AmaNdiya AseBrazil—Asongelwa Ngokuqothulwa?

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EBRAZIL

IXINGU National Park isesifundeni saseBrazil iMato Grosso. Ihlanganisa indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-27 000—indawo ecishe ilingane nezwe laseBelgium. Njengoba liyikhaya lamaNdiya angaba ngu-3 600 avela ezinhlangeni ezingu-14, leli paki liyisiqhingi esivundile phakathi kwalokho okubonakala ezithombeni ze-satellite kufana “netafula lokudlala i-snooker.” Amahlathi azungezile ashisiwe ukuze abagawuli bemithi bathole izingodo ezingenisa imali noma kwenziwa amadlelo emihlambi emikhulu yezinkomo.

Ngawo-1960, uhulumeni waseBrazil wasungula izindawo ezikhethekile zokuhlalisa amaNdiya. Njengoba lezi zindawo zitholakala ngokuyinhloko esifundeni sase-Amazon, okwamanje zithatha amaphesenti angaba ngu-12 ezwe laseBrazil. Ukusungulwa kwalezi zindawo kuye kwaletha ushintsho olumangalisayo: Umphakathi wamaNdiya eBrazil uyakhula—ngokokuqala ngqa kule minyaka engu-500 edlule! Kucatshangelwa ukuthi ubalelwa ezinkulungwaneni ezingamakhulu amathathu. Kodwa, lokhu kumane nje kuyingxenye encane yomphakathi wamaNdiya owawukhona ngo-1500, okulinganiselwa ukuthi wawuphakathi kwezigidi ezimbili neziyisithupha.

Kule minyaka engu-500 edlule, njengoba kwasho omunye umlobi, “kuye kwenzeka inhlekelele enkulu emananini alo mphakathi.” Yini eyabangela ukuncipha okukhulu kangaka komphakathi wamaNdiya? Ingabe ukwanda kwamaNdiya aseBrazil eminyakeni yamuva kusho ukuthi asevikelekile ekuqothulweni?

Indlela Ukwakhiwa Kwamakoloni Okwaqala Ngayo

Phakathi neminyaka yokuqala engu-30 ngemva kokuba iPortugal inqobe iBrazil ngo-1500, into eyayibaluleke kakhulu kulaba banqobi kwakuyi-brazilwood—ukhuni oluqinile olukhiqiza udayi obomvu. Izwe laseBrazil lethiwa ngalesi sihlahla. Lolu khuni lwalwaziswa kakhulu eYurophu, futhi abantu bakhona behwebelana namaNdiya ngezinto ezingenamsebenzi ukuze baluthole.

Nokho, ngokushesha kwatholakala ukuthi umoba ukhula kahle ngenxa yesimo sezulu saseBrazil. Kodwa kwakunenkinga ethile. Ukutshala umoba kwakuwumsebenzi onzima kakhulu. Isidingo sezisebenzi eziyizigqila saqala ukwanda. Futhi izifiki akudingekanga ukuba zizifune kude! Kwakunezisebenzi eziningi zabomdabu ezazingatholakala.

Baqala Kanjani Ubugqila?

AmaNdiya ayejwayele ukulima lokho azokudla kuphela. Ngokuvamile amadoda ayengabazingeli nabadobi. Enza umsebenzi onzima wokugawula amahlathi. Abesifazane babetshala, bavune, futhi bepheka. Kubelungu abayizifundiswa, amaNdiya ayebonakala engayinakile ingcebo, nokuntula kwawo ukuhaha kwakuncomeka. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izifiki eziningi zazibheka amaNdiya njengamavila.

AmaNdiya anobungane akhuthazwa ukuba asondele eduze kwezindawo ezazihlala amaPutukezi ukuze abe yizisebenzi futhi avikele nalezi zifiki. AmaJesuit nezinye izinkolo ayebamba iqhaza elikhulu kulokhu. Ayengazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuzoba nemiphumela emibi kangakanani emaNdiyeni. Nakuba umthetho wawulivikela izwe nenkululeko yamaNdiya, kodwa empeleni, amaNdiya ayephoqwa ukuba asebenzele izifiki njengezigqila. Kwakuqabukela ukuba aholelwe noma avunyelwe ukulima ezweni lawo.

Imizamo kaHulumeni wamaPutukezi yokuqeda ubugqila ayizange iphumelele ngokugcwele. Izifiki zazivame ukuthola izindlela zokugwema imithetho evimbela ubugqila. Ngokuvamile, kwakubhekwa njengento eyamukelekayo ukugqilaza noma ukudayisa njengezigqila amaNdiya ayebhekwa njengezitha ayethunjwe “ezimpini zobulungisa.” AmaNdiya ayethunjwe ezinye izizwe nawo ayengase athengwe, noma “ahlengwe,” abese egcinwa njengezigqila.

Sekukonke, kwakuyimboni kashukela eyenza ukuba leli koloni liphumelele. Futhi ngaleso sikhathi le mboni yayixhomeke ezisebenzini eziyizigqila. Ngakho-ke, uHulumeni wamaPutukezi wawuvame ukuphoqeleka ukuba uzithethelele ngokugqilazwa kwamaNdiya ngenxa yenzuzo owawuyithola.

