My Departure From Ndotsheni (October 21st, 1946)

Today, October 21st, 1946, is my last day in the wonderful village of Ndotsheni before I head up into the mountains. I am leaving because the Chief says that it would not be a good idea to have the father of a murderer be a role model in a village that is trying to heal. So early this morning  my wife made me a bottle of tea and a homely cake to provide food for me during my journey up into the mountains. As I left the village I said my goodbyes to everybody. Then I left on my long journey up into the hills. Once I reached my destination, which was a large boulder that overlooked the valley. I rested there before I composed my self and started to meditate. During my meditation, I turned to giving thanks for all of the things that I have, and remembering the people I have met, the places I have gone, and the lessons that I have learned. After meditating like this I had a realization that the great valley of Ndotsheni is still in darkness, but it is the dawn of a new day and the light will soon come.

This is a Homely Cake

 

This was my bottle of tea

This is the dawn of a new day looking over Ndotsheni and all of South Afica

The Letter From Absalom Kumalo (October 16th, 1964)

Today, October 16th, 1946, I received a letter from Absalom from prison. His letter said "I am hoping you are all in health  even as I am in prison. They told me this morning that there will be no mercy for the thing that I have done. So I shall not see Ndotsheni again. This is a good place. I am locked in, and no one may come and talk to me. But I may smoke and read and write letters, and the white men do not speak badly to me. There is a priest from Pretoria, a black priest. He is preparing me, and speaks well to me. There is no more news here so I close my letter. I think of you all at Ndotsheni , and if I were there I should not leave again." When I read this letter I felt deeply saddened at my son's situation, and how he is still thinking of me even before he is going to die. One of the most important things that I have learned from his situation is that you have to cherish every moment you spend with someone because you never know if it will be your last.

This is the letter that I received from Absalom.

My Return To Ndotsheni (October 15th, 1946)

Today, October 15th, 1946, I have returned to my village Ndotsheni after a seemingly extensive time in Johannesburg. So when I got back home the first thing I did was pray in my church, this is the way that I focus my thoughts about what had happened or what I should do.  So after I was done praying in the church, I decided that I would go talk to the Chief and the Head Master about the problems I have notices in Ndotsheni after I have returned from Johannesburg. I went to the Chief to discuss the agricultural issues within Ndotsheni. He said that there was nothing that they could do. Then I went to the Head Master to discuss the issues within the schooling system. He said that there was nothing that he could do because of the current state that the village was in. So I returned to my house once again unsuccessful in my efforts. But before I could sit down and relax, I heard a knock at the door. When I opened the door it was a young white boy. He told me how he was from St. Mark's and he would like to come inside to see what it is like inside a native parsons house. So I told him he was welcomed inside. After he entered he was continuously complementing my home, parish, and me. Then when I called him little inkosi he started to laugh. So I started to teach him even more Zulu. But once it became twelve o'clock he said he had to go. Once he got outside and onto his horse he noticed that there was nobody in the village drinking milk. I told him that our village did not have any milk. Little did I know that he would show up later with plenty of milk for the village. I thanked him greatly for the milk, and then he rode off to his grandparents house again.

Here of some pictures of Ndotsheni

My Son's Trial (October 11th, 1946)

Today, October 11th, 1946, is the final day of the trial. Today decided whether or not my son would be ruled guilty or innocent. First, the Judge addressed Johannes Pafuri. Johannes Pafuri was the man that hit Arthur Jarvis's servant, Mpiring with a crowbar. There was no concrete evidence to prove that Pafuri was guilty besides Absalom's and Mipring's identification of his face but the Judge ruled that identification was invalid because Pafuri was wearing a bandana over half of his face that covered up half of the tic. So Pafuri was ruled not guilty. Next the Judge was giving his ruling on John Kumalo. John Kumalo did not physically injure anyone so he was ruled not guilty. Now I had a good feeling because the Judge has not ruled anyone guilty. After I though this, the Judge was giving his ruling for Absalom. He simply said that he was the one who shot Arthur Jarvis even if it was because he was scared. Once I heard the Judges ruling I fell to the floor and started sobbing. I did not want to lose my son. I could not even think straight I had so many emotions flowing through my mind. Before I realized it the judge adjourned the court and I had to leave. But I just could not do it. So Msimangu tried to help me up, but he could not. So a young white man helped Msimangu and I out of the courthouse, even though it broke court customs.

