BLACK PROPHETESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1927, Page 8

BLACK PROPHETESS

NONTETA OF THE KAFFIRS

By passively resisting all efforts to get rid of them, by keeping themselves rigidly aloof and out of the reach of the law, and by quietly refusing to leave Pretoria, 36 native men and women, who marched to the Transvaal from the Cape, are hoping to induce the Government to release Nonteta, a native “prophetess,” and founder of their sect, who has been detained in the Pretoria Mental Hospital for nearly four years (writes the Johannesburg correspondent of the “Morning Post”). Nonteta, who is about 40 years of age, comes from King Williamstown, in the Cape, where she founded a numerically powerful religious sect, some years ago. Her power was based on some remarkably accurate forecasts of events, and on her wonderful descriptive powers when prophesying about an early and delightful judgment day, on which unlimited oxen and corn would be distributed from heaven for the delectation of her followers. As a preliminary to this gorgeous period—no prospect is more enticing to the native mind than the prospect of unlimited and easily acquired food —Nonteta adopted the habit of trekking from farm to farm. By warning the inhabitants of kraals of the impending judgment day, she induced them to kill their unworthy cattle and sheep in her honour, explaining that on the judgment day all the miserable sheep and cattle at present in existence would disappear. Convinced by her plausible tongue, and wishing some pleasure from their possessions, the natives gladly killed their stock in order to get into Nonteta’s good books. Thus her visits always coincided with a tremendous feast. This type of religion proved tremendously popular, and her followers grew in numbers until they constituted a menace to that part of the

country. The unrest among the native people around King Williamstown attracted the notice of the authorities. Nonteta was interviewed by a doctor, certified a. religious maniac, and eventually removed to Pretoria in 1923. Recently the police authorities in Pretoria were astounded at the arrival of 36 natives, men and women, who demanded to see Nonteta. They had left King Williamstown on November 23. 1926, and arrived at Pretoria on January 12, 1927, having walked all the ■way, a distance of over 500 miles. To them, after nearly four years, Nonteta was still supreme and her incarceration an injustice. All the while they had scrupulously followed her teaching, which mapped out a hard creed for a z native, for it forbade drinking of all intoxicating liquor, and insisted on frequent washing. So strong was Nonteta’s influence, however, that her followers actually travelled around with flat-irons; the dresses of the women were always neatly ironed, and the trousers of the men carefully pressed, with nice creases in the opposite direction to those affected by Europeans.

The Sub-Native Commissioner received the deputation, gave them shelter in the native reception rooms, and arranged for them to see Nonteta. The meeting was a curious sight. As the deputation approached the old prophetess, she suddenly began to dance and chant. Curiously enough, no greetings passed between them. Nonteta just danced, with a step and rhythm

almost exactly similar to the flat Charleston, only more reverent. Seeing their leader dance, the followers did likewise, and thus was the period of the first interview entirely occupied. Nonteta danced and droned an unintelligible melody, while her followers Charlestoned around and around her in silence. At a second interview, however, the parties had a long conversation.

The mental authorities have now decided to prohibit further interviews as they have an unsettling effect on Nonteta .