Ngaba Abantu Banokuhlalisana Ngoxolo Namarhamncwa?

“Ndavakalelwa ngokungathi ndandisele ndifikile eparadisi; abantu namarhamncwa bekwimvisiswano yokuthembana.” UJoy Adamson wakuchaza ngaloo ndlela oko kwakusenzeka ecaleni koMlambo iUra waseKenya njengoko wayebukele iintlobo ngeentlobo zeentaka nezilwanyana zisiza kusela. Eyona nto yayinomtsalane koko kwakusenzeka yayisisilwanyana esasibuthume ngokuzolileyo ecaleni kwakhe​—⁠imazi yengonyama ekhulileyo!

Ngaba kwakukho nto ithile ekhethekileyo ngale mazi yengonyama, uElsa, ezithe izigidi zamazi ngokufunda ngaye kwincwadi ethi Born Free, ebhalwe nguJoy Adamson? Hayi, wayeyimazi yengonyama eqhelekileyo. Umahluko yayikukuba wayefunde ukuhlalisana ngoxolo nabantu.

Kamva, xa kwenziwa umfanekiso-bhanyabhanya othi Born Free, iqela leemazi zeengonyama ezenziwe mbuna zasetyenziswa ukuze zidlale indima kaElsa. Enye yayibizwa ngokuba nguMara. Wayengathembi kwaphela ekuqaleni, waza wandula wangobanga kakhulu, engabavumeli abahlobo bakhe asandul’ ukubafumana abangabantu ukuba bamshiye. Ukuze amthomalalise, umyeni kaJoy, uGeorge Adamson, wagxumeka intente yakhe ecaleni kwendawo awayevalelwa kuyo uMara. Ekugqibeleni, wayigxumeka intente yakhe ngaphakathi kuloo ndawo wayevalelwa kuyo! Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Bwana Game, wabhala oku, “Kangangeenyanga ezintathu ezilandelayo, wayelala ngokuthe rhoqo ngaphakathi [kwintente yam], ngokuqhelekileyo elala phantsi emgangathweni ecaleni kwebhedi yam yaye maxa wambi ebhedini yam. . . . Akazange andenze ndizive ndingakhuselekanga.”

UMnu. Adamson wabhala wathi: “Omnye wemidlalwana yethu esasiyithanda wawukukuba ndilale phantsi emva kwesicithi sengca. UMara wayeya kwandula achwechwe ngobunono obukhulu, isisu siphantsi emhlabeni kanye njengokuba iingonyama zisenza aze ke enze umtsi okhawuleza ngokombane aze kuwa phezu kwam. Ngalo lonke ixesha wayezilawula iinzipho zakhe ezoyikekayo yaye akazange andenzakalise.”

Enye imazi yengonyama eyayidlala indawo kaElsa yayibizwa ngokuba nguGirl. Xa lo mfanekiso-bhanyabhaya wagqitywayo, uGirl wabuyiselwa endle, apho wathi wadibana nenkunzi waza wazala amathole amabini. Abahlobo baka-Adamson ababini basifumana isikhundla sakhe. Lo ka-Adamson ubhala athi: “Ngeyona ntembelo imangalisayo uGirl wawavumela la madoda mabini, awayezibeke esichengeni esingathethekiyo, ukuba asondele de abe malunga nemitha ukusuka kwindawo awayezalele kuyo . . . isimo sikaGirl sasimangalisa ngokwenene ekubeni [enye yala madoda] yayingumntu angamaziyo ngokwentelekiso.” UGirl wada wamvumela lo ka-Adamson ukuba awachukumise loo mathole, nangona ezinye iingonyama zagxothwayo.

Ukwenza Mbuna Ingonyama Enoburhalarhume

Iimpawu zeengonyama ziyahlukahlukana. Ngoxa uJoy Adamson wayekhulisa uElsa, ngezantsi kuMntla Rhodesia (ngoku oyiZambia), umgcini wezilwanyana, uNorman Carr, wayekhulisa amathole amabini aziinkunzi. Elinye lala mathole, uBig Boy, lalinobuhlobo kakhulu. Elinye, uLittle Boy, lalibonakala linolunya. Ethetha ngoLittle Boy, lo kaCarr kwincwadi yakhe ethi Return to the Wild wabhala okulandelayo:

“Xa uLittle Boy ekule meko, ndichopha ecaleni kwakhe njengoko endigragramela, ndiqiniseke nje ukuba ndikude namathupha akhe atyekele ekuwasebenziseni xa ngoburhalarhume ekukrwempa ngeenzipho ezibukhali ngokweencakuba eziziisentimitha ezintlanu. Ngomonde ndizama ukumthomalalisa ngokuthetha naye ngelizwi eliphantsi njengoko ndisiya ndisondela ngokusondela; yaye ekugqibeleni xa ndifikile kuye uyagragrama kodwa ngendlela engenalunya kangako. Njengoko ndibeka ingalo yam emagxeni akhe avukuvuku ndize ndimphulule esifubeni, uthi abonakale ethomalala ngokungathi izihlunu zakhe ezingwanyalala zithambile. . . . Ubeka intloko yakhe ethangeni lam, endikhuthaza ukuba ndimphulule.”

Kwintshayelelo yencwadi kaCarr, iSidwangube saseDalhousie, esasingumlawuli omkhulu welo lizwe, sibalisa ngento esayibonayo xa ezi ngonyama zazingaphezu kweminyaka emibini ubudala yaye zijikeleza nje kungekho mntu uzijongileyo kwithafa elikufutshane nenkampu kaCarr. UCarr wahlab’ ikhwelo, yaye nantsi indlela esi Sidwangube esiyichaza ngayo indlela ezasabela ngayo: “Zeza zixhumaxhuma zakuva umlozi wenkosi yazo zaza zaziphulula iintloko zazo ezoyikekayo kuye, kwangaxeshanye ngomgqumo zivakalisa umbuliso wazo owoyikekayo kodwa wovuyo. Uthando lwazo ngaye ngokuqinisekileyo lwalunganciphanga.”

Ngokwemvelo iingonyama ziyamoyika umntu yaye ngokuqhelekileyo zifuna ukumphepha. Le ntsabelo engokwethuku ekhoyo kwiingonyama namanye amarhamncwa ichazwa ngokuchanileyo eBhayibhileni. (Genesis 9:⁠2) Ngaphandle kwayo umntu ebeya kuba lelona xhoba lichanabeke engozini. Sekunjalo, amanye amarhamncwa aba zizizidla-bantu.

“Amarhamncwa Angumahluko”

Ingcali ngalo mbandela, uRoger Caras, ucacisa athi: “Phantse phakathi kwazo zonke iindidi zamarhamncwa akuhlobo lweekati ezinkulu kubonakala ngathi kukho iqela elizingela abantu njengokudla. La ngamarhamncwa angumahluko . . . Ngokuqhelekileyo umntu unokuhlala ngoxolo [namarhamncwa akuhlobo lweekati ezinkulu].”

Izilwanyana ezininzi kubonakala ngathi azimqondi umntu xa ehleli efihlakele kwinqwelo-mafutha. Ngale ndlela abantu bayakwazi ukuthabatha imifanekiso yeengonyama bekufutshane. Incwadi ethi Maberly’s Mammals of Southern Africa, ilumkisa ithi, “Kodwa, uzibizela ingozi enkulu ukuba uvula ucango lwakho, okanye uzama ukuphuma ukufutshane neengonyama, kuba ziyabuqonda ubukho bomntu, yaye ukuvela ngequbuliso kubangela umothuko ongakumbi woloyiko osenokuthi ngokulula ubangele ukuba zikuhlasele ngelithi zona ziyazikhusela. . . . Enyanisweni ukuqubisana ubuso ngobuso nengonyama etyholweni akunabungozi kangako kunaxa uvele nje uthi gqi phambi kwayo uphuma kwinqweno-mafutha!”

Kuthekani Ngamahlosi?