Here are some pictures of the courthouse that my son was being tried in.

An Unintentional Encounter (October 10th, 1946)

Today, October 10th, 1949, I am visiting a farm above the hills of the Ixopo valley, very close my home village of Ndotsheni, to search for the daughter of my friend uSibeko. But when I reached the house and knocked on the door the man who opened the door was James Jarvis, the father of the man that my son killed. I was shocked to see him here and I was completely speechless. When he says "Good morning Umfundisi," I was still stunned and I had no response so I stepped down to the bottom step of the front porch as a sign of respect, and all i could think about was whether or not he would recognize me. When I finally gained the courage to look up at him he asked if I was ill. I replied as respectfully as I could I will recover umnumzana, which means sir in Zulu. Then he asked me what I was seeking. I told him that I was searching for the daughter of uSibeko. He entered the house briefly and came out with this young man. I asked him in Zulu if he knew where the daughter of uSibeko was and he replied no. After I told uJarvis this he said that he was sorry that he could not be of any help. Then he recollects who I am, so I shy away nervously. He tells me not to fear, for he has accepted what has happened. I am blown away that he has been so accepting of his son's death, but I did not want him to change his mind so I told him good day umnumzana and I went back to Msimangu. I did not find the daughter of uSibeko but I found out that not all whites treated the natives the same. 

These are some of the views from James Jarvis's Farm

Telling Absalom's Girlfriend (October 8th, 1946)

Today, October 8th, 1946, I am visiting my son's girlfriend. The bad news is I will have to be the bearer of bad news and tell her that her boyfriend has been arrested for murdering a white man. When I arrived in Pimville, the city where Absalom's girlfriend lives in, I had little trouble finding her house compared to how hard it was to find Absalom. When she opened the door, I noticed that she had a faint expression of uncertainty and fear. She let me in and I told her that Absalom had been sent to prison. But it seemed like she did not comprehend. But when I told her that Absalom had been sent to prison for breaking into a white man's hours she shouted  "Au!" This told me that other people that she knew had been sent to prison but not for anything to this extent. After this I asked her if she still wanted to marry Absalom. She still said yes. But after her reaction to she I told her that Absalom had been sent to prison and when I told her that Absalom had been sent to prison for murmuring a white man I was skeptical of her. So I started to am her questions but I got so carried away that I got carried away, and before I realized it I had already severely hurt her feelings. I felt ashamed of what I had done to such an innocent and young child. So I gave her my approval to marry Absalom.

This is a picture of Pimville

Meeting My Son, Finally (October 7th, 1946)

Today, October 7th, 1946, I have finally found out where my son is. Sadly, he is in prison, one of the few places where I did not want to find my son. I have heard that he has been placed there because he broke into a white man's house on Tuesday, then shot and murdered him. When heard of this news started to cry Tixo, Tixo in order to help him and I out with our situations. He, being in prison, and me having to receive this news. When I heard of this news I was with my brother, John Kumalo. He did not console me because he knew it would only make me even more angry and stressed. So instead of talking about what has already happened and can not be changed, he told me that he would take me to the prison where Absalom was being held so I could talk to my son in person. I decided to take his offer. When we got to the prison we passed through a gate surrounded  by grim high walls. In my opinion, this was an extremely ominous setting. But when I finally got to see my son it made the sullenness and depression inside the prison into a moment filled with joy. I asked Absalom questions about how his life has been since I had seen him last, I also tried to avoid talking about the murder or prison. So after I left the prison I felt better than before I came and left with some more knowledge of my son's life.

This is where I visited my son