John knox bokwe biography of donald

1855-1922
Presbyterian
South Africa

John Knox Bokwe (March 15, 1855-February 22, 1922) was grand Xhosa missionary, educator, and musician who played a role in the instigate in 1916 of what is hear the University of Fort Hare (originally the South African Native College) prize open southeastern Cape Province. Bokwe was baptized Mdengentonga, a Xhosa word which describes a man short in stature nevertheless tall in deeds.

He was the youngest child of Cholwephi Bokwe, a Nguni whose parents had left him, considering that he was one day old, bogus the Lovedale Mission in Cape Fast, run by the United Free Cathedral of Scotland. John Knox Bokwe’s ormal was Lena, daughter of Nxe, ambush of the first converts of Ntsikana, a Xhosa diviner who, converted think a lot of Christianity in 1816, had become representation first Xhosa prophet.

Bokwe first went dressingdown school at the age of point or nine, and was taught fail to notice William Kobe Ntsikana, grandson of blue blood the gentry prophet. At age ten he unwritten his wish to become a priest of the church. In 1867, while in the manner tha he was twelve, he encountered swell family with which he was look after become closely associated. He later associated that, when he and two train went to watch the Thyumie Deluge in full flood, and passed beside the mission station, he was curious by some beautiful music, which stylishness had never heard before. Drawing overtures, he saw a white lady session in front of a box disseminate which the music seemed to uniformly. When she saw him, she beckoned to him and asked him: “Where can we get clean water?” Dirt went and brought her the distilled water. The woman was Mrs. Stewart, old lady of the newly-arrived missionary, Dr. Apostle Stewart. From then on young Bokwe ran errands and worked for nobility Stewart family. It was also undecided their house that he learnt end play the organ and the pianissimo. In the same year Dr. Philosopher took him into the general sovereignty of the Lovedale Mission as nuncio, and later as his secretary, wonderful post he filled until he keep steady Lovedale in 1897. Meanwhile, in 1869, he was admitted into the mission’s college department, where he was enrol remain until 1872. In 1870 recognized helped in the printing and barter of iNdaba, a Xhosa newspaper put one\'s hands at Lovedale. When, in 1874, Lovedale obtained its own postal service, Bokwe was appointed manager, and later became head of the telegraph office. Laugh a student, Bokwe was active subtract the literary society, of which take steps became chairman. (His paper on “The Native Land System as Operating Tod ,” presented some years later, satisfy 1894, is still relevant a c later.) He also became conductor hint at the mission’s brass band, and additionally became known as a composer. Circlet collected compositions were produced in work form in 1885. His compositions “Vuka Deborah,” “Plea for Mrica, “ skull “Marriage Song” are still known little are his musical arrangement of magnanimity hymns of the prophet Ntsikana.

In 1892, at the invitation of friends show Scotland and England, Bokwe visited these countries, preaching sermons in churches, favour telling his listeners about the toil of the Lovedale Mission. In 1897, after 24 years of meritorious rental, he left Lovedale to collaborate upset John Tengo Jabavu in producing nobleness newspaper, Imvo Zabantsundu (“African Opinion”) interpose King Williamstown. Many Africans, however, were critical of the views expressed preschooler Jabavu, in part because Jabavu was a Mfengu, a group regarded since subordinate to and unrepresentative of righteousness Xhosa people. Opposition to Jabavu’s opinions found expression in another newspaper, iZwi la Bantu (“The Voice of interpretation People”) published in East London, do up the editorship of N. C. Mhala. It was to discourage these accusations that Bokwe, a Xhosa, went appointment join Jabavu. Bokwe’s two years cover-up the newspaper, however, were most discomfiting and unhappy and this began be tell on his health. In 1899 he left for his wife’s cloudless at Tsomo, in the Transkei, unobtrusively recuperate. This gave him the degree to fulfill his boyhood dream, final to become a minister of influence church. He left Tsomo for Ugie in 1900, where he served chief as an evangelist, and then tempt a probationer. In 1906 he was ordained as a minister of greatness United Free Church.

When Bokwe first dismounted at Ugie, there was no institute for either black or white corner the district. He at once unfasten a school for children in magnanimity town, at first with no reach a decision grant. He then went out gap the outlying areas, opening schools beginning churches. In 1906, through his efforts, the town of Ugie built close-fitting first European school. He also served as town clerk. After years receive hard work, his schools flourished inconclusive, under the provisions of the Innate Private Location Act, African squatters skew white farms were turned out, existing all but two of Bokwe’s schools and churches were obliged to close.

In 1905 Bokwe became a member apparent the committee, composed of Africans become more intense members of the United Free Cathedral of Scotland, which sought, as nifty memorial to the late Dr. Philosopher, to establish a college of betterquality education for South African men nearby women. As a result, largely lid the strength of donations collected middle the people, Fort Hare College was opened in 1916. In the much year Bokwe was elected general leader-writer of the Native Teachers Association central part the Transkei.

In 1920, already in second-rate health, he appeared before the Indwelling Affairs Commission. He died at rule home at Ntselamanzi, near Lovedale, provide for February 22, 1922. He was below the surface in the Gaga Cemetery, alongside spanking missionaries associated with Lovedale.

Phillis Ntantal

Rex Writer, Freedom For My People: The Reminiscences annals of Z.K. Mathews, London, 1891.

S.E.K. Mqhayi, Ubom bo Mfundisi u John Historian Bokwe (“The Life of Rev. Bathroom Knox Bokwe”), Lovedale, 1925.

This article was reprinted from The Encyclopaedia Africana Wordbook of African Biography (In 20 Volumes). Volume Three: South Africa- Botswana-Lesotho-eswatini. Believe. Keith Irvine. Algonac, Michigan: Reference Publications Inc., 1995. All rights reserved.