What is THE ZAMBEZI TRILOGY and where does THE HORNS fit in ?
THE HORNS is the first book of The Zambezi Trilogy - taking us from the establishment of the Matebele Kingdom by King Mzilikazi in 1840, through the life of his son King Lobengula, to the settlement by the British South Africa Company and the early aspirations and administration set up. It traces the lives of the four characters below from shortly after their birth in the early 1940’s to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. BOOK TWO will tell their stories from that point to the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980 and I hope to have this completed by August 2021. BOOK THREE will be co-authored with a fellow journalist from Zimbabwe - as having left the country in 1983 I can’t ‘touch’, ‘see’ or feel’ it to the extent I need to do, to be able to write authentically. He is the son of a fellow broadcaster who worked on the African Service of what was then ZRBC in the late 1970’s. Between us we will continue to follow and develop the stories of each of these four characters through to whatever date, it feels right to bring the book to an end. All three will be eventually be available as print, e-book and audiobooks.
INDEX:
BOOKSHELF:
EVENTS:
South Africa
Australia
United Kingdom
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As a child brought up in Matabeleland, my best friends until we all went to different schools were three amaNdebele boys. We made mud cattle for hours on end and we spoke a very individualistic ‘Sind-lish’ - a combination of Sindebele and English. As we grew up, we grew apart, but we never forgot. Life took us on different paths - and these stories reflect not only the different directions each life took, but also foreshadows the diversity and ultimately the divisions of Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. The Horns reflects the birth of these changes and growing adventures for each as they grow into adulthood.
son of a respected amaNdebele Chief, trained in Russia to became a leader within Joshua Nkomo’s military wing, ZPRA - determined to unseat the colonial government;
born, through the death of his unknown mother, adopted by the Scottish nurse and guided by the clinic Orderly as a Matebele boy;
probably destined for slavery under the Matebele, excelled at school and university, represented Southern Rhodesia at international trade talks aged 26 and became a top political figure under Bishop Muzorewa …
– born into unusual circumstances and adjusting to a different world.
Carol
Telling the vibrant story of our country through the perspective of each of these characters has been a challenge and a revelation. A challenge in representing the closeness of young children and the forces which changed all our perspectives as we grew older . . . in as believable and objective a way as possible… and a revelation as to how good some of the aspirations were and how remarkably awful others became.
Through the early years, I was surprised, shocked and horrified by the machinations of man. The distortions – the vested interests – the manipulation – from all sides . . . and the savagery … at first appalled, then gaining some understanding and realising it was the only way to control thousands of people moving through today’s Mpumalanga and Limpopo, to Bulawayo. Within all that I became more aware of the disciplines within that savagery.
. . . then there were those standout discoveries. . . the courage, the benevolence, the interactions, the heart stopping emotion of glorious moments – ridiculously neglected by many self-serving scribes of the day - with the exception of the diligent reporting of missionaries like Robert Moffat.
THE HORNS tells it all in a way that led the Knysna and Plett Herald to state: “you will laugh out loud, pull out your hair in utter despair - and learn a lot.”
I hope you enjoy every moment of it as I have done. Jill Baker
Exclusive Books O R Tambo International Airport Johannesburg
In Bulawayo, September 2018, catching up with Dr Dumiso Dabengwa
The Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation hosted the official launch at the Bulawayo Theatre in September 2018 - and Dr Dabengwa interviewed me on stage about THE HORNS. He had read the manuscript of each chapter before publication and assured those at the launch that the historical content was accurate according to their oral history - but that he had learned a great deal too.
The video below, will give you a few reminiscent chuckles, and a little more background.
