Nhlengeleto wa Mapungubwe

Xiphemu xa Rifuwo

©Roger de la Harpe
Yunivhesithi ya Pretoria yikhome nkombiso wotala wa swavutshila leswikumekaka e Mapungubwe nale K2, laha kungova na nhlengeleto wuntsongo swinene lowunga khomiwa hi yunivhesithi ya Wits. Xobiha xakona, iku nhlayiso lowunga cincisiweku wulo khoma xiphemu xo sungula xa rifuwo leri ra Mapungubwe. Tani hileswi xintshabyani xinga enhoveni swinene, aswitika swinene kuva xirindziwa naswona swilo swotala swiyiviwile kusuka endzhawini liya eka malembe lawa ya hundzeke.
Maveriveri yaya emahlweni yava kona eka milawu yokuma nsuku lowunga eka vahlengeleti voka vangari va mfumo. Nhlawulo wa swilo swinwana kusuka eka nhlengeleto wa yuniwhesithi ya Pretoria sweswi swileka nkombiso wankarhi hinkwawo eka Mapungubwe Museum, lowunga pfuriwa eka mani na mani. Swikoka rinoko swa matimba swale Mapungubwe Museum swikatsa xibejwani xa nsuku xa ndhuma, swibye leswi aswitirhisiwa hi vafumi swa nsuku na xidhichani xa nsuku. Swilo leswinharhu swile mbilwini ya leswi Sian Tiley aswivulaka ‘South Africa’s Crown Jewels’. Kambe nhlengeleto lowu wutlula sweswo.
Tani hileswi nsuku wunga vevuka, swansimbhi naku khotseka, vanhu va Mapungubwe ava kota kuswihisa kutani loko swin’okile vavumba leswi valavaka ku vumba swona. Laha kunga tirhisiwa swilo swa nsuku aswikoteka kutsala swinwana eka leswi endliweke swo saseka. Foil ya nsuku yolala leyi ayi tirhisiwa kupfutsela kahle tshaku ra pulangi leri ari tirhisiwe ku endla swilo leswi vangamaka e dyambyini. Vuhlalu abyi endliwa hiku boxa mbhovo wuntsongo eka leswa nsuku. Kuta nghenisiwa ntambhu leyi ayitirhisiwa ku endla bracelets. Nsuku awuri fexenini eka mabendlele na swivumbeko swinwana leswi aswi endla jewellery yosaseka. Hinkwaswo leswi swina ntumbuluko walaha kaya naswona akuna vumbhoni lebyi kombaka leswaku kuna ntumbuluko wunwana.

Kuhlanyisiwa hi Vuhlalu

©Roger de la Harpe
Tani hi vumbhoni bya vantima va Afrika eka nsuku, nhlengeleto lowu wu katsa swibejwani swimbirhi swoka swinga helelangi swa nsuku na nhlayo ya swisuti swa swiharhi swa nsuku, magidigidi ya min’wala ya nsuku, masalela ya ti swikhigelo swa nsuku naswin’wana swokhavisa swa nsuku swotala. Magidigidi ya vuhlalu bya nsuku byikumeke byi hangalakile emasirheni laha abyitava byi huleriwile eka rigoda kumbe eka byewu ku endliwa ti necklaces nati bracelets.
Ku nyika nhlamuselo eka vuyeni eka leswi swimakiwa leswi swilangutekisa xiswona, museum wuna leti titlhelaka ti endliwa hi vuhlalu lebyi. Ku engetela kwala ka nsuku, vanhu vale Mapungubwe va hlanyisiwa hi vuhlalu! Nhlengeleto lowu wuna madzana dzana ya vuhlalu bya nghilazi kusuka eka timheho hinkwato ta misava; vuhlalu lebyikulu kusuka eka K2; vuhlalu bya maribye kusuka eka calcite na quartz; vuhlalu lebyi endliweke kusuka eka matandza ya yimbho; vuhlalu byo huma eka ti seashells xikan’we na lebyinga endliwa kusuka eka tihumba.
Kutshembiwa leswaku vuhlalu byikomba xiyimo xokarhi eka vanhu, xikanwe naku hambana ka leswi byivulaka swona aswivikiwa kuya hi muhlovo. Byo basa byikomba ku tenga, bya ntima byi komba vale hansi, rihlaza byikomba ku lulamela kutswala na swinwana na swinwana. Tkutlhela kuva na byinwana byintsongo bya wasi vuhlalu lebyi abyi durhisiwa eka ndzhawu hinkwayo. Kusukela khale hiva 1900, mutirhi wale purasini ute byin’we vuhlalu lebyi abyi durha kwalomu ka £5 kumbe homu yin’we.

