Umlando Wemvelo iCradle of Humankind

Umhalahlandla Woshintsho

©David Fleminger
Isitatimende esikhulu: inkolelo yokuziphendukela kwemvelo ayamukeleki yiwo wonke umuntu. Naphezu kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-100 yophenyo lwesayensi kanye nezinqolobane zokugcina ezitolo ezigcwele izinsalela, kunabantu abaningi abakuthola kunzima ukuvumelanisa ukuziphendukela kwemvelo nezinkolelo zabo zenkolo nezakho. Eqinisweni, ukungqubuzana phakathi kokuziphendukela kwemvelo nokudala izinto kudala njengamanje njengoba kwakunjalo lapho isazi semvelo esingumfana obizwa ngokuthi uCharles Darwin kuqala eshaqeka umhlaba nge-bestseller wakhe othakazelisayo okuthiwa 'On the origin of species'.
Uma ungabaza ukusabalalisa kweqembu eliphikisayo lokuziphendukela kwemvelo, yenza nje ucwaningo lwakho 'lokudala' futhi uzothola ulwazi oluningi olunikezelwe ekuxosheni, ekudaleni phansi nasekudaleni ukuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kodwa-ke, lesi akusona isikhathi noma indawo yokungena kule mpikiswano kanye nemibono yokuthi lezi zikole ezimbili azihambisani ngokukhethekile.

Ngaphandle kwe-Afrika

©David Fleminger
Kulinganiselwa ukuthi amaphesenti angaphezu kuka-35% wezinhlanzi ze-hominid zeplanethi ezitholwe kuze kube manje ziye zatholakala ngaphakathi noma ezungeze i-Cradle of Humankind - okwamanje zinezingqikithi ezingaphezu kuka-1000 ezivela kumasayithi ayi-11 ahlukene. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lezi zinsalela ngokuvamile zisesimweni esihle kakhulu sokulondolozwa, ngenxa yokungcwatshwa emiphandeni eyomile, emnyama, futhi lokhu kuye kwenza izizukulwane eziningana zesosayensi ne-anatomists ukuba zihlole ngokujulile esikhathini esedlule. Futhi kukhona okuningi!
Ngoba i-Cradle of Humankind iqukethe nezinkulungwane zezinsalela ezithwala ubufakazi nemifino nezilwane zasendaweni zemvelo zasendulo. Ukucwaninga emaphandleni ahlukahlukene e-Cradle of Humankind kuye kwafakazela ukuthi kunezidalwa eziningi ezimangalisayo nezesabekayo eziye zahlanganyela ne-landscape kanye namadodakazi ethu amancane: kunezilwane ezincelisayo, izintuthwane, izinkukhu, izinkabi, izinkabi, izinkabi i-buffalos enezimpondo ezinamamitha angu-3, ​​ama-saber-toothed amakati, okuthiwa i-cat saber-toothed cat Dinofelis, inja engaziwa ye-Gladysvale, ihhashi lezintathu ezintathu, injafa encane encane, ngaphandle kokushiwo i-giant dassies, amafiyane amakhulu kanye nama-warthogs amakhulu (okungenzeka ukuthi ayelinganiselwa ku-120 kilogram).
Ngakho-ke, ukubaluleka komcebo we-Cradle of Humankind we-Humankind, kubaluleke kakhulu, futhi lobu bufakazi obukhuni buye bufaka isisindo semfundiso ye-Out-of-Africa, ethi abantu banamuhla bavame ukuvela eNingizimu Afrika ngaphambi kokufudukela enyakatho futhi bekoloni Umhlaba. Le ngqondo iqiniswa kakhulu yizibonelo eziningi zamathuluzi wamatshe atholakala kule ndawo, futhi nje nje seyilokhu iqinisekisiwe kakhulu-ngezifundo ezincane eziqinisekisiwe ngezifundo eziyinkimbinkimbi zokuhlukana kwezakhi zofuzo kubantu banamuhla.

Okuningi Okumele Kutholakale

©David Fleminger
Ngeshwa, kusukela ekuhloleni kobuhlanga, kusabalulekile ukucacisa ukuthi ubani owazala, futhi kufanele kuvunywe ukuthi ukuziphendukela kwemvelo akukona isayensi eqondile. Eqinisweni, ukuqonda kwethu okhokho bethu basemoyeni kusekelwe ezintweni ezincane kakhulu kanye nezinto ezintsha ezitholakalayo njalo kusishukumisela ukuba sicabange futhi sibuyekeze umuthi wethu womndeni.
Kodwa lokhu kuyanezela umqondo wenjabulo ngaphakathi kwensimu yokuhlambalaza ye-palaeoanthropology futhi, ngisho nangemva kweminyaka engu-80 yokuthungwa okuqhubekayo ku-Cradle of Humankind, kusadingeka kutholakale okuningi. Namuhla, indawo ye-Cradle of Humankind iyaqhubeka iheha abachwepheshe basemhlabeni wonke abafisa ukufaka amagama abo ohlwini oluvelele lwabasosayensi abanikele iminikelo ensimini. Ubani owayengacabanga ukuthi ukutadisha okwedlule kungaba ukuncintisana kangaka?
Umdwebo omdala wobuhlanga bokuziphendukela kwemvelo lapho uhlobo olulodwa lwezilwane ludlulisela kahle i-baton ngakolunye uhlangothi lwaboniswa ukuthi aluvumelekile. Lokhu kuyisihawu ngoba kwakujwayele ukulula, njengomdwebo odumile we-ape morphing kubantu abangamanje: ama-apes waba i-Australopithecus, eyaba yi-Homo habilis, eyaba yiHomo erectus, eyaba yiHomo sapiens. Izinsalela ezitholakala ku-Cradle of Humankind naseMpumalanga Afrika zibonise ukuthi kwakunezinhlobo eziningi ezihlukahlukene ze-hominids ezihlala endaweni efanayo ngesikhathi esifanayo.
Yini eyabangela ukuba izinhlobo ezithile zisinde lapho abanye befa? Kunzima ukusho ngokuqiniseka. Mhlawumbe uhlobo olulodwa lwasungulwa ukulungiswa kwezimo ezifanele. Mhlawumbe uhlobo olulodwa lwathuthukiswa amathuluzi angcono okusize ukuba luqhubeke. Mhlawumbe inhlobo eyodwa yaqonda umqondo wangaphambili kunezinye. Mhlawumbe lezi zinhlobo zishade naye (mhlawumbe zihlaselwa abazali). Noma mhlawumbe ezinye izinhlobo ezibhekene nazo zabulawa ezinye (cishe kungenzeka ukuthi zibheke esikhathini sethu esidlule). Yonke le mibuzo isaphikisana kakhulu nomphakathi wasePalaeo, futhi kunamabhuku amaningi ochwepheshe abanikeza ukuhlaziywa okuningiliziwe kwesimo ngasinye.

Translated by Nsika Khoza