood came to resuscitate the hearthstones. The hearthstones, three of them remember, are symbolic and they are part of the fire burning within the hearth.
The term for this niece is imbokodo, which should not be confused with inhlanzi, a niece who has come to raise seed for her barren aunt.
When a wife no longer gets her conjugal rights the symbolism of fire was applied. Firstly, the term used is, “Endlini sekuqanda or Umlilo usucitshile.” The fire was extinguished and the room is cold. Here the link between fire and sex is more explicit and direct. Indeed, it is only sexual intercourse, not barring artificial insemination of course, which results in procreation.
A daughter-in-law communicated with her mother-in-law using the symbolism of fire when her husband was no longer performing his conjugal duties.
That symbolic communication made use of both male and female sexual symbols inherent in the hearth. We did refer to the shallow circular hearth and what it symbolised. That is the female side within the hearth. We now need to locate the male component. Fire that is burning in the hearth makes use of firewood. By the way, what is the shape of firewood? It is, if we may remind you, cylindrical. It symbolises the phallus, the male organ.
The daughter-in-law sat next to the fire and stoked the fire when it was not even necessary to do so. The fire could very well be burning sufficiently. Well, it’s not about the literal fire. She is conveying a message to her mother-in-law about her son’s dereliction of conjugal duty. That was Africa’s way of expressing matters taboo and bringing to the fore matters under the tongue. Taboos were handled skillfully in human relations of deference. Moral and ethical issues were adequately handled.
This is the Africa and her ways which we have lost knowledge about. Perhaps before we deal with other themes inspired by the visit to Umvutshwa Royal Town we may have to deal with the male side in the equation of procreation that underwrote the all-pervasive concept of continuity, endlessness (thanks Richard Mahomva), infinity, eternity, fertility, immortality, imperishability and perpetuity.
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