Battle of Ncome River by ISHEMA Toussaint

In this age of advanced technology, where people fell in love without knowing each other through digital communication, there is a similar story that happened in 1838 during the war between the Zulu and the Voortrekker Boers in Azania(South Africa) in the Battle of Blood River, also called the Battle of Ncome River.

There was a young woman called Mia who came from the family of Pieter Mauritz Retief who was a Voortrekker leader. In 1814 that young woman(Mia) was studying to be a teacher of young children, and at the same time she was responsible to decode messages of his father's letters from the Voortrekkers' intelligence. one day her letters were accidentally found by a Zulu young Man called Zithulele who was in the Impi(Zulu warriors) against the Boers, he had been privileged to be taught to read and write by the grandson of Jan van Riebeeck.

The young man(Zithulele), who was also familiar with espionage in the Impi, came to answer the message. When the young woman (Mia) received the message, she recognized that the person who discovered them was a Zulu. wondering if there was a Zulu warrior who could read and write, she also answered the message. It ends when both their hearts find their connection…. 

Later In their tricks, they learned how to send each other messages related to espionage and their friendship, it came to the point where they fell in love but neither of them saw another other, the young man didn't know how the young woman looked like, and how she lived. In their messages Zithulele was surprised that Mia had ten cats and one dog, she loved astronomy hoping technology will help humankind to explore other planets, also she loved to plant vegetables in their home garden, and she loved pink as a color. Although Zithulele did not know her face of her, he knew the heart, mind, and soul of Mia because that is what he was talking with, not the face or her look.

Mia had no friends since they arrived in Azania, she was happy to have a friend like Zithulele. One time they planned to meet near the Ncome River, they had information that the Zulu were about to cross and come to fight, so they arrived early at night, Zithulele saw Mia for a few seconds... because the war was about to start, Mia left immediately. the next morning on December 16, 1838, The Zulu attempted to cross the Ncome, but only half of the 15,000 men were able to, but unfortunately, Zithulele did not manage to cross.

Both wanted unity and peace although it did not go well but through their friendship and information from espionage, they tried to help in the negotiations over the proposed purchase of land in Natal. In November 1837 the Voortrekkers met with Dingane, the king of the Zulu. 

   END

In the second part, we will know their fate after the war. If they survived, their friendship continued?

Written and Painted By ISHEMA Toussaint, Sept 2022

Art Portrait link Mia 🐈

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