Isithelo Esiyinqaba
Lapho ngilalela i-Strange Fruit ka-Nina Simon okokuqala, umzimba wami waphendula ngokuzimboza wona ngamaqhubu njengoba amehlo ami evaleleka ngenxa yosizi lapho okuqukethwe izingoma sekucace kahle engqondweni yami. Ezinsukwini kamuva ngemva kokuhambisa isipiliyoni, ngacwaninga umlando futhi ngezwa owangempela nguBilly Holiday. Umlayezo wangena wajula emzimbeni wami futhi ngabona ukuthi indalo izoba khona maduze. Kwadingeka ngiqonde ukuthi le ngoma yaba khona kanjani futhi ngathola ukuthi yayibhalwe u-Abel Meeropol ekuqaleni eyayinesihloko esithi “Bitter Fruit”, uthisha wesikole owayebhala izinkondlo. U-Abela wabhala inkondlo (1937) ngemuva kokubuka isithombe se-lynching. Kamuva wengeza umculo negama it "Strange Isithelo". Yena uyidlalile kumnikazi wekilabhu yaseNew York City oyidlulisele kuBillie Holiday futhi walicula ngo-1939, bonke abanye njengoba besho kuyinto umlando.
Ngaba nombono lokho lokhu kudalwa izothuthuka phakathi ukubaza kunomdwebo. Ngemva kokuhlunga imibono embalwa ngokudweba, okulandelayo kwadalwa.
Abela Meeropol Billy Holiday Nina Simon
Billy Holiday
Nina Simon
Izihlahla zaseNingizimu zithela isithelo esingavamile,
Igazi emaqabunga nasegazini ezimpandeni,
Umzimba omnyama onyakazayo emoyeni waseNingizimu,
Izithelo eziyinqaba ezilenga ezihlahleni zikabhabhulini.
Isigcawu somfundisi waseNingizimu Afrika,
Amehlo aqhumile nomlomo osontekile,
Iphunga le-magnolia limnandi futhi lisha,
Futhi iphunga elisheshayo lenyama evuthayo!
Nasi isithelo sokukha amagwababa.
Ukuze imvula iqoqe, ukuze umoya umunce;
Ukuze libole ilanga, isihlahla siconse.
Nasi isivuno esiyinqaba nesibabayo.
U-Abel ucaphune lesi sithombe sokudutshulwa kukaThomas Shipp no-Abram Smith , Agasti 7, 1930, ekhuthaza inkondlo yakhe ethi, "Strange Fruit".