Ndzhaka yo Fuwa ya Vunanga
Vatsonga vana ndhuma ya vuyimbeleri lebyinga fuwa hi ndzhaka leyinga e henhla ka ku chaya swichayachayani swohambana hambana swa vunanga. Leswi swinga avanyisiwa hi marhengu yanharhu: xitiringi, moya na timbila.
Swichaya chayani swankoka swa xitiringi swikatsa xichayani xa ti notch lexi rhurhumelaka (xizambi), xichayiwa hi xiyimbeleri xikhome xitiringi (hi xitalo ixa rihanti kumbe ntambhu) ematin’wini, leswaku xita humesa mpfumawulo wakahle; rinhu elingana tintambu leti humesaka mpfumawulo loko ri tlangiwa hiku yisiwa ehenhla nale hansi, hinkarhi eka vunanga.
Kasi xitendze xona xi khomanile na xofana na jomela kumbe ndzheko lexi naxona xihumesaka mpfumawulo. Xichaya chayani xa mgangala, xaha tlangiwa kufikela namuntlha, leri i rihlanga leringa boxiwa timbhovo leti pfariwaka hi tintihu loko xikarhi xi chayiwa, kasi xipendana xina swinsimbhani leswinga boheleriwa kutani kuva na nsumbi yo phambarhala leyinga eka xona.
Swichaya chayani leswi tirhisaka moya: kuna flute (xitiringo) leyingana timbhovo tinharhu, xinangani (nanga), kukatsa na rimhondzo ra mhala (mhalamhala).
Swichaya chayani swa percussion swikatsa tambourine xikan’we na xigubu. Xiphambarhalile naswona i xa xirhendzevutani (ncomane) ri tlandiwa hi tin’anga loko va chayela munhu loyi angana swikwembu kumbe angana mimoya yobiha leyi n’wi xanisaka. Ngoma yikatsa ndzumba na xigubu, switlangiwa hi vafana na vanhwenyani loko vaya ngomeni kumbe tikhomba, naswona ngoma, yitirhisiwa loko ku ciniwa hi minkarhi yantsako.
Swichayachayani swimbirhi (leswi hinkwaswo swingariki swa Vatsonga) swiwela ehandle ka swiyenge leswi: piano ya mavoko leyingana swochaya swa nhungu, yiva kwalomu ka 10 centimetres (4 inches) hiku leha xikan’we na 1 centimetre (1/2 inch) hiku anama, yitshamile e hansi eka xiphemu xa ntsandza, yi chayiwa hiku ba swochaya leswi swa nsimbhi yingana swona; lexin’wani i xylophone leyingana ko chaya ka pulangi na ndzheko lowu humesaka mpfumawulo.
Vunanga bya Xitsonga byi cincile swinene kusukela byi kandziyisiwe rosungula hiva 1920s. Namuntlha byingava kuri byona byi tsakeriwaka ngopfu laha tikweni, byi katsa mindzhavuko ya laha kaya na ya matiko yale handle.
Translated by Ike Ngobeni