By Zulumathabo Zulu © 2017

The sun disk, like abacus
Sparkles, like hues of hibiscus
The solar disk, in cadence
To restrain, ambivalent dance
A mathematical timeline
To segment, the lifespan!
To extend, the wingspan!

The sun disk, like entice
The lifespan, like the dice
Oblivious to the timeline
Subjectifies the baseline
Shell-shocked by nightfall!
To behold, the body at rest!
In glorified frame, to attest!

The Sunset

Contextual Commentary

The Basotho refer to the forceful energy of the spirit as the Ka as attested for in the maxim “Oseke wa laolwa Ka ditakatso tsa nama” meaning “do not allow yourself to be instructed by the spirit urges of the flesh”. This maxim implies that the uneducated spirit can be misguided to join forces with the urges of the flesh to arrest and derail the human being away from the sanctity of the morals and the values of the ancients.

This is the reason why they have the medicine people known as Bacholoko. Bacholoko are the scholarly messengers of the ancients who are steeped in the knowledge disciplines of medicine, cosmology and philosophy in order to teach and rehearse the erudite ways of the Basotho ancients. They hold “Lere la tshepe”, the iron scepter, which symbolises the immutable rules, rituals, ceremonies, consistency and discipline of the ancients

In another maxim, they say “Ka ditsela tsa kgale, moya o phephetha ditshusumetso tsa nama” meaning “In the spirit energy of the ways of the ancients, the spirit overwhelms and rebuffs the urges of the flesh”. This maxim demonstrates that through the teachings of Bacholoko, drawing from the spirit energy of the ancients, the human spirit can recover from acts of derailment in order to provide a moral compass to the urges of the flesh and atonement of the past. When the human is deceased, the spirit energy of Ka leaves the body. The correct rituals, ceremonies and incantations must be performed to ensure safe passage for the spirit of the Ka.

When the hot sun, like a red ball, slips below the horizon, the ephemeral sunlight recedes behind the dusk sky. The Western horizon darkens as the spirit energy of the Ka departs from the physique to find a new abode in the Eastern horizon.

As the Ka traverses the cosmic space like “Tosa le madinyana a yona”, “Jupiter and her babies”, Yena is catapulted to reenter the pathway of the star system of Tosamasiu wherein Mabeleha and Makgakga trace their orbital paths. It is herein that “Bana ba thari”, “A bantwana bombeleko” trace their genesis to the cosmos in the galactic core of Kgubukganare.

The bereft ones, cry no more because the indefatigable spirit of the Ka has been permanently emancipated from the perturbations of the terrestrial space of Lefatshe. What is left for you to do, is to cleanse and preserve the body with the strong medicines of “Kgutsana ya naha”, in order that the indefatigable spirit of the deceased is hallowed in the victorious and mysterious ways in accordance with the Maa’t principles of the erudite ancestors who have gone before us.