How the umQwashu oath shaped AmaMfengu's identity

In response to contemporary challenges, current generation must adopt a transformational oath

- NKOSIKHULULE NYEMBEZI

WHAT A wonderful privilege to be part of this scintillating, glittering, and cathartic commemoration on the 190th anniversary of this historical oath taken at the umQwashu Memorial Site on 14 May 1835. This oath pledges loyalty to the English throne, devotion to God, and a commitment to education. It is an integral part of our traumatic and strife-ridden history. It has since played a crucial role in shaping AmaMfengu's identity up to the present day.

What can the present-day amaMfengu generation learn from our traumatic and strife-ridden history, our traumatised forebears who were the original oath-takers, and our traumatised grandparents who were original beneficiaries of the gallant ancestral sacrifices?

We can be proud that the government has declared UmQwashu Memorial Site located at eNgqushwa a National Heritage Site, as per Government Gazette Notice No. 5590 published on 29 November 2024. We can also be proud that amaMfengu have achieved remarkable milestones since the time before the dawn of South Africa's constitutional democracy on 27 April 1994.

However, many challenges and questions about the future of amaMfengu remain, including: In what ways is this historic oath still relevant in today’s modern society and our efforts to promote “Youth Opportunities and Development in the Rural Economy” as envisioned in this year’s theme of the commemoration?

What can we discard, change, transform or transplant into this historic oath as people struggling to overcome our traumatic colonial past and present-day inflictions who are human rights bearer-citizens of a 31-year-old constitutional democratic state?