iRobben Island: Intilongo Yabaninzi

Imo Yentlalo Yamabanjwa Okuqala

©Eric Miller
Imo yakwesi siqithi ngeminyaka yoo 1700 kunzima ukuqiniseka ncam ngayo ngoba akukho mpepha zishicilelweyo kwaye nokungabikho kwezakhiwo. Kodwa ubani unokuzicingela ukuba impilo yayingeyondlwana iyanetha. Uninzi lwamabanjwa babenyanzeliswa ukuba basebenze nzima kwesi siqithi, beqhekeza amatye okanye beqokelela amakhoba. Ukutya kwakuhlala kunqongophele kwaye izabelo ingamasuntswana, kubanga uqhankqalazo lwemihla ngamabanjwa.
Kuko konke oku, abazange bayeke ukunqwenela impumelelo kwaye amatyeli ngamatyeli babezama ukuqhwesha iminyaka emininzi. Kakade, abantu abaninzi baqhwesha eRobben Island ngaphezu kokuba sisiva. Izikhitshane ezigwexwayo zazibiwa rhoqo kwindlu egcina izikhephe, kwaye nee nqanawa zamanye amazwe zazimisa rhoqo kwesi siqithi ngokungekho mthethweni. Ngethemba lokuba zizakufumana abasebenzi. Abanye babede badade ukuwela kulwandle olubandayo bewelela ngaphesheya.

Isizukulwana Sesibini Samabanjwa eRobben Island

©Tracey Derrick
Isizukulwana sokuqala samabanjwa ezopolitiko eRobben Island yayingabantu bohlanga lwama Khoikhoi ase Koloni nabaphikisana nomthetho wama Dutch kunye neenkokheli ezibhace kwezinye iindawo ezilawulwa yiDutch East India Company, ezifana ne Indonesia. Isizukulwana sesibini yayizinkokheli zakwantu ezisuka kumakomkhulu ase Mpuma Koloni nababebanjwa bathunyelwe kwesi siqithi, maxa wambi bekhatshwa ngabafazi kunye nabantwana babo.
Ama British ayesilwa nabemi macala onke besandisa umhlaba abawulawulayo eMzantsi Afrika. Ayekhona namanye amabanjwa ezopolitiko ngaphandle kwamaXhosa achitha ixesha lawo eRobben Island ngeminyaka yoo1800. Abanye abantu bohlanga lwabathwa kunye ne Khoikhoi babethunyelwa phaya ngenxa yendima yabo kwi Bokkeveld Rebellion yangomnyaka ka 1824. Inkosi yamaZulu uLangalibalele, intloko yesizwe sama Hlubi, yagcinwa phaya ukusukela ngo 1874 ukuya ngo 1875 ngengxa yokungathobeli kwakhe imithetho yamaNgesi eNatal. Kwaye iinkokheli zemfazwe ze Koranna Wars, ezalwa kumlambo Orange River ngo 1870 kunye nango 1879, nazo zabanjelwa ukungavumi ukunqula iKumkanikazi kunye neLizwe.

Translated by Zizipho Silwana