Ku Tumbuluka ka Mabaku ya Cradle of Humankind

Ma Endlekelo ya Mabaku

Ndzhawu hinkwayo ya Cradle of Humankind yitalele hiku pandzekela na milayeni leyi kombaka swihoxo, leswi swi endla leswaku kuva na ku kovotleka ehansi ka misava loko laha kungana mati e hansi ka misava kuya kurikarhi ku n’okisa ti dolomite hikantsongo.
Ku pandzeka loku ku pfumelela mati lawa yangale hansi ka misava kuva ya sefeka yata e henhla, laha ku dyekaka limestone naswona ku kuriseka ku kovotleka loku kutshunelelaka ehenhla ka misava. Swimilani naswona swikota ku tswonga mati hikuva swidzima timintsu ta swona emisaveni nale maribyeni, leswi engetelelaka nhlayo yaku khukhuriwa ka misava naswona swi endla leswaku maribye lawa yanga laha henhla ya fayeleleka ya endla misava. Ku fikela namuntlha, ntlawa wa White Stinkwood kumbe Wild Olive trees yitala ku kombeta vukona bya goji kumbe nomo wa baku.
Loko wun’wani wa migodi leyi yi boxeketa kufika e henhla ka misava, misava na thyaka leringa laha henhla swiwela endzeni ka baku rero, kutani swiendla cone ya xivumbeko ra rhambu lerikulu ra nenge. Cone leyi yingava yikhome swilo swotala swohambana hambana: maribye, marhambu, timhandzi na swin’wana swotala. Hambi kuri swivumbiwa leswi hanyaka swinga wela endzeni ka baku leri naswona swinga lova kumbe swiphasiwa, laha masalela yaswona yangata wela endzeni ka cone yoleyo.
Leswi swina nkoka ku switekela enhlokweni hikuva aswitalangi kuva vakokwa wa kokwa wa hina vangava va tshame eka mabaku lawa yo entisa xileswi, laha ku titimelaka kutlhela ku dzwihala.
Ematshan’weni, vangava valo wela emabakweni lawa hi xihoxo kumbe kwalaho ka nghozi, kumbe vakoka kokiwe hi swiharhi leswi aswilava kudyela nyama eka ndzhawu leyinga hola, kumbe masalela ya vona ya khukhuriwile hi mati kuya nghena emabakwini lawa.
Endzhaku ka nkarhi, mati lawa yanga laha henhla yaya emahlweni ya wela endzeni ka mabaku lawa, ya hlengeleta calcium carbonate (lime) kusuka eka maribye ya dolomite loko yarikarhi ya famba kantsongo eswinkobyanini.
Masalela lawa ya lime yanga e matini ya wela endzeni ka swilo leswinga hlengeletana endzeni ka baku, kutani yi cinca hinkwaswo leswinga endzeni ka baku kufana na marhambu hiti minerali kutani swi semedela swilo hinkwaswo swi hundzuka mukapu, lowu vuriwaka ‘breccia’. Hiyona breccia leyi hi xitalo yingana masalela ya swiharhi na swimilani xikan’we nati hominids, naswona kuhumesa ti fossils, ti archaeologists tifanele ku hambanyisa masalela lawa kusuka eka breccia – leswi kungariki ntirho wo olova.
Hambi loko mabaku ya sungule kuva kona, aya tshamisekangi. Ematshan’wini, mabaku yatshama yari eku kuleni yan’wani ya pfaleka kutani yan’wani ya pfuleka nakambe loko misava yirikarhi yifamba naswona laha kungana mati lawa yangale hansi ka misava ka tlakuka xikan’we naku wa. Minyangwa ya mabaku nayona ya pfuleka yitlhela yipfaleka kuya himinkarhi. Naswona minkarhi yin’wana lwangu ra baku rero ra wa hinkwaro kutani risiya breccia e handle, leswi switlhelaka swifunengetiwa hi misava na swimilani.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni