AmaPilgrim Nokuzabalazela Kwawo Inkululeko

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ENETHERLANDS

NGO-1620, iqembu lamaPuritan aseNgilandi elalihambe ngomkhumbi lisuka eDelfshaven, eduze neRotterdam, eNetherlands, lamisa indawo yokuqala abeLungu abazinza kuyo eNew England—ePlymouth Colony—manje eyiningizimu-mpumalanga yeMassachusetts. Yini eyashukumisa laba bantu abagxile enkolweni ukuba bazibeke engozini ngohambo olude nolukhathaza kangaka oludabula i-Atlantic Ocean eyingozi ngomkhunjana i-Mayflower? Khona ngempela babefunani eNetherlands? Kungani bahamba lapho?

Isimo Esingokwenkolo ENgilandi

Phakathi nawo-1500, iSonto LamaRoma Katolika lanyakaziswa iNkathi Yenguquko. Kwavela amasonto obuProthestani kulo lonke elaseYurophu, kuhlanganise nelaseNgilandi. ENgilandi, ukunqamuka ngokuphelele kobuhlobo neRome kwenzeka ngemva kokuba upapa enqabe isicelo seNkos’uHenry VIII sokuba umshado wayo wokuqala uhlukaniswe. Isonto laseNgilandi lahlukana neRome, kwathi ngo-1534 iPhalamende LaseNgilandi lamqaphela ngokomthetho uHenry ‘njengeNhloko Ephakeme emhlabeni, elandela uNkulunkulu, yeSonto LaseSheshi.’ Indodakazi yakhe u-Elizabeth, eyazalwa ngo-1533, yakhuliswa njengomProthestani, futhi lapho isiyiNdlovukaz’u-Elizabeth I, yenza iSonto LaseSheshi laba nezici zobuProthestani bangempela. Noma kunjalo, kwakunamanye amaqembu amancane amaProthestani ayengavumelani neSonto LaseSheshi elalinethonya. Amaningi awo abizwa ngokuthi amaPuritan ngoba ayefisa ukuhlanza (purify) iSonto LaseSheshi asuse noma yimuphi umnonjana wobuRoma Katolika. Elinye iqembu lamaPuritan lalibhekwa njengelivukela kakhulu, njengoba lahlubuka esimisweni sesonto sezikhundla zababhishobhi nabapristi. Lalibheka ibandla lalo njengelizimele ngokuphelele, lingaphansi kokubusa kwabadala balo siqu.

INdlovukaz’u-Elizabeth yayesaba ukuthi abantu babezophuma esandleni sayo uma amaPuritan ayengalawulwa. Ngakho yawashayela imithetho enzima. Naphezu kwalokhu, amaqembu ahlukahlukene amaPuritan aqhubeka ehlangana emakhaya, kodwa ngasese. AmaPuritan asakaza namapheshana amaningi angokwenkolo achaza izinkolelo zawo. AmaPuritan aseLondon amisa eyawo indikimba yabadala, eyayakhiwe ikakhulu abefundisi baseSheshi ababeyekisiwe okwesikhashana. Amaqembu ayeyeke ukuguqula iSonto LaseSheshi futhi ahlubuka kulo ayebizwa ngokuthi amaSeparatist.

INkos’uJames I, eyalandela iNdlovukaz’ u-Elizabeth, yalandela inkambiso yayo engokwenkolo, yasongela ‘ukuwakhipha [amaPuritan] ngoshova kulelizwe.’ Ngesikhathi esifanayo, yagunyaza inguqulo yeBhayibheli entsha yesiNgisi—i-King James Version, eyaqedwa ngo-1611. Lenguqulo entsha yashukumisa abantu abaningi ukuba bahlole iBhayibheli. Waba yini umphumela? Abantu abaningi ngokwengeziwe baqala ukungavumelani nesonto loMbuso. Wawuyokwenzenjani ukube wawuphila kulezo zinsuku? Ucabanga ukuthi ngenxa yokusongelwa ngokushushiswa wawuyozishintsha izinkolelo zakho ezingokwenkolo? Ingabe wawuyonamathela ngokuqinile ezinkolelweni zakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ulahlekelwa yini? AmaPuritan amaningi enza kanjalo futhi enqaba ukuhlehla.