Umbango Wemibuso Yamakoloni—ElasePortugal Limelene NeFrance NeHolland

AmaNdiya ayeyizisulu ezinkulu zombango phakathi kwemibuso yamakoloni. AmaFulentshi namaDashi ayefuna ukuphuca amaPutukezi izwe laseBrazil. Ancintisana namaPutukezi ukuze azuze ukusekelwa amaNdiya. AmaNdiya awazange aqonde ukuthi inhloso yangempela yohulumeni bangaphandle yayiwukuba bawaphuce izwe lawo. Kunalokho, abheka lezi zingxabano njengethuba lokuziphindiselela ezitheni zawo—ezinye izizwe zamaNdiya—ngakho ahileleka ngokuzithandela ezingxabanweni zemibuso yangaphandle.

Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-November 10, 1555, uNicholas de Villegaignon, owayeyisikhulu sasembusweni wamaFulentshi, wafika eGuanabara Bay (eRio de Janeiro) wakha inqaba. Wazihlanganisa namaNdiya endawo esizwe samaTamoio. AmaPutukezi afika namaNdiya angamaTupinamba avela eBahia, futhi ekugcineni ngo-March 1560, ahlasela le nqaba okwakubonakala kungangeneki kuyo. AmaFulentshi abaleka kodwa aqhubeka ehwebelana namaTamoio futhi ewakhuthaza ukuba ahlasele amaPutukezi. Ngemva kwezimpi eziningana, amaTamoio agcina enqotshiwe. Kubikwa ukuthi kwenye impi nje eyodwa, kwabulawa angu-10 000 futhi kwathunjwa angu-20 000 enziwa izigqila.

Izifo Ezimbi ZaseYurophu

Abomdabu bokuqala abahlangana namaPutukezi babebonakala beyimiqemane. Abafika kuqala babekholelwa ukuthi amaNdiya amaningi ayesekhulile ayevile eminyakeni eyikhulu ubudala. Kodwa amaNdiya ayengagonyiwe ezifweni zaseYurophu nase-Afrika. Cishe lokhu yikona okwawabeka engcupheni yokuqothulwa kunanoma yini enye.

Umlando wamaPutukezi unemibiko emibi yezifo eziwumshayabhuqe ezaceka umphakathi wamaNdiya. Ngo-1561, ubhadane lwengxibongo lwaqothula iPortugal futhi lwasakazekela ngaphesheya kwe-Atlantic. Umphumela walo wawubhubhisa. UmJesuit uLeonardo do Vale wabhala incwadi ngo-May 12, 1563, eyayichaza imiphumela ehlasimulisayo yalolu bhadane eBrazil: “Lolu kwakuwuhlobo lwengxibongo olwalwenyanyeka futhi lunuka kabi kangangokuba akukho muntu owayengabekezelela iphunga elibi [lezisulu]. Ngenxa yalokho abaningi baze bafa benganakiwe, bedliwa yizibungu ezaziphuma ezilondeni zengxibongo, ezaziziningi emzimbeni futhi zinkulu kangangokuba zazisabisa futhi zishaqisa kunoma ubani ozibonayo.”

Ukushadana Kwezinhlanga Kushaqisa AmaJesuit

Ukushadana kwezinhlanga ezihlukahlukene nako kwaholela ekunyamalaleni kwezizwe eziningi. Incwadi ethi Red Gold—The Conquest of the Brazilian Indians ithi: “AmaPutukezi kanye nabantu bomdabu baseBrazil babengamelene nokushadana kwezinhlanga.” AmaNdiya ayekubheka njengophawu lokwamukela izihambi ukunika abafokazi abesifazane, ngokuvamile okwakungamadodakazi awo. Lapho amaJesuit okuqala efika eBrazil ngo-1549, ashaqeka ngenxa yalokho akubona. UmJesuit uManoel da Nóbrega wakhononda: “[Abefundisi] batshela amadoda ukuthi akungqubuzani nomthetho ukukipita nabesifazane bomdabu.” Wanezela: “Izifiki zabenza izancinza bonke abesifazane abangamaNdiya [ababeyizigqila].” Inkosi yasePortugal yatshelwa ukuthi elinye iPutukezi ‘lalinezingane, abazukulu nezizukulwane eziningi kangangokuba [owayelandisa wathi] wayengeke alinge ayitshele neNkosi ukuthi bangaki.’

Maphakathi nekhulu le-17, amaNdiya asezindaweni ezingasogwini lweBrazil ezazinabantu abaningi ngaphambili ayesefile, eyizigqila, noma eseshatshalaliswe ukushadana nezinye izinhlanga. Kwenzeka okufanayo nangezizwe zasesifundeni sase-Amazon.

