The King History Forgot: Makikele, The 19th-Century Legend of Phalaborwa, South Africa - Tapa blanda

The storm of Zulu and colonial expansion beat upon the African continent, threatening to engulf the local tribal kingdoms. And while this storm could not be prevented, one man ensured that the Phalaborwa region of southern Africa would resist takeover. Equal parts biographical fiction, coming-of-age story, and cultural history, The King History Forgot is a cunningly crafted look at the remarkable reign of Makikele—sorcerer king of copper-rich Phalaborwa.

“This lively fictionalized account of the life of Makikele Malatji, a key figure in the nineteenth century history of Phalaborwa, is based on the author's extensive collection of oral traditions supplemented by a deep knowledge of the archaeology and anthropology of the area. Dr. Scully traces this ruler's astute leadership during a time when his kingdom faced internal divisions exacerbated by encroaching European settlers, traders, and travelers; he also highlights the political influence exercised by royal women. Appropriate for readers of all ages, the book will be of interest to anyone seeking to understand and preserve South Africa's rich local and regional heritage.” —Iris Berger, Ph.D., Vincent O'Leary Professor of History, University at Albany, State University of New York. Author of South Africa in World History ''The King History Forgot is a remarkable story, and a valuable piece of the complex picture of nineteenth Century Southern Africa history. Scully listened to accounts from elders of the Ba-Phalaborwa tribe, mining details from a rich oral history to reconstruct the life and changing times of the Northern Sotho king, Makikele Malatji. Makikele's defense of his copper-rich kingdom against Swazi, Zulu and European incursion preserved the integrity of his people and infused a sense of pride continuing to modern times. I became aware of the wealth of African oral tradition passed down by elders while a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural South Africa in the late 1990s. Sadly modern events, urbanization and need to migrate for work have interrupted this unwritten flow of stories. Scully's book, written by someone who understands the ethnography and archaeology of Phalaborwa, is thus an engrossing read, and an important gift to future generations'' —Jason Carter, J.D., 42nd District, Georgia State Senate, Decatur, Georgia. Author of Power Lines, Two Years on South Africa's Borders ''Too many of history's fascinating characters and important events are lost forever because no one cared enough to find, understand and share them. Each one that is lost takes with it lessons that can teach us about our own world today. In bringing to life the story of Makikele Malatji and his people, Robert Scully has given the rest of us a chance to learn from their fascinating lives, culture and exploits. By using the technique of historical fiction, Scully takes us into the world of the Phalaborwa people in a way that is both engaging and entertaining. History may have forgotten this king. But Scully did not. I, for one, am grateful.'' —Michael Nyenhuis, CEO, Medical Assistance Programs (MAP) International, Atlanta, Georgia “A powerful story which needs to be told and now is being told. Traditional wisdom and experience, such as that passed down from earlier times among the Ba-Phalaborwa, can lead us down a positive path for the benefit of today's generation and especially for those confronted with the challenges of improving their overall state of well-being.” —Neil Shulman, M.D., Emory University Department of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. Author of The Corporate Kid and The Backyard Tribe; Author and Associate Producer of the film Doc Hollywood starring Michael J. Fox. “Dr Robert Scully was introduced to African history and culture in 1965 when he came to St. Mary's Kibabii Secondary School as a Peace Corps Volunteer teacher. His interest in oral traditions and ethnography eventually led him to pursue a degree in Cultural Anthropology. At the time African history was supposed to be non-existent because there were no written records which were the basis of Eurocentric historical discourse. This was of course a real injustice to African history and culture which is passed on through oral traditions. Fortunately, since the 1960s, oral traditions have become the hallmark of the reconstruction of African history and culture. Unfortunately, oral traditions can only go as far as the 15th century. To fill the gap before then African scholars turned to archaeology, which provides them with information on the origins of humanity, both from the biological as well as the cultural aspects. Being a student of cultural anthropology, Dr Scully has used the Ba-Phalaborwa to demonstrate how the rich traditions of that community can be used to illustrate not only the African past but also the present and the future. Dr Scully has also demonstrated how an actual situation can be used to inform a literary piece of work in the same way students of literature do. This work is certainly a must read for professionals in history, cultural anthropology, literature as well as any general reader interested in African history and culture.” —Simiyu Wandibba, Ph.D., Former Director and current Professor of Anthropology, Institute of African Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya