Ingqanga Emangalisayo

EYONA phengwini inkulu kunazo zonke, eyingqanga ingaphezu kwemitha ubude yaye inobunzima obufikelela kwiikhilogram ezingama-40. Xa ezinye iiphengwini zisiya ngasemntla xa zibaleka ubusika obubanda gqitha nobumnyama baseAntarctica, eziziingqanga ziya ngasemazantsi—kanye eAntarctica! Ngoba? Okumangalisayo kukuba, ziyokuzala.

Xa imazi yengqanga ibeka iqanda, inkunzi ikhawuleza ilikhe ilisuse emkhenkceni ilibeke ezinyaweni zayo. Yandula ke ilifake kwisingxobo sayo—esisemazantsi esisu. Imazi yona ikhangela indawo enolwandle nokutya. Kangangeentsuku ezingama-65, ebudeni beyona mozulu imbi, inkunzi ifukama eli qanda ngoxa iphila ngamafutha asemzimbeni wayo. Ukuze zihlale zifudumele ngoxa zithwaxwa ngamaqhwa ahamba kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-200 ngeyure, ezi ntaka zilumkileyo zihlala zonke ngokwamaqela amakhulu, zitshintshisana ngokuhlala emacaleni, ziwufulathele umoya obhudlayo.

Kanye ngexesha elifanelekileyo, iqanda liqandusela ukubuya kwemazi. Kodwa ilazi njani iqabane layo phakathi kwamawakawaka eentaka ezifanayo? Ilazi ngengoma. Xa ayeqala ukuthandana, la maqabane aculelana ingoma aza ayigcina engqondweni. Xa iimazi zibuya, iinkunzi neemazi zicula ngentliziyo yazo yonke. Abantu bangabhidwa ngokupheleleyo yile ngxolo, kodwa ezi ngqanga zikhawuleza ziwafumane amaqabane azo. Emva kokuba idlulisele intshontsho elisandul’ ukuqanduselwa buthandabuza, inkunzi elambileyo iyabhadaza ize itshibilize ngesisu kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-70 inqumla emkhenkceni ikwiphulo lokufuna amanzi nokutya.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

By courtesy of John R. Peiniger