Shades

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The inspectors take Walter and Benedict to the Pumani kraal to persuade the people to submit their cattle for inoculation. There is clearly friction between Pumani's Great Wife and his second wife. Benedict, however, feels personally responsible when the cattle die.

At the same time, the friendship between Walter and Frances continues to grow, and he is heart-sore when he has to carry her back from Nolovini ill with a fever. Remember that fevers in those days often resulted in death.

Although the Government officially promoted hard-work and economic enterprise amongst the amaXhosa, this was never to be in opposition to White businesses.

For example, when in the early 1900s Black bakers set up shop at East London's East Bank Location — and were able to undercut the prices of the White bakers in the town — the East London Municipality quickly stepped in to close those bakeries.

In the same way, the Colonial Government would bring pressure to bear on the missionaries not to allow their mission enterprises to grow in opposition to similar White businesses or they too would be closed.

Nevertheless, the mission stations played a major role in the development of education in the Eastern Cape. This gave rise to an educated Black elite who began to play an increasing role in politics.

This in turn led to the formation of such political groups as the Native Vigilance Associations which were established as watch-dog bodies to protect Black interests against exploitation from White municipalities and the Government.

Newspapers too played a crucial role in the growth of this early political culture. Two newspapers in particular were established to promote the Black point of view.

The first was Imvo Zabantsundu — established in King William's Town under the editorship of John Tengo Jabavu. The second was Izwi Labantu — an East London based paper edited by Alan Kirkland Soga.

The newspapers ran articles both in Xhosa and English, and were read by most of the educated Black people in the Eastern Cape. Articles were submitted by rising Black intellectuals like Benedict Matiwane.

Although Walter Brownlee at one stage claims that he wished he could read Xhosa so that he could read the articles, the newspapers did in fact publish their most important stories in the medium of English.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?

Read the notes in the left column before answering the questions below:

It is clear that Benedict is falling in love with Dorcas Pumani.

• Who is she? (2)



• How do we know he is falling in love? (4)

[Need help?]

Dorcas is the pretty, bare-breasted woman who attended the initiation stick fight. She had been carrying a traditional harp and offered her orange scarf to Benedict, thus making him her champion in his fight against Victor. Benedict's every action thereafter reveals a young man who is smitten — meeting her "by accident" in secluded places, etc.

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Why does Benedict feel responsible for the death of the Pumani cattle? (4)

[Need help?]

Bear in mind that it was Benedict who had persuaded Pumani's people to submit their cattle for inoculation. When the cattle died, therefore, he knew that the people would henceforth distrust him personally even though he was in no way responsible for the deaths. From now on, Benedict would be viewed as a Black man who had sold his soul to the Whites.

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"Whatever has happened," Walter said quietly, "it doesn't change what you are or how we feel about you."

"Yes it does," she said."

• Explain Frances's answer, being careful to analyse it from all angles — especially putting it into the perspective of the concept of Victorian morality. (10)

[Need help?]

Frances was right, of course. For whatever reason, she had lost her virginity to Victor outside of marriage — outside even of engagement. Most people of the time would have held her responsible. After all, the woman was always responsible! Indeed, most people would have thought of her as a harlot or a fallen woman! There was therefore no way out for her except through marriage. If she had confided in Walter, the chances were that he would have been very sympathetic but would nevertheless have advised her that she must marry Victor. Or would he?

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