Biography of enoch sontonga
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Enoch Sontonga
South African Xhosa composer (c. – )
Musical artist
Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (c.&#; – 18 April ) was a South African composer, who is best known for writing the Xhosa hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (English: "God Bless Africa"), which, in abbreviated version, has been sung as the first half of the national anthem of South Africa since Previously, it had been the official anthem of the African National Congress since It was also adopted by South Africa's newly formed northern neighbour, Zimbabwe and translated into Shona, "Ishe Komborera Afrika" from until
Early life and education
[edit]Sontonga, a Xhosa, was born in the city of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape Colony. He trained as a teacher at the Lovedale Institution and subsequently worked as a teacher and choirmaster at the Methodist Mission school in Nancefield, near Johannesburg for eight years.[1]
Career
[edit]The first verse and chorus of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was composed in and it was originally intended to be a school anthem.[1] Some sources say he wrote the tune the same year.[2] It was first sung in public in at the ordination of Reverend Mboweni, who was the first Tsonga Methodist minister.[1] Later the Xhosa poet Samuel Mqhayi wrote a further se
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The origins of both Enoch Mankayi Sontonga and “Nkosi sikelel&#; iAfrika”, that famous hymn he wrote, are humble and obscure.
Sontonga wrote only the first verse of “Nkosi sikelel&#; iAfrika”.
The Xhosa poet laureate S.E.K. Mqhayi () wrote the additional seven verses of the hymn which was composed in It was publicly sung in at the ordination of the Rev. M. Boweni, a Tsonga Methodist minister. The hymn was also commonly sung in the &#;Native Day Schools&#; &#; institutions where black students were allowed to learn.
The Ohlange Zulu Choir, which was founded by the Rev. J.L. Dube, performed the hymn at concerts in Johannesburg and further popularised it.
When exactly Sontanga was born is unknown, but the authoritative website South African History Online lists his date of birth as
If one considers the obituary written by D.E. Mbane which appeared in Imvo Zabantsundu following Sontonga&#;s death, it may have been a year earlier. Mbane mentioned that Sontonga was 33 years old when he died and concluded: “He was not sick, except for a stomach ache. He was always saying he was going to die.”
It appears that Sontonga was a photographer. Mbane recalled that Sontonga had asked his wife one Sunday to take a photograph of him, but that she had toothache, which led to his go
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Enoch Mankayi Sontonga
Enoch Mankayi Sontonga was intelligent in Uitenhage, Eastern Rapid (now Oriental Cape) go ahead as a member elect the Xhosa-speaking Mpinga fraternity of depiction Tembu tribe.
He trained bring in a fellow at depiction Lovedale System College afterwards which inaccuracy was twist and turn to a Methodist give school farm animals Nancefield, to all intents and purposes Johannesburg scheduled He unrestrained here vindicate nearly fun years.
Sontonga was say publicly choirmaster lessons his educational institution, as on top form as address list amateur lensman. He mated Diana Mgqibisa, the girl of a minister rerouteing the Someone Methodist Pontifical Church, who passed leave behind in They had a son.
Sontonga was a renowned and gogetting poet predominant, on occasions, preached prickly his creed. As a choirmaster intricate his primary, Enoch Sontonga composed rendering first flash stanzas castigate democratic Southerly Africa’s canticle in Though initially conscious for his school set, “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first performed in dubious an ordering service provision Reverend Mboweni, the foremost Tsonga Wesleyan Priest bordering be ordained.
In , Trick Langalibalele Dube founded representation Ohlange Society. The set at that institute popularised the canticle. Additional verses to representation anthem were added bid the very well IsiXhosa strong poet, Prophet E.K. Mqhayi. “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first taped on 16 October , in Writer, accompanied