Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi
Encyclopedia
Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi (S. E. K. Mqhayi, 1 December 1875–29 July 1945) was a Xhosa poet and historian.
He was born in the Cape Province
, South Africa
to a Christian
family. At the Lovedale institution he was trained as a teacher. In addition to teaching and helping to edit journals in the Xhosa language, he was appointed to the Xhosa Bible Revision Board in 1905. Later he would help to standardize Xhosa grammar and writing, and then become a full-time author.
Between 1896 and 1944 he was a journalist and wrote for Xhosa newspapers. In 1907 he wrote what is considered by some to be the first novel in the Xhosa
language, U-Samson, which is now lost. In 1914 he published Ityala lamawele ('The Lawsuit of the Twins') an influential Xhosa novel and an early defence of customary law and Xhosa tradition.' He is best known and most celebrated today for his authorship of much of the poem, "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
," which was to form part of a free South Africa's national anthem
. His autobiography is titled, UMghayi waseNtab'ozuko (Mghayi of Mount Glory). In 1929 he wrote Utopia, UDon Jadu. He was the recipient of the May Ester Bedford Prize for Bantu literature in 1935.
A youthful Nelson Mandela, who esteemed him "a poet laureate of the African people," saw Mqhayi at least twice in the flesh, and once, to his infinite pleasure, heard him recite.
He was born in the Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
family. At the Lovedale institution he was trained as a teacher. In addition to teaching and helping to edit journals in the Xhosa language, he was appointed to the Xhosa Bible Revision Board in 1905. Later he would help to standardize Xhosa grammar and writing, and then become a full-time author.
Between 1896 and 1944 he was a journalist and wrote for Xhosa newspapers. In 1907 he wrote what is considered by some to be the first novel in the Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
language, U-Samson, which is now lost. In 1914 he published Ityala lamawele ('The Lawsuit of the Twins') an influential Xhosa novel and an early defence of customary law and Xhosa tradition.' He is best known and most celebrated today for his authorship of much of the poem, "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" , was originally composed as a hymn by a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg teacher, Enoch Sontonga in 1897, to the tune 'Aberystwyth' by Joseph Parry...
," which was to form part of a free South Africa's national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
. His autobiography is titled, UMghayi waseNtab'ozuko (Mghayi of Mount Glory). In 1929 he wrote Utopia, UDon Jadu. He was the recipient of the May Ester Bedford Prize for Bantu literature in 1935.
A youthful Nelson Mandela, who esteemed him "a poet laureate of the African people," saw Mqhayi at least twice in the flesh, and once, to his infinite pleasure, heard him recite.