Uboya (i-Mohair) eMzantsi Afrika

©Justin Fox
Ibhokhwe encinane i-Angora ivela kwingingqi ekumbindi-mpuma wase-Turkey. Izilwanyana zokuqala – imazi yebhokhwe kunye nee nkunzi zebhokhwe ezaziyi 12 – zangeniswa kwilizwe lase Mzantsi Afrika kunyaka ka 1833, kodwa kuthiwa zonke iinkunzi zazingakwazi ukuzalisa. Ngethamsanqa, imazi yona yayikhulelwe kwaye yazala itakane lenkunzi. Izilwanyana ezininzi zangeniswa apha eMzantsi Afrika phakathi kweminyaka u 1857 ukuya ku-1868 kwade kwapheliswa urhwebo lwangaphandle e-Turkey. Abafuyi bebhokhwe i-Angora (Angora Goat Breeders Society) yasekwa ngonyaka ka 1892 kwaye namhlanje yaziwa njenge Angora Ram Breeders.
Imveliso yoboya (mohair) yenzeka pha kwifama ze-Angora ezingange 1000 kuMzantsi Afrika wonke. Kukho iifama ezingange 700 ezinkulu kakhulu, ezibonwa njenge ‘fama zorhwebo’, eziyi 300 zona zibonwa njengefama zemveliso encinci. Xa ibhokhwe zichetyiwe, inwele zayo zithathwa zisiwe e-Nelson Mandela Bay ngosomashishini abathengisa uboya (iinwele) kwindawo yentengiso.
Uboya obusuka ku-Mzantsi Afrika wonke busiwa e-Nelson Mandela Bay (eBhayi kwindawo eseMpuma Koloni) apho lwenziwa khona. Ichweba laseBhayi lilo lodwa elithengiswa i-Mohair esuka eMzantsi Afrika kumazwe angaphandle.

Amalaphu Aphuma Kwibhokhwe

©Marinda Louw
IiBhokhwe ezibizwa i-Angora zifuyelwa imveliso yoboya (mohair). Uboya bayo buyi yifayibha eqinileyo, eshushu, elula kwaye ehlala ixesha elide kwaye uyakwazi ukuyidaya. Isetyenziswa kakhulu kwishishini lamalaphu ukwenzela iimpahla, ukuthunga (ngesandla okanye ngomashini), ikhethini kunye neengubo. Uboya be mo-hair bahlukile kunoboya be-wuli (wool) kuba bona bugudile futhi bunqine kakhulu.
Ikhetshemiya ephuma kwiinwele ezithambileyo zesikhumba sebhokhwe, inemveliso encinci esuka pha kwibhokhwe i-Mbuzi yase Butterworth e-Mpuma Koloni. Iibhokhwe ezininzi zendalo zikhula ikhetshemiya phakathi kweenwele zazo pha ebusika ukuzikhusela, ehlobo ziyabuchitha obuboya bekhetshemiya. Imveliso yekhetshemiya ixutywa nemveliso yeebhokhwe zenyama ukwenzela ungeno mali enyakeni wonke. Umgangatho wenyama ophuma kumatakane weebhokhwe uphezulu kodwa izidumbu zawo zincinci futhi zinqinile ngaphezulu kweegusha ezondlwe ngendlela efana neyebhokhwe.

©Marinda Louw
I-Angora ingavelisa uboya obungange 5kg kwaye kufuneka buphungulwe kabini ngonyaka kuba bukhula kangange 12-15 cm njalo kwinyanga ezintandathu.
Uboya be-Angora kufuneka bufane ngobude nangoku sulungeka, kufuneka bubonise ukukhazimla, ukuqina kunye nesimo esilungileyo kwaye bukhululeke kwifayibha ezinombala. (Uboya be-Kemp bumhlophe, bunkenenkene kwaye luxutywa kunye noboya obuqhelekileyo besilwanyana).
Uboya (mohair) obusemgangathweni buza ngendlela ezimbini – obujikelezisiweyo (spiral) kunye nobumbaca obuphitheneyo kwaye buthengiswa ngamazinga amathathu: obumpuluswa, obuphakathi futhi nobuqinileyo. Izinga lawo lubonwa ngeminyaka yebhokhwe i-Angora.

Translated by Aviwe Damane