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