Ukubalekela EHolland

Elinye iqembu lamaSeparatist elingazange lihlehle latholakala edolobheni elincane laseNgilandi iScrooby. Lapho, lalihlangana ngasese emzini womqondisi weposi uWilliam Brewster, ‘uMdala walo Obusayo.’ Omunye owayehlanganyela nalo kwakunguJohn Robinson, owayekade engumpristi waseSheshi. Ngaphandle kokusekela ukubuswa kwesonto abadala kunabapristi nababhishobhi, iqembu laseScrooby laliyilahla imvunulo yabapristi nemikhuba eminingi yezinkonzo zeSonto LaseSheshi, nakuba lezi zinto zazifunwa umthetho.

Lingaphansi kokucindezela okukhulayo, leli qembu elincane lanquma ukubalekela eNetherlands, okwakuwukuphela kwendawo eYurophu eyayingabekezelela imibono nemikhuba yalo ngaleso sikhathi. Nokho, umthetho wawukwenqabela ukuthuthela kwelinye izwe. Ngakho-ke, bathengisa imizi yabo nakho konke okunye ababengenakuhamba nakho, ngesinyenyela ngangokunokwenzeka, kwathi ngo-1608 baya e-Amsterdam ngomkhumbi. KwakuseNetherlands lapho amaSeparatist aqala khona ukuzibheka njengezihambeli zenkolo (pilgrims).

AmaPilgrim athuthela eLeiden ngemva konyaka efikile, okuwunyaka isikhawu sokuthula esathikameza ngawo impi eyayilwiwa yiSpain neNetherlands. Lesi sikhawu sokuthula saphumela esimweni esinokuthula okukhudlwana kumaPilgrim. Kancane kancane, ababaleki abengeziwe bafika bevela eNgilandi, futhi iqembu landa laba abantu abangaba ngu-300. Ekugcineni, bathenga umuzi omkhulu, lapho uJohn Robinson nomkhaya wakhe bahlala khona nalapho babengaqhubela khona nemihlangano.

Ngemva kokuhlala iminyaka engaba yishumi eLeiden, amaPilgrim aqala ukuzizwa engazinzile. Isikhawu sokuba nokuthula neSpain sase sizophela, futhi ayesaba ukuthi uma ukuQulwa Kwamacala KwaseSpain kwakudlondlobala eNetherlands, ayeyoba sesimweni esibi kunangesikhathi engaphansi kweNkos’uJames. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ayengavumelani ngokwezimfundiso nomakhelwane bawo abangamaDashi ababevumela izinto eziningana, futhi ayekhathazekile ngokuhlangana kwezingane zawo nentsha yamaDashi, ayeyibheka njengengenakuzithiba. Kwakufanele enzenjani? Acabanga ngokuphinde athuthele kude kakhulu—kulokhu eMelika!

I-Mayflower Ithatha Uhambo Lwasolwandle!

Inselele yawo enkulu kwakuwukuxhasa uhambo olude kangaka ngezimali. Enye inkinga enkulu kwakuwukuthi imvume yalolu hambo kwakudingeka itholakale enkosini yaseNgilandi—yona kanye lenkosi ayezama ukuyibalekela lapho eya eNetherlands! AmaPilgrim ayithambisa iNkos’uJames ngezicelo zawo, yaze yagcina isiyinikezile imvume. Ekugcineni, iqembu labathengisi baseLondon laxhasa lolu hambo ngezimali.

Lwase lufikile olungaliyo! Labo beSonto LamaPilgrim eLeiden abanquma ukuthutha bagibela umkhumbi i-Speedwell futhi ngo-July 22, 1620, basuka eDelfshaven belibangise eNgilandi, beyohlangana namalungu engeziwe lapho. AmaPilgrim asuka egibele imikhumbi emibili, i-Speedwell ne-Mayflower. Nokho, ukuvuza okungathi sína kwe-Speedwell kwaphoqelela lemikhumbi ukuba iphindele emuva eNgilandi, lapho i-Mayflower yathatha khona abagibeli nezimpahla ze-Speedwell. Ekugcineni, ngo-September 6, i-Mayflower encanyana engamamitha angu-27 yasuka ePlymouth, eNgilandi, iyodwa, kugibele imikhaya engu-24—ingqikithi yabagibeli abangu-102—nezisebenzi zayo ezingu-25. Yeka isibindi esasidingeka kulabo bahambi abayizimfundamakhwela ukuze balinge uhambo lwasolwandle olungamakhilomitha angu-5000! Lomkhumbi wawuminyene kakhulu futhi kwakudingeka ubhekane nesimo sezulu esiyingozi saseNyakatho Atlantic. Cabanga indlela abazizwa ngayo ababegibele lapho bebona izwe ngemva kwamasonto angu-9 wonke besolwandle!

