emaPedi aseNingizimu Afrika

© Dr Peter Magubane

Kuhamba Indzawo Ngendzawo kwemaPedi

Ngekusho kwesintfu lesentiwako, emaPedi angafunwa emuva eMaroteng, intfolencane lekhulako yeKgatla, namuhla intfo leyenta lutfo lolubalulekile lemaTswana. Kutsenjwa kutsi eminyakeni leyengcile, ngeminyaka yelishumi letinkhulunngwane nemakhulu lasihlanu, lamaMaroteng bekahlala dvute nendlela ye Vaal. Ngaphansi kweSikhulu Tabane lobekahamba tindzawo kuzekube-ngunamuhla eSkilpadfontein dvute nePitoli.

Lichawe linekutsi ngesikhatsi sekuphatsa kwemtukullu wa Tabane, Motsha, umfati lebekamutsandza wakhe, Mmathobele, wasolelwa ngekutala uumntfwana lobekadze 'akhala abe asesesiswini sakhe' (kutsiwa bekusuke kuluphawu lwekuloywa). Labadzala bafuna kutsi lomake kanye nalomntfwana babulawe. Kuvikela loku, Thobele, lowaphumulela ku Motsha, babaleka.

Yena kanye nebalalndzeli labaningi, kufaka ekhatsi Mmathobele kanye nemntfwanakhe, bashona eMpumalanga, bewela Umfula we Olifants (iLepelle) dvute neMarble Hall lesekhona nalamuhla. Bahlala eSteelpoort (eTubatse) eMfuleni ngemnyaka wa 1650. Batsi basengca Tintsaba te Leolo, kutsiwa batfola tintfo leticijile temtimba weporcupine esidvulini setintfutfwane, lokwatsatfwa njengentfo lebonisa lokuhle lokutokwenteka.

Kiusuka lapho kuyaphambili le Maroteng yatsatsa le porcupine (inoko) njengentfo totem yabo baphindze bakhulisa kubonwa lokukhanyako. Ngesikhatsi, leMaroteng yatfola kukhula esigodzini lesikhulu. Imuvo uhlukaniseke ngendlela yekutsi emaPedi latfola ngayo ligama lawo. Lenye indlela kutsi leligama likungcolwa kwe Vhambedzi, ligama lelicembu lema Venda lahlala Etintsabeni te Leolo.

Kutsenjwa kutsi bafundzisa kakhulu ngetintsetse teMaroteng leningi, lwati lwabo lwe iron. Kulenchubo, lama Vhambedzi abemile ngekubayincenye yelicembu, umphumela we amalgam lebeyitokwatiwa ngekutsi ngemaPedi.

Translated by Phindile Malotana