Ngemva kokufika kwamaPutukezi e-Amazon kwalandela “inkathi yokuzingelwa” cishe okunganqandeki kwezakhamuzi zaseningizimu ye-Amazon. Ngokwesekela lombhishobhi waseMaranhão, uManoel Teixeira, phakathi namashumi ambalwa nje eminyaka, amaPutukezi abulala cishe amaNdiya ayizigidi ezimbili eMaranhão nasePará! Kungenzeka leli nani laliyihaba, kodwa ukubhujiswa nokuhlushwa kwala maNdiya kwakuyinto engokoqobo. Kamuva intshonalanga ye-Amazon nayo yabhekana nokuceka okufanayo. Maphakathi nekhulu le-18, cishe ayesephele wonke amaNdiya omdabu esifundeni sase-Amazon, ngaphandle kwasezindaweni eziqhelile.

Ukuthuthukiswa kwezindawo eziningi eziqhelile zesifunda sase-Amazon ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19 nelama-20 kancane kancane kwenza ukuba abamhlophe bahlangane nezizwe zamaNdiya ezazisele. Ukuthola kukaCharles Goodyear inqubo yokwenza injoloba iqine ngo-1839 nokuklanywa kwamathayi enjoloba kamuva kwaholela ekuthuthelekeni kwabantu “befuna injoloba.” Abahwebi batheleka esifundeni sase-Amazon, okuwukuphela kwendawo lapho kwakutholakala khona injoloba engakenziwa lutho. Le nkathi iphawuleka ngokuphathwa ngonya kwabantu bomdabu, okwaholela ekuncipheni kwenani labo ngisho nakakhulu.

Ikhulu Lama-20 Liwaphathe Kanjani AmaNdiya?

Ngo-1970 uhulumeni waseBrazil wasungula uhlelo lokuhlanganisa izwe ngokwakha imigwaqo emikhulu efinyelela emajukujukwini ase-Amazon. Eminingi yayo yayinqamula ezindaweni zamaNdiya futhi ayigcinanga nje ngokuwachaya kubahloli bezwe kodwa nasekuhlaselweni yizifo ezibhubhisayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela lokho okwenzeka kubantu basePanarás. Lesi sizwe sabhuqwa yimpi nobugqila phakathi nekhulu le-18 nele-19. Abambalwa abasala babalekela ngasenyakatho-ntshonalanga, emajukujukwini ehlathi elisenyakatho yeMato Grosso. Kwabe sekwakhiwa umgwaqo omkhulu phakathi kweCuiabá neSantarém onqamula khona kanye endaweni yabo.

Ukuhlangana nabelungu kwaba inhlekelele kwabaningi. Ngo-1975, kwase kusele amalungu angu-80 kuphela alesi sizwe esake saba sikhulu. AmaPanarás athuthelwa eXingu National Park. Azama ukuthola indawo enesimo esifana nesehlathi lakubo lomdabu kuleli paki, kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Khona-ke amaPanarás anquma ukubuyela ezweni lawo. Ngo-November 1, 1996, ungqongqoshe wezobulungisa waseBrazil wamemezela ukuthi indawo engamahektare angu-495 000 “iyindawo yabomdabu unomphela.” Kubonakala sengathi amaPanarás asesindile engozini yokuqothulwa.

Ingabe Ikusasa Lawo Liyoba Ngcono?

Ingabe izindawo zokuhlala ezikhethekile ziyozisindisa izinhlanga zamaNdiya ezisele ekuqothulweni? Okwamanje, kubonakala kuyinto esekude ukuqothulwa ngokoqobo kwamaNdiya aseBrazil. Kodwa ezindaweni zawo ngokuvamile kutholakala imithombo ecebile yezinto zemvelo. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi kunamaminerali abiza amaRandi angaba yizigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-7—kuhlanganise igolide, i-platinum, amadayimane, insimbi nomthofu—asendaweni eyaziwa ngokuthi iLegal Amazonia, ehlanganisa izifundazwe ezingu-9 enyakatho nasenkabeni yentshonalanga yeBrazil. Amaphesenti angaba ngu-98 endawo yamaNdiya akulesi sifundazwe. Ukumbiwa ngokungemthetho kwezinye zalezi zindawo zamaNdiya sekuyaqhubeka kakade.

Umlando ubonisa ukuthi amaNdiya aye aphanjwa njalo lapho ehwebelana nabamhlophe. Enana igolide ngezibuko nezingodo ze-brazilwood ngezinto ezingelutho, futhi kwadingeka ukuba abalekele ezindaweni ezikude emahlathini ukuze angabi yizigqila. Ingabe lokhu kuyophinde kwenzeke?

AmaNdiya amaningi asefunde ukusebenzisa amathuluzi obuchwepheshe bamanje—izindiza, izikebhe ezinezinjini nomakhalekhukhwini. Kodwa kuyocaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukuthi ayokwazi yini ukubhekana nezinye izinselele zekhulu lama-21.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 15]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

■ Xingu National Park

□ Izindawo zamaNdiya

BRAZIL

BRASÍLIA

Rio de Janeiro

FRENCH GUIANA

SURINAME

GUYANA

VENEZUELA

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

PERU

BOLIVIA

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Abahwebi básebenzisa amaNdiya njengezigqila emahlathini enjoloba

[Umthombo]

© Jacques Jangoux/Peter Arnold, Inc.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 12]

Line drawing and design: From the book Brazil and the Brazilians, 1857