Ukumisa Ikoloni

Ngaphambi kokuba amaPilgrim afike osebeni, enza isivumelwano phakathi kwawo mayelana nohulumeni wesikhathi esizayo walelo koloni elisha. Ngalesi sivumelwano, esasayinwa amadoda angu-41 kulelo qembu, amaPilgrim azihlela aba “i-Civil Body Politic [uMphakathi Ongumfelandawonye]” futhi aba nomsebenzi wokumisa, nokugcina imithetho eyayibusa zonke izindaba zawo. Nakuba izazi-mlando ezithile ziye zabiza lencwadi ngokuthi umthetho-sisekelo wokuqala waseMelika, i-Grote Winkler Prins Encyclopedie ibonisa ukuthi amaPilgrim ayihlela “ayecabanga ngokumisa igunya elingokwenkolo.” Injongo yayo yayiwukukhuthaza wonke amalungu ekoloni ukuba ahlale emunye, kokubili ngokwendawo nangokwenkolo.

Ngemva kokuhlola ugu nokuthatha uhambo oluya ngaphakathi ezweni, ngo-December obandayo leli qembu lazinza endaweni elayiqamba ngokuthi iNew Plymouth, kamuva yabizwa ngokuthi iPlymouth Colony. Bathola amasimu ayekade elinywa amaNdiya. Kodwa inani elikhulu lamaNdiya ayebonwe abahloli bamazwe kuleyo ndawo eminyakeni embalwa nje ngaphambili lase libhuqwe izifo zalabo bahloli bamazwe—ezihlanganisa ingxibongo nesimungumungwana. Ngaphandle kwalokho, amaNdiya ayengase amelane nemizamo yamaPilgrim yokumisa ikoloni.

AmaPilgrim aqala ngokwakha umuzi osetshenziswa yibo bonke namakhaya amaningana abantu ngabanye. Kwakuyisiqalo esinzima, ngoba afika ebusika futhi engenakho ukudla okwanele okwakusale emphakweni wasemkhunjini. Ngalobo busika bokuqala, abangu-52 babulawa izifo, kuhlanganise nabayeni abangu-13 kwabangu-24 namakhosikazi angu-14 kwangu-18. Phakathi kwalezi zisulu kwakunombusi wawo wokuqala, uJohn Carver. Kodwa abasinda banquma ukuhlala eNew Plymouth. Umbusi owalandela, uWilliam Bradford owayeshiseka, wagcina umbhalo oningilizayo womlando waleli koloni elaliselisha futhi ngenxa yalokho uye wabhekwa njengesazi-mlando sokuqala saseMelika.

AmaPilgrim NamaNdiya

AmaPilgrim okuqala afika eNew Plymouth enza isivumelwano sokuthula noMassasoit, inkosi enkulu yesizwe samaNdiya endawo esingamaWampanoag. Kulesi sivumelwano amaPilgrim namaWampanoag athembisana ukungahlukumezani, futhi afunga ukuthi ayeyovikelana lapho kwenzeka kulwiwa nabangaphandle. Ngaphandle kobungane bukaMassasoit, cishe akekho noyedwa kumaPilgrim owayeyosinda. LamaNdiya anikeza izifiki ummbila ezazizowudla nezazizowutshala, futhi ukuzibandakanya nawo kwasiza ngokuvimbela ukubhuqabhuqwa kwamaPilgrim ezinye izizwe.

Ekuqaleni abahlali bakuleli koloni babethola usizo olukhulu emaNdiyeni. Ngokusho koMbusi uWilliam Bradford, iNdiya okuthiwa uTisquantum lafundisa abahlali bakuleli koloni “indlela yokuhlwanyela ummbila wabo, ukuthi kufanele badobephi, nokuthola ezinye izinto eziwusizo, futhi laliwumqondisi wabo owayebayisa ezindaweni abangazazi ukuze bazuze.” Isivuno sokuqala sommbila sasisihle, futhi amaPilgrim aphumelela ekuzingeleni izinyoni. Ayebonga kuNkulunkulu futhi anquma ukuba nomkhosi wesivuno wezinsuku ezintathu. UMassasoit wafika namaqhawe akhe angu-90, weza nezinyamazane ezinhlanu ezonezela kuleli dili.

