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Cultural Heritage, Phathisa Nyathi
BEVERAGES are regarded as food and play an important role in communities. Last week I paid a visit to my rural home at Sankonjana. This is the time when amarula fruits ripen. Human beings, cattle, goats and some wild animals feast on the ripened fruits. Amarula also refers to some wine produced from the fruits of umganu tree. In addition to the several uses of the tree, it is also a source of a popular wine known as umkumbi.
Given this year’s above average rains, there are plenty of amaganu, the fruits from umganu. The word umganu also refers to a wooden plate, usually carved out of umganu tree, known in Sotho/Setswana as morula. In Bulawayo there is a township named after this type of tree, Emganwini. The settlement is named after umganu tree.
During the reign of King Lobengula Khumalo there was a satellite town of that name. A small stream to the south of Bulawayo is named after the same tree, though its name wrongly rendered as Umganini River instead of Umganu River. At the time when Ndebele people were domiciled in the Marico/Egabheni areas there was a place known as Moruleng and that translates as Emganwini in the IsiNdebele language.
Besides providing wooden plates, imiganu, the tree is used to produce ingiga, the mortar, the artefact used in conjunction with the pestle, umgigo to pound grain into a meal. Wooden spoons are also made from the same tree. From umganu the same tree we get isiganu or ithunga, the milk pail. The wooden milk pail is provided with two lugs known as amansumpa which prevent the wooden vessel from sliding through the milker’s legs during milking. The lugs are located in the upper part of the milk pail.
When milk reaches the level of amansumpa its sound is deeper, almost thunderous. That sound led to the crafting of a Ndebele proverb, “Selidumela emansumpeni.” Many a teacher of IsiNdebele language thinks the sound being referred to could be that of rain thunder. At Amagugu we teach them that it is the milk pail, ithunga, which is being referred to. We then proceed to explore other amansumpa and end up with four concepts for amansumpa.
The first refers to the lugs just described above. The small emerging breasts of a girl are referred to as amansumpa. In days gone by, elders discouraged the emergence of these amansumpa when it was felt the girl was not biologically mature. A broom was used to ‘‘sweep away’’ these false breasts. As part of beautification, women in some Zulu communities used to pierce openings on their skins. They then introduced cow dung into these. When the small openings healed there remained permanent swellings called amansumpa. Finally, Zulu women potters made pots with swellings that formed decorative patterns. These swellings were called amansumpa. Learners are then asked to see some common thread in all these varied expressions of amansumpa.
Umganu bark is used as the initial formulation given to sick people prior to the administration of more relevant and potent medicinal formulations. Ingubhane is the health condition that is dealt with through the administration of a mixture from crushed umganu barks, amaxolo. A hollow reed is used to introduce the mixture through the anal aperture. It is women who perform this medical procedure. When the girl gets married the mother’s husband gives her (the mother) a beast in gratitude for her role in taking care of the young girl’s health.
Since the mother used a reed, umhlanga the beast given to the mother is known as inkomo yohlanga. Alternatively, usezi, a type of hollow grass, is used. The process is known as ukuphozisa. Almost always we proceed to ask learners to give two meanings of the word, phozisa. We go on to talk about ukuphozisa amaxoxo, an activity engaged in by girls in preparation for their future roles as mothers.
However, today our interest is in the beverage from amaganu, the fruits of umganu tree. The beverage is consumed this time of the year and is used during agriculture-based work parties, amalima. Amalima are associated with various stages of crop production. Umkumbi has been provided during weeding sessions. At Sankonjana, amalima, during which umkumbi is provided, are used for fencing, ukubiya.
Last week there were three such work parties which drew upon co-operative work which speeds up the work process. Several pairs of hands get work done faster than a single pair. A Shona proverb captures the idea more succinctly, “A single fingernail cannot crush a louse.” However, the most touted work party, ilima was that of Sikongoro Nyathi, also known as Lazarus. He is an acknowledged master brewer. His umkumbi knocks off imbibers, something that they look forward to.
I was told bottle store owners are not amused when umkumbi is readily available. Their otherwise roaring beer-based businesses are depressed as their products can’t compete with umkumbi. Sikongoro collects properly matured fruits which he gathers for use in the production of wine. He uses a sharpened stick to make holes in amaganu. Peeps are thrown away while the juice, together with the hairy kernels is poured into some container where they are allowed to ferment overnight. In days gone by clay pots were used for the fermentation of the mixture.
When fermentation has taken place by the following day, the floating mass, ingwangwa is sieved off through the processes of both decanting and filtration. A pot containing the brew is slightly tilted and umsehla leaves used to stop the outflow of the filtrate. Clear wine, umkumbi remains in the pot and may be consumed soon thereafter. Some skilled brewers such as Sikongoro mix umkumbi brewed at different times to produce the required killer punch.
Since fencing is the preserve of men, it is they who participate in that activity of strengthening crop fields. This is not fencing from scratch but a process of merely reviving the old fence to ensure the goats and cattle do not breach it and devastate crops. Of course this year there is reduced threat from goats and cattle as pastures are very good and animals see no point in going for the crops. Work is lighter when men are in a state of partial inebriation.
Umkumbi is said to cleanse people’s stomachs. Imbibers get running tummies which invigorate their backs. Men claim umkumbi has an aphrodisiac effect, especially after the stomachs have been cleansed. Mkumbi time is a happy time, a time of marital bliss and there is a claimed baby boom traceable to mkumbi uptake. It is work and work with positive results.
Online Reporter