Zolani Mkiva was born into a poor Xhosa family in Idutywa, South Africa. The family belongs to a renowned line of orators and imbongis (folk poets), and Zolani Mkiva himself grew up to become one of the most famous imbongis of his time. There is no formal training for would-be imbongis: it is a natural gift one inherits from one’s father, who inherited it from his.