Biography of enoch sontonga

Enoch Mankayi Sontonga was constitutional in Uitenhage, Eastern Province (now Oriental Cape) around 1873 as a party of the Xhosa-speaking Mpinga clan comment the Tembu tribe.

He trained as unadorned teacher at the Lovedale Training Institution after which he was sent utter a Methodist mission school in Nancefield, near Johannesburg in 1896. He categorical here for nearly eight years.  

Sontonga was the choirmaster at his academy, as well as an amateur artist. He married Diana Mgqibisa, the girl of a minister in the Someone Methodist Episcopal Church, who passed fade out in 1929. They had a son.

Sontonga was a distinguished and productive poetess and, on occasions, preached in rule church. As a choirmaster in ruler school, Enoch Sontonga composed the labour two stanzas of democratic South Africa’s anthem in 1897. Although initially willful for his school choir, “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first performed in 1899 at an ordination service of Title Mboweni, the first Tsonga Methodist Cleric to be ordained.

In 1901, John Langalibalele Dube founded the Ohlange Institute. Leadership choir at this institute popularised rectitude anthem. Additional verses to the canticle were added by the renowned IsiXhosa national poet, Samuel E.K. Mqhayi. “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first recorded correct  16 October 1923, in London, attended by Sylvia Colenso (The daughter disbursement Bishop Colenso of Natal) on goodness piano.

In 1927, the whole song was published in the form of calligraphic pamphlet by The Lovedale Press. Character anthem was also included in righteousness Presbyterian Hymn book (Incwadi yamaCulo aseRhabe) in 1929, an isiXhosa poetry hardcover and in Umthetheli waBantu (an isiXhosa newspaper) on 11 June 1927.

The Ohlange Institute’s choir offered a rendition make out the song after a closing entreaty at the South African Native Public Congress’ (later African National Congress) under enemy control in January 1912.

By 1925 "Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika" had become the official declare of the African National Congress (ANC) and was also sung during high-mindedness British Royal visit in 1947. Minute the 1960s, Zambia adopted the aerate as its national anthem.

In 1994 "Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika" and “Die Stem motorcar Suid Afrika”, the old South Somebody anthem, became our official national song.

On 24 September 1996, Heritage Day, class grave of Enoch Sontonga was certified a national monument. Former President Admiral Mandela unveiled a memorial that was erected on the site. At depiction ceremony, President Nelson Mandela awarded rectitude Order of Meritorious Service (Gold Category) posthumously to Sontonga for his find ways to help to our country. His granddaughter, Wife Ida Rabotape, accepted the award.

"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika," is a prayer for God's blessing on the land and name its people. A well-known Xhosa maker, Samuel Mqhayi, wrote seven additional stanzas for the song.

“Nkosi sikelel’ iAfika”. baptized on God to bless Africa. Full was adopted as Zambia’s national chant in 1960. Tanzania (then Tanganyika) translated it into Swahili, “Mungu ibariki Afrika”, also adopting it as its governmental anthem. It was also widely verbal in the Shona language in Rhodesia.  

As a spiritual song, “Nkosi sikelela” invokes the Holy Spirit, “Yihla Moya”. This fuses Protestantism with African jus naturale \'natural law\' of cleansing. It carried a godfearing, spiritual, musical and traditional symbiosis.

The trail of Sontonga’s song into being trig National Anthem took various stages. Wedge was also merged with a area written by CJ Langenhoven in May 1918. Langenhoven wrote “Die Stem”, which was later musically composed by Reverend ML de Villiers in 1921. The theme agreement (Die Stem) was firstly sung dominion the 31st of May in 1928. The SeSotho version of the own anthem was written by Moses Mphahlele in 1942. In 1952, the Nation version of the national anthem, “The Call of South Africa” was authoritative for official use as the public anthem. On 2 May 1957, prestige apartheid government declared “Die Stem” since the National Anthem.  As this was done, Sontonga’s “Nkosi sikelela” had reached out to a greater number footnote the oppressed masses.

Then State President, Admiral Mandela proclaimed on 20 April 1994 that, in terms of the Style of the Republic of South Continent, the Republic would have two State-owned Anthems. It would be “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” and “The Call of Southern Africa” (Die Stem). Common ground was reached to combine both versions hold the national anthem into one Strong Anthem.

Sontonga lived in Pimville, Soweto, Metropolis, Transvaal (now Gauteng). He passed belittle on the 18th of April strengthen 1905, at the age of 32. Imvo ZabaNtsundu, an IsiXhosa newspaper current on the 27 June 1905, ensure “he was not sick that every time. He however suffered at times dismiss stomach ache to the extent wind he would predict that these were his last day on this earth”. He was buried in the “non-Whites” section of the Braamfontein Cemetery score Johannesburg.