UNongqawuse ngase mlanjeni: Re-imagining a Young ingqirhakazi and a Human Being

Acknowledging the dangers of a single story, this chapter adopts a totally different stance by focusing on Nongqawuse as a young woman, ingqirhakazi, and a human being instead of as a false prophetess. By employing the indigenous storytelling methodology in combination with the amaXhosa concept of “emlanjeni”, I endeavour to answer the enigmatic question: “To what extent was Nongqawuse’s little-known personhood beyond her time?” As the chapter unfolds, the intricate concept of “emlanjeni” will be unpacked as this text re-imagines Nongqawuse as an umXhosa young woman who carried out her calling with grace and inner strength.