AmaMaya—Umlando Wawo Nesikhathi Samanje
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EMEXICO
KUTHIWA zazingomunye wemiphakathi ephucuke kakhulu eNtshonalanga Nenkabazwe. Kuyaqondakala ngoba lezi zakhamuzi zasendulo zaseBelize, e-El Salvador, eGuatemala, eHonduras naseMexico zazingabakhiqizi abaphambili bemiklamo yezindlu, imidwebo, izitsha zobumba namatshe aqoshiwe! Zasungula indlela ethuthukisiwe yokubhala futhi zaba negalelo elikhulu ekuthuthukiseni umkhakha wezibalo. Zenza ngisho nekhalenda elisekelwe endleleni umhlaba ozungeza ngayo ilanga ngonyaka. Babengobani laba bantu? AmaMaya—abakhi bomunye wemiphakathi ecebile nehlakaniphe kakhulu yamaMelika okuqala.
Okuningi kwalokho esikwaziyo ngamaMaya kufundwa emibhalweni eqoshwe ematsheni. Esebenzisa isimiso sokubhala esinezinhlamvu ezingaphezu kuka-800, eziningi zazo okwakungeze-hieroglyphic, amaMaya abhala umlando wawo nemikhuba yawo ezitebhisini, emishayweni, ematsheni noma ezinsikeni. Abhala nasephepheni elenziwe ngengxenye engaphakathi yamagxolo ezihlahla zomkhiwane wasendle. Ngokugoqa la maphepha, ayenza izincwadi (ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-codex), ayebe esezimboza ngesikhumba sengwe. Eminingi yale miqulu yacekelwa phansi lapho abaseSpain benqoba amaMaya cishe ngo-1540 C.E., kodwa isekhona embalwa.
Abalimi bokuqala abangamaMaya bahlala emathafeni asenyakatho yeGuatemala cishe eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngaphambi kukaKristu. Kodwa impucuko yamaMaya yavelela kakhulu phakathi kuka-250 C.E. no-900 C.E.—ngokuvamile ebizwa ngokuthi iNkathi Yokuchuma. Ake sicabangele kafushane lokho okuye kwafundwa ngamaMaya asendulo.
Ochwepheshe Abangabaklami Bezindlu Nabakhi
AmaMaya ayechwepheshile ekuqopheni amatshe futhi enza imibhoshongo ecijile emikhulu namathempeli ngokhonkolo namatshe. Le mibhoshongo ecijile ifana nsé nemibhoshongo ecijile yaseGibithe, futhi endulo lokhu kwaholela abanye ekubeni baphethe—ngokuyiphutha—ngokuthi amaMaya ayengabazukulu bamaGibithe.
Kuye kwatholakala amanxiwa amadolobha amaMaya akhiwe ngamatshe eGuatemala naseHonduras naseYucatán, eningizimu yeMexico. Phakathi nenkathi yawo yokuvelela, umbuso wamaMaya wawunamadolobha anjalo angaphezu kwangu-40, ngalinye linezakhamuzi ezingu-5 000 kuya kwezingu-50 000. Ngokwe-New Encyclopædia Britannica, “ingqikithi yenani lamaMaya kungenzeka yayifinyelela ku-2 000 000, amaningi awo ayehlala emathafeni endawo manje osekuyiGuatemala.”
La madolobha akhiwe ngamatshe amahle ayengeke abe khona ngaphandle kwemizamo yokuzikhandla yabalimi bommbila abangamaMaya. Ngaphandle kokutshala ukudla kwemikhaya yawo, kwakulindeleke ukuba la madoda asebenza kanzima ahlanganyele emsebenzini wokwakha. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakudingeka atshale ukudla kwezikhulu nabapristi, okwakuthiwa banomsebenzi obalulekile okumelwe bawenze.
Ukuphila Komkhaya WamaMaya
Imikhaya yamaMaya yayisondelene. Empeleni, ogogo nomkhulu, abazali nezingane babevame ukuhlala ndawonye. Umsebenzi omningi wokulima wawenziwa ngamadoda nabafana abadala. Amantombazane ayefunda ukupheka, ukuthunga nokunakekela izingane zakwabo ezincane.
Abalimi abangamaMaya babetshala ukwatapheya, upelepele nobhatata. Kodwa ukudla okuyinhloko kwamaMaya kwakuwummbila. Omama namantombazane babewupheka ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Kwakunamaqebelengwane ayisicaba, noma lokho namuhla esikwazi ngokuthi i-tortilla. Ngisho notshwala obubizwa ngokuthi i-balche babenziwa ngommbila ngokuyinhloko. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi namuhla cishe ukudla kwamaMaya okungamaphesenti angu-75 kunommbila ngandlela-thile, futhi kungenzeka wawuba mningi nakakhulu ezikhathini zasendulo.
