William Wellington Gqoba
Encyclopedia
William Wellington Gqoba (August 1840–26 April 1888) was a South Africa
n Xhosa poet
, translator, and journalist
. He was a major nineteenth-century Xhosa writer, whose relatively short life saw him working as a wagonmaker, a clerk, a teacher, a translator of Xhosa
and English
, and a pastor
.
Gqoba was born in Gaba, near Alice, Eastern Cape
. His father was Gqoba of the Cirha clan, and his grandfather, Peyi, had been a disciple and close associate of Ntsikana, who had played a key role in Xhosa literature, as well as in the Xhosa's conversion to Christianity
.
Gqoba attended the Mission School at Tyhume, followed by the Lovedale Institute
. In May 1856 he was indenture
d as a wagonmaker, working in Lovedale, then in King William's Town
for a year, and finally at Brownlee Station. In 1858 he was installed as an elder in Tiyo Soga
's mission church at Mgwali.
From 1884 until his death in 1888 he was the editor of Isigidimi samaXhosa (The Xhosa Messenger), in which he also published his own articles on the history of the Xhosa people.
His fame, however, was a result of his poetry — in particular two long poems ("The Discussion between the Christian and the Pagan" and "The Great Discussion on Education") whose style was influenced by John Bunyan
's The Pilgrim's Progress
in Tiyo Soga's Xhosa translation. In both poems, Gqoba presents arguments between the Christian and other points of view, in which he has the Christian argument winning the day.
Gqoba died at Lovedale
, near Alice.
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...
n Xhosa poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, translator, and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He was a major nineteenth-century Xhosa writer, whose relatively short life saw him working as a wagonmaker, a clerk, a teacher, a translator of Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
.
Gqoba was born in Gaba, near Alice, Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
. His father was Gqoba of the Cirha clan, and his grandfather, Peyi, had been a disciple and close associate of Ntsikana, who had played a key role in Xhosa literature, as well as in the Xhosa's conversion to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Gqoba attended the Mission School at Tyhume, followed by the Lovedale Institute
Lovedale (South Africa)
Lovedale was a mission station and educational institute in the VictoriaEast division of the Cape Province, South Africa...
. In May 1856 he was indenture
Indenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...
d as a wagonmaker, working in Lovedale, then in King William's Town
King William's Town
King William's Town is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River. The town is about 40 minutes' motorway drive WNW of the Indian Ocean port of East London...
for a year, and finally at Brownlee Station. In 1858 he was installed as an elder in Tiyo Soga
Tiyo Soga
Tiyo Soga was a South African journalist, minister, translator, missionary, and composer of hymns. Soga was the first black South African to be ordained and worked to translate the Bible and John Bunyan’s classic work Pilgrim’s Progress# into his native Xhosa language.When Soga’s mother Nosuthu...
's mission church at Mgwali.
From 1884 until his death in 1888 he was the editor of Isigidimi samaXhosa (The Xhosa Messenger), in which he also published his own articles on the history of the Xhosa people.
His fame, however, was a result of his poetry — in particular two long poems ("The Discussion between the Christian and the Pagan" and "The Great Discussion on Education") whose style was influenced by John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
's The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been...
in Tiyo Soga's Xhosa translation. In both poems, Gqoba presents arguments between the Christian and other points of view, in which he has the Christian argument winning the day.
Gqoba died at Lovedale
Lovedale (South Africa)
Lovedale was a mission station and educational institute in the VictoriaEast division of the Cape Province, South Africa...
, near Alice.
Sources and external links
- "William Wellington Gqoba" — Xhosa Intellectuals of the 1880s
- "William Wellington Gqoba" — Encyclopædia Britannica article
- William Wellington (Mbaba, Goba) Gqoba — N.E. Sonderling [ed.] New Dictionary of South African Biography, vol. 2 (Pretoria: Vista)