Ukukhiqizwa kwe-siliki kwathoma enarheni ye-China. Iinkankaramba zithi u-Empress Hsi Shi, ogade amfazi ka-Haung Ti, owaziwa ngokobana ngu-Yellow Emperor, wathola isiliki ngemva kukobana isibungu sayo-sawela ebhigirini yakhe yokusela itiye. Kuthiwa umuntu lo wakarwa yi-siliki leyo, begodu kuthiwa nguye oweza nomkhumbulo yokobana ayenze.
Inarha ye-China yayenza yaba yifihlo indaba yokobana isiliki ikhiqizwa njani isikhathi esaba minyakanyaka, begodu nanyana ngobana owalinga ukukhukhuthisa amaqanda wesibungwesi, isibungu nanyana i-coccon yesibungwesi asikhiphe enarheni gade abulawa. Abathengi bayo gade ufunuka kobana bathatha ikhambo eliyi ngozi, ekhabe liyi-6 500 miles ukusuka epumalanga yenarha ye-China ukuya e-Mediterranean badlula erhalawumbeni le-Takla kanye nentabeni ze-Pamir bayokuthenga isiliki begodu abanengi khabe bangafiki nalapho bayako.
Kunendaba ezihlukileko zokobana ifihlo le yagcina itholwe njani. Abanye bathi indlovukazi ye-China yakhukhuthisa amaqanda wesbungwesi ngesiqetjhana senhluthu zayo, lokha nakatjhada ikosi yenyee inarha. Abanye bathi, abaphalali be-China bakhukhuthisa amaqanda la, lokha nabaya eenarheni ezisetjingalanga.
Ipumalanga yayithola ngeminyaka yabo-550 C.E lokha ikosi ye-Justinian ithumela ama-monks amabili e-Asia ephakathi, akhukhuthisa amaqanda la ngama-staves we-bamboo.
Umkhiqizo Wentjhabatjhaba
Inarha ye-China inebubulo elikhulu ukuwadlula woke le-sericulture, ilandelwe yinarha yeNdiya. Imithamo emincani ikhiqizwa eenarheni ezifana ne-Korea, Thailand kanye ne-Brazil.
Umkhiqizo Wenarha Le
Kusukela ngonyaka wabo-1600, imihlobo ehlukahlukeneko yemithi yomrubheyi yalethwa eSewula Africa isuswa enarheni ye-China, Taiwan kanye ne-Indonesia. Ngonyaka ka-1726, isibungu sokwenza isiliki salethwa enarheni le yikampani ye-Dutch East India.
Isiliki yakhiqizwa zingcila kwathi lada, kwalingwa kobana kutlanywe iprojethi yokukhulula iingcila eduze kwe-Stellenbosch.
Ngeskhathi sabo-19th century, isazi se-sericulture ye-i-Italy seza eSewula Africa sazokuthoma ibubulo lesiliki e-Gonoa, eseduze kwenarha ye-Kenya kanye nesifunda se-Western Cape. Abantwaba bebakholelwa ekobaneni bazokurhona ukuthoma ukulima isiliki khonokho, kodwana bathola bona imithi yomrubheyi ayikho, okwatjho bonyana basale sele bakapa iinkuni ukobana baziphilise. Imithi yemirubheyi egade bayitjalile yagcina sele idlulelwe sikhathi ngebanga lokobana khabe ingakhuli kuhle.
Ngeminyaka yabo-1980, umnyango wezelimo wathoma iprojethi ye-sericulture esifundeni seMpumalanga, bahlola imithi eminengi yemirubheri ukuhlola kobana mhlobo muphi womuthi womrubheyi abangawusebenzisa. Ngonyaka ka-1994 bathoma iprojedi yomrubheri yikampani ezijamelako ngemva kukobana urhulumende angabasekeli ngokwemmali ngebanga lokobana khabe kubiza begodu kungaalethi inzuzo.
Umkhiqizo
Iplasi le-sericulture esele liseleko eSewula Africa liseMpumalanga eduze kwe-Graskop. Iplaseli sele ngonyaka ka-2019 nje linamahekuthera asithandathu wemithi yomrubheyi. Imithi le ipruniwa qobe ngemva kwemveke ezisithandathu ekuya kwezibunane ukwenzela bonyana ibe mitjhana begodu kubelula ukuyitlhogomela. Imithi le iyasikwa ebusika bese imila godu etwasahlobo. Khange khekutjalwa imithi emitjha yenthelwezi eplasineli kusukela ngonyaka ka-1994 ngebanga lokobana izala inarha yoke.
Isikhathi Somkhiqizo
Lokha isibungu se-silkworm esifuywa bentwana besikolo sikhula ngengaba ezimbili. I-silkworm ye-Africa ikhula kanengi ukwenzela bona irhone ukukhiqiza isiliki unyaka woke. Ngokuya ngokwaka-Ronel Swart, umnikazi webubulweli, amaqanda waso afakwa esiqandisini ukwenzela bona akhiqize isiliki qobe ngemva kwemveke ezimbili.
Ama-larvae asandukuqhanyiselwa athola Amakari amancani, ngebanga lokobana imihlathi yawo ayikathuthuki kuhle okwenza bona kube budisi kobana aphiwe amakari amadala. Isibungwesi sifunzwa kahlanu ngelanga, okuya ngokobana sisesigabeni siphi setutuko. I-larvae nayo ivamise ukuthoma ukuzombelezisa i-cocoon yawo ngemva kwamalanga ayi-30 iqhanyiselwe.
Kuthatha ikhilogramu lokudla nokukhulisa i-silkworm, begodu i-silkworm ikhiqiza isiliki eyi-0.2 kg yesiliki. Okutjho bona ktlhogeka ama-cocoon ayi-461 ukukhiqia ikhilogramu yesiliki.
Imihlobo Yayo
Isiliki ikhiqizwa yisibungu esibizwa bona yi-Bombyx mori, ekusibungu esibuya enarheni yomndeni we-Bombycidae. Ezinye iinunwana ezikhiphiza isiliki, ezifana namasonja we-Africa, kodwana ukuphatheka kwesiliki yakhona kuhlukile kunendlela isiliki ye-silkworm iphatheka ngayo. Isiliki enengi ithathwa esirhweni.
Ukuthengiswa
Iinarha ze-Africa zithengisa isiliki esele ilungisiwe enarheni le, nenarheni zangaphandle, khulukhulu enarheni ye-Europe.
Ukusetjenziswa Kwayo
Isiliki ayisibudisi, okwenza kobana umuntu nakayimbetheko atjhaphuluke. Begodu ifuthumele ebusika, kuthi ehlobo iphole, begodu ilitjhila eliqine khulu lemvelo, kungebangelo isetjenziselwa nokwenza imikhiqizo efana nama-parachute kanye namatayera wetsikiri.
Isiliki ayingenwa mabhakutheriya begodu isetjenziswa kwezamaphilo, isetjenziselwa ukwelapha amanceba wokutjha kanye nenlonda.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana