Tribute
the Thembu. Without going through
mix between his Christian education
this ceremony, no Xhosa man may
and his traditional one would be cru-
inherit from his parents, marry or
cial to guide the future royal advisor.
perform tribal rites. Mandela was
After three years at Clarkebury,
now Dalibunga, an epithet given to a
Mandela was transferred to another
traditional governor in the region of
prestigious Methodist institution,
Transkei.
the Wesleyan College of
When Mandela atten-
Healdtown, with over
ded high school, the regent
four thousand students
tr usted his education
from both sexes, where the
“... I have
to Rev. Harris from the
British, Christian educa-
no
problem
Clarkebur y Methodist
tion system of liberal arts
Institute, whom they with religious prevailed.
called “White Thembu.”
Despite being consi-
Curiously, the Clarkebury belief. My pro- dered an institute of the
mission post was built in
blem is that South African elite that
lands given out to Wil-
f o r m e d “A n g l i c i z e d ”
all too often Africans, it gave Mandela
liam Shaw by Mandela’s
great-grandfather, King
people fail to the chance to experience
Ngubengcuka. Rev. Ri-
the non-violent opposition
act
on
what
chard Hadley oversaw its
to the reigning white su-
foundation in 1825, and it
they claim to premacy, thus establishing
was baptized in honor of
his future understanding
believe.”
the British theologian Dr.
of the apartheid regime.
Adam Clarke.
In 1939, then at age 21,
Regent Jongintaba, an
Nelson Mandela enrolled
alumnus of Clarkebury himself, was
in a college known for its high Ch-
determined in providing young Man-
ristian standards, being connected
dela with favorable conditions to his
to the Anglican, Methodist and
preparation for the important role he
Presbyterian denominations – the
would play in Thembu society. The
University of Fort Hare. There he
“
34 ISSUE #9