Umoya wembongi

<b>All 65 of John Solilo's poems from <i>Izala</i> now out of print with an additional 28 first published in newspapers in <i>isiXhosa</i> and English translation with a comprehensive introduction</b><br><br><br>John Solilo (1864-1940) was a prolific contributor to Xhosa-language newspapers. He submitted letters and articles on a variety of issues local news reports from Cradock and Uitenhage and a considerable body of poetry. His major literary contribution was his collection of poems entitled <i>Izala </i>(A Rubbish Dump) published in 1925 the earliest volume of poetry by a single author in the history of Xhosa literature.<br><br>Solilo's literary reputation today however is at variance with his prominence as a major author in the first four decades of the twentieth century: he is hardly mentioned if at all by literary historians <i>Izala</i> has long been out of print and copies can no longer be located. In restoring to the public domain the 65 poems that made up <i>Izala</i> and adding an additional 28 that were published in newspapers both before and after the appearance of <i>Izala</i> the editors hope to revive John Solilo's reputation as a poet and to establish his status as a pre-eminent Xhosa author.<br><br>In his poetry Solilo urged passivity and opposed political revolt but he could also be scathing in his denunciation of black indignities suffered under white control inspired as he was by <i>umoya wembongi</i> the spirit of the <i>imbongi</i> the praise poet whose stirring declamations roused his audiences to action or contemplation.<br><br>University of KwaZulu-Natal Press: Southern African Development Community