Ama-Aztec—Umshikashika Wawo Othakazelisayo Wokulwela Ukusinda
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EMEXICO
“IMAKETHE ENKULU YAYIGCWELE PHÁMA ABANTU, ABANYE BETHENGA, ABANYE BEDAYISA . . . PHAKATHI KWETHU KWAKUNAMASOSHA AYEVAKASHELE IZINGXENYE EZININGI ZOMHLABA, ECONSTANTINOPLE NAKULO LONKE ELASE-ITALY NASEROMA, FUTHI ATHI AYENGAKAZE AYIBONE IMAKETHE EHLELEKE NGALE NDLELA KODWA ENKULU KANGAKA FUTHI ENABANTU ABANINGI KANGAKA.”
INCAZELO esanda kucashunwa yanikezwa nguBernal Díaz del Castillo, isosha elalisebuthweni lomnqobi waseSpain uHernán Cortés, lapho ebona idolobha lama-Aztec iTenochtitlán ngo-1519.
Ngokwencwadi ethi The Mighty Aztecs kaGene S. Stuart, lapho kufika abaseSpain, kwakunabantu abaphakathi kuka-150 000 no-200 000 ababehlala eTenochtitlán. Yayingeyona neze indawo engaphucukile, kodwa yayiyidolobha elikhulu, elihlanganisa indawo enkulu. Yayiyidolobha elinamabhuloho nemisele yamanzi kanye namathempeli okukhulekela kanokusho. Njengenhloko-dolobha, iTenochtitlán yayiyisizinda soMbuso Wama-Aztec.
Kodwa kubafundi abaningi, lo mqondo wedolobha lama-Aztec elinokuthula nokuzwana ungase ungqubuzane nalokho abake bakuzwa, umbono osakazekile wokuthi ama-Aztec ayenjengezilwane ezomele igazi. Yiqiniso, ama-Aztec ayekholelwa ukuthi onkulunkulu bawo babedinga imihlatshelo yezinhliziyo zabantu negazi ukuze bahlale benamandla. Nokho, umphakathi nomlando wama-Aztec kuhilela okungaphezu nje kokuchitha igazi. Futhi ukuqonda umshikashika wawo wokuqhubeka ephila kungasiza umuntu ukuba akuqonde kangcono ukushikashikeka kwenzalo yawo ilwela ukuphila kuze kube namuhla.
Ukuvela Kwama-Aztec
Eqinisweni, ama-Aztec aba khona isikhashana nje emlandweni wempucuko yaseMesoamerica.a Abacwaningi abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi abantu bokuqala abakha eMexico bafuduka besuka e-Asia bawela iBering Strait bangena e-Alaska, base belibangisa eningizimu besuka lapho.—Bheka i-Phaphama! ka-September 8, 1996, amakhasi 4-5.
Abavubukuli bathi umphakathi wasendulo okwaziwa ukuthi wawuchumile eMesoamerica kwakungama-Olmec. Ngokwezinye izazi, umphakathi wama-Olmec wavela cishe ngo-1200 B.C.E., futhi kungenzeka waba khona iminyaka engu-800. Kodwa ama-Aztec ayengaziwa kwaze kwaba ngo-1200 C.E.—eminyakeni engaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezimbili kamuva. Umphakathi wawo wawuzoba khona iminyaka engu-300 kuphela. Kanti umbuso wawo onamandla wawuzobusa iminyaka eyikhulu kuphela ngaphambi kokuba uqothulwe abahlaseli baseSpain.
Nokho, lapho usavelele, uMbuso Wama-Aztec wawunobukhosi obungenakulinganiswa. Ngokomthombo othile, “ama-Aztec amisa umbuso owawunabela ngaseningizimu eGuatemala.” I-World Book Encyclopedia yawuchaza ngale ndlela: “Ama-Aztec ayethuthuke kakhulu kunamanye amazwe aseMelika. Akha amadolobha amakhulu njenganoma yimaphi amanye eYurophu ngaleso sikhathi.”