Nsuku na Tinsimbi Tinwana

©Roger de la Harpe
Timhondzo tandlopfu akuri tin’wana leri ati xavisiwa ngopfu. Mabendlele yotala yo endliwa hi rimhondzo randlopfu naswinwana leswinga hlengeletiwa aswi kumeka e K2, naswona hi nhlayo yale hansi. Swilanguteka onge vavukosi avanga tsakei ngopfu timhondzo ta ndlopfu naswona totala ati rhumeriwa eka coast.
Hambi leswi nsuku awukumeka ntsena exintshabyanini xa Mapungubwe, tindzhawu tale kusuhi atiri na nhlayo yale henhla ta leswi aswingari na nkoka ngopfu. Leswi aswikatsa swikomu swandzhavuko, matlharhi, mabendlele, ti hooks, swipikiri, ti chizele na mabanga leswi aswitirhisiwa swinene himinkarhi ya khale. Ti ingots letinga endliwa hi koporo, leti tiviwaka hi va-Venda tani hi musuku, naswona swikumekile switlhela swihleketeleriwa leswakuku swingava na nkoka wa ximoya na kuxaviseka. Swinwana swa bronze swihlengeletiwile kambe swivikiwa kuva swiri na ntumbuluko wa exotic. Kutshembiwa leswaku akuri na swotala swinene leswinga sala loko Mapungubwe yitshikiwile, kambe iron na koporo switala ku lahlekeriwa hi ntikelo kutlula nsuku.

Kusaseka na Kutirhiseka

©Roger de la Harpe
Swilo swinwana leswinga hlengeletiwa swikatsa: tinereta leti ava rhunga hitona; swokhoma misisi; swiharhi na vanhu va vumba (swikumeke ngopfu e K2); swin’wana swa xi china; tindhichi ta ceramic, swilepulani, switswiriri, tijeke, mapoto, naswinwana. Ti ceramics tale K2 na Mapungubwe atitala kutirhisiwa ku sweka, kunwa kumbe ku hlayisa. E handle ka leswi aswitirhisiwa swona, swilo leswi aswitala kuva swiendliwe swisaseka na nkhaviso wakahle endzeni ka swona. Aswingata vonaka swilahlekile eka Afro-chic homeware emporium leyo durha.

Kuvuyisiwa ka Switirhisiwa swa Vuhosi

©Roger de la Harpe
Khale akungari na nkombiso wankarhi hinkwawo wa nhundzu yale Mapungubwe. Eka malembe lawa yotala, Yunivhesithi ya Pretoria yihayekile swotala leswi hlohletelaka nkombiso wa mani na mani leswinga famba matiko na matiko kambe va aki avanga koti kuswivona mahala. Kulaveka ka museum swisungule kutiya endzhaku ka 1994. Ntsakelo wa vaaki eka nhlengeleto wukurile swinene eka mfumo lowuntshwa, naswona hivile naku navela ku vuyerisa matimu ya hina evutshan’wini bya wona kusuka eka xihlawuhlawu. Swikoweto swintshwa swikote kuvulavula hiku tinyungubyisa ka Afrika leyi hundzeke. Vanhu ava lava kuvona xibejwani xa nsuku!
Hinkarhi walowo, swin’wani swa swibye swankoka swa nsuku (kukatsa xibejwani) swirhumeriwile e British Museum kuva swihlayisiwa. Ntirho lowu wu durhile swinene naswona switeke nkarhi woleha kambe mbuyelo wakona awuri lowu hlamarisaka. Aswita nyumisa kuva swihumesiwa ntsena himinkarhi ya nkombiso ntsena. Hintsako, endzhaku kakululamisiwa hivukheta, Mapungubwe Museum yipfule tinyangwa tayona hi lembe ra 2000. Yitshame kahle eka Old Arts Building e khemphasini leyikulu ya yunivhesithi ya Pretoria e khemphasini ya Pretoria. Leswi hinge ‘Crown Jewels’ switlherisiwile eka vanhu va Afrika Dzonga.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni