Xhosa: Preparation of a Meal
Transkei, Umtata · 1985-04-01
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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This cover is postmarked on 1 April 1985 in Umtata. It introduces a new 12c value within Transkei's Second Definitive Series, depicting the preparation of a meal in a rural Xhosa home. The stamp shows a mother and child at an open cooking fire, tending a pot in the traditional way described on the info card. Maize forms the staple of the diet in this setting, prepared either as a ground porridge eaten with sour milk or boiled together with dry beans, while meat is more often reserved for special occasions and ancestral offerings. One detail worth noting is the ceremonial role food can play here. Certain cuts of ox or goat roasted for ancestral offerings are served on a platter specially woven from the green twigs of a particular tree, then presented to the most important participants in the ceremony rather than shared out at random.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet shows a traditional three legged cast iron pot sitting over glowing embers, a thin curl of steam rising from beneath its lid. A wooden spoon rests beside it in the foreground, angled casually as if just set down mid stir. The whole image sits inside a soft oval of warm golden light, giving the scene a quiet, homely feel. There is no human figure in the illustration itself, letting the pot and spoon speak for the domestic tradition on their own. It is a simple, functional design that mirrors the practical subject matter described on the info card. Below the illustration the title reads Additional stamp value to the Definitive Series in a plain italic script, marking this as a supplementary issue within Transkei's Second Definitive Series rather than a standalone commemorative set.
Information Card
ADDITIONAL STAMP VALUE, SECOND DEFINITIVE SERIES 12c STAMP: THE PREPARATION OF A MEAL In rural Xhosa homes the three-legged cast-iron pot has been the standard cooking utensil for many years. It is functional and durable. The Xhosa to the greatest extent prefer their food boiled, whether it be maize in some form, beans or meat. Meat, however, is also sometimes roasted. At offerings to the ancestral spirits certain parts of the ox or goat may be roasted on the coals. It is then served on a platter woven from the green twigs of a specific tree, and presented to important participants in the ceremony. Maize is the staple diet and is served in different forms. It may be ground into meal on a hollow stone or crushed into pieces in a stamping block. The former is mostly eaten as a porridge together with sour milk. The crushed corn is often boiled together with dry beans. In the growing season the succulent green corn is roasted on the cob on the coals or boiled in water. A popular traditional green food is isipinatshi, a wild plant which is prepared in the same way as spinach. Text by Aubrey Elliott
Theme: Military
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.11 (ZAR)
Estimated value: ~US$0.1
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 177 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