Indabuko Eyinganekwane
Nakuba ama-Aztec ayevelele, akukho okwaziwayo ngendabuko yawo. Ngokwenganekwane, igama elithi Aztec lisuselwa kwelithi aztlán—igama okucatshangwa ukuthi lisho “izwe elimhlophe.” Nokho, akukho muntu owaziyo ukuthi leyo Aztlán yasenganekwaneni yayikuphi noma ukuthi yayikhona yini ngempela.
Noma kunjalo, ngokwenganekwane, ama-Aztec ayeyiqembu lokugcina kwangu-7 afulathela i-Aztlán. Eqondiswa unkulunkulu wawo uHuitzilopochtli, aqala uhambo olude efuna izwe lawo. Lesi sizwe saba imihambima amashumi eminyaka, sibhekana nobunzima obukhulu nokuswela futhi silwa cishe njalo nomakhelwane baso. Kodwa sasingeke sizule phakade. Ngokwenganekwane ethandwa kakhulu, uHuitzilopochtli watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bafune lolu phawu olulandelayo: ukhozi esihlahleni somdolofiya. Kuthiwa lokhu bakubona esiqhinganeni esinodaka eLake Texcoco. Le mihambima ekugcineni yazinza kule ndawo, yakha idolobha kamuva elaziwa ngokuthi iGreat Tenochtitlán (okusho “Itshe Elivela Emanzini”). Ngokusho kwabanye, leli gama lisuselwa egameni lenzalamizi yasenganekwaneni okuthiwa uTenoch. Namuhla, indawo okwakwakhiwe kuyo iTenochtitlán isiyiMexico City.
Ama-Aztec ayengonjiniyela nezingcweti ezihlakaniphile. Esebenzisa indawo esekujuleni kwechibi njengesisekelo, andisa leli dolobha ngokuthela inhlabathi emanzini. Amabhuloho amancane ayehlanganisa isiqhingi nezwekazi. Akha nemisele eminingi.
Nokho, phakathi nale nkathi, laba bakhi babengaziwa ngokuthi ama-Aztec. Ngokwenganekwane, unkulunkulu wabo uHuitzilopochtli wayebanikeze igama elisha lapho bephuma e-Aztlán—wathi bangamaMexica. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izwe elizungezile nabo bonke abakhé kulo babeyobizwa ngaleli gama.
Nokho, amaMexica, noma ama-Aztec, ayengahlali wodwa kule ndawo. Njengoba ayezungezwe yizitha, kwadingeka akhe ubudlelwane nomakhelwane bawo. Labo abangazange bakwakhe ukuthula nama-Aztec bazithola bengene shí empini ewujuqu. Eqinisweni, ama-Aztec ayengayinqeni impi. Unkulunkulu wawo welanga, uHuitzilopochtli, wayengomunye wonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi abaningi ababefuna izinhliziyo ezophayo nemihlatshelo engabantu ngaso sonke isikhathi. Le mihlatshelo yayenziwa ngokuyinhloko ngeziboshwa zempi. Idumela lama-Aztec lokuphatha iziboshwa ngale ndlela labangela ukwesaba ezitheni zawo.
Ngakho uMbuso Wama-Aztec waqala ukusakazeka usuka eTenochtitlán, ngokushesha wadlulela kwezinye izindawo zezwe manje elaziwa ngokuthi iMelika Ephakathi. Impucuko yama-Aztec yaxubana nemibono namasiko amasha angokwenkolo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, izinto zemali eshisiwe—intela eyayifunwa kubantu ababesanda kunqotshwa—zaqala ukungena eqoqweni lengcebo lama-Aztec. Umculo, izincwadi nobuciko bama-Aztec kwachuma. Umagazini i-National Geographic uthi: “Ngenxa yobuciko, kumelwe ukuthi ama-Aztec aphakathi kwabaqophi bezithombe abanekhono kakhulu emlandweni.” Lapho kufika abaseSpain, umphakathi wama-Aztec wawuvelele kakhulu.