Njengekoloni uqobo lwalo, lomkhosi wawuthambekele kakhulu enkolweni. Nakuba amaPilgrim engazange awugubhe lomkhosi ngonyaka owalandela ngenxa yesivuno esingesihle, kamuva uSuku Lokubonga lwaba iholide lesizwe nelingokwenkolo laminyaka yonke e-United States, eCanada, nakwamanye amazwe ambalwa. Namuhla, uSuku Lokubonga eNyakatho Melika ngokuvamile luba isikhathi sedili lomkhaya lenyama yegalikuni, i-cranberry sauce, nophayi wethanga—kodwa ngokuyisisekelo, lusalokhu ‘luyisikhathi sokucabanga ngokungathi sína ngenkolo, izinkonzo zesonto, nomthandazo.’—The World Book Encyclopedia, 1994.a

Izenzakalo Zakamuva

Ngo-1622 amaPilgrim engeziwe afika evela eLeiden naseNgilandi. Kamuva, imikhumbi eyengeziwe yafika namakholwa akanye nawo ayevela eYurophu. Ngo-1630 iqembu lokugcina lamaPilgrim elalivela eLeiden lafika kuleli koloni, kwenza isibalo sawo saba cishe ngu-300. Ekugcineni leli koloni lahlangana neMassachusetts Bay Colony, enkulu kakhulu kunalo nesenyakatho engekude. Ababehlala kuleli koloni nabo babenezinkolelo zamaPuritan. Nokho, phakathi naleso sikhathi ukunganambithisisani phakathi kwabahlali bakuleli koloni nomakhelwane babo abangamaNdiya kwakukhula. AmaPuritan, ayekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayewanqumele kusengaphambili ukuba abuse lelizwe elisha, aqhubeka ezikhukhumeza. Ebona lokhu, amaNdiya anengeka nakakhulu. Ngokudabukisayo, eminyakeni engu-55 kuphela ngemva kwesivumelwano namaWampanoag, ikoloni lasePlymouth, lihlangene namanye amakoloni amathathu amaNgisi kanye namaNdiya athile, lalwa nendodana kaMassasoit. Yona kanye namaNdiya angaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu angamadoda, abesifazane, nezingane babulawa, futhi amaPuritan athengisela amakhulu engeziwe ebugqilini. AmaWampanoag ashabalala.

Ifa LamaPilgrim

ENetherlands usengayivakashela ingxenye yeLeiden amaPilgrim ayehlala kuyo, kanye neDelfshaven, itheku asukela kulo elibangise eMelika. Edolobheni lanamuhla lasePlymouth, eMassachusetts, ungayibona iPlymouth Plantation, idolobhana lokuqala eselakhiwe kabusha elalakhiwe amaPilgrim, kanye nomnyuziyamu wamaPilgrim nesifanekiselo se-Mayflower. Kuleli dolobhana, kunabantu abazenza izakhamuzi zokuqala. Bakutshela ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu nguJehova nokuthi “isonto” akusona isakhiwo samatshe kodwa lakhiwa abantu. Uma bebuzwa ukuthi, “Bangaki abadala esontweni lenu?” baphendula bathi: “Baningi ngangokuvumelana nezimfuneko zeBhayibheli.”

AmaPilgrim azama ukwenza umphakathi wawo ufane “ngokuseduze ngangokunokwenzeka nezizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli ezazingaphansi kukaMose,” ngokwencwadi ethi The Puritan Heritage—America’s Roots in the Bible. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi amaPuritan ayeqisa. Ngokwesibonelo, idumela lawo njengezisebenzi ezizikhandlayo, ngokwengxenye lalibangelwa yinkolelo yawo yokuthi ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kwakubonisa ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Futhi nakuba ayezithanda ngobuqotho izingane zawo, amaPuritan amaningi okuqala ayekholelwa ukuthi kufanele “ayifihle . . . imizwa yawo eyeqisayo.” Ngakho, elithi “-zincishayo” (puritanical) lahlotshaniswa nokunyakama, nobukhali, nokuba nesandla esiqine ngokweqile. Nokho, naphezu kokungapheleli kwawo, amaPilgrim ayenesilinganiso esithile sokuqina ngokokuziphatha, ayezinikele, futhi ayenza imizamo yokuphila ngeBhayibheli. Kuyacaca ukuthi lezi izimfanelo ezagcina amaPilgrim emunye futhi zawaqinisa phakathi nokulingwa kwawo okuningi.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

AmaNdiya angamaWampanoag awasiza amaPilgrim

[Umthombo]

Harper’s Encyclopædia of United States History

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 24]

Top: Model van de Mayflower