D.L.P YALI-Manisi, imbongi entsha, iimbali zamanyange, historical poems

289pp., paperback, Publications of the Opland Collection of Xhosa Literature, Vol.2, University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, 2015

ISBN: 9781869142834

David Livingstone Phakamile Yali-Manisi (1926-1999) was a Thembu imbongi, or praise poet. This volume presents eight of his narrative poems in isiXhosa and in English translation.

Jeff Opland, now retired, lives in Wales. He is the author of Xhosa Oral Poetry and Xhosa Poets and Poetry and the editor and translator of Xhosa texts, including works by Nontsizi Mgqwetho, I.W. Wauchope, S.E.K.Mqhayi, W.W. Gqoba and John Solilo. He has received a Thomas Pringle Award, five South African literary awards and the National Order of Ikhamanga: Silver. An account of his long association with Yali-Manisi, "The Dassie and the Hunter", was published in 2005.

Pamela Maseko is the Executive Dean and Professor of Sociolinguistics at Nelson Mandela University. She has translated and adapted various literary fictional and non-fictional texts into isiXhosa.