Ukubuka iSterkfontein

Uhambo Olubuyela Emva Exesheni

©David Fleminger

Utyelelelo lwase miqolombeni ye Sterkfontein luyeyona nto ihamba phambili kwaye kufuneke lwenziwe nangubani na oya kule ndawo. Luhambo olu lula, kwaye kukho umntu okukhokelayo ukuze ubenokuhama ngokulula ngaphantsi komhlaba.
Olutyelelo luqala kwisenta yabatyeleleli nge ngcaciso ‘Eluhambo olubuyela emva exesheni, ne yenziwe ngamaphepha amakhulu axhonywe edongeni abonakalisa amaxesha ukusukela kwi Big Bang ukuya kukuphucuka kwabantu babe ngaba sibabonayo namhlanje. Oku ke kukuthatha kule senta, udlule ekungeneni kwemiqolomba. Xa sele wehle izitepusi, kuvakala ngathi sele ulishiye ngasemva ixesha le Sentyuri 21, njenjokuba sele ungena kwihlabathi lomhlaba kunye nokuthula.
Uzakube sele udlula iSilberberg Grotto nalapho uLittle Foot wafunyanwa khona. Le ndawo ayivulelekanga kuluntu ngenxa yezizathu ezicacileyo-ube sele uqhubeleka kwintliziyo yomqolomba. Uthi xa ufika ngaphakathi uyabanda kwaye umile, kwaye lomngxuma unamatye athi akwazi ukumelana notshabalaliso lokwembiwa kwemigodi nge sentyuri 20.
Uya kube sele udlula ichibi eliphantsi komhlaba, neliyinzonzobila emnyama enendawana enesithinzi nangona lilihle nje. Emva koko imingxuma emincinane de uphumele, ngelishwa ke, ekukhanyeni nakwi xesha langoku.
Ukuhamba kule miqolomba kulula, kwaye nendlela azingoma gingxi gingxi, kukwakho nendawo zokubambelela kunye nezibane ezikhanyisileyo. Kukho icala elifutshane elidinga ukuba ugobe okanye ukhase. Izihlangu ezilungiselelwe ukuhamba, ijini kunye nesilamba esingangenwa manzi, zizinto ongazinxiba ukuze uhambe ngokukhululeka.

iSenta Yabatyeleli yaseMaropeng

Abase magunyeni abohlukeneyo naba noxanduva lwe Cradle of Humankind bathatha inyatheli elikhulu lokwenza isenta yabatyeli entsha nekhethekileyo. Le senta yiyo engumtsalane kule ngingqi. Ibizwa nge Maropeng, nethetha ‘ukubuyela kwindawo esaqala kuyo okanye kwimvelaphi yethu sonke.’ Ikufutshane neMiqolomba ye Sterkfontein kwaye ingadityaniswa lula notyelelo lwemiqolomba.
Eyona nto intle nge Maropeng yindlela eyakhiwe ngayo. Yakhiwe yafana neTumulus (okanye induli yakudala dala ekwakungcwatywa kuyo). Esi sakhiwo sikhangeleka okwe nduli emfutshane kwaye igqunywe yonke nge ngca eluhlaza yaka. Ngenxa yoku ke, iyangena twatse kwindawo eyingqongileyo.
Le senta yeyona ndawo kungenelwa ngakuyo eyi Tumulus complex. Umnyango wayo uvulwe kanye apha kuyo esiqwini, kwaye xa sele ungaphakathi intle nangakumbi indlela eyakhiwe ngayo. Kukho iziyephusi ezi jikeleza ngaphandle kwe atrium kunye nengxangxasi ekumgangatho we sithathu osezantsi.

Kumgangatho wokuqala kukho indawo yokutyela ebizwa nge Tumulus Restaurant nethengisa izidlo ezilula kwanoku qinileyo ukonelisa abatyeli abalambe kakhulu. Le ndawo ithe gabalala kamnandi iyindawo elungileyo yokuhlala kwaye uyakwazi ukubona iintaba kunye nezinye izinto ezintle ngaphande ngoku ungaphakathi. Ngoko ke, iyindawo elungele ukuchitha imva kwemini yakho uzipholele.
Eyona ndawo itsala abakhenkethi kusezantsi kwezi tepusi, kwi basement nalaphu uzakufumana iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zezinto zamaxesha akudala. Ukufikelela kweli holo, ungakhwela i
‘Ride Through Time’ – inqwelo efana nezo zakwi theme park, ehamba umganyana omfutshane kuchunge chunge lwamatye ezinwe nge gilasi, iingxangxasi ezihamba ngemitshini, kunye nomsi owenziweyo (ongatsarhiyo) nofanele ukuba umele ukudaleka koMhlaba. Ayina bungozi kwaye ayoyikisi, ngaphandle nje kokubhukuqa ngesiquphe xa isehla ngebhanti lomtshini isiya kungena emanzini.
Kuninzi onokuzuza kumyalezo we Maropeng, okufana nokuba siyafana nokuba singade sibe kanti sohluke kangakanani na. Kwaye kukho neqela lemifanekiso nezinto ezinika umdla ezixhonyiweyo kwimiboniso. Kodwa, nceda ungakholelwa nje kwinto endiyithethayo. Abanye abantu esele ndithethe nabo naboo bacinga ukuba eliholo liyamangaza kwaye linika umdla, ngoko ke tyelela eMaropeng uzibonele ngawakho.

Translated by Zizipho Silwana