AmaMasai—Abantu Abahlukileyo Nabanomtsalane

NGUMBHALELI KAVUKANI! EKENYA

INGOMA eyayivunywa ngelizwi eliphakamileyo yinkwenkwana yomMasai (Maasai) yayisitsho kamnandi kuloo ntlambo, ivakala kude njengoko iqhutywa yimpepho epholileyo yesifingo. Njengoko ilanga lalivela kwezo nduli, laye liphakama nelizwi laloo nkwenkwe elitsho kamnandi ngokungathi lelentaka entyiloza kamnandi xa kusithi qheke ukusa.

Ndaphulaphula ngenyameko njengoko ilanga laliphuma yaye ndikwazi ukubona umalusi womMasai emi phakathi kweenkomo zikayise. Wayezithe wambu ngelaphu elide elibomvu egqume umzimba, emi ngomlenz’ omnye oku kwengwamza, ayame ngomva womkhonto wakhe evumela lo mhlambi wakhe uzolileyo. Makhe ndikuxelele okungakumbi ngamaMasai, abantu abahlukileyo.

Wamkelekile Kwilizwe LamaMasai

AmaMasai, abalusi abanomtsalane, bahlala kumathafa eGreat Rift Valley kwiMpuma Afrika. AmaMasai kudala ekho yaye ngoku ahlala kumazwe aseKenya nawaseTanzania, yaye aphila phantse ngendlela ababephila ngayo ookhokho bawo kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo. Njengoko engakunanzanga ukuhamba kwamaxesha, ubomi bawo bulawulwa kukuphuma nokutshona kwelanga nokutshintsha kwamaxesha onyaka.

Ubuchule bamaMasai buquka ukukwazi ukuphila phantsi kweemeko ezinzima kuloo maxethuka eRift Valley. Njengoko egxanya xa ehamba, ahamba imigama emide ekhangela amadlelo aluhlaza nemithombo yamanzi ukuze iinkomo zawo zifumane ukudla namanzi. Alusa iinkomo zawo phakathi kwemihlambi yeenqu, amaqwarhashe, iindlulamthi kunye nezinye izilwanyana eziphila kumadlelo elizwe lawo.

Abantu Abazixabisileyo Iinkomo

AmaMasai akholelwa kwelokuba zonke iinkomo ezikhoyo emhlabeni zezawo. Le nkolelo ivela kwintsomi yokuba ekuqaleni uThixo wayenoonyana abathathu yaye ngamnye wabo wamnika isipho. Unyana wokuqala wafumana utolo lokuzingela, owesibini wafumana ikhuba lokulima, waza unyana wesithathu wafumana intonga yokwalusa iinkomo. Athi lo nyana wokugqibela waba nguyise wohlanga lwamaMasai. Nakubeni ezinye izizwe zinazo iinkomo, amaMasai akholelwa kwelokuba ezi nkomo zezawo.

KumaMasai, bubukhulu bomhlambi wendoda kunye nobuninzi babantwana bayo obugqiba ngewonga nokubaluleka kwayo. Enyanisweni, indoda eneenkomo ezingaphantsi kwezingama-50 igqalwa njengehlwempu. Ngoncedo lwabantwana nabafazi bayo abaninzi, indoda yomMasai iba nethemba lokuba nomhlambi omkhulu onokude uye kufika kwiwaka leenkomo.

Amalungu entsapho yamaMasai aba nolwalamano olusenyongweni neenkomo zawo. Inkomo nganye inelizwi neempawu ezikhethekileyo eyaziwa ngazo yintsapho. Ngokufuthi iinkomo ziba nomtshiso zize ziphawulwe ngemigca emide egoso nemihombiso enobugocigoci eyenza ibukeke. Avuma iingoma ezichaza imbonakalo entle yeenkomo ezithile kulo mhlambi nezivakalisa uthando analo ngezo nkomo. Azixabise kakhulu iinkunzi ezineempondo eziquthu, yaye amathole awanyamekela aze awathande oku kosana olubomvu.

Ngokwesithethe izindlu zamaMasai zakhiwa ngamabhinqa, ngamasebe adityaniswe ngengca zize zityatyekwe ngobulongwe. La makhaya angoongquphantsi akhiwa abe sisangqa esikhulu ukuze akhusele ubuhlanti obuba phakathi kwawo, apho iinkomo zilala khona ebusuku. Umzi uphela ujikelezwa ngamahlahla anameva abukhali ukukhusela amaMasai neenkomo zawo kwiingcuka, amahlosi neengonyama eziqwengayo.