Onkulunkulu Nonkulunkulukazi Abaningi
Inkolo yayifeza indima ebalulekile ekuphileni kwamaMaya. Ayekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, abangu-160 babo kukhulunywa ngabo encwadini eyodwa. Ukubala nje abambalwa, kwakukhona unkulunkulu ongumdali, unkulunkulu wommbila, unkulunkulu wemvula nonkulunkulu welanga. Abesifazane babehamba baye ethempelini likankulunkulukazi u-Ixchel esiqhingini saseCozumel beyokhulekela inzalo noma, uma base bekhulelwe kakade, beyonxusela ukuba babelethe kahle.
AmaMaya ayebheka usuku ngalunye njengolubalulekile ngokwenkolo, futhi inyanga ngayinye ekhalendeni lamaMaya yayinomkhosi wayo. Kwakuba khona nemikhosi ekhethekile yokungcwatshwa kwabafile. Ngemva kokupendwa zibe bomvu, izidumbu kanye nezinye izinto zabafi zazisongwa ngamacansi. Babengcwatshwa ngaphansi kwendlu ababehlala kuyo. Kwakuthé ukuhluka ngamakhosi, ngoba ayengcwatshwa emibhoshongweni ecijile, ngaphansi kwamathempeli. Kwakubulawa izinceku zawo bese zingcwatshwa nawo, kanye nezinto ezihlukahlukene amaMaya ayekholelwa ukuthi zizoba usizo ekuphileni okulandelayo.
Njengengxenye yesiko lawo lenkolo, ngezinye izikhathi amaMaya ayebhoboza izindlebe noma izingxenye ezisezansi zomzimba. Ayeze abhoboze ngisho nolimi. Imifanekiso eqoshwe ematsheni nasemihlobisweni yasezindongeni nasezitsheni zobumba ibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umhlatshelo nawo wawuyingxenye yokukhulekela kwamaMaya. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Precolumbian Child, uDkt. Max Shein uyabhala: “Ayewenza njalo ngezilwane ezihlukahlukene, kodwa umnikelo omkhulu kwakungowomuntu. Izisulu zala masiko kwakungamasosha ayizitha nezigqila, kodwa ngisho nezingane zabakhululekile zabo bobubili ubulili.” Ezinye izazi-mlando zithi amantombazane amancane ayenikelwa njengomakoti kunkulunkulu wemvula ngokuphonswa ephila echibini elingcwele eChichén Itzá. Uma intombazane ingafi kuze kushone ilanga, kwakubhekwa njengokusho ukuthi unkulunkulu wemvula waneliswa umakoti owayenikelwe ngaphambili. Intombazane yayibe isikhishwa emanzini.
AmaMaya Namuhla
I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi ngemva kuka-900 C.E., “umphakathi ophucukile wamaMaya wancipha ngokushesha, ushiya amadolobha amahle nezikhungo zemikhosi zingenamuntu futhi zimila isikhotha.” Akekho owaziyo ngempela ukuthi amaMaya aqedwa yini. Abanye bathi amapulazi ayengasakhiqizi. Abanye basikisela ukuthi ukuswelakala kokudla kwenza abalimi basebenzisa izindlela zokulima eziyingozi, kanti abanye babalekela emadolobheni ayeseminyene kakade futhi ekhungethwe yindlala. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yaba yini imbangela, amaMaya awazange aphele nyá. Abalelwa ezigidini ezimbili asaphila namuhla, ngokuyinhloko engxenyeni esenyakatho yeYucatán naseGuatemala.
Inkolo eyinhloko kumaMaya anamuhla ubuKatolika ngegama nje, futhi isonto liye lenza umzamo omkhulu ukuze lithandwe abantu bomdabu. Ngokwesibonelo, umbiko we-Associated Press uthi “ngo-1992—ngomgubho wamakhulu amahlanu wokunqoba kwabaseSpain iGuatemala—iSonto LamaKatolika laseGuatemala laxolisa obala ngokuxhashazwa kwamaNdiya aseMelika phakathi nokushumayela kwalo ivangeli eGuatemala.”
Kodwa ukwamukela ubuKatolika akusho ukuthi amaMaya ayilahlile inkolo yokhokho bawo. Ngokuphambene, abapristi abaningi abangamaKatolika bamukela ukuxutshwa kwemikhuba nezimfundiso zesonto namasiko abomdabu. Ngokwesibonelo, sekuyisikhathi eside amaMaya ekholelwa kuyi-animism, inkolelo yokuthi izinto—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyaphila noma cha—zinamandla okuphila. Isonto liye layamukela le nkolelo, nakuba imbozwe ngobuKatolika, okuye kwabangela abanye abaholi besonto ukuba bazibuze ukuthi bungakanani ubuqaba isonto elingabubekezelela kodwa libe lizibiza ngokuthi lingelobuKristu.a
AmaMaya NoFakazi BakaJehova
OFakazi BakaJehova bafundisa amaqiniso ahlanzekile eBhayibheli emazweni agcwele amaMaya. Amaningi asabela kahle. Cabangela izibonelo nje ezimbili.
