Ukufuna Izinongo, Igolide, Abaphendulelwa Enkolweni, Nodumo

“TIERRA! Tierra!” (Izwe! Izwe!) Lokhu kumemeza kwenjabulo kwaqeda ukuthula kwasemkhunjini ngobusuku bango-October 12, 1492. Itilosi lomkhumbi iPinta lalibone isithunzi esilufifi sesiqhingi. Uhambo olude olukhathazayo ngomkhumbi ekugcineni lwaluvuzwe ngokuphumelela kwemikhumbi iSanta María, iPinta, neNiña.

Entathakusa, uColumbus, okaputeni bakhe ababili, nezinye izikhulu bahlamba bawelela ogwini. Babonga uNkulunkulu base bedla isiqhingi ngegama lababusi baseSpain, uFerdinand noIsabella.

Isifiso sikaColumbus sasifezekile. Manje wayesebheke phambili ekutholeni igolide (izindondo zegolide zasekhaleni zabantu bendawo zaziphawuleka) futhi abuyele eSpain enqobile. Indlela engasentshonalanga eya eNdiya kwakungeyakhe, ngokucabanga kwakhe, futhi wayesezokhohlwa ukukhungatheka kweminyaka eyisishiyagalombili edlule.

Isifiso Siyagcwaliseka

Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-15 leminyaka, kunezinto ezimbili ezazifuneka kakhulu eYurophu: igolide nezinongo. Igolide lalidingeka ukuze kuthengwe izinto zokunethezeka eMpumalanga, futhi izinongo zaseMpumalanga zazenza ukudla okuyisicefe kunambitheke kamnandi ngezinyanga ezinde zasebusika. Abathengisi baseYurophu babefuna ukuziyela mathupha emazweni lapho izinto ezinjalo zazitholakala khona.

Abathengisi nabaqondisi bemikhumbi basePortugal babematasa befuna ukuba kube yibo bodwa abathengiselana neAfrika, futhi ekugcineni bathola indlela eya eMpumalanga edlula eAfrika naseCape of Good Hope. Phakathi nalesosikhathi, imicabango yomqondisi wemikhumbi ongumNtaliyane uColumbus yaphendukela entshonalanga. Wayekholelwa ukuthi indlela emfushane kunazo zonke yokuya eNdiya nezinongo zayo ezihalelekayo yayiwukuwela iAtlantic.

Iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ekhathazayo, uColumbus wehla enyuka esuka kwesinye isigcawu senkosi eya kwesinye ngaphambi kokuba ekugcineni athole ukusekelwa inkosi nendlovukazi yaseSpain. Ekugcineni ukuqiniseka kwakhe okungantengi kwazuza ababusi ababengabaza namatilosi ayemathintanyawo. Ababengabaza babenezizathu zabo. Umsebenzi kaColumbus wawungewona ongenamaphutha, futhi waphikelela ngesibindi ukuba amiswe “njengoMphathi Omkhulu Wolwandle” futhi abe umbusi ongashintshwa wawo wonke amazwe ayengase awathole.

Kodwa izinhloso ezisemqoka zazigxile ekubaleni kwakhe. Ngalesikhathi izazi eziningi zazingasakuphiki ukuthi umhlaba uyindilinga. Umbuzo wawuwukuthi, Yingxenye engakanani yolwandlekazi ehlukanisa iYurophu neAsia? UColumbus wayethi iCipango, noma iJapane—ayefunde ngayo endabeni yohambo lukaMarco Polo lokuya eShayina—yayingamakhilomitha angu-8 000 entshonalanga yeLisbon, ePortugal. Ngaleyondlela iJapane wayibeka endaweni manje okuthiwa iCaribbean.a

Abameleli bombuso kokubili baseSpain nasePortugal balahla isenzo sikaColumbus njengesiwukugagamela, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuzithembisa kakhulu impumelelo ekulinganiseleni kwakhe ibanga eliphakathi kweYurophu neMpumalanga Ekude. Ukuthi kwakungenzeka kube khona izwekazi phakathi kweYurophu neAsia ngokusobala akekho owayeke wacabanga ngakho.

