Nsinya lowuntsongo wumila nale tikweni ra America naswona wuthyiwe vito kusuka eka Spanish monk Francisco Ximenez. Xiphemu xa ‘caffra’ xisukela eka khale ka vito randzhawu yale Eastern Cape - Kaffraria.
(Ximenia caffra leswinga bayizisaka na Ximenia americana kambe matluka ya X. americana yana muhlovo wa wasi kuya eka rihlaza naswona mihandzu iya xitshopani ematshanweni ya yotshuka.) Misinya leyi yikumeka eka ndzhawu ya tropical eka swiphemu swale vuxeni bya Afrika laha yikulaka yitiya loko yihlangane na timintsu ta misinya yinwana. Wutsakela laha kungana dyambu naswona yikondzelela dyandza xikan’we na xirhami lexinga exikarhi. Nsinya wa sourplum wukula kufika eka 50 cm hi lembe naswona wutirha kahle tani hi ndzelekani.
Mihandzu leyo dzunga leyi nandzihaka yitsakeriwa ngopfu hi tinyenyani, swiharhi (kukatsa ti giraffe nati antelopes) xikan’we na vanhu lava yitirhisaka ku endla jamu na desserts. Muhandzu lowu wa sourplum wukahle kuva wudyiwa wutetano kumbe wuvupfe ngopfu, kasi loko wu omile nyana wu nandziha kufana na prune.
Wuna xivumbeko xa plum naswona ya hambana hi muhlovo kusuka eka xitshopani kuya eka lowotshuka wodzwihala, muhandzu wa sourplum wutshoveriwa hi ximumu himinkarhi ya timpfula kusuka hi November kuya eka March. Nsinya wutswala mihandzu leyinga ringanaka 15-17 kg hi lembe.
Mihandzu yitala kulovekiwa eka mati yotitimela kutani yi kamiwa swalendzeni, swikatsiwa na timinstu kutani swiswekiwa swi endla mukapu. Rixaka ra ma-Zulu vakamela mihandzu leyi e matini – juzi leyi ya virisiwa kutani yikatsiwa na mugayo kuva yi endla vuswa byo dzunga. Sourplum yile henhla hi vitamin C na potassium (K) naswona yina ti protein. Muhandzu wakona wuna nyungu yin’we leyi nandzihaka yingana 65% wa mafurha. Mafurha lawa yatirhisiwa eka switolwa swa nhlonge xikanwe naku tlhuvutsa dzovo.
Kutlula 60 wa mavabyi ya vanhu na swiharhi ya tshunguriwa hi ximilani lexi xa sourplum kukatsa na mavabyi ya swa masangu na malaria. Vutshunguri byin’wana bya sourplum byi katsa matihlo lawa yanga pfimba na tonsillitis (hiku tirhisa matluka), kusivela diarrhoea (nkatsakanyo wa timintsu) naku tshungula swivavi swale xisutini na bilharzia (nkatsakanyo wa timintsu na matluka).
Timintsu letinga kandziwa ti horisa swilondza, mavabyi lawa ya fambelanaka na TB naswona loko yikatsiwe na byala, yipfuneta swinene eka timhaka ta masangu, kasi matluka lawa yanga kandziwa yativeka kuva ya tirhana na kuka unga tswali na kuhorisa mukhuhlwani. Sourplum yibyaleka kahle kusuka eka mbewu yakona naswona yibyariwa eka 5:1 nkatsakanyo wa sava na manyoro.
Disclaimer ya Swavutshunguri
Vuxokoxoko lebyi i byo dyondzisa xikan’we no nyika vuxokoxoko naswona swinge tekiwi tani hi switsundzuxo swa vutshunguri. Vuxokoxoko lebyi abyi kongomisiwangi eka kuyimela switsundzuxo swa vutshunguri kumbe kutshunguriwa loku ku nyikeriwaka hi lavanga leteriwa eka swavutshunguri.
Translated by Ike Ngobeni