Ukuze aqhubeke ephila, amaMasai axhomekeke kwimpilo nakukomelela kwemihlambi yawo. Kutyiwa amasi enkomo, yaye ubulongwe abusebenzisa ukutyabeka amakhaya awo. AmaMasai akafane azixhelele ukutya iinkomo zawo; adla ngokuba neegusha neebhokhwe ezimbalwa zokutya. Kodwa xa athe axhela inkomo, asebenzisa yonke into yayo. Iimpondo zisetyenziselwa ukuphatha izinto; iimpuphu namathambo zenziwa izinto zokuhombisa; size isikhumba sisukwe kwenziwe ngaso izihlangu, iimpahla, iingubo kunye neentambo.

Anomtsalane Nomahluko

AmaMasai ngabantu abasukileyo egadeni abanemizimba emincinane nto leyo ewenza abe nomfaneleko wokwenene. Isinxibo sawo sinemibala emihle emininzi. Agquma imizimba yawo emincinane ngelaphu elinemibala ebomvu neluhlaza. Ngokuqhelekileyo amabhinqa azihombisa ngezacholo ezihle aze athwale amalaphu anemibala emininzi. Maxa wambi ade agaxele iintsimbi ezintle zobhedu apha ezingalweni nasemaqatheni. Ngokufuthi amadoda namabhinqa agqobhoza iindlebe aze azihombise ngamacici anzima kunye namaso ahonjisiweyo. Athanda ukuthabatha imbola, umhlaba obomvu ocoliweyo, ayidibanise namafutha enkomo aze ngobuchule aziqabe ngayo.

Ngenye ingokuhlwa, ndahlala ndabukela iqela lamaMasai elihlanganisene ndawonye lingqungqa kwisitha somlilo. Njengoko ayenze isangqa, ayengqungqa kakuhle ebetha ngesingqi esinye. Njengoko esi singqi sisiya sithabath’ unyawo, izacholo ezininzi ezisezintanyeni zamantombazana zihla zinyuka ngesingqi esinye emagxeni. Kuthi kusenjalo, ijoni ngalinye lomMasai liye esazulwini sesangqa, lifike lingqungqe liman’ ukuxhuma liye phezulu emoyeni. Lo mngqungqo ungaqhubeka kude kube sebusuku de bonke badinwe.

Ubomi Bentsapho YamaMasai

Imini yonke ngoxa ilanga laligqats’ ubhobhoyi, ndandihleli phantsi komthunzi womthi womnga neqela lamabhinqa angamaMasai, ndiwabukele njengoko ethungela amaso amahle kwizikhumba zofele. Njengoko ayehleka yaye encokola, ayenganikelanga ngqalelo ingako kumahobohobo antyiloza phezu kwawo, esenza iindlwana zawo ngengca eyomileyo. Njengoko imini iya iqina, amabhinqa azigcina exakekile ngokuthutha amanzi neenkuni, ngokulungisa amakhaya awo nokunyamekela abantwana bawo abancinane.

Xa ilanga lisiya kunina, abalusi babuya neenkomo zabo. Njengoko lo mhlambi uthe chu usiza ngasekhaya, ushiya ilifu lothuli olubomvu olukhanyiswa yimitha yelanga emthubi. Xa amabhinqa ebona eli lifu lothuli, ayakhawuleza ashiye imisebenzi yawo aze alungiselele umhlambi ozayo.

Zakuba zivalelwe iinkomo, amadoda ahambahamba phakathi kweenkomo zawo, ephulula iimpondo zeenkunzi yaye ebuka ubuhle bazo. Inkwenkwana yanya izapholo yaye ngokukhawuleza unina uyayikhalimela. Amantombazana ahambahamba phakathi kweempondo namanqina ezo nkomo, yaye ngobuchule ayasenga, azalisa amaselwa awo amade de aphuphume.

Ngokuhlwa sithi nqwadalala kumlilo ogxotha umoya onenkwankca. Kunuka umsi nenyama eyosiweyo kunye nevumba lomhlambi weenkomo ezikufuphi. Inkonde ethile ihlala phantsi ize ibalise ngembali yamaMasai nobugorha bamandulo bamajoni angamaMasai. Ithi nqumama kuphela xa isiva umgqumo wengonyama ekude, ize ingazikhathazi ngawo iqhubeke ibalisa amabali obugorha yonwabise abaphulaphuli. Ekugqibeleni, abantu bonke bathi pheselele kobo bumnyama bagoduke baye kulala kwizindlu zabo zodaka. Kuthi cwaka ebusuku, ekuphela kwento oyivayo kukuphefumlela phantsi kweenkomo ezisebumnyameni.

Ukukhula Kwabantwana BamaMasai

Ngenj’ ixukuxa sele kuphithizela kule lali. Abantwana, abanxibe kuphela amaso esinqeni nasentanyeni badlala kumoya obandayo wasekuseni. Ukuhleka kwabo kuyathuthuzela kumaMasai, abathanda ngeyona ndlela abantwana bawo nanethemba lokuba inzala yawo iya kuwazisela ikamva eliqaqambileyo yaye axhomekeke kuyo ukuze aqhubeke ephila.

