Ukufunda Okukhulu Esiqhingini Esincane

IRAPA NUI, engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-170, eyaba khona ngenxa yentaba-mlilo futhi engenaso ngisho nesisodwa isihlahla, iyisiqhingi esisemajukujukwini kunazo zonke emhlabeni.a Manje lesi siqhingi sesiyisikhumbuzo esingokomlando, ngokwengxenye ngenxa yezithombe eziqoshwe ngamatshe ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-moai. Lezi zithombe ziwumsebenzi womphakathi owawuqhakazile.

Ama-moai athile abazwe ngetshe lentaba-mlilo, amanye agqitshwe ajula kangangokuba kubonakala amakhanda awo amakhulu kuphela. Kokunye, imizimba ivela ngaphezu kwenhlabathi, kanti amanye ama-moai anomnqwazo owenziwe ngetshe obizwa ngokuthi i-pukao. Amaningi asezinkwalini futhi awaqediwe noma ayinhlakanhlaka emigwaqweni yamandulo, njengokungathi izisebenzi zavele zalahla phansi amathuluzi zawushiya phansi umsebenzi. Lawo asele ayizithombe ezime ngazodwa kuya kweziyimigqa enezingu-15, ngasinye sifulathele ulwandle. Ngokuqondakalayo, sekuyisikhathi eside ama-moai eshiya izivakashi zikhexile.

Eminyakeni yamuva ososayensi abaqondanga imfihlakalo yama-moai kuphela kodwa nendida yokuthi yini eyabangela ukuba umphakathi owawuchuma owawakha lama-moai uwohloke. Ngokuphawulekayo, amaqiniso embulekayo aqukethe okungaphezu nje komlando. I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi “aqukethe isifundo esibalulekile ezweni lanamuhla.”

Leso sifundo simayelana nokuphathwa komhlaba, ikakhulukazi ingcebo yawo engokwemvelo. Yiqiniso, umhlaba uyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu futhi unezinto eziphilayo ezihlukahlukene eziningi kunesiqhingi esincane, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi kufanele singasinaki isifundo esisithola eRapa Nui. Khona-ke, ake sithi ukubukeza ezinye zezinto ezivelele zomlando waseRapa Nui. Ukulandisa kwethu kuqala cishe ngo-400 C.E. lapho kufika imikhaya yokuqala eyayihamba ngezikebhe kule ndawo. Okuwukuphela kwamehlo akubona lokhu kwakungamakhulukhulu ezinyoni zasolwandle ezazintweza phezulu emkhathini.

Isiqhingi Esiyipharadesi

Lesi siqhingi sasingenazo izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo eziningi, kodwa sasinendathane yamahlathi esundu, i-hauhau nezihlahla ze-toromiro, uma singazibali izihlahla ezincane, izithombo, unhlinzamfuku notshani. Kwakunezinhlobo okungenani eziyisithupha zezinyoni ezazihlala kule ndawo engayodwa, ezihlanganisa izikhova, oklebe, ama-rail nopholi. Futhi umagazini i-Discover uthi iRapa Nui “yayiyinkundla yokuzalela yezinyoni zasolwandle ecebe kakhulu ePolynesia futhi mhlawumbe nakulo lonke elasePacific.”

Kungenzeka ukuthi abakhi bamakoloni bafika nezinkukhu namagundane adliwayo, ayebhekwa njengesibiliboco, kulesi siqhingi. Futhi bafika nezitshalo zasemasimini: i-taro, i-yam, ubhatata, ubhanana nomoba. Inhlabathi yayiyinhle, ngakho ngokushesha baqala ukuvula indawo futhi batshala—okuyinqubo eyaqhubeka njengoba nenani labantu lalanda. Kodwa iRapa Nui yayinendawo elinganiselwe, futhi nakuba yayinamahlathi ayisinindolo, yayinezihlahla ezimbalwa.

Umlando WaseRapa Nui

Esikwaziyo ngeRapa Nui kusekelwe ngokuyinhloko emikhakheni emithathu yokucwaninga: ukucwaninga impova, ukuvubukula ne-paleontology. Ukucwaninga impova kuhlanganisa ukuthatha amasampula empova ezike emadanyini nasemaxhaphozini. La masampula embula ukuthi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule kwakunezinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo ezazitholakala ngobuningi bazo. Uma isampula litholakala ngaphansi enhlabathini eyinzika, limelela inkathi yasekuqaleni.

Ukuvubukula ne-paleontology kugxila ezintweni ezinjengezindawo zokuhlala, izitsha, ama-moai nezinsalela zezilwane ezazidliwa. Njengoba umlando wamaRapa Nui ubhalwe ngombhalo we-hieroglyphic futhi kunzima ukuwuqonda, izinsuku zangaphambi kokufika kwabaMhlophe ziwukucabangela, futhi ukuqagela okuningi akunabufakazi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izenzakalo ezithile, njengoba zichazwe ngezansi, kungenzeka zazihlanganisa inkathi efanayo kodwa zishiyana. Zonke izinsuku, ezibhalwe ngokugqamile, zingezeNkathi Evamile.

Ngo-400 Kufika abafuduki basePolynesia abaphakathi kuka-20 no-50, mhlawumbe begibele izikebhe ezingamamitha angu-15 ubude noma ngaphezulu ezibhangqiwe, ngasinye esikwazi ukuthwala amakhilogremu angaphezu kuka-8 000.

Ngo-800 Impova yezihlahla iyancipha enzikeni, okubonisa ukuthi ukugawulwa kwamahlathi kuyaqhubeka. Impova yotshani iyanda njengoba utshani busabalala kwezinye izindawo ezivulekile.

Ngo-900-1300 Kule nkathi cishe ingxenye yesithathu yamathambo ezilwane ezazibanjwa ukuze zidliwe ingamathambo amahlengethwa. Ukuze zithwale amahlengethwa olwandle, izakhamuzi zakulesi siqhingini zisebenzisa izikebhe ezinkulu ezakhiwe ngeziqu zamasundu amakhulu. Futhi ngezihlahla kwakhiwa amathuluzi okuthutha nokumisa ama-moai, manje aseqaliwe ukwakhiwa. Ukwanda kwezolimo nesidingo sezinkuni zokubasa kuyaqhubeka kuwohloza amahlathi.

Ngo-1200-1500 Ukuqoshwa kwezithombe sekuseqophelweni eliphezulu. AmaRapa Nui asebenzisa ingcebo enkulu ekwakheni ama-moai nezindawo zokuwamisa ezingokwesiko. Umvubukuli uJo Anne Van Tilburg uyabhala: “Isimo senhlalo samaRapa Nui sasikhuthaza ukukhiqizwa kwezithombe ezengeziwe futhi ezinkulu.” Unezela ukuthi “cishe kwakhiwa izithombe ezingu-1 000 phakathi neminyaka engu-800 kuya kwengu-1 300 . . . , esisodwa kubantu abangu-7 kuya kwabangu-9 phakathi nesikhathi lapho inani labantu laliphakeme.”

Ngokusobala ama-moai ayengakhulekelwa, nakuba ayefeza indima ebalulekile emikhosini yemingcwabo nezolimo. Kungenzeka ayebhekwa njengendawo yemimoya. Futhi kubonakala sengathi ayemelela amandla, isikhundla nohlu lozalo lwabakhi bawo.

Ngo-1400-1600 Inani labantu lifinyelela phakathi kwabangu-7 000 nabangu-9 000. Imithonseyana yokugcina yehlathi iyanyamalala, ngokwengxenye ngenxa yokuqothulwa kwezinyoni zendawo, ezazikade zithutha impova ezihlahleni futhi zisakaza imbewu. I-Discover ithi: “Ngaphandle kokukhetha, zonke izinhlobo zezinyoni zendawo ngothi lwazo zaqothulwa.” Namagundane anezela ekuqothulweni kwamahlathi; ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ayedla amantongomane esihlahla sesundu.

Ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kuyadlondlobala, imihosha iyoma, futhi amanzi ayasweleka. Akusenamathambo amahlengethwa atholakalayo ngo-1500, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokungabi bikho kwezihlahla ezinkulu ngokwanele zokwakha izikebhe ezihamba olwandle. Manje amathuba okusishiya lesi siqhingi ayanyamalala. Izinyoni zasolwandle ziyaqothulwa njengoba abantu beswele ukudla. Kudliwa izinkukhu ezengeziwe.

Ngo-1600-1722 Ukungabi bikho kwezihlahla, ukulima ngokweqile nokuguguleka kwenhlabathi kunezela ekufeni kwezilimo. Indlala enkulu iyadlanga. AmaRapa Nui aqembuka abe ngamaqembu amabili aphikisanayo. Kubonakala izimpawu zokuqala zesiyaluyalu emphakathini, ngokunokwenzeka ngisho nobuzimu. Lezi yizinsuku ezivelele zamaqhawe. Abantu baqala ukuhlala emigedeni ukuze bavikeleke. Cishe ngonyaka ka-1700, inani labantu liyancipha lifike cishe ku-2 000.

Ngo-1722 Umhloli wamazwe ongumDashi uJacob Roggeveen uba ngumLungu wokuqala ukuba athole lesi siqhingi. Lokhu kwenzeka ngama-Easter, ngakho usiqamba ngokuthi i-Easter Island. Ubhala lokho akubona mhla eqala ukufika khona: “Indlela [i-Easter Island] eyincithakalo ngayo ikwenza ubone ukuthi impofu kakhulu futhi iwugwadule.”

Ngo-1770 Cishe ngalesi sikhathi izizwana ezisele ezibangayo zamaRapa Nui ziqala ukubhidlizelana izithombe. Lapho umhloli wamazwe waseBrithani uKaputen’ uCook evakasha ngo-1774, ubona izithombe eziningi eziwiswe phansi.

Ngo-1804-63 Ukuxhumana nezinye izizwe kuyanda. Ubugqila, manje osebuvamile ePacific, nezifo kuyadlondlobala. Isiko lamaRapa Nui endabuko liyaphela.

Ngo-1864 Manje wonke ama-moai asediliziwe, amaningi anqunywa amakhanda ngamabomu.

Ngo-1872 Kusala abantu bendabuko abangu-111 kuphela kulesi siqhingi.

Ngo-1888 iRapa Nui yaba isifunda saseChile. Eminyakeni yamuva iRapa Nui iye yaba nabantu abaxubile abacishe babe ngu-2 100. IChile isimemezele ukuthi sonke lesi siqhingi sesiyisikhumbuzo esingokomlando. Ukuze kulondolozwe indlela yokuphila nomlando oyingqayizivele wamaRapa Nui, kuye kwavuswa izithombe eziningi.

Isifundo Esisithola Namuhla

Yini eyenza ukuba abantu baseRapa Nui bangaboni ukuthi babephokophelelephi futhi bazame ukugwema inhlekelele? Phawula ukukhulumela kwabacwaningi abahlukahlukene ngokuphathelene nalesi simo.

“Ihlathi . . . alizange linyamalale ngosuku olulodwa—lalincipha kancane kancane, emashumini eminyaka amaningi. . . . Noma ubani owayehlala kulesi siqhingi owayezama ukuxwayisa ngezingozi zokugawulwa kwamahlathi wayeyoshaywa indiva ngenxa yezithakazelo ezigxilile zababazi, izikhulu zikahulumeni nezinduna.”—Discover.

“Inani abalikhokha ngenxa yendlela abayikhetha yokuveza imibono yabo engokomoya neyombangazwe, ngezindlela eziningi yayimane iyisithunzi salokho lesi siqhingi esasiyikho ekuqaleni.”—Easter Island—Archaeology, Ecology, and Culture.

“Okwenzeka eRapa Nui kwabonisa ukuthi ukuchuma okungalawuliwe nokuthambekela kokuxhaphaza indawo ezungezile ngokweqile kwakungezona nje izici zezwe elithuthukile; kwakuyindlela yabantu yokwenza izinto.”—National Geographic.

