Xitichi Xosungula xa Mission e Namaqualand

Pella Mission

©Jacques Marais

Lexi hlamarisaka, hileswaku vumundzuku bya Pella, xitichi xosungula xa mission e Namaqualand, abyi twisiseki. Vanwana vari axi hlaseriwile hima Bushmen, lavanga dlaya minister na ndyangu wakwe, leswinga endla leswaku vatshami vakona va tsutsuma. Kahle kahle n’waricondzo George Thompson uvikile leswaku, hi 1824, ndzhawu liya ayi tshikiwile, kambe u kume xitichi xinwana xa mission eka ndzhawu leyinga tiawara nyana kusuka kona e T’kams – laha muprista loyi anga rhangela a hlamusela leswaku ava famba famba ngopfu eka tindzhawu letiya varingeta kulavana na mati. Vanw’wana vari xitichi lexi xihluphekile swinene (kumbe hi mhaka yakuva ehansi ka aegis wa Rhenish Church) loko yingase tshikiwa hi 1872 hikokwalaho ka dyandza ra matimba leringa nghena eka ndzhawu liya.
Hambi swiritano, ti Catholics vasimeke mission ya vona yosungula e Namaqualand e Springbok hi 1869. Xobiha xakona, huwa leyikulu leyi akuri yona yinga hlohletela kusunguriwa ka doroba ayi miyerile naswona ndzhawu liya ayi kayivela ti Catholics leti avata chumayilela tona. Hiku pfumaleka ka nkavanyeto, Father Gaudeul, wale France, uteke xiboho xaku pfuxa ndzhawu leyi ayi tshikiwile ya Pella. Tani hi matimu lawa ya tsariweke ya Catholic yale xitichini xa Pella mission ya tsundzukeka swinene, “Loko ma Lutherans vatwa hita migingiriko leyi, vatsalele e Cape naswona va alana na swona, kambe mapapila ya vona ya fike se kuri khala laha hinkwaswo se aswi tshamisekile. Laha akuri na kurila na ku getsela ka meno".
Alea jacta est, himpela. Hi 1878, Pella yive na vatshami voringana 100, laha 50 wa vona avari eka Catholic. Hi 1882, Father Jean Marie Simon ufikile eka xitichi lexi xa mission swinga languteriwanga. Yena na vatirhi kulobye vayile emahlweni ku aka cathedral yintsongo na yindlu yati nuns leyi ayiri na encyclopaedia yaku letela eka mintirho ya architecture. Switeke nkombo wa malembe. Father Simon ata tshama e Pella kufikela loko ata lova hi 1932, endzhaku ka 50 wa malembe lawa yanga landzela. U vuye a tiveka tani hi ‘Bishop for the Hottentots’ naswona ari xirho xo hlonipheka endzhawini liya. Kusuka e Pella, kereke ya Catholic yiye emahlweni yisimeka ti missions totala e Namaqualand hinkwayo, Bushmanland nale Hantam Karoo.

Nkateko na Ndzhukano

Switichi swa ti mission swo hambana hambana, vakombisa kuvilela xikan’we nati Catholic, switikombe kuri nkateko na ndzhukano. Hitlhelo rin’wana, akuri na ti kliniki, swikolo na tikereke, naswona leswi swiendle ntirhisano wa nseketelo eka tinxaka leti ati hlaseriwile ta Khoikhoi na Bastaards lava ava twa kuvava hiku hlaseriwa hi ti trekboers na van’wana. Hitlhelo lerin’wana, hambi leswi, tindzhawu ta vaaki leti tinga kula ekusuhi na switichi ti hlohletele matshamelo yokarhi, leswinga hoxa xandla swinene eka kuhunguteka eka ku rhurha rhurha ka vanhu votala. Eka malembe lawa yanga landzela, loko kunghena xikolo swisungule ku boha eka vana hinkwavo, switichi swa mission swisungule kuva na xiave eka vutomi bya ma Khoikhoi leswi swinga hetelela swibelela xipikiri xohetelala eka bokisi ra mafambiselo ya tihomu.
Tindzimi ta xintu ta ma-Khoikhoi tixanisekile swinene hikokwalaho ka dyondzo leyi ayi tisiwa hiti missionaries. Va European vantsongo avaswikota kurivulavula hambi leswi ririmi riendlaka mimpfumawulo wokarhi xikan’we na mavulavulelo kuya hiti ndzhawu, hambi leswi swin’wana aswi cinciwa kuya eka Khoikhoi, mburisano exikarhi ka varisi na swifuwa awu endliwa hixi Dutch kumbe English. Leswi swiendle leswaku, kuvulavuriwa ririmi ra Nama (leri vulavuriwaka emakaya ya Richtersveld nale dzongeni wa Namibia) kufikela namuntlha – ririmi riri roxe leringa sala kusuka eka ndzhavuko lowu awu tele e Afrika Dzonga.

Thikithi ra Vutshamo

Eku heteleleni, ti missionaries vanga vuriwa kuva vatise ntshamiseko lowungava na nhlohletelo wo kavanyeta e Namaqualand. Va tise kuhambana ka vukorhokeri eka vanhu, naswona vanyika vaaki rito rintsongo ra tipolotiki. Himinkarhi yotala, switichi swa ti mission swilwele kukuma ‘ticket of occupation’ leringa nyika vanhu vandzhawu liya vutshama ekusuhi na switichi. Leswi aswiri na nkoka swinene e mahlweni ka kunghenelerisiwa ka van’wamapurasi vavalungu naswona ka ndzhaku, tikhamphani ta timayini. Kambe leswi hinkwaswo swite na ntsengo wokarhi naswona mfumo awutala ku susa matimba emavokweni ya tihosi kutani wu wayisa e mavokweni ya switichi swa mission. Switichi swa mission swi susumete varisi va Nama lava ava tshama endleleni kuva vatsham endzhawini yin’we, leswi swinga tsan’wa vutomi lebyi vabyi toloveleke. Tani hileswi vavulaka, hosi ya nyika kutani yitlhela yiteka.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni