Ukudlulela Kokukhula kwamaXhosa

Ukuthwasiswa Kwezinsizwa

©Dr Peter Magubane

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-150 eyedlule noma ngaphezulu, zonke izikhulu zaseNingizimu Afrika nezamaKhoi-san ziqaphele izindlela zokuqala zokulungisa intsha, abesilisa nabesifazane ngezindima zabo zesikhathi esizayo emphakathini omdala.

Ngolunye usuku olungaziwa esikhathini esedlule, i-Xhosa iziphathimandla zamukele ukusoka njengefomu eliyinhloko lokuqalwa kwamadoda, mhlawumbe kusuka emthonjeni waseShunu, futhi sekuye kwahlangana kakhulu nabo kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.

Esikhathini esithile futhi ikakhulukazi ngenxa yethonya laseXhosa, ukusoka kwamukelwe izikhulu zamakhelwane ezifana neThembu, Mfengu, Bomvana, Xesibe, Mpondo noMpondomise.

Ngokungangabazeki, ukusoka kwasekuqaleni kwakubaluleke kakhulu, njengento ebaluleke kakhulu kulezi zinsizwa ezazizosebenza njengezimpi ngaphambi kokuba zifanele ukushada. Ngenkathi uDingiswayo, owandulela uShaka, wethula isimiso sombuso eZululand, ukusoka kweZulu kwavalwa.

UmXhosa Othwasayo

©Dr Peter Magubane

Esikhathini esidlule, zonke izilimi zaseXhosa zanikezwa ngemikhonto nemiklamo yempi ngabafowabo kayise nabafowabo emcimbini ozayo (umgidi) owabanjelwe ukufaka abaqashi (abakhwetha) emuva emphakathini ovela ehlathini lapho bebodwa khona.

Ukusoka kuyaqhubeka kusetshenziswe ngesimo esinqunywe yi-Xhosa-speakers, kokubili emadolobheni nasezindaweni zasemaphandleni, nakuba ukusebenza kwayo kungenakuphika embonweni wezokwelapha.

Kusukela ekuqaleni kweminyaka yama-1990, izinombolo zamadoda abaqala ukubhekana nezinkinga zezokwelapha nezengqondo, futhi ngisho nokufa, ngenxa yokusoka kuqhubeke njalo ngonyaka. Isixazululo salezi zinkinga zokukhathazeka kusobala ngokubeka ukusoka ngokwakho ezandleni zabasebenzi abaqeqeshwe ngemithi.

Translated by Nsika Khoza