Yini ebingenzeka namuhla uma lungabi bikho ushintsho kulokho okuthiwa indlela yomuntu yokwenza izinto? Kuthiwani uma isintu besingaphikelela endleleni yokuphila ebulala imvelo emhlabeni wethu—oyisiqhingi sethu esisemkhathini? Omunye umlobi uthi sisesimweni esingcono kakhulu kunamaRapa Nui. Sinezibonelo eziyisixwayiso “zemilando yeminye imiphakathi eyashabalala.”

Noma kunjalo, kungase kubuzwe, Ingabe isintu siyayiphawula le milando? Ukugawulwa kwamahlathi ngezinga elikhulu nokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo okuqhubeka ngezinga elethusayo emhlabeni kusikisela ukuthi asinaki. Encwadini ethi Zoo Book, uLinda Koebner uyabhala: “Ukuqothulwa kohlobo lokuphila olulodwa noma ezimbili noma ezingu-50 kuyoba nemiphumela esingeke sikwazi ukuyibikezela kusengaphambili. Ukuqothulwa kwemvelo kubangela ushintsho ngisho nangaphambi kokuba siyiqonde imiphumela.”

Uma umuntu ocekela phansi ekhipha isipikili esisodwa ngesikhathi endizeni usuke engazi ukuthi yisiphi isipikili esiyobangela ukuphahlazeka kwendiza; kodwa lapho leso sipikili esibalulekile sesingasekho, siyazi ukuthi kuyokwenzekani kuleyo ndiza, nakuba ingase ingaphahlazeki ohambweni olulandelayo. Ngokufanayo, abantu basusa “izipikili” zomhlaba eziphilayo ngezinga lezinhlobo ezingu-20 000 ngonyaka, futhi alukho nophawu lokuyekethisa! Ubani owaziyo ukuthi kunini lapho singeke sisakwazi khona ukulungisa umonakalo? Futhi ingabe ukuba nolwazi kusengaphambili kungawenza umehluko?

Incwadi ethi Easter Island—Earth Island yasho la mazwi aphawulekayo: “Umuntu owagawula isihlahla sokugcina [eRapa Nui] wayebona ukuthi isihlahla sokugcina ngcí. Kodwa waqhubeka wasigawula.”

“Kumelwe Sishintshe Inkolelo Yethu”

“Uma kukhona ithemba,” kunezela i-Easter Island—Earth Island, “ngokuqinisekile kumelwe sishintshe inkolelo yethu. Onkulunkulu bethu bamanje bokukhula kwezomnotho, isayensi nobuchwepheshe, ukunyuka kwezinga lokuphila okuqhubekayo nobuhle bokuncintisana—onkulunkulu esibabheka njengabanamandla onke—banjengezithombe ezinkulu eziqoshiwe e-Easter Island. Umuzi ngamunye wawuncintisana nomakhelwane ngokumisa isithombe esikhulu kunazo zonke. . . . Kwasaphazwa ingcebo eningi . . . , ngokuziqopha, ukuzithutha nokuzimisa okungasizi lutho.”

Umuntu ohlakaniphile wake wathi: “Indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (Jeremiya 10:23) UMdali wethu uwukuphela komuntu ongasibonisa indlela ‘yokuqondisa izinyathelo zethu.’ Futhi uwukuphela komuntu ongasikhipha esimweni sethu esidabukisayo. Uthembisa ukwenza lokhu eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli—incwadi enezibonelo eziningi ezinhle nezimbi zemiphakathi yesikhathi esidlule. Ngempela, le ncwadi ingaba ‘ukukhanya endleleni yethu’ kulezi zikhathi zobumnyama.—IHubo 119:105.

Ekugcineni, leyo ndlela iyoholela abantu abathobekile epharadesi elinokuthula nenala—umhlaba omusha oyohlanganisa naleyo ndawo encane eseNingizimu Pacific ebizwa ngokuthi iRapa Nui.—2 Petru 3:13.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-Easter Island

[Umthombo]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

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“Cishe kwakhiwa izithombe ezingu-1 000”

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Umhlaba wonke, kuhlanganise neziqhingi ezisemajukujukwini, uyoba yipharadesi