Isidima Esihloniphekile
Ubaba wami wayenesigqi esihloniphekile kakhulu ngakithi, ngoba wayenguthisha futhi wenza okuningi ukusiza abanye. Wayevamise ukupha abaswelayo, izitshalo azivune ensimini ekhaya, nabafelokazi ebapha kanjalo namakhosikazi ayesuke ehleli wodwa nkashana amadoda awo esezimayini eGoli.
Wayeqeqesha abafana ukuba yizikawoti namantombazane ewafundisa ukudansa esikoleni sangasekhaya. Kwakuthi njalo uma kunomdanso ngakithi kwakusuke kuwubaba ephethe igilamafomo lakhe elihle elikhulu elibomvu nokuluhlaza ayedlala ngalo umculo.
Ezinsukwaneni ezimbalwa ngibe nensini ngixoxa noMandisa Mendi, ongomunye wabesifazane abayaye bafike Enhlanganweni Yogogo Abalwa Nendlala Nengculazi. Wakhulela esigodini sinye nesami futhi ubesakhumbula ukuthi wayaye ezwingise kanjani igilamafomu lemidanso kababa.
Umfundisi uWeaver
Ubaba wami wayeyinhloko yebandla lakithi Esheshi, i St Mark, elabe liyinsika yethu esigodini sangakithi. Kwakuyilona sonto kuphela, nokwagcina isigodi sakithi sibizwe ngalo. Umfundisi kwakuwumlungu, umfu Weaver, owayevamise ukuzolivakashela ngehhashi, uma ezoshumayela kulo.
Ubaba wayaye asize Umfu Weaver ukulanda abantu emahlokozini, ebagqugquzela ukuza enkonzweni bezozwa izwi, nokudedela izingane zabo kuyo yonke imisebenzi ekhaya, ukuze ziye esikoleni zibe yizifundiswa. Babevamise ukulikladula lonke elakithi bexoxa nabantu, nezingane konke la ababezifica khona. Zonke izikhathi umfundisi uWeaver ayesuke ezoshumayela ngazo eSt Mark, wayefikela ekhaya ngehhashi lakhe alale khona.
Eqala ukufika ngangineminyaka ewu 12. Wayesemusha, elishiyile ihlabathi, nezinwele ezimnyama, indoda enomoya omuhle, wangihlaba umxhwele ngokujulile. Kulezonsuku kwakumfiliba ukuba onsundu abone omhlophe ngoba phela babengezi ezindaweni zethu, ngakho kwakuyinto ethusanayo ukubona umlungu ezohlala kithi.
Abantu babevamise ukubuza bethi: ‘Nimlalise lani kini? Likhona ihhotela labelungu. Kungani angalali kulo? ‘Kodwa umfundisi uWeaver wayevamise ukuthi kubaba,’ Ngeke ngiye ehhotela. Ngifuna ukuzinikela kubantu abamnyama futhi ngilale emzini wakho.’ Okwakuyinto enhle kakhulu.
Eseyingxenye Yomndeni
Umfu Weaver wayesenekamero lakhe lokulala ekhaya, ikamero elalicakwe ngomcako omhlophe linombhede omusha nekhethenisi elisha. Sasingakaze silokothe ukulala khona, nakuba wayeza e St Mark kanye ngenyanga. Leligumbi laligcinelwe yena kuphela. Njalo uma efikile, ubaba wayaye asithume ngamabhayisikili ukuyothenga inyama idliwe nezitshalo zasensimini yakithi kube yidili.
Wayedla nathi etafuleni endlini yokudlela. Yilesosikhtahi kuphela esasisebenzisa ngaso i dinning ngoba yayakhelwe izikhathi eziphambili kuphela. Uma umfu Weaver engekho, mina nodadewethu sasidla ebholeni elilodwa, side sinekezana lona singamantombazane, nabafana kuyiso les.
Kwakuthi uma siqeda ukudla izingane zonke ziqoqe izitsha ziyoziwasha zishanele ngaphandle kokuze zicelwe. Uma sekudingeka kupholishwe sasipholisha. Isizathu salokhu kwakuwukuthi uma ungaziniki izingane umsebenzi zizohamba ziyodala izinkinga endaweni. Umfundisi wabe esesifundile isiXhosa okwathi esehamba wayesesikhuluma ngqo, kodwa kwakauthi uma sisetafuleni, sasikhuluma isiNgisi. Wayekhuluma nathi sonke, ngisho nezingane.
Wayezithanda kabi izingane. Emva kwesikhathi kwaba nguye ongumpristi owangishadisa nomnyeni wami e St Mark, ngakho-ke ubaba wami wayengethuswa abamhlophe ngoba wayekhule eseduze kakhulu nabo. Umnu u Groenewald owayengumnikazi wesitolo i Deckerts Hill Trading, wayengomunye wabo.