ISvalbard—Ilizwe Elinonxweme Oluqhaqhazelis’ Amazinyo
NGUMBHALI KAVUKANI! ENORWAY
SIBHABHELA kwingqimba yamafu yaye asiboni nto. Ngequbuliso inqwelo-moya yethu iphumela ngaphaya kwezo ngqimba zamafu nekhephu yaye kuvela ummandla weArctic. Lowo ngumbono othi ndijonge! Sabukela sibambe ongezantsi umwonyo oluhlaza ongena elwandle, umsinga womkhenkce neentaba ezithiwe wambu likhephu. Amathafa ekhephu nomkhenkce athe thande ukuya kutshona ngaphaya. Apha kuseSvalbard, ichwebakazi elineziqithi eziliqela kufuphi neNorth Pole yaye asifikanga sigalelekile ukuza kutyelela le ndawo!
Igama elithi Svalbard elithetha “Unxweme Oluqhaqhazelis’ Amazinyo,” lavela kwiintsomi zaseIceland ngowe-1194. Kodwa eli lizwe “lafunyanwa” kwiminyaka engama-400 kamva, ngowe-1596, kwaba ngelo xesha ukufakwa kwalo kwiimaphu zomhlaba. Ngaloo nyaka, abahloli bamazwe bamaDatshi ababekhokelwa nguWillem Barents, bahamba ngolwandle ukuya ngasentla. Ngenye imini babona ilizwe elingaziwayo elundini phayaa phakathi kwezo ntaba zinamahla-ndinyuka. UBarents, owehlela ngakumntla-ntshona weSvalbard walibiza elo lizwe ngokuba “yiSpitsbegen,” okuthetha ukuthi “Iintaba Ezitsobhileyo.” Namhlanje, elo ligama lesona siqithi sikhulu kwelo chwebakazi. Okwafunyaniswa nguBarents kwahlahl’ indlela yezinto ezininzi ezazisenziwa kummandla weSvalbard, ezaziquka ukuloba iminenga, ukuzingela izinja zaselwandle nokubambisa ezinye izilwanyana ukuze kufunyanwe uboya. Ekugqibeleni kwembiwa amalahle, kwenziwa nophando lwenzululwazi kwakhona le ndawo yaphithizela ngabakhenkethi. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, maninzi amazwe aye azixhamlela kweli cham, kodwa ukususela ngowe-1925 ezi ngqokelela zeziqithi zaphelela kulawulo lwaseNorway.
Ilizwe Elinomkhenkce Onganyibilikiyo NeAurora Borealis
Inqwelo-moya yethu yehlela ezantsi koMwonyo Omngumkhenkce nomhlaba wesikhululo seenqwelo-moya saseSvalbard. Saqesha imoto saza senjenjeya ukuya eLongyearbyen, indawo eyathiywa ngegama lesinhanha semigodi uJohn M. Longyear, owaba nomgodi wokuqala wamalahle ngowe-1906. ILongyearbyen yeyona dolophu inabemi abaninzi eSvalbard, ihlala abantu abangaphezu kwe-2 000. Ewe, phakathi kwale ndawo ibukekayo ngendalo, sifumana idolophana enezinto ezifana neevenkile zokuthenga, iposi, ibhanki, umzi wogcino-zincwadi, izikolo, isikolo soonomngqushwana, iihotele, iivenkile zokutyela, isibhedlele nephephandaba lasekuhlaleni. ILongyearbyen yeyona dolophu isemantla kwezilingana nayo emhlabeni.
Safumana indawo yokuhlala kwikhaya leendwendwe elalifudula liyindawo yokuhlala yabasebenzi basemgodini. Xa ukule ndawo iLongyearbyen uyijongela ezantsi njengokuba iphakathi kwezo ntaba zingoorhec’ izulu zeHiorthfjellet. Yinyanga kaOktobha, yaye phezu kwezo ntaba kulele ikhephu. Ikhephu alikafiki ezintlanjeni kodwa umhlaba uqine ulilitye ngumkhenkce. Eli lizwe lingumhlaba onomkhenkce onganyibilikiyo. Likhephu elikumhlaba ongaphezulu kuphela elifane linyibilike ixesha nje elifutshane ehlotyeni. Nakuba kunjalo, ngenxa yemimoya yemisinga yolwandle, iqondo lobushushu libhetele kakhulu xa uthelekisa nezinye iindawo ezikufuphi nale ndawo. Kwindawo esihlala kuyo sibona ilanga ezintabeni ngoxa intlambo zikhangeleka ziluhlaza. Kwiindawo ezingqonge iLongyearbyen ilanga aliveli ngaphaya kolundi phakathi kukaOktobha 26 noFebruwari 16. Umsobomvu ovela ngasentla ukhanyisa obo bumnyama basebusika. Kwelinye icala, iSvalbard iba nelanga ebudeni beenyanga zentwasahlobo nezasehlotyeni yaye eLongyearbyen oku kuqala ngoAprili 20 ukusa kuAgasti 23.