Ukunqotshwa
Ngo-November 1519, umbusi wamaMexica, uMontezuma II, wabamukela ngokuthula abaseSpain nomholi wabo uHernán Cortés, ecabanga ukuthi wayengunkulunkulu wama-Aztec uQuetzalcoatl oziphendule umuntu. AbaseSpain bawujabulela umusa abawuboniswa ama-Aztec anezinkolelo-ze. Nokho, engahlosile, ama-Aztec avumela abaseSpain ukuba babone ingcebo yegolide yaseTenochtitlán. UCortés wabopha uzungu lokuzitholela yona yonke. UCortés wenza uMontezuma isiboshwa khona kanye edolobheni lakhe, isenzo sesibindi esikhulu. Abanye bathi uMontezuma akazange alwe. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, uCortés waphumelela ekunqobeni inhloko-dolobha yalo mbuso omkhulu ngaphandle kwempi.
Kodwa lokhu kunqoba ngaphandle kwempi akuhlalanga kunjalo isikhathi eside. Ngokushesha kwadingeka ukuba uCortés alibangise ogwini eyosingatha isimo esithile esiphuthumayo, washiya indoda ephamazelayo okuthiwa uPedro de Alvarado ukuba iphathe izintambo. Enovalo lokuthi uma uCortés engekho, abantu baseTenochtitlán babeyomvukela, u-Alvarado wanquma ukuhlasela kuqala. Wabulala idlanzana lama-Aztec phakathi nomkhosi othile. Lapho uCortés ebuya, wathola idolobha linesiyaluyalu. Phakathi nempi eyaqubuka lapho, uMontezuma wabulawa, ngokunokwenzeka abaseSpain. Nokho, ngokulandisa kwabaseSpain, uCortés wayala uMontezuma ukuba akhulume nabantu bakhe abanxuse ukuba bayeke ukulwa. Lapho ekhuluma nabo, abantu bakaMontezuma bamkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. Kunoma yikuphi, uCortés nabanye abambalwa abasinda baphuma ngesamagundane.
Ekhathele futhi elimele, uCortés waphinde wahlanganisa amabutho akhe. AbaseSpain bajoyinwa yizizwe ezingomakhelwane ezaziwazonda ama-Aztec futhi zifuna ukugqashula ejokeni lawo. UCortés wabe esephindela eTenochtitlán. Phakathi nempi eyachitha igazi eyalandela, kubikwa ukuthi ama-Aztec anikela amasosha aseSpain ayethunjiwe njengemihlatshelo. Lokhu kwawathukuthelisa amabutho kaCortés futhi kwawenza azimisela ukunqoba kumnyama kubomvu. Ngokomlobi othile ongumAztec, izizwe ezazinqotshiwe ngaphambili zathatha isinyathelo, “zaziphindiselela ngonya ngenxa yezenzo zangaphambili zamaMexica [ama-Aztec] futhi zaphanga yonke impahla yawo.”
Ngo-August 13, 1521, umuzi waseGreat Tenochtitlán wanqotshwa. AbaseSpain nabasizi babo bawacindezela ngokuphelele amaMexica. I-National Geographic yathi: “Phakathi nesikhathi nje esifushane amadolobha amakhulu aseMesoamerica nezikhungo zamasiko kwasala kungamanxiwa njengoba abaseSpain babefuna igolide ezweni. Abantu bomdabu bagqilazwa futhi baguqulelwa ebuKristwini, kanti uMbuso Wama-Aztec, umphakathi wokugcina wabomdabu owawuvelele, wachitheka.”
Ukunqotshwa akulethanga nje ushintsho lwezombangazwe kuphela. AbaseSpain bafika nenkolo entsha—ubuKatolika—futhi baphoqelela amaMexica ukuba ayamukele. Yiqiniso, inkolo yama-Aztec yayigcwele ukuchitha igazi nokukhulekela izithombe. Kodwa esikhundleni sokuqeda zonke izinsalela zobuqaba, ubuKatolika bakha ubudlelwane obuyinqaba nenkolo yama-Aztec. UTonantzin, unkulunkulukazi owayekhulekelwa eGqumeni laseTepeyac, wathathelwa indawo yiNcasakazi yaseGuadalupe, njengoba kuneThempeli LaseGuadalupe khona kanye endaweni lapho uTonantzin ayekhulekelwa khona. (Kuthiwa leli thempeli lisendaweni lapho iNcasakazi uMariya yazibonakalisa khona ngokuyisimangaliso.) Lapho kunamaholidi enkolo okuhlonipha iNcasakazi, abakhulekeli badansela umculo wabo wobuqaba wasendulo phambi kwaleli thempeli.
