The protagonist Mkhondwana, portrayed by Thembekile Komani.
Photo: Mzansi Magic
The Sunday 8pm time slot on DStv’s Mzansi Magic has certainly become synonymous with rich African stories.
Shaka iLembe for instance, explored the life of Shaka Zulu and the makings of the Zulu kingdom. In Queen Modjadji viewers learned about the story of the Balobedu matriarchal dynasty and its rain-making abilities. From Sunday 7 December, viewers will once again be captivated by yet another culturally rich story – Mpondoland.
Often wrongly grouped under the Xhosa tribe, the Pondo or AmaMpondo tribe historically holds its own as one of South Africa’s most resilient tribes. Tracing their lineage to King Mpondo ka-Njanya, the AmaMpondo kingdom was established around 1224. During the Mfecane wars of Shaka Zulu’s era, the Pondo nation was a refuge for many tribes. Known for its unique culture, language and fertile lands, the Pondo nation has been historically located in the Eastern Cape province, in a region known as Pondoland.
This invaluable cultural richness, is what co-executive producer Chumisa Cosa fictionalises in Mzansi Magic’s new and first-ever Mpondo drama.
“This was my love letter to the Mpondo people,” Cosa said during our interview.
The remarkable resilience and profound sense of identity is what drew Cosa’s attention to the Mpondo people.
“The Eastern Cape is quite diverse; there are Mpondo, Bhaca and Hlubi people, for instance. All these groups have rich histories and have made positive contributions. The aim was to shine a spotlight and celebrate one of the beautiful people.”
Mpondoland co-executive producer Chumisa Cosa. Photo: Samke Makhoba
Cast and costume
Alongside co-executive producer, Mmamitse Thibedi, Cosa created a powerful tale of identity, greed, self-discovery, and responsibility with cannabis farming at the centre.
Set in a fictional village called KwaKhonjwayo, Mpondoland follows Mkhondwana, portrayed by Thembekile Komani, who must choose between pursuing his personal ambition and following tradition. The people of KwaKhonjwayo are rocked hard when a ruthless outsider threatens to disrupt the tribe’s peace and economic activities.
The big pharma villain Pele-Pele is played by veteran Tina Jaxa and impeccably adds to the ensemble cast. The cast also includes Luzuko Nkqeto, Siziphiwe Maqubela, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Gweva, and Anele Matoti, among many others.
“The most important thing for us was getting performers who fit the characters, not casting stars,” Cosa says. “We were fortunate that we got some amazing actors.”
Despite this homegrown talent, Cosa said it was a slight struggle finding actors who spoke the language – isiMpondo.
“The difficulty we faced was finding Mpondo speaking actors for the Mpondo roles, because not all the actors were written to speak the language perfectly. We were quite fortunate with the female actors because we were spoiled for choice, we looked as far as the Eastern Cape, Durban and Cape Town and found a few actors who were, at the time based in Gauteng as well as the Eastern and Western Cape,” she added.
The 13-episode series features characters in an array of colourful beads, hats and stylish outfits. Cosa worked with costume designer Celokuhle Ntlatseng to stunningly thread the show’s overall eclectic tone and visual storytelling.
“The costume inspiration came from the Mpondo people, who tend to be quite flamboyant in their dress sense. We took that as the base and with Celokuhle Ntlatseng – who was our costume designer – we heightened what we saw and took artistic license,” she added.
The villain Pele-Pele is played by veteran Tina Jaxa. Photo: Mzansi Magic
Cannabis and community
Another element the Mpondo people are known for is their potent cannabis farming.
Referred to by different names such as umthunzi wez’nkukhu, meaning chicken shade, or dagga or marijuana, cannabis farming is how many make a living in parts of the Eastern Cape like Pondoland. Used for recreational, medicinal and industrial products like textiles, the cannabis industry employs over 90 000 people in South Africa according to the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition.
In 2018, the Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling to decriminalise the private use, possession and growing of cannabis. However, it is still illegal to use cannabis in public, and to sell and supply it. Thus, putting many of the small-scale farmers in places like Pondoland in a precarious position – an element the show explores.
“The Mpondo community live on some of the most breathtaking landscapes in South Africa, which is a source of ongoing contention. With the decriminalisation of marijuana, I envisioned that the Mpondo people would finally begin to reap the financial benefits from their farming,” Cosa said.
Cosa admitted that it was not easy sourcing and shooting scenes involving cannabis plantations.
After the show’s production designer got the necessary permits, they had to transport the plants a long distance to set. “Our plants wouldn’t stay fresh for long because none of the people on set were farmers or knew how to handle marijuana, so our plants kept dying. We racked up quite a bill on the plants,” Cosa added sheepishly.
Though Mpondoland is set in a fictional village, Cosa wanted to show the spiritual depth and political systems of the Mpondo people.
“When we went to eMaMpondweni for our research, we observed how spiritual some of the places are and we included that sacredness and spirituality in the show.”
Cosa added: “I also think it is important to mention that the show is set in a fictional village that is self-governing and therefore has its own rules that are different from any other village. For example, KwaKhonjwayo is a socialist community until the villain comes in and disturbs all of that.”
In essence Mpondoland is therefore a celebration of African spirituality, heritage, and the power of community in fighting the threat of capitalism robbing people of their natural resources. The show certainly adds to the tapestry of African storytelling.
It highlights a bigger effort to put a spotlight on South Africa’s forgotten tribes such as the Khoisan, Koranna, Lemba, Balobedu and Nama.
Therefore, filmmakers like Cosa play an important role in teaching, demystifying and restoring the pride of a people.
To this, she concluded: “We are on the right path but more could be done. Stories that showcase who we are and where we come from would increase our sense of pride which can only be a good thing.
Telling these stories in an entertaining, fresh way would keep younger generations interested and learning.”
Mpondoland premieres Sunday 7 December at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161)