Izityalo Nezilwanyana
Iqondo lobushushu lisisi-8 ngaphantsi kweqondo lomkhenkce ngokukaCelsuis yaye likhatshwa ngumoya oqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo kodwa lizole nasebukhweni bezinja. Sele sikulungele ukuthabatha uhambo lwethu. Sihamba nomkhenkethisi wethu sinyuka intaba iSarkofagen sihambe ngomsinga womkhenkce okufuphi waseLongyearbreen. Njengokuba sinyuka kwinduli engumkhenkce, umkhenkethisi wethu usixelela ukuba zininzi iintyatyambo ezikhula kule ndawo ekwindla nasehlotyeni. Enyanisweni, uhlaza luninzi kakhulu eSvalbard yaye kukho malunga ne-170 eendidi zezityalo. Ezona ndidi zikhoyo zezityalo ziintyatyambo ezimhlophe nezimthubi zaseSvalbard nezinye ezimfusa.
Njengoko sinyuka entabeni sidibana neeSvalbard ptarmigan nekuphela kwentaka yaseSvalbard. Zonke ezinye iintaka ezifana neBrünnichs guillemot neelittle auk, iindidi ezahlukeneyo zengabangaba noothuthula, ziintaka ezifudukayo. Eyona ibangel’ umdla yiarctic tern. Ezinye kwezi ntaka zifudukela kwelinye icala lehlabathi eAntarktika.
Sadibana nempungutye yasearctic. Esi silwanyana sinamaqhinga sikhukhuza amathambo ezilwanyana ezifileyo kodwa sitya iintaka ezincinane namaqanda. Impungutye ixhaphake kakhulu kule ndawo yaseSvalbard. Enye into exhaphakileyo eSvalbard sisilwanyana esikhulu esineempondo ezimbaxa esibizwa ngokuba yireindeer. Sayibona kufutshane kakhulu kangangezihlandlo eziliqela ngoxa sasiseSvalbard. Isijonga nje ngokungathi ayisikhathalele yaye sasondela ukuze siyifote kanye ngaphambi kokuba imke. Ireindeer inamanqina amafutshane afukufuku buboya yaye njengokuba kusekwindla afukufuku kakhulu. Kwisikhumba esingaphantsi inamanqatha agcina ukutya, yaye abalulekile ngexesha lasebusika.
Ibhere emhlophe, ingqonyela yaseArctic, igqalwa ngabanye njengomatiloshe ngenxa yokuba lichitha ixesha elininzi kulwandle olunomkhenkce izingela iintini zaselwandle. Kodwa usenokugagana nebhere emhlophe iyabula yodwa naphi na eSvalbard. Umkhenkethisi wethu wayenethemba lokuba asinakufikelwa lelo lishwa. Ibhere emhlophe inokuba neengcwangu, ngoko ke umkhenkethisi wethu wayexwaye umbayimbayi ukuze asikhusele. Ukususela ngowe-1973 ukuzingela iibhere ezimhlophe kwapheliswa ngokusemthethweni yaye nakuphi na ukubulawa kwebhere emhlophe kuyaphandwa. Nakuba ezi bhere zininzi eSvalbard, kusekho ukuxhalaba ngekamva lezi zilwanyana. IArctic inokuba ngathi imhlophe, icocekile kwaye akukho nto ziyingcolisayo, kodwa ityhefu efana nePCB sele iyichaphazele le ndawo. Le tyhefu iyakhelana kwibhere emhlophe ekubeni yona isisilwanyana sokugqibela kwezitya ezinye yaye oku kubonakala kuyichaphazela indlela ezizala ngayo ezi zilwanyana.
Safika kwincotsheni yeNtaba iSarkofagen yaye yaba ngumbono ongenakulibaleka ukubona zonke ezinye iintaba ezinekhephu. Kumzantsi-ntshona kukho eyona ntaba intle iNordenskiöldfjellet, ekhanyiselwa lilanga. Ezantsi kukho idolophu yaseLongyearbyen yaye ngaphezu kwethu isisibhakabhaka esizolileyo saseArctic. Saziva ngathi simi kanye ngentla komhlaba. Iqhekeza lesonka nethanyana lesiselo esibizwa ngokuba yiblack currant—isiselo sabantu abahamba ezintabeni esenziwe ngeziqhamo, iswekile namanzi ashushu—oko kwasihlaziya saza senjenjeya ukwehlela ngezantsi.