Kodwa uColumbus, esekelwa abangane basebukhosini eSpain, waphikelela, futhi izenzakalo zamvuna. Indlovukazi yaseCastile uIsabella, umKatolika oshisekayo, yakhangwa umqondo wokuthi abaseMpumalanga babengase baguqulelwe enkolweni yamaKatolika. Lapho iGranada iwela kubabusi abangamaKatolika entwasahlobo ka-1492, ubuKatolika baba inkolo yalo lonke elaseSpain. Kwabonakala kuyisikhathi esifanele ukuba kudelwe imali ethile emizamweni eyayingase ibe nezinzuzo ezinkulu, kokubili ngokwenkolo nangokomnotho. UColumbus wathola imvume yasebukhosini nemali ayeyidinga.

Uhambo Lokuya Endaweni Engaziwa

Iqembu elincane lemikhumbi emithathu ngokushesha lalungela indlela, futhi enenani elifanele lamadoda angu-90, uColumbus wafulathela elaseSpain ngoAugust 3, 1492.b Ngemva kokuthola izinto ababezozidinga endleleni eCanary Islands, ngoSeptember 6 imikhumbi yabhekisa amabombo ngasentshonalanga endleleni eya “eNdiya.”

Loluhambo lwalungoluvivinyayo kuColumbus. Isimo sasinikeza ithemba libuye lishatshalaliswe imimoya eyayenza uhambo lomkhumbi lube nzima. Naphezu kokubona izinyoni zasolwandle okwakunikeza ithemba, kwakulokhu kungaveli lutho emkhathizwe. UColumbus kwakudingeka alokhu eqinisa ukuzimisela kwamatilosi akhe ngokuwathembisa izwe nengcebo. Lapho bengamakhilomitha angu-3 200 phakathi neAtlantic, “ngokuzibalela” kukaColumbus, wanikeza umshayeli womkhumbi isibalo samakhilomitha angu-2 819. Ngemva kwalokho wabhala encwadini yezenzakalo zomkhumbi: “Angizange ngiliveze lelinani [lamakhilomitha angu-3 413] kulamadoda ngoba abezokwethuka, ngokuzithola ekude kangaka nasekhaya.” (The Log of Christopher Columbus, eyahunyushwa uRobert H. Fuson) Ezikhathini eziningi kwakuwukuzimisela kwakhe kokungahlehli okwenza ukuba imikhumbi ingabuyeli emuva.

Njengoba izinsuku zaziqhubeka kancane kancane, amatilosi ayelokhu ephelelwa ukubekezela ngokwengeziwe. “Isinqumo sami asiwajabulisanga lamadoda, ngoba ayaqhubeka ebubula futhi ekhononda,” kubhala uColumbus. “Naphezu kokububula kwawo ngaphikelela ngibange entshonalanga.” Ngo-October 10, ngemva kwesikhathi esingaphezu kwenyanga besolwandle, ukukhononda kwakwanda kuyo yomithathu imikhumbi. Amatilosi axola kuphela lapho uColumbus ewathembisa ukubuyela emuva ngendlela ababeze ngayo uma kwakungaphela izinsuku ezintathu bengafiki ezweni. Nokho, ngosuku olulandelayo, lapho ehudulela emkhunjini igatsha eliluhlaza elalisenezimbali, ukholo kumphathi wawo lwabuya. Futhi entathakusa ngakusasa (ngo-October 12), amatilosi ayekhathazwe ulwandle ajatshuliswa ukubona isiqhingi esiluhlaza esisendaweni eshisayo. Uhambo lwawo oluqopha umlando lwalufinyelele umgomo walo!