Namahlosi athi abe zizidla-bantu ngangumahluko. UJonathan Scott kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Leopard’s Tale ucacisa athi: “Xa lingaphathwanga kakubi yaye lisempilweni entle, ihlosi sisidalwa esineentloni nesiliyebeyebe esinokumoyika umntu. Xa ligagana naye ngokuqhelekileyo liya kubalekela kwindawo yokuzimela ekufutshane.”

Lo kaScott wachitha iinyanga kwiNdawo Yogcino-Zilwanyana iMasai Mara yaseKenya efundisisa iintshukumo zemazi yehlosi awayithiya igama lokuba nguChui. Ngokuthe ngcembe uChui wabuqhela ubukho benqwelo-mafutha kaScott, yaye ngesinye isihlandlo amathole akhe, agama linguDark noLight, eza kuyihlolisisa. UScott ukholelwa kwelokuba nangona ihlosi ngaphandle libonakala lingenabuhlobo ngokwemvelo lisenokuba linabo.

Abanye baye banamava obuhlobo nehlosi. Ngokomzekelo, uJoy Adamson wakhulisa ithole lehlosi elingenabazali awalibiza ngokuba nguPenny. Emva kokuba ekhululwe wabuyela endle, uPenny wadibana nenkunzi waza wazala amathole. Xa abahlobo bakhe abangabantu bafikayo kuloo mmandla, uPenny wazivelisa waza wababongoza ukuba baze kubona amathole akhe asandul’ ukuzalwa. Kwisikhundla sakhe, ehleli ecaleni kwaloo mama unelunda, lo ka-Adamson uchaza okwenzekayo: “Wakhotha izandla zethu ngoxa amathole ayedlala phakathi kwemikhono yakhe, bonke bonwabile. Inkolelo eqhelekileyo ikukuba amahlosi azezona zilwanyana zaseAfrika zinobungozi, yaye iimazi ezinamathole zinoburhalarhume ngokukodwa.” Kodwa lo ka-​Adamson uthi amava akhe ngoPenny asenokungqina ukuba “inkoliso yeenkolelo ezamkelekileyo zingamampunge.”

Enye imazi yehlosi “enesimo esihle,” egama linguHarriet, yenza uArjan Singh wasemntla Indiya wanamava amangalisa ngakumbi. USingh wakhulisa uHarriet ukususela eselithole waza wamqeqesha ukuze akwazi ukuzifunela ukutya ehlathini elikufutshane nefama yakhe. Njengenxalenye yolo qeqesho, uSingh maxa wambi wayeye akhuthaze eli hlosi ukuba lihlasele. “Xa ndandikhasa ndize ndimshukumisele ukuba ahlasele,” ucacisa atsho kwincwadi yakhe ethi Prince of Cats, “wayesiza kum ebaleka . . . , kodwa xa wayendixhumela wayeqinisekisa ukuba wayetsiba, exhathisa ngentloko yam aze atyibilike kumqolo wam, engashiyi nomkrwelo kumagxa am aze.”

Indlela eli hlosi elalidlala ngayo nenja kaSingh uEelie yayikwabalasele. USingh uthi “umfanekiso oshukumayo ubonisa [eli hlosi] lihleli ngemilenze yaye liphos’ inqindi njengoko le nja ilihlasela​—⁠kodwa alenzi zinzame zakumbetha awe umhlaseli lowo. Amathupha alo aphuma ngapha nangapha ecaleni kwentamo kaEelie, ngaphezu kwentloko yakhe nangaphantsi engenabungozi.”

Olu lwalamano lobuhlobo phakathi komntu, inja nehlosi lwaqhubeka nasemva kokuba uHarriet elishiyile ikhaya ukuze aziphilele kwihlathi elikufutshane. Lo kaSingh uqukumbela ngokuthi, “Ukuba ubani uthi amahlosi awanakuthenjwa, ndisuka ndicinge ngezihlandlo ezininzi uHarriet awayesiza ngazo [kwifama yam] ezinzulwini zobusuku aze andivuse nje ngenjongo yokubulisa njengoko ndandilele phandle.”

Ekugqibeleni, uHarriet wadibana nenkunzi waza wazala amathole amabini. Xa isikhundla sakhe sasisongelwa ngumkhukula, eli hlosi lathabatha amathole alo amabini ngomlomo laza liphatha libe linye ngexesha lawazisa kwindawo ekhuselekileyo kwikhaya lakwaSingh. Xa umkhukula waphelayo, uHarriet wakhwela kwiphenyane likaSingh, waza wakhuthaza ukuba abhexe iphenyane awele umlambo njengoko wayethabathela amathole akhe elinye ngexesha kwisikhundla esitsha ehlathini.

Indlovu YaseAfrika

Kuye kwathiwa indlovu yaseAfrika idlongodlongo kakhulu ukuba ingenziwa isilwanyana sasekhaya. Noko ke, abantu abaninzi baye bangqina ukuba izibakala zibonisa okuchasene noko. Omnye umzekelo lulwalamano oluchukumisayo phakathi kweendlovu ezintathu zaseAfrika nomMerika ogama linguRandall Moore. Ezi ndlovu zaziyinxalenye yamathole awabanjwa kwiKruger National Park yaseMzantsi Afrika aza asiwa eUnited States. Ekuhambeni kwexesha zaqeqeshelwa umdlalo wecircus zaza zadlala kakuhle. Xa umninizo wafayo, lo kaMoore wanikwa ezo zintathu waza wazibuyisela eAfrika.

Iimazi ezimbini, ezibizwa ngokuba nguOwalla noDurga, zasiwa kwiNdawo Yokugcina Izilwanyana esePilanesberg eBophuthatswana ngowe-1982. Ngelo xesha loo ndawo yokugcina izilwanyana yayineqela lamathole eendlovu angenabazali awayekwimeko engentle nawayefuna ukunyanyekelwa ziimazi esezikhulile. Ngaba uOwalla noDurga abaqeqeshelwe umdlalo wecircus babenokuyiphumeza le ndima?

Emva konyaka, uMoore wafumana iingxelo zokuba iindlovu zakhe zazizithabathele kuzo zonke ezo nkedama zili-14 yaye kwakuza kuziswa iinkedama ezingakumbi kuloo myezo. Emva kokungabikho iminyaka emine, lo kaMoore wabuya ukuze azibonele ngokwakhe. Ecinga ukuba kwakuza kumthabatha ithuba elide ekhangela kwiiNtaba zasePilanesberg, wamangaliswa, kungekudala emva kokufika kwakhe, kukubona uOwalla noDurga phakathi komhlambi omkhulu. Kwincwadi ethi Back to Africa ubhala athi, “Imvakalelo yam yokuqala neyobuyatha yayikukubaleka ndiye kuzo, ndizigone ndize ndizizukise. Loo mnqweno ndawushenxisa ngokwenza into esengqiqweni ngakumbi.”

Ekuqaleni, uOwalla noDurga kwakufuneka baqiniseke ngobukho bomhlobo wabo wakudala. Basihlolisisa isandla esasoluliwe ngemiboko yabo. UMoore ubhala athi, “UOwalla, wema nkqo phambi kwam ngokungathi wayelindele umyalelo olandelayo. Zonke ezinye ezi zomhlambi zema zingashukumi zisingqongile. Ndawunikela umyalelo. Ndathi ‘Owalla . . . Trunk UP and FOOT!’ (‘Owalla . . . NYUSA umboko NONYAWO!’) Ngoko nangoko uOwalla wawuphakamisela phezulu emoyeni umkhono wakhe waza wanyusa umboko wakhe phezulu esibhakabhakeni ngendlela awayedla ngokwenza ngayo kudala xa sasikumdlalo wecircus. Ngubani owathi indlovu ayilibali?”

Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva, ngo-Oktobha 1989, inkumbulo kaOwalla yavavanywa kwakhona. Ngesi sihlando lo kaMoore wagqiba kwelokuba azame ukwenza into awayengazange ayenze ukususela oko wezisa ezi ndlovu emyezweni kwiminyaka esixhenxe edluleyo. UOwalla wawuthobela umyalelo wakhe othi makalale phantsi waza wamvumela lo kaMoore ukuba akhwele kuye emqolo. Ababukeli bakamabonwakude eMzantsi Afrika babechukumisekile kukumbona ekhwele kuye ehamba phakathi kweendlovu zasendle ezingama-30. Kudliwano-ndlebe noVukani! lo kaMoore wacacisa wathi, “Oku andikwenzanga kuba bendifuna udumo kodwa ndikwenze ngenxa yokuba bendinomdla wokwazi umlinganiselo wobuhlobo nengqiqo enayo indlovu.” Iinkedama zasePilanesberg zanda ngaphantsi kwenyameko enobulumko kaOwalla noDurga.

Kuyinyaniso ukuba, ubuhlobo phakathi kwabantu namarhamncwa asendle namhlanje abuyonto izenzekelayo; bufuna ukuhlakulelwa ngenyameko. Bekuya kuba bubuyatha ngokwenene ngomntu oqhelekileyo ukuya endle aze azame ukusondela kwiingonyama, kumahlosi nakwiindlovu. Kodwa ngoxa ubuhlobo obunjalo phakathi kwamarhamncwa asendle nabantu buyinto enqabileyo namhlanje, kuthekani ngekamva? Ngaba buya kuba yinto ezenzekelayo?

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

Iingonyama Zinokuba Mbuna!

“YIZA uze kuthabatha imifanekiso yam ndikunye neengonyama zam,” watsho uJack Seale, umalathisi woMyezo Weenyoka Nezilwanyana iHartebeespoortdam eMzantsi Afrika. Ndiphakuzela, ndamlandela ukuya kwindawo ekuvalelwe kuyo iingonyama, ndithemba ukuba uya kundivumela ndithabathe imifanekiso ndingaphandle kocingo olubiyeleyo.

Indawo ezazivalelwe kuyo yayicocekile, inomthunzi owaneleyo wemithi ejikeleze lo mmandla. Iingonyama ezisithoba ezisempilweni ngokukhawuleza zamqonda umqeqeshi wazo njengokuba engena kwindawo ezivalelwe kuyo enomncedisi. Iingonyama zavakalisa imigqumo yobuhlobo kwaye zisehla zinyuka zichulumancile.

UJack wathi, “Ngena ngaphakathi,” Ndazenza ongevayo. “Ngena ngaphakathi,” waphinda ekhwaza. Ukuze bazikhusele kwiingonyama, ekuphela kwezinto ababeziphethe yayizizinti! Uvalo lwalungongoza ngamandla njengoko ndandizama ukuziqinisa, ekugqibeleni ndaqabela ndangena ngaphakathi. Ngokukhawuleza ndaqalisa ukuqhakraza ikhamera yam njengoko uJack wayephulula ezinye zezilo zakhe azithandayo. Hayi indlela endakhululeka ngayo xa sonke sasisele siphumile sikhuselekile! Kodwa kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba ndoyike.

Kamva uJack wandicacisela esithi, “Isizathu sokuba singene siphethe izinti sikukuba iingonyama zinothando yaye ziyaluma ukubonisa uthando. Sizinika izinti ukuze zintlantlathe zona kunokuba zintlantlathe iingalo zethu.” UJack neqela lakhe babesandul’ ukubuya bevela e-Etosha National Park eNamibia. Kwakutheni ukuze aye nazo kude kangako ehlathini? Wandicacisela:

“Zazisetyenziselwa ukuthabatha imifanekiso engoko kwenziwa zizazinzulu ezenza uphando ukuze zilawule ukwanda kwamanani eengonyama kumahlathi aseNamibia. Kodwa iingonyama zam zikhetha ubomi ezibuqhelileyo apha. ENamibia, zathi nje ukuba ziyibone ilori yam, zeza kuyo. Andizange ndibe nangxaki yokubuya nazo.”​—⁠Linikelwe.

[Inkcazelo]

Courtesy Hartebeespoortdam Snake and Animal Park

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

URandall Moore, ekunye nezilo zakhe kwihlathi laseAfrika