Umphakathi wamaZhizo eMapungubwe, eLimpopo

Usiko Lomphakathi wamaZhizo eSchroda (900 AD kuya ku-1000 AD)

©David Fleminger
I-900 AD ihlonishwa njengesiqalo senkathi yensimbi eningizimu ye-Afrika. Kukhona impikiswano eningi mayelana nokuthi ngabe kwakungakaze kube khona Ubudala Bomphakathi, kepha ngizoshiyela abafundi bomlando. Ngezinhloso zethu, singasho nje ukuthi, ngo-900 AD, iqembu elisha lahlala endaweni yaseLimpopo-Shashe: abantu beZhizo. Bavela kulokho manje eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeZimbabwe nasempumalanga yeBotswana, kodwa ingxenye yalaba bantu iseningizimu neLimpopo futhi yakha inhloko enkulu endaweni okuthiwa iSchroda.
Izizathu zalokhu kuthutha azicacile. Abanye abavubukuli bathi imvula yanda esifundeni futhi lokhu kwavumela abalimi ukuba babuyele. Abanye bathi kwaba manzi cishe eminyakeni eyikhulu kamuva. UThomas Huffman, ngakolunye uhlangothi, uphakamise ukuthi kwakuyizindleko zamazinyo endlovu okwadonsa abantu baseZhizo ngaphesheya komfula.

Uhwebo Lwamazinyo Endlovu

Ukuhweba kwamazinyo ezindlovu kwabonakala phakathi kweZimbabwe kanye nogwi lwempumalanga kusukela ngo-800 AD, ngakho-ke ubaluleko lale mpahla lase lisungulwe. Kuye kwaba khona (futhi kusekhona) ukutholakala kwezindlovu eziningi ezizungeze eLimpopo ngakho-ke lokhu kungaqinisekisa umthombo onokwethenjelwa wegolide emhlophe. Indlela yokuphila yezindlovu ibuye ichaze ukuthi kungani izindawo eziningi zeZhizo zihlala emfuleni, lapho izindlovu ezomile ziyoqothula izitshalo zabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-Schroda iqukethe ubufakazi bokuqala bamazinyo endlovu esebenza emgodini, okubonisa ukuthi abantu baseZhizo babesebenzisa izinto zamazinyo endlovu zohwebo. Ubuhlalu bezingilazi ezingavamile zatholakala esiteshini, futhi lokhu kubonisa ukuthi iZhizo zixhumane neziteshi zokuhweba zase-Arabhu ogwini lweMpumalanga (ezungeze i-Bazaruto Archipelago yaseMozambique).
Kunezindawo eziningana zeZhizo ezizungeze isitsha seShashe-Limpopo, kodwa iSchroda yiyona enkulu kunazo zonke. Ngakho-ke, kucatshangwa ukuba kube yinduna ecebile kunazo zonke futhi ngaleyo ndlela inhloko-dolobha. Ubukhulu be ’nhloko-dolobha' bucatshangwa ukuthi buphakathi kwabantu abangamakhulu amathathu kuya emakhulwini amahlanu, nabanye abantu abangu-1400 abahlala emizini eyayizungezile.

Umphakathi Onobuchwepheshe

©David Fleminger
Amasiko eZhizo ngokusobala ayenobuchwephese kakhulu. Babegcina izinkomo nemfuyo, futhi bavuna futhi bagcina okusanhlamvu. Abavubukuli baye bathola nezithombe eziningi zobumba ezingavamile ezibonisa izilwane, abantu nezinye izidalwa ezingacacile. Kucatshangwa ukuthi lezi zithombe zaziyingxenye yesikole sokuqalisa abesifazane, futhi basetshenziselwa ukukhombisa izifundo mayelana nokuphila, uthando kanye nomsebenzi. Lesi yisiko esasakazeka kulo lonke elaseNingizimu Afrika.
Namuhla, azikho izibonakaliso zangempela zokuhlala kweSchroda, futhi izivakashi azivunyelwe ukuya kusayithi (engabonakali) ngaphandle komhlahlandlela kanye nemvume ekhethekile. Kuthemba ukuthi isayithi izovulelwa umphakathi uma isimo sesiqinisekile ngokuphepha kwendawo futhi sivikelwe. I-Schroda itholakala ngaphakathi kwemingcele yePaki yeMapungubwe, ibanga elincane empumalanga yeNtaba yeMapungubwe ngokwayo.

Translated by Nsika Khoza