The land of the Pondos is full of stories that remind us of
times gone by. Most of these tales are kept only through their
telling but some have been recorded. Somewhere between 500 and
1200 years ago Bantu speaking people settled all along the East
coast of Southern Africa down to what is now known as Port
Elizabeth. This area was also home to nomadic San and Khoi
people. Many of the Khoi were incorporated bringing with them
the three characteristic clicks that are found in the Xhosa
language today. This region is geographically referred to as
"Eastern Pondoland". The amaPondo are one of 12 Xhosa speaking
tribes. The Pondos and other Xhosa speakers along the coast had
their first contact with Europeans in the form of shipwrecked
sailors. Strange light-skinned apparitions would occasionally be
left with the white foam on the beaches after a big storm. The
Xhosa word for "Whities" is "Abelungu" - meaning just that -
'foam from the sea'. Some of the shipwrecked stayed - the clan
name 'Umlungu' often recording t