Roberta Writes – d’Verse Halloween haibun: Curse of Nonqaba and Thursday Doors #photography #poetry

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Frank has given d’Verse poets Halloween as his Haibun Monday challenge. You can read other poets work here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/10/27/haibun-monday-10-27-25-halloween/

By way of background to this haibun, erosion in the Inxu Valley, Eastern Cape of South Africa, is a significant environmental problem, primarily in the form of widespread and severe gully erosion. There are many physical factors that have resulted in this situation. This haibun is, however, about a local myth that attributes this extensive erosion to the cure of Nonqaba.

The Curse of Nonqaba (haibun)

2,000 Years ago, the Bantu-speaking Mpondomise people arrived in the Inxu Valley of the Eastern Cape. Here, they encountered a strange and elusive people comprising of scattered families. These people are now known as the San (previously Bushmen), and they were traditionally hunter-gatherers. The Mpondomise had good relations with the San until the early 1940s and there was a lot of integration between the two groups. There were, however, San people who loved nature, lived in rock shelters, and could live entirely off the land. These independent San were regarded as the masters of mysterious powers by the Mpondomise who were dependent upon their crops and domestic animals for their survival.

The Mpondomise recognised the San as the first owners of the land and provided them gifts of grain and livestock. The San were also regarded as ‘rainmakers’. During times of extreme drought, the Mpondomise elders would send a deputation to the San respectfully requesting them to make rain for the people. This relationship between the San and the Mpondomise based on rain-making and reciprocity continued for centuries until the 1940s.

By 1943, missionaries had brought Christianity to this area and conflict arose between the Christianised Mpondomise who preferred to pray for rain in a church and traditionalists who still made use of the San rainmakers. When the chief of the Mpondomise died, his second-eldest son, Lushetu, was appointed acting chief while his older brother was being educated by the missionaries in London. Lushetu felt threatened by the rainmakers’ powers and was jealous of their popularity. During a large beer festival held in the Inxu Valley, Lutshetu approached the rainmaker, Nonqaba, aggressively demanded rain from him and then proceeded to beat him up.

Subsequent to this public disgrace, Nonqaba called all the San in the area together and recommended they leave the Mpondomise as a group. Before they left, however, the San cursed the land of the Mpondomise.

Following the disappearance of the San, it ceased to rain in the Inxu Valley region for three years. Gradually, all the lush vegetation disappeared and the Mpondomise’s cattle died of starvation. This terrible period of extreme drought was followed by tremendous downpours of rain which washed away the topsoil for hundreds of kilometres, depositing it in the ocean. Sheet and donga erosion set in and the once fertile valley was transformed into a desert. Many Mpondomise people were forced to leave their traditional homeland and travel to the cities in search of work. The curse of Nonqaba is stilled blamed for the devastation of this area.

worst of emotions

jealousy of your neighbour

true green-eyed monster

Thursday Doors

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/10/30/hartford-doors-and-street-art/

These are a few pictures of the lighthouse we saw on our day visit to the Brighton area in the UK. My phone tells me this is Eastborne – Beachy Head.

Picture caption: Lighthouse at Beachy Head

This is my Youtube video of this area:

Naturally, this setting called to be painted. I gifted this painting to my mother for her birthday.

Picture caption: This is my acrylic painting of this lighthouse. It is called Fyrtorr which means Beacon in Old English

This is my Youtube video of the above painting:

Picture caption: Another photograph of this lighthouse from a different angle and distance
PIcture caption: A close up of the gorgeous white cliffs
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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66 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse Halloween haibun: Curse of Nonqaba and Thursday Doors #photography #poetry”

  4. I’ve never heard of the Inxu Valley, so it was interesting to read a bit of history behind it. And that’s a fantastic painting. I really like how you painting the ripples in the water. That must’ve taken you a while to do!

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  10. Interesting story about the curse. During a beer festival you say? Funny I don’t associate beer with Africa! I guess it’s all over the world. I like your technique on that lighthouse pic. You really caught the sparkling water.

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  16. Jealousy of your neighbour is indeed an ugly emotion and the root of a lot of evil. The Curse of Nonqaba is indeed a very captivating story. I am wondering if it is true or based on history. The photos and the videos are beautiful.

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  17. Such a fascinating legend that ties so many elements–history, cultures, religion, and the environment together. With their close knowledge of their environment, I can’t help but wonder if Nonqaba and other San sensed something about the climate before they left.

    Lovely photos and artwork, Robbie! I’m sure your mother loved the gift!

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  19. Hi Roberta
    Thanks for telling us this legend, which, like any legend, has a lot of meanings.
    At the south coast of England, we also have such erosions and a lighthouse similarly situated at the Seven Sisters (East Sussex).
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  20. I enjoyed reading the legend about the curse, Robbie. I love learning things about different places around the world. Your painting is beautiful, and so depicts the area in your video.

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  22. Is there anything Christianity has taken into its clutches that they have not destroyed? Sorry for the outburst but this just makes me so mad! Your verse and painting are lovely though, Roberta – and I think your musical accompaniment on the video is spot on!

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    1. HI Violet, thank you for your lovely comment. I’m pleased you like the poem and the painting. I made this video just after I’d been to see a Candlelight Concert featuring instrumental versions of selected Queen and Beatles songs. I agree about religion in general and that is why I do not belong to a church. I do not think the manmade instruments of the church are necessary to be spiritual.

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