Ingabe Asekhona Ama-Aztec?
Nakuba uMbuso Wama-Aztec wawa kudala, ithonya lawo lisekhona nanamuhla. Amagama anjengelithi “ushokoledi,” “utamatisi,” nelithi “upelepele,” athathwe olimini lwama-Aztec, isiNahuatl. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iningi labantu baseMexico liyinzalo yabanqobi baseSpain nezinhlanga zabomdabu.
Ezingxenyeni eziningi zeMexico, amasiko abomdabu asendulo asekhona, ngoba amanye amaqembu ezinhlanga azama ukulondoloza amasiko okhokho. Sekukonke, kunamaqembu abomdabu aziwayo angu-62 kanye nezilimi eziyimixhantela ezingu-68 ezaziwayo eMexican Republic. Ucwaningo lwamuva nje olwenziwe yi-Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (INhlangano Kazwelonke Yezibalo Yokuma Komhlaba Nokwaziswa) luphethe ngokuthi abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezinhlanu abaneminyaka emihlanu nangaphezulu bakhuluma olunye lwalezi zilimi zabomdabu. Umagazini i-National Geographic uthi: “Ngenxa yobuthakathaka nobumpofu bokuphila enkathini yokwenziwa kwamakoloni, yobushiqela neyezinguquko, abasindile baye balondoloza izilimi, amasiko nombono ongantengi wokufuna ukuzinqumela.”
Noma kunjalo, iningi lezizukulwane zama-Aztec ayeziqhayisa ziphila ngobumpofu, ngokuvamile zizama ukuthola okokuziphilisa emasimini amancane. Eziningi zihlala ezindaweni eziqhelile lapho kungekho mfundo khona. Ngakho abantu abaningi bomdabu baseMexico baye bakuthola kunzima ukuthuthuka ngokwezomnotho. Usizi ababhekana nalo luvamile kubantu bomdabu kulo lonke elaseMexico naseMelika Ephakathi. Bakhona abaye babakhulumela. URigoberta Menchú, umzuzi woMklomelo kaNobel waseGuatemala, wenza lesi sicelo esishukumisayo: “Kumelwe sisuse le mingcele ekhona—phakathi kwamaqembu omdabu, amaNdiya nabantu abayinzalo exubile, amaqembu ezilimi, amadoda nabesifazane, abanolwazi nabangenalo.”
Ngokudabukisayo, usizi lwama-Aztec—esikhathini esidlule nanamuhla—lumane nje luyisibonelo esidabukisayo sokuthi ‘umuntu ubusa omunye kube-ngukulimala kwakhe.’ (UmShumayeli 8:9) Kuyodingeka okungaphezu kwamazwi ashukumisayo nobugagu babezombangazwe ukushintsha isimo sabantu abampofu nabasweleyo emhlabeni. Yingakho abantu abaningi abakhuluma isiNahuatl beye balamukela ngentshiseko ithemba leBhayibheli likahulumeni noma “umbuso” wezwe ozayo.—Daniyeli 2:44; bheka ibhokisi elikuleli khasi.