Ukuthola Amazwe Nokudumazeka

Iziqhingi zaseBahama zazizinhle ngokuvelele. Abantu bendawo abanqunu, kubhala uColumbus, “babengabantu abaqatha, benemizimba emihle nobuso obuhle.” Kodwa ngemva kwamasonto amabili okuzitika ngezithelo zakulendawo eshisayo nokuphana ngezimpahla nezakhamuzi ezinomusa, uColumbus wadlulela phambili. Wayefuna igolide, izwekazi laseAsia, ukuphendulela abantu enkolweni, nezinongo.

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, uColumbus wafika eCuba. “Angikaze ngiyibone indawo enhle kangaka,” ephawula lapho ehla esiqhingini. Ngaphambi kwalokho wayebhale encwadini yakhe yezenzakalo: “Manje ngiyaqiniseka ngokuthi ukuthi Cuba kuyigama lesiNdiya leCipango [iJapane].” Ngakho, wathumela abameleli ababili ukuba bayobonana nekhan (umbusi). LamaSpanishi amabili awatholanga bantu baseJapane nagolide, nakuba abuya nemibiko ngemikhuba engajwayelekile yabantu bendawo, yokubhema ugwayi. UColumbus wayezimisele. “Ngaphandle kokungabaza kunegolide eliningi kulelizwe,” eziqinisekisa.

Ukufuna kwaqhubeka, manje ngasempumalanga. Wathola isiqhingi esikhulu esinezintaba eduze kwaseCuba wasibiza ngokuthi La Isla Española (Hispaniola). Futhi ekugcineni abaseSpain bathola inqwaba yegolide. Kodwa ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, kwaba nenhlekelele. Umkhumbi ayegibele kuwo nowawunefulegi lakhe iSanta María wacwila wafika phansi wangabe usakwazi ukubuye untante. Abantu bendawo ngokuzithandela basiza amatilosi ukuba atakule konke ayengase akutakule. “Bathanda omakhelwane babo njengoba bezithanda bona, futhi banamaphimbo amnene naphole kunawo wonke emhlabeni futhi bahlale bemamatheka,” kusho uColumbus.

UColumbus wanquma ukwakha izindlwana zokuhlala eHispaniola. Ngaphambidlana, wayephawule kafushane encwadini yakhe yezenzakalo: “Labantu abazi lutho kwanhlobo ngezikhali. . . . Ngamadoda angu-50 ungabathobisa bonke futhi ubenze benze okuthandayo.” Futhi waba nombono wamakoloni angokwenkolo: “Nginethemba elikhulu eNkosini Yethu ukuthi iziKhulu Zakho zizophendulela bonke ebuKristwini futhi bonke bazoba ngabakho.” Lapho izindlwana zokuhlalisa abantu sezihlelekile endaweni ayibiza ngokuthi iLa Villa de la Navidad (Idolobhana Labantu Bendawo), uColumbus wanquma ukuba yena nawo wonke amanye amadoda ayenaye baphindele eSpain ngokushesha nezindaba ezimangalisayo zokuthola kwabo izwe.

Ipharadesi Elilahlekile

Ikomkhulu laseSpain lajabula ngokukhethekile lapho izindaba zokuthola kukaColumbus izwe ekugcineni zifinyelela khona. Wanikezwa udumo futhi wanxuswa ukuba ahlele uhambo lwesibili ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. Phakathi nalesosikhathi, amanxusa aseSpain aphuthuma kupapa waseSpain, uAlexander VI, ukuze athole imvume yokwenza amakoloni aseSpain kuwo wonke amazwe ayetholwe uColumbus.