Imigodi Yamalahle Nezilwanyana Ezisesichengeni
Enye into ebangel’ umdla kule ndawo kukutyelela umgodi omdala wamalahle. Isigantsontso somkhenkethisi wethu negqala ekusebenzeni emigodini sasibonisa uMgodi 3, kufuphi nje neLongyearbyen. Sinxibe iiovaroli neminqwazi yokuzikhusela yasemigodini sangena phakathi entabeni. Saxelelwa ukuba imigodi yeyona ndawo ekwakusetyenzwa kuyo eSvalbard ukususela kwiminyaka yee-1900. Kwakunzima ukusebenza emigodini kangangeminyaka emininzi. Abantu ababesebenza apho babedla ngokukhasa phakathi emgodini okanye kwiindawo zokuhamba ezazimalunga neesentimitha ezingama-70 ukuphakama. Nathi sikhe sangena ukuba sizibonele, emva koko sasiqinisekile ukuba sasingenakuthanda ukusebenza emigodini. Umsebenzi wabo wawunzima, umoya wawunothuli lwamalahle namatye, ingxolo eyayilapho yayingaphaya kokuqonda, eny’ into kwakukho nengozi yokuqhushumba nokuwa kwale migodi. Kodwa namhlanje kusetyenziswa ezinye iindlela eziphucukileyo. Imigodi yamalahle yinto ebalulekileyo kuqoqosho lwaseSvalbard, kodwa kule minyaka ilishumi idluleyo, ukhenketho sele luyinto ebalulekileyo.
Abantu abakhe bayicinge indlela esengozini ngayo iArctic nezinto zayo zemvelo. Ukuzingelwa kwezinto ezifana nomnenga, newalrus, nereindeer, iibhere ezimhlophe nezinye izilwanyana kuye kwaphants’ ukuzibeka esichengeni ezinye izilwanyana zaseSvalbard. Noko ke, imiqathango yokuzingela iye yanceda ekukhuseleni ezinye iindidi zezilwanyana.
Iparadesi Yezazinzulu
ISvalbard iye yachazwa njengeparadesi yezazinzulu. Ngenxa yokuba uhlaza luntshakantshaka, amadlelo afana nencwadi enemifanekiso kwizazinzulu. Safumana imifanekiso yezinto zakudala ezintabeni, eziquka iingcamba zamatye ezifana neekeyiki. Amatye afumaneka kuzo zonke iindawo ezibonakala ziyimbali yomhlaba. Ezinye zenziwa ngesanti, ezinye ngodongwe kanti ezinye ngezinto eziphilayo. Kwiminyaka edluleyo izityalo nezilwanyana bezisoloko zigqunywe ludongwe yaye zilondolozwe njengamatye amandulo. Enyanisweni, ezi zinto zifumaneka ematyeni akudala ukutyhubela imbali yezinto zakudala.
Kwimyuziyam yaseSvalbard safumanisa ukuba izityalo zakudala nezilwanyana zibonisa ukuba le ndawo yayishushu ngaphambili. Kwezinye iindawo zaseSvalbard, amalahle alapho anokuba malunga neemitha ezintlanu ubukhulu. Phakathi kula malahle kukho izityalo zakudala eziziindidi ezahlukeneyo. Kukho umkhondo wezilwanyana ezinkulu zakudala nezibubungqina bokuba le ndawo yakha yanemozulu epholileyo nohlaza oluhle.
Kodwa ke, yatshintsha njani imozulu yalapha? Siye sabuza umembi wezinto zakudala uTorfinn Kjaernet, omele Abalawuli Bemigodi eLongyearbyen. Usixelele ukuba, uninzi lwabembi bezinto zakudala lucinga ukuba esona sizathu sibalulekileyo kukwahlukana kwamazwekazi. Abembi bezinto zakudala bathi iSvalbard kudala inyukela ngentla, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yakhe yema kwindawo ezikufuphi neikhweyitha. Ngokutsho kweesatellite zanamhlanje, iSvalbard inyukela ngentla nanamhla malunga neesentimitha ezimbalwa ngonyaka.
Njengokuba sanduluka eSvalbard, savakalelwa kukuba utyelelo lwethu apho lusinike okuninzi esifanele sicinge ngako. Amadlelo aseArctic, izilwanyana ezisele ziqhele ukuhlala kule ndawo nazo zonke iindidi zezityalo zisenza sicinge ngendlela indalo eyahluke ngayo, indlela umntu amncinane ngayo nendlela thina njengabantu esiwuphethe ngayo umhlaba. Ukubhabhela kumazantsi, sibona ukuphela konxweme oluqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo, apho ikhephu lithe wambu phezu kweentaba yaye lithe thu ngaphaya kwamafu yaye liqaqambile, likhangeleka ngathi lipinki xa kutshona ilanga.
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 24]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
North Pole
GREENLAND
SVALBARD
Longyearbyen
75°N
ICELAND
NORWAY
60°N
RUSSIA
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Indawo ehlala abantu baseLongyearbyen
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Zininzi izityalo ezifana ne-“purple saxifrage,” yaye ziphila kuloo ngqele yaseArctic
[Inkcazelo]
Knut Erik Weman
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]
ISvalbard ptarmigan, kunye neSvalbard reindeer
[Inkcazelo]
Knut Erik Weman