Ukuphila Kwansuku zonke kwamaZulu

Indlela Yansuku zonke

©Dr Peter Magubane

Esikhathini esedlule, impilo yansukuzonke endlini yokuhlala yamaZulu (umuzi) ilandelwe cishe ngendlela efanayo. Ukuhlukaniswa okucacile kwenziwa ngesisekelo socansi, ubudala nobukhulu. Labafana abancane babenomthwalo wokuthatha izinkomo emagodini ukuze zidle; amantombazane, noma eyedwa noma omama, aye emfuleni ukuze athathe amanzi.

Ngako-ke izingane zaseZulu zazivezwa emvelweni lapho zisencane, ziqondisa ukuqonda okujulile, okuhlala njalo nokuzwelana kwemvelo ababehlala kuyo. Ngemuva kokudla kwasekuseni, ngokuvamile bakhonza phakathi nango-ekuseni, abesifazane baxosha, bahlanza izimbiza futhi benza nezinye izinto zasendlini. Ehlobo, ekuqaleni kwemini ngenkathi kusepholile, beya emasimini ukuyohlwanyela izitshalo zabo. Ngakusasa abelusi bezilwane babezobuya nezinkomo, ezabe zenziwe ngobisi.

Ngemuva kokugwedla, isidlo sokuqala sosuku sasidliwa. Ukupheka kwenziwa endaweni yokuhlala ngaphakathi kwebhodlela elikhulu lokupheka (ikhanzi). Khona-ke, njengamanje, i-amasi (amakhekhe ebisi) ayingxenye ebalulekile yokudla: yayidliwa yodwa noma ixubene nesidlo semifino noma imifino. Kuze kube yilolu suku, esinye isitshalo sokudla, ummbila, sikhiqizwa kwezinye izindlu ngokugaya ummbila phakathi kwamadwala amabili.

Amadoda ayengabandakanyeki emisebenzini yasendlini futhi achitha isikhathi esiningi sokuya emihlanganweni ebhokisini (inhloko yenkantolo), indawo yokuhlangana eyaziwayo ngokuvamile ngaphansi kwezihlahla ngaphandle komuzi, noma ukwenza umsebenzi wangasese, njengokulungisa izihlangu zabo noma izikhumba zokusebenza. Abesifazane babekhona, futhi basenjalo, banomthwalo wokwenza izinto zokwakha kanye nezinsimbi zezinyosi, abazifunda kumama.

I-pottery iyinhlangano yobuciko ekhono kakhulu eyenziwa ngambalwa ambalwa. Zonke izinkuni zenziwa ngamadoda, ngokuvamile avame ukwenza izinto ezithile, njengezinkezo, amathreyi enyama kanye nama-milk pail, aqoshiwe eziqhumeni eziqinile. Akunakunoma yiziphi izimoto eziqhubekayo zokwenza izikhwama ngoba abantu manje bakhetha ukusebenzisa imithwalo.

U-Blacksmithing wayengumsebenzi okhethekile, okwenziwa ngokwemvelo ngasese futhi ngokuvamile uvinjelwe kumalungu wesilisa omndeni owodwa kuphela. Izinto eziyinhloko ezenziwe ziyizinyosi, ukulima amasimu, nemikhonto yemikhonto, izikhali eziyinhloko zempi.

Kusukela cishe ngawo-1830, umthombo omkhulu wensimbi wawuwuhwebi nge-English nesiPutukezi. Ubuhlalu, indwangu, ithusi ne-muskets zashintshaniswa ngezindlovu, abasebenzi, izikhumba nezinkomo. Lokhu kuhweba kwaholela ekuqothulweni okusheshayo kwamakhono wendabuko e-iron-smelting, njengoba ahlaselwa kalula, kodwa aphansi, insimbi eluhlaza yaqala ukufinyeleleka kubadayisi abadlula.

Translated by Nsika Khoza