Ukubhidlika kweMapungubwe

Yini Iphutha?

©Roger de la Harpe
Kwaphela iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu abantu baseMapungubwe bephila impilo esezingeni eniphezulu. Babusa phezu kombuso owawuhlanganisa amakhilomitha angu 30 000 futhi uhwebelana kakhulu kulo lonke isifunda, nezizwe zendawo kanye nabathengisi eSofala naseChinuebe. Khona-ke, ngokuzumayo, konke kwahamba kabi. Ngo-1290 AD, inhloko-dolobha enkulu yalahlwa yilapho abantu baseMapungubwe bahlakazeka indawo yonke.
Kunzima ukubanesiqiniseko uma ubuka emuva emakhulwini eminyaka engabhalwanga. Mhlawumbe inkosi endala yafa ngaphandle kokushiya umlandeli; mhlawumbe umlandeli wayebuthakathaka futhi akakwazanga ukubamba umbuso ndawonye; mhlawumbe kwakukhona ingxabano phakathi komndeni wasebukhosini; mhlawumbe bahlaselwe esinye isizwe (nakuba lokhu kungenakwenzeka); mhlawumbe elinye idolobha lathatha ukulawula emigwaqweni yokuhweba yangaphakathi; noma mhlawumbe kwakuyisimo sezulu esiphezulu esabangela ukuphela kweMapungubwe. Le ndlela yokugcina ibhekwa njengento enokwenzeka kunazo zonke.

Isikhathi Samakhaza Amancane

©David Fleminger
Amarekhodi angokwemvelo abonisa ukuthi, cishe ngo-1300 AD, kwaba khona ukuqala 'kwesikhathi samakhaza', okuncane nje. Nokho, kwakwanele ukuguqula kakhulu impilo yomphakathi wezolimo ngaphambilini. Imvula emikhulu eyayinqobile kusukela ekuqaleni kwenkathi yamakhaya aseK2 yomile, yakha isomiso esibi kunazo zonke ezinyangeni zeminyaka, kanti uMfula waseLimpopo waba yinkimbinkimbi, izikhukhula ngesikhathi esingalungile futhi zibhubhisa izitshalo. Le nkinga yokudla ingase yande ngenxa yokuqubuka kwesifo samagundane endawo (rattus-rattus).
Ngokuwa kwezokudla, isikhungo sasingeke sihole futhi inhloko-dolobha yahlukunyezwa. Ikhono leMapungubwe ukuqhubeka nokuhweba lahlehliswa ngokungenakuqhathaniswa, kanti uhlelo oluphezulu kakhulu lukahulumeni lwalungakulungele ukubhekana nesimo esiqhubekayo. Kwakuwukuphela kombuso waseMapungubwe. Ngempela, inkosi ayikho ngaphandle kwabantu bayo.

Akukho Okwaqhubeka

©Roger de la Harpe
Ngakho-ke, abantu baseMapungubwe balahlekelwa amathuna abo egolide, bahamba bahlala ezindaweni ezintsha eningizimu nasenyakatho-mpumalanga. Njengoba kunjalo nangeminye imiphakathi yasendulo, ukuhamba kwabo kwakungavamile futhi kwakungekho ukuqhubeka nemiphakathi elandelayo. Isiko labo anizange niqhubeke, futhi ubumbi lweMapungubwe alubonakali kunoma yiziphi zindawo ezilandelayo.
Eminyakeni engamakhulu ayisikhombisa eyalandela, intaba engcwele yagcina izimfihlo zayo. Kwakungakaze kuvuselelwe izizwe ezalandela ezathuthela endaweni, futhi ukuthi ngabe yibaphi abantu baseMapungubwe abaye bahluleka ukungena emlandweni. Eqinisweni, asazi kakhulu ngabo. Izici zosiko ezifana nolwimi, umculo kanye nezinkolelo azishiywanga ngemuva kwezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho-ke singacabangela isichazelo sezimpahla ezisemathuneni, futhi ucabange mayelana nalokho okushiwo yinhlangano yabo yomphakathi. Eqinisweni, asazi ukuthi bazibiza ngokuthi yini, ngoba i-'Mapungubwe 'yigama lesimanje.

I-Great Zimbabwe

Kunoma yikuphi, kucatshangwa ukuthi njengoba inhloko-dolobha yachithwa, ingxenye yabantu idluliselwe edolobheni eliphezulu le-Great Zimbabwe. Lokhu kwakuyizixazululo ezikhona, cishe amakhilomitha ayikhulu namashumi amahlanu ukuya enyakatho empumalanga, eyayinamasiko ayo. Ngokuwa kweMapungubwe, i-Great Zimbabwe yahamba kancane kancane njengesikhungo esiyinhloko sokuhweba nolwandle olusempumalanga. Njengoba ikhula, i-Great Zimbabwe nayo yaqala imikhuba yamasiko amaningi kanye nokuhlukaniswa kwendawo yeMapungubwe, futhi yandisa kubo ukwakha idolobha elihle kakhulu lamatshe, elinamasongo amakhulu nezindawo ezinkulu. Lesi isimangaliso sezwe lasendulo nendawo eyigugu lomhlaba, futhi sinomlando waso ohlukumezayo.

Translated by Nsika Khoza