Tula-Tu-Tula-Baba 5.14.2008 Poem by Margaret Alice

Watching Dingaka, Jamie Uys,
African culture, justice, gum-boot-
dancing, tula-tu-tula-baba-lullaby

Killing an adversary for killing his
daughter, an eye-for-an-eye;
crying for Masaba, crying for

Cultural clashes, crying for
African cultures and Western
traditions, African heart breaking

Big cynical lawyer, not understanding,
punished for doing his African duty..
“Do you believe I want to be your

friend? ” “No, you don’t want to
look pretty damn silly in court again…”
a challenge, “Find my friend, Mputi,

take care of him, ” “We’ve got a deal…”
Mputi became the gardener
tula-tu-tula-baba-

“Hang Masaba, otherwise
you have betrayed me” -
Masaba murdered the child

Of a man devoted to his family,
the cruel death of his child -
he grew up in the jungle

With laws as stern and binding
as any of our statutes -
Makwena has a strong

Sense of justice – he believes
in right and wrong - punish a
man who harmed his family

In ignorance of the ways of
the white man – which is
no great loss at all…


Based on the movie “Dingaka” made by Jamie Uys