I-Richtersveld

I-Edeni Engakajwayeleki

©Shem Compion

The Richtersveld isepumalanga yeSewula Africa. Njeke ikude nayo yoke into, ihlukaniswe nayi-Antlatic Ocean esetjingalanga, kanye nerholombo i-Namib Desert esepumalanga nekuyindawo eyome khulu yeKalahari. Lesi sifunda esome khulu, esiyirhalawumba, esinezulu elingaphasi kwe-220 mm. Iintaba ezinamatje zidlula edaweni esipara. Iintjalo ezithambileko ezinamakari adege zikakarele amatje, lapha ezinye zizifihle emathunzini. Amazinga womtjhiso wehlobo afika ku-50 degrees kuthi ubusuku bebusika bube makhaza khulu. Umthombo wamanzi okhona mlambo omkhulu i-Orange River kwaphela, egelezela endaweni engakavundi. Begodu kikho koke lokhu iRichtersveld ngenye yamarholombe webhawoloji ehluke khulu ephasini.

Inamasiko nendlela yokuphila yabantu ede, ibonwa ngesiko lesitjhaba sabafuyi bamaNama, esele badlise ifuywabo emadlelweni walapho iminyaka edlula eyi-2000. Ukuphelela kwamasiko nemvelo yesifundesi ngeze kwamedaniswa nokhunye, begodu hleze kwenziwa kutjhida kwaso ngokwegografi okuqiniseka bona ihlala iyihle. Ngamanye amezwi, kubudisi ukuzwisisa bona amandla egade atjhugulula iinarha zoke zenarha le, abhalelwa kuthola inzuzo ngeRichtersveld.

Incenye Yendawo Engakajwayeleki eAfrica

©Shem Compion

Njeke, koke lokhu kutjho ukuthini emuntwini ofuna ukubona iRichtersveld namhlanje? Awa, ekuthuthukeni kwabantu, kunendlela ezimbalwa kanye nabantu abambalwa. Kunamadorobha angadluli amahlanu begodu anemakhiwo wokuzithabisa nezokuvakatjha. Zomnotho zincani. Kunalapha kulinywa khona ngehloso yokwenza inzuzo eduze komlambo i-Orange River, kodwana into eyenziwa khulu lapha kumayinwa kwedayimoni, okubonakala inga kulawulwa yikampani enamandla khulu. Kodwana ngiyagcizelela iRichtersveld kuyarhonakala ukuya kiyo begodu akusibudisi ukuhlela ikhambo eliya khona endaweni engakajwayeleki le ye-Africa.

Kodwana ngaphambi kokobana ngiragele phambili, kutlhogeka ngitjho bona iRichtersveld ngeze wamane wayizwisisa. Isfundesi sinjenge anyanisi, sinendawo enamathuthumbo amhlobohlobo, kubenemfunda zepolotiki kanye nenqhema ezikhona zamasiko, ezinye ziphila kwezinye iinqhemezi. IRichtersveld yincenye yesifunda seNamaqualand enabileko, begodu ngeze wakhuluma ngesinye ungakhulumi ngesinye.

I-Namaqualand

©David Fleminger

IRichtersveld eseNmaqualand yindawo eyomileko ekude nezinye. Eminye imithombo ithi abantu bakhona mumuntu munye ku-square kilometer sinye, begodu indlela yokuthoma eskotiri yakhiwa ngonyaka ka-1960 esifundenesi. Amadorobha wakhona mancani begodu anabile, elinye lihlukene nelinye lihlukaniswa yinarha ekulu. Kodwana nanyana kunjalo iRichtersveld yindawo ongarhona ukuyivakatjhela nanyana yindawo iimvakatjhi ezingarhona ukuivakatjhela.

Abantu abanengi nabathoma ukufika endaweni le babona ama-daisies. Ekungiwo arhorha abantu emqalisweni owenziwa qobe mnyaka lapha amakhulu ngamakhulu wentjalo athuthumba iimveke ezimbalwa ezifitjhani qobe etwasahlobo. Umqaliso waqobe nyaka lo, kukatelelekile bona uwubone, begodu indawo yeNamaqualand ehlala ilele, ngeskhatheso izala iimvakatjhi. Ngebhadi, amathuthumbo la akabeki-itimetable begodu ukufika endaweni elungileko ngeskhathi esilungileko kuba budisi.

Iskhathi Esihle Sokuvakatjha

IRichtersveld, ilirhalawumba, njeke kwenziwa imithetho yerholomba. Iinyanga zehlobo (hlangana kwaka Sewula kanye noMhlolanja kutjhisa khulu begodu komile, amazinga womtjhiso anyuka afike ku-50 degrees. Eenyangeni zebusika (ngoVelabahlinze nango Mrhayili, kumakhaza khulu, khulukhulu entambama kanye nangamasa). 

Njeke linga ukuya eRichtersveld ngeskhathi lokha nakuthuthumba amathuthumbo ekuthomeni kwetwasahlobo (nekupheleni kwakaVelabahlinza naphakathi kwakaSinyikhaba. Amazinga womtjhiso lapha amahle khona. Ukuragela phambili lesi sikhathi sonyaka lapha iintjalo ezinengi zithuthumba khona amathuthumbo, okwenza indawo ibe mibalabala njengepende ye-Jackson Pollock.

Tjheja bona ayikho igaranthi. Lokha nangise-Eksteenfontein, ukwenza Isibonelo, Zulu Lana amairi ayi-24 khange lijame gade kumakhaza kunomoya ovela etlhagwini. Kwatlhogeka bona senza iinkhundla e-guest house ukuze sirhone ukuhlalisa abakhambi ngenthuthuthu abahlanu egade banethiwe.

Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana