Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal
Encyclopedia
Ixopo is a town situated on a tributary of the Mkhomazi River in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
and forms part of an important sugar
farming, and forestry
area. Ixopo was surveyed in 1878 and was initially called Stuartstown. Its name is derived from the Zulu
onomatopoeic word, eXobo, describing the sound made as cattle
squelch through mud (The 'X' sound in Zulu is pronounced as a lateral click).
Ixopo is most famously described by Alan Paton
in the opening lines of Cry, The Beloved Country
: "There is a lovely road which runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it."
The town houses two schools including a high school with a large proportion of boarding pupils who live in surrounding villages (such as Bulwer, Underburg, Creighton) which are too small too to justify the erection and staffing of a high school.
Until halfway the eighties, Ixopo was served by a railway station on the Umzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway
In the 1990s leading up to and after South Africa became democratic, Ixopo was the centre of a number of armed clashes between two political parties, the African National Congress
and the Inkatha Freedom Party
.
Ixopo is also well known for The Buddhist Retreat Centre, one of the major Buddhist
centres in the country.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and forms part of an important sugar
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
farming, and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
area. Ixopo was surveyed in 1878 and was initially called Stuartstown. Its name is derived from the Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
onomatopoeic word, eXobo, describing the sound made as cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
squelch through mud (The 'X' sound in Zulu is pronounced as a lateral click).
Ixopo is most famously described by Alan Paton
Alan Paton
Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed...
in the opening lines of Cry, The Beloved Country
Cry, The Beloved Country
Cry, the Beloved Country is a novel by South African author Alan Paton. It was first published in New York City in 1948 by Charles Scribner's Sons and in London by Jonathan Cape; noted American publisher Bennett Cerf remarked at that year's meeting of the American Booksellers Association that there...
: "There is a lovely road which runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it."
The town houses two schools including a high school with a large proportion of boarding pupils who live in surrounding villages (such as Bulwer, Underburg, Creighton) which are too small too to justify the erection and staffing of a high school.
Until halfway the eighties, Ixopo was served by a railway station on the Umzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway
Umzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway
The Umzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway is a closed two-foot railway line in South Africa. It runs from Kelso to Donnybrook, passing through Umzinto, Highflats and Ixopo, with a branch from Ixopo to Madonela...
In the 1990s leading up to and after South Africa became democratic, Ixopo was the centre of a number of armed clashes between two political parties, the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
and the Inkatha Freedom Party
Inkatha Freedom Party
The Inkatha Freedom Party is a political party in South Africa. Since its founding, it has been led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is currently the fourth largest party in the National Assembly of South Africa.-History:...
.
Ixopo is also well known for The Buddhist Retreat Centre, one of the major Buddhist
Buddhism in South Africa
Buddhist traditions are represented in South Africa in many forms. Although the inherently introspective nature of Buddhism does not encourage census, adherents to these traditions are usually outspoken and supported by perhaps an even greater, though hidden number of sympathisers...
centres in the country.