Olakwiridwa

(Those who are wronged)

Nthawi

The clocks ticked.

Seasons passed by.
Sunsets and sunrises—numerous of them we’ve witnessed.
The time all too different yet.

Our eyes blinked.

Moments passed by.
Ups and downs—numerous of them we’ve experienced.
The time all too different yet.

Malo

The paths were clear.

Places we passed by.
Comings and goings—countless of them we’ve travelled.
The space all too different yet.

Our bodies were here.

Dwellings we passed by.
Homes and aways—countless of them we’ve toured.
The space all too different yet.

Kuzindikira

The vibes felt.

Thoughts passed by.
Beliefs and doubts—infinite of them we’ve possessed.
The mind all too different yet.

Our lives lived.

Breaths passed by.
Lives and deaths—infinite of them we have navigated.
The mind all too different yet.
A tumultuous year indeed. There just is not any debate about that. ‘In The Year Of Our Lord’ 2019,
many experienced many troubles; disconnection, interruption, frustration, helplessness,
choicelessness, one could go on.

I’m troubled. I’m always troubled by the benchmarks we have created as references of time. The
benchmark of the New Year is the most troubling. Disconnection, interruption, frustration,
helplessness, choicelessness, why would one go on? No! I meant: why would one start there? Ah! I
meant both of those things I just said. More on this later, for it is currently a confusing thought for me.
I’ll tackle it again a few words from now. I’m a little angry.

There is nothing ever new in our experiencing of space and time, unless you consciously meditate, or
partake in psychedelic drugs. I’ll rule out that qualification so we can make good progress, without
controversy. So, again, there is nothing ever new in our experiencing of space and time. Let’s call this
‘experiencing of space and time’, awareness.

Now we have nthawi (time), malo(space), kuzindikira(awareness).

The time all too different yet.

The space all too different yet.

The mind all too different yet.

There was something definitely different about the year—many things.

I disagree strongly.
The realisation of a phenomenon only makes that realisation new, and not the phenomenon itself.
The human being is not as intelligent as it likes to think it is, so it may not be blamed, in an instance or
another, for failing to make this distinction.
Why the hell would it be an important distinction to make?
The natural tendency of the universe is towards chaos. Order has to be induced.
Disconnection

They wear the medals of their achievements.

Plunder of the earth,

Provides for them a wide berth,
To eat their fill and increase the measurement of their girth.

Habitats destroyed,
Of diversity, they’re left devoid,
Residents of nature, turned into tenants, and left annoyed.

Disconnection?

Them man say, “I couldn’t see my family, I couldn’t go back home,

Festivals of a rough year, I spent them all alone,
I really don’t like this year, I miss when happiness was the norm,
I’m disconnected and yet eating bats is something I never did condone.”

Disconnection my foot.

Man, disconnection is your life, you live in the city.

I speak to you to get your attention not your pity.
Damn I should have been your biggest celebrity.
But I’m almost dead now, but you should know I was called biodiversity.
Interruption

Their achievements have them extremely occupied.

They think smart and buy themselves some land,

It will be scarce in the years to come so they need the upper-hand,
Masked as survival, it’s wealth and success they pursue as better brands.

Food is scarce,
Now lies here concrete in several layers,
Residents of nature, turned into tenants, to which gods will they say their prayers?

Interruption?

Them man say, “I was scheduled to go here and there,

It was the year I would have started a business, this is not fair,
I really don’t like this year, I feel like I’m going nowhere,
I was interrupted, that virus is such a snare.”

Interruption my foot.

Man, interruption is your life, your ambition never falters.

I speak to you because your perception needs to be altered,
You’re cutting me off with your roads and all their tar,
I won’t reach most of you soon, but let your offspring know, there once was water.
Frustration

Their achievements do not breed satisfaction.

See them when they don’t get what they desire,

Big house, nice spouse, posh car, they must have it all. Devil is a liar.
Chop life! From big living they never want to retire.

Weather is unbearable,
You’ve had me in your discussions for long enough at this table,
Residents of nature, turned into tenants, all of you are culpable!

Frustration?

Them man say, “I am tired of being broke,

I swung and swung and it still wasn’t enough strokes,
I really don’t like this year, it was such a big joke,
I was frustrated, everything just made me choke.”

Frustration my foot.

Man, frustration is your life, you’re always mourning,

I speak to you repetitively, even though now I’m tired and yawning,
When will you change, by now the realisation should have been dawning,
I am the globe, I am frustrated, my warming was enough warning.
 Helplessness, choicelessness, I said I could go on? We are more concerned about how our
negative emotions can be valued more by the external world. Why aren’t we concerned about how
our positive emotions are valued by those entities that are negatively affected by them? I left this
point because I was angry. Angry because of the extent to which we lack gratitude. Angry because,
dare I say, this lack of gratitude is an existential threat. Our self-centeredness has created wealth
inequality never before imagined. (If you read up to this point and haven’t turned away, that’s an
achievement of the bridling of your own awareness). Self-centeredness sounds like a very bad thing,
but it is the very desires that we think define us, that are dangerous.( Now you will call me confused
when I write them down, but that is not necessarily my problem. It might be worth your time to find
out why you would think I am confused.) Own a house, buy a car, drink alcohol, get a nice job, etc.
The year 2019 was not different from any other. The experiences and our awareness of them: neither
of these was different. The only thing that made it different was where those two stand in the
progression of time and space, and our awareness of this, or the lack of it thereof. We stand to stage
a replay of the tumultuous times lived through the year, because there is nothing about us as a
species that stands to change, despite the nature of the problem. In fact, one can only wish for a
replay of 2019, as the best-case scenario that would occur as a repercussion for our ignorance. Our
attitude—as the ignoramus of a species that we are—is set to breed far worse consequences than
those of the year 2019. Why? And how? What causes me to make such vague but grave insults on
humanity?

I may well be wrong on this thought, but the world to me, seems to have a common attitude
towards the year that has just elapsed—we felt wronged.

The right feels wronged by the left.

The people feel wronged by their governments.
The believers feel wronged by science.
The female feels wronged by the male.
The Americans feel wronged by the Chinese.
The poor feel wronged by the rich.
The guilty think God feels wronged by humanity.
 Olakwiridwa

I was disconnected.
I was interrupted.
I was frustrated.

When? That we know.

How? That we may know too.
Why? That we might not be able to know.

By who? Now, do we know anything?

Remember that order has to be induced?

The truth is that you are a victim. It is true.

The truth is that you have been wronged. It is true.
The truth is that you have wronged yourself. It is true.
The truth is that you have wronged yourself, and perpetually so. This much is true.

Attitudes
Desires
Awareness

Shift attitudes towards nobility.

Channel desires away from the self.
Constantly focus the seat of awareness on the state of these, in your mind.

This is the method of the induction of order.

You let chaos reign, and you wronged yourself.

A shift in consciousness as a species, as a people, as smarter creatures is the way to induce order in
2021 and the years to come. Try to do things you have never done before, embrace ideas you have
vowed eternal opposition against, doubt your foundations, scrutinise your goals and desires, question
the benchmarks set for you by yourself and society. The year was a troublesome one, a difficult one
for everyone, but it can not be compared to anything bad that awaits us, if we do not deliberately
derail the trajectory we are on as a civilisation. My plea seems to be a far-fetched existential one,
aimed at thought leaders and world powers, however, if you hold this view then you are set to wrong
yourself more than you already have. This message is for the common individual— you and I. It is
only you and I who can evade chaos and induce more order in our world, and in our lives.

— By Kondwani .A Zulu