UCaridad uthi: “Ngangijabulela isikhundla nokuvelela okuthile eqenjini labomdabu engakhulela kulo, nakuba lokho kungazange kungivimbele ukuba ngiphile ukuphila kokusaphaza okugcwele ukuzitika ngotshwala.” Njengamanye amaMaya amaningi, uCaridad wayehlanganisa ubuKatolika nokusebenzisa imimoya. Uthi: “Lapho ngigula, ngangiya enyangeni.” Amadodakazi kaCaridad aqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. UCaridad uyavuma: “Kancane kancane ngaba nesithakazelo, ikakhulukazi lapho ngibona indlela ukuziphatha kwamadodakazi ami okwase kushintshe ngayo. Ngokushesha nami ngaqala ukufunda.” Waba yini umphumela? UCaridad uthi: “Iqiniso liye langisiza ukuba ngazi uJehova futhi ngimthande. Ngilahlé yonke imikhuba namasiko angamjabulisi uJehova, futhi ngikhululiwe ekwesabeni nasekukholelweni ezeni.”
UPaula, ongumMaya waseGuatemala, wayedabukile ngokushona kwamadodana akhe amabili. Uyalandisa: “Ngangihlale ngiwamisela ama-altare. NgangineBhayibheli engalinikezwa indelakazi engumKatolika, futhi ngangilifunda amahora amabili njalo ebusuku ukuze ngithole impendulo yombuzo wami, othi ‘Akuphi amadodana ami ashona?’” Ngokushesha uPaula waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ngokushesha waqala ukuya emihlanganweni yabo. Uthi: “Bangichazela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngendlela ecacile. Ngiyajabula ukwazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzoqeda ukugula nokufa. Ngihlale ngicabanga ngethemba lovuko.” (Johane 5:28, 29) Manje uPaula uhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nabanye. Uthi: “Baningi abasadinga usizo.”
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Kuyinto evamile ukubona amaMaya enza uphawu lwesiphambano ngendlela yamaKatolika ngemva kokuhamba amakhilomitha amaningi evakashela indawo yokukhulekela kaSan Simón, isithombe sokhuni esinomsuka ongacacile.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Ikhalenda LamaMaya
AmaMaya asungula isimiso esinembile sekhalenda laminyaka yonke elalihlanganisa ngisho nonyaka onosuku olulodwa olwenezelwe.
Unyaka wamaMaya wawunezinsuku ezingu-365. Kulezi, ezingu-364 zazihlukaniswa zibe amasonto angu-28, ngalinye linezinsuku ezingu-13. Unyaka omusha wawuqala ngosuku lwama-365, ngo-July 16. Kuthiwani ngezinyanga? Ikhalenda lamaMaya, eliboniswe ngenhla, lalinezinyanga ezingu-18, futhi ngayinye inezinsuku ezingu-20. Ngakho, amasonto nezinyanga kwakungancikile kokunye—ngaphandle komehluko owodwa. Njalo ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-260 (ukuphindaphindwa kuka-13 ngo-20), isonto nenyanga kwakuqala ngosuku olufanayo. Ngokwencwadi ethile, “ikhalenda lamaMaya, nakuba liyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, lalingelinembe kakhulu kwayaziwa abantu kwaze kwaba yilapho kusungulwa ikhalenda likaGregory.”—Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.
[Igrafu/Isithombe ekhasini 16]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Uhlu lwezikhathi lwamaMaya
Ama-Olmec
1000 B.C.E.
500 B.C.E.
Ama-Olmec
AmaZapotec
ITeotihuacan
B.C.E. | C.E.
500 C.E.
ITeotihuacan
AmaZapotec
AmaToltec
1000 C.E.
AmaToltec
Ama-Aztec
1500 C.E.
Ama-Aztec
[Umthombo]
Mayan art: Dover Publications, Inc.
[Ibalazwe ekhasini 16, 17]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
MEXICO
INHLONHLO YASEYUCATÁN
BELIZE
GUATEMALA
EL SALVADOR
HONDURAS
[Umthombo]
Map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Amanxiwa ombhoshongo wethempeli ongamamitha angu-23 ukuphakama edolobheni lasendulo lamaMaya iPalenque
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Ukwenza ama-“tortilla”
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
IChichén Itzá
Ithempeli likaKukulcán
Emnyango ongena eThempelini lamaQhawe, kunesithombe esibambe isitsha somhlatshelo, mhlawumbe esasisetshenziselwa ukwamukela izinhliziyo zabantu
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
UCaridad nomkakhe namadodakazi