Uhambo lwesibili, ngo-1493, lwalungolufaka ugqozi. Udwendwe lwemikhumbi engu-17 lwaluthwele abangu-1 200 ababeyokwakha amakoloni, kuhlanganise nabapristi, abalimi, namasosha—kodwa bengekho abesifazane. Inhloso yayiwukwenza amazwe amasha abe amakoloni aseSpain, kuphendulelwe nabantu bendawo ebuKatolikeni, futhi-ke, njengokulindelekile, noma yiliphi igolide noma izinongo okwakungase kutholakale kwakuyokwamukelwa ngezandla ezimhlophe. UColumbus futhi wayehlose ukuqhubeka nokufuna kwakhe indlela yasolwandle eya eNdiya.

Nakuba iziqhingi ezengeziwe zatholakala, kuhlanganise iPuerto Rico neJamaica, ukukhungatheka kwakhula. ILa Navidad, ikoloni lokuqala eHispaniola, yayinabantu abambalwa ngenxa yokuxabana okunzima phakathi kwamaSpanishi ngokwawo, futhi yacishe yaqothulwa ngokuphelele ngabantu basesiqhingini, ababethukuthele begane unwabu ngobugovu nokuziphatha okubi kwabantu bokufika. UColumbus wakhetha indawo engcono enkulu ukuze ibe ikoloni elikhulu elisha, wabe eseqhubeka nokufuna kwakhe indlela eya eNdiya.

Ngemva kokwehluleka ukujikeleza yonke iCuba ngomkhumbi, wanquma ukuthi kumelwe ibe izwekazi laseAsia—mhlawumbe iMalaya. Njengoba kuphawulwe kuyiConquest of Paradise, uColumbus “wanquma ukuba wonke amatilosi asho ngesifungo ukuthi ugu ababehamba kulo ngomkhumbi . . . lwalungelona neze olwesiqhingi kodwa eqinisweni ‘lwalungolwezwekazi eliqalisa i-Indies.’” Lapho efika eHispaniola, uColumbus wathola ukuthi izakhamuzi ezintsha zamakoloni zazingaziphathanga neze kangcono kunezangaphambili, njengoba zazidlwengule abesifazane futhi zenza abafana baba izigqila. UColumbus ngokwakhe wakhulisa ubutha babantu bendawo ngokuhlanganisa abangu-1 500 babo, okwathi abangu-500 babo wabathumela eSpain njengezigqila; bonke bafa phakathi neminyaka emibalwa.

Olunye uhambo olubili lokuya eNtshonalanga Indies alwenzanga lutho ekuthuthukiseni izinhlanhla zikaColumbus. Igolide, izinongo, nendlela yokuya eNdiya, konke kwamphunyuka. Nokho, ngandlela-thile, iSonto LamaKatolika lawathola amakholwa elaliwafuna. Ikhono likaColumbus lokuphatha laliphansi kakhulu kunesiphiwo sakhe sokuqondisa uhambo lwemikhumbi, futhi ubuthaka bempilo yakhe bamenza umashiqela waba ngisho nanonya kulabo ababemcasula. Ababusi baseSpain baphoqeleka ukuba bafake umbusi ongcono esikhundleni sakhe. Wayezinqobile izilwandle kodwa wahluleka uma esesezweni.

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuqeda uhambo lwakhe lwesine, wafa eneminyaka engu-54 ubudala, eyindoda ecebile kodwa engajabulile, eyayisaphikelela ngokuthi yayithole indlela yasolwandle eya eAsia. Kwakuyoyekelwa ezizukulwaneni ezilandelayo ukuba zimnikeze udumo oluhlala njalo ayeye walulangazelela kakhulu kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe.

Kodwa izindlela ayezicabile zazivule indlela yokutholakala nokwenziwa kwamakoloni kulo lonke izwekazi laseNyakatho Melika. Izwe lalishintshe kakhulu. Ingabe kwakuzoba ukushintshela kokungcono?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 6]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UHAMBO LUKACOLUMBUS NGOMKHUMBI LOKUTHOLA AMAZWE

ISPAIN

IAFRIKA

Ulwandlekazi iAtlantic

IUNITED STATES

IBahamas

ICuba

IHispaniola