Ukukhulisa abantwana yimbopheleleko yomntu wonke—nabani na okhulileyo ekuhlaleni unelungelo lokuqeqesha aze ohlwaye umntwana ongevayo. Abantwana bafundiswa ukuba bathobele abantu abadala, yaye bakhawuleza bafunde iindlela zokuphila zentsapho yamaMasai. Akhula engenanto azixakekise ngayo, kodwa njengoko ekhula, amantombazana afundiswa ukwenza imisebenzi yasekhaya aze amakhwenkwe afundiswe ukunyamekela imfuyo. Abazali badlulisela ulwazi lwamayeza emvelo kubantwana babo baze babafundise ngezithethe namasiko aphathelele iinkalo zobomi bamaMasai.

Ukungena Ebuntwini Obukhulu

Njengoko bekhula, abantu abaselula bafunda amasiko nemisitho eya kuphawula ukungena kwabo ebuntwini obukhulu ukusuka ebuntwaneni. Phakathi kwezithethe abazifundayo kukho ezo zinxibelelene nokugula, ilishwa, umtshato kunye nokufa. AmaMasai akholelwa kwelokuba ukutyeshela le misitho kuya kuwenza afikelwe ngamashwa.

Abazali abangamaMasai banokulungiselela umtshato wentombi yabo ngoxa iselusana. Le ntombi ithenjiswa indoda eneenkomo ezaneleyo zokuhlawula ilobola efunwa nguyise. Ngokufuthi, iya kutshata nomntu omdala kakhulu kuyo yaye iya kuba ngomnye wabafazi bakhe.

Njengoko amakhwenkwe amaMasai ekhula, anxulumana ngokusondeleyo namakhwenkwe alingana nawo. Obu buhlobo bukhethekileyo namakhwenkwe aziintanga zawo bunokuhlala ubomi bawo bonke. Onke aya kukhula ukususela ekubeni ngamakhwenkwe angenamava ukusa ekubeni ngamajoni. Njengamajoni anembopheleleko yokukhusela ikhaya, ukulondoloza iindawo zokukha amanzi zasekuhlaleni nokukhusela imfuyo kwizilwanyana zasendle nakumasela. Njengoko edume ngobulumko nenkalipho, akunakuze ubone ijoni lomMasai lihamba ngaphandle komkhonto walo obukhali.

Xa amajoni emalunga neminyaka engama-30 ubudala, angena kwinqanaba lokugqibela lokuwenza aqole. Ngovuyo nomsitho omkhulu, enziwa inxalenye yamadoda amakhulu asekuhlaleni; yaye ngoku anelungelo lokutshata. Njengoko ekwesi sigxina sihloniphekileyo, aza kuzifunela abafazi aze andise umhlambi weenkomo zawo yaye ngoku kulindelwe ukuba acebise aze azinzise iingxwabangxwaba.

Aya Kuphelela Phi AmaMasai?

Namhlanje amasiko nezithethe ezingaqhelekanga zamaMasai ziphela ngokukhawuleza. Kwezinye iindawo amaMasai akakwazi ukuzula-zula ngokukhululekileyo kunye neenkomo zawo efuna amadlelo amatsha. Imihlaba emikhulu eyayikade iyinxalenye yelizwe lawo yenziwa imizi yokugcina izilwanyana okanye kuyakhiwa kuze kulinywe kuyo ukulungiselela inani labemi elandayo. Imbalela nobunzima bezoqoqosho inyanzela amaMasai amaninzi ukuba athengise iinkomo zawo azithandayo ukuze aqhubeke ephila. Njengoko efudukela kwizixeko ezikhulu, ajamelana neengxaki ezifanayo nezo bajamelana nazo abantu abakwihlabathi lanamhlanje eliwangqongileyo.

Namhlanje isigidimi sobulungiseleli samaNgqina kaYehova siye saya kufikelela kubantu abangamaMasai abakwiMpuma Afrika. Kuye kwashicilelwa imibhalo engaphezu kwama-6 000 yencwadana enemifanekiso ethi Bunandiphe Ubomi Emhlabeni Ngonaphakade! ngolwimi lwamaMasai. Ngaloo ndlela amaMasai ayancedwa ukuba abone umahluko phakathi kweenkolelo ezililize kunye nenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Eneneni, kuyavuyisa ukubona ukuba uMdali wethu, uYehova uThixo, uye wanika aba bantu bahlukileyo nabanomtsalane ithuba lokuba babe phakathi ‘kweentlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi ezininzi’ eziza kusinda xa kutshatyalaliswa le nkqubo yezinto igwenxa.—ISityhilelo 7:9.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

Ikhaya lamaMasai eliqhelekileyo

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AmaMasai ahlanganisana ndawonye ukuze angqungqe

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AmaNgqina amabini angamaMasai