Izindlu zeSintu
Izindlu zohlanga lwaba Tswana azifani nezinye zase Mazantsi Afrika, ngenxa yobukhulu bazo kodwa zibemfutshane. Ingxenye yonobangela woku yindawo eyomileyo abahlala kuyo. Ekuqaleni kweminyaka ye Sentyuri 19, ezinye zezindlu zohlanga lwabaTswana, zazisondelelene ukodlula ezo zase Kapa-Eyona dolophu inkulu yayihlala abantu abamhlophe ngelo xesha.
Oku ke kwakusenzelwa ukhuseleko. Kuqala kwakuqhelekile ukuba onke amalungu esizwe ukuba acukane kwindlu enye engqonge inkosi. Ezinye iinkosi zaziye zifumane ubukhosi kwiindawo ezikufutshane ngokoyisa abantu ababelapho okanye ngokwakha izindlu ezenzelwe abantu abaninzi nababeye baze kuhlala kuzo.
Ikhaya lalibaluleke njengendawo yokwenza amasiko nokuhlala. Kwikhaya ngalinye kubakho indlu enye ehlala indoda, umkayo kunye nabantwana abangatshatanga amaxesha amaninzi. Kodwa kumaxa amaninzi le ndlu yayiye ihlale noonyana abatshatileyo, nkqu neentombi, abayeni babo kunye nabantwana babo.
Imizi yayibane nendlu enye nangaphezulu kunye neendawo zokugcina ukutya kwalapha ngaphakathi emtyantini owenziwe ngeengcongolo okanye ngamaplanga okanye udonga olwakhiwe ngodaka. Isibini esitshatileyo sasivamise ukuhlala kwindlu enye kunye nabantwana. Abantwana abasele bebadala, aba ngamakhwenkwe namantombazane babesohlulwa ngesini.
Ikakhulu izindlu zazisetyenziselwa ukulala nokugcina izinto ezibalulekileyo. Ukupheka kunye nemigcobo yayisenzelwa ngaphandle ebaleni. Kumaxesha amandulo amalungu osapho ayezakhela imizi yawo; kwaye ezivelisela ubunintsi bokutya kwabo. Umhlaba, imfuyo kunye nazo yonke impahla yekhaya yayi lawulwa yintloko yekhaya.
Le ntloko yayisabela wonke umntu oxhomekeke kuyo ngokweminyaka nezikhundla zabo. Njengentloko yekhaya, wayelindela ukuthotyelwa, ukwenzelwa izinto kunye nokuhlonitshwa ngabafazi bakhe kunye nabantwana. Wayekwa jongana nazo zonke izinto zomthetho ezidibene nabantu bangaphandle.
Umthandazo kunye nokuxhelwa kwa madini enziwe egameni lekhaya esenzelwa izinyanya, nawo ayeluxanduva lwakhe. Nangona maxa wambi wayeye acele uncedo kubakhuluwa bakhe okanye kubantu abadala belali abahlala kwamanye amakhaya.
Translated by Zizipho Silwana