Abanye abawuthandisisi umqondo wokufundisa abantu bomdabu iBhayibheli. Bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi inkolo yabantu abakhuluma isiNahuatl—eyinhlanganisela yobuKatolika nobuqaba bama-Aztec asendulo—iyingxenye yempucuko yawo okumelwe ilondolozwe. Kodwa labo abaye bamukela isigijimi seBhayibheli baye bathola inkululeko yeqiniso ezinkolelweni eziyize nasemangeni angokwenkolo. (Johane 8:32) Ezinkulungwaneni zezizukulwane zama-Aztec, iBhayibheli linikeza okuwukuphela kwethemba leqiniso lokusinda.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Igama elithi “Mesoamerica” libhekisela endaweni “eseningizimu nasempumalanga ukusuka enkabeni yeMexico ehlanganisa iGuatemala, iBelize, iHonduras neNicaragua.” (The American Heritage Dictionary) Inkulumo ethi impucuko yaseMesoamerica ibhekisela “enhlanganiseleni yempucuko yabomdabu eyasungulwa ezingxenyeni ezithile zeMexico naseMelika Ephakathi ngaphambi kokufika nokunqoba kwabaseSpain ngekhulu le-16.”—Encyclopædia Britannica.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 20]
“NGIYAKUJABULELA UKUHLANGANYELA IQINISO NAMANAHUATL”
NGAZALELWA eMexico edolobhaneni okuthiwa iSanta María Tecuanulco, elingamakhilomitha angu-60 ukusuka eMexico City. Liyindawo enhle, eluhlaza esemagqumeni, lapho abantu beziphilisa khona ngokutshala izimbali. Lapho izimbali sezilungele ukukhiwa, kuyajabulisa ukubona imibala eminingi yonke indawo. Wonke umuntu eSanta María wayekhuluma isiNahuatl, ulimi lwaseMexico lwasendulo. Ngikhumbula ukuthi umuzi ngamunye wawunegama lesiNahuatl owawubizwa ngalo. Igama lomuzi wakithi lalithi Achichacpa, okusho ukuthi “Lapho Kugeleza Khona Amanzi.” Lapho nginikeza abantu ikheli lami, ngangibatshela amagama emizi engakhelene nayo. Ngisho nanamuhla, imizi eminingi isenamagama. Ngafunda iSpanishi ngo-1969, lapho ngineminyaka engu-17 ubudala. Ngicabanga ukuthi isiNahuatl siwulimi oluhle. Ngeshwa, kule ndawo sikhulunywa abantu abadala kuphela; intsha yanamuhla ayisazi nhlobo.
Ngangiwukuphela komuntu owayefunda noFakazi BakaJehova kuleli dolobhana. Kungazelelwe, bonke abantu bafuna ukuba mina nabantwana siphume siphele. Ngangicindezelwa ukuba nginikele imali njalo eSontweni LamaKatolika, kodwa ngenqaba. Izihlobo zami zazingangikhulumisi. Naphezu kokuphikisa okukhulu edolobhaneni lakithi, ngabhapathizwa ngo-December 1988. Ngibonga uJehova ngokuthi amadodakazi ami amathathu angabashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele nokuthi indodana yami ingumKristu obhapathiziwe. Ngiyakujabulela ukuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabanye eSanta María. Ngishumayeza abantu abadala ngesiNahuatl. Ngizimisele ukuqhubeka ngikhonza uNkulunkulu wethu onothando, uJehova, onesihawu kubantu bazo zonke izinhlanga.—Inikelwe.
[Igrafu ekhasini 17]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
UKUBALWA KWEZIKHATHI ZEMINYE IMIPHAKATHI EVELELE NEZENZAKALO EMELIKA NASEMHLABENI WONKE
KUSUKELA NGO-1200 B.C.E. KUYA KU-1550 C.E.
INKANTOLO YAMACALA EZIHLUBUKI YASESPAIN
1500 C.E.
INKATHI YENGUQUKO EYUROPHU
AMA-AZTEC
IZIMPI EZINGCWELE “ZAMAKRISTU”
AMA-TOLTEC
1000 C.E.
IBYZANTIUM
500 C.E.
AMA-TEOTI-HUACÁN
UBUKRISTU BOKUQALA
AMAROMA
AMAZAPOTEC
AMA-GREKI
ABASE-GIBITHE
500 B.C.E.
AMA-MAYA
AMAOLMEC AMA-ASIRIYA
1000 B.C.E.
[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 18]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
INDAWO AMA-AZTEC AYETHOLAKALA KUYO
MEXICO
Tenochtitlán
GUATEMALA
[Isithombe]
Idolobha elikhulu okwakuthiwa iTenochtitlán ligqitshwe yiMexico City yanamuhla
[Umthombo]
Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Ikhalenda lama-Aztec
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Ama-Aztec ayekhulekela eMbhoshongweni Welanga waseTeotihuacán
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]
Mural on pages 15-16: “Mexico Through the Centuries,” original work by Diego Rivera. National Palace, Mexico City, Mexico
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 17]
Eagle and art on page 18: “Mexico Through the Centuries,” original work by Diego Rivera. National Palace, Mexico City, Mexico