Uhambo Lwami Lwasendle EAfrika Ngazibona Izilwane Zasendle—Ingabe Izingane Zami Ziyozibona?

“JAMBO!” Sethukile, sacikica amehlo ethu sivuka ebuthongweni nathi samemeza, “Jambo!” Kuwukumemeza kwethu kokuvuka, kwesiSwahili kokuthi “Yini entsha?” Ngemva kwezinyanga zokulungiselela nohambo lwamakhilomitha ayizinkulungwane ezimbalwa, sasisetendeni esiqiwini sezilwane zasendle saseKenya—ohambweni lwasendle eAfrika!

Empeleni lesisenzakalo saqala ngayizolo. Ekufikeni kwethu umholi wethu wasibonisa isiqiwu. “Insephe!” omunye wethu wamemeza njengoba sasigxuma ezinqoleni zethu ezimbili ezikwazi ukuhamba ezindaweni ezimbi. Ngokushesha izandla zaphuthaza imishini yokuthatha izithombe, izincwadi zethu ezisibonisa indlela, nezibonakude.

Umholi wethu, insizwa eyiNgisi enentshiseko, yahlekela ngaphakathi lapho ibona injabulo yethu. “Ngempela, insephe eyatholwa uGrant okokuqala. Izilwane ezincane ezimangalisayo, azinjalo?”

Zincane, zinamabala amahle zithobile, kodwa ngokusobala zinamandla futhi zidalelwe ijubane, lezidalwa ezinhle ezincane nensephe encane eyatholwa okokuqala uThomson zazibonakala yonke indawo esasihamba kuyo. Kuloluhambo lokuqala lokuzithokozisa sabona nempofu enkulu futhi sayithatha izithombe, nohlobo lwenyamazane olunentamo ende, futhi saze sabona ngisho nomgankla omkhulu ongavamile nenhlangu yasezintabeni.

Lapho sisejikeni, sethusa umhlambi wezimpala. Njengoba zazimile zagxuma zabheka phezulu amamitha amabili noma amabili nengxenye, njengokungathi zazijikijela okuthile. “Njengoba ungacabanga, lokhu kugxuma kudida kakhulu izilwane ezidla inyama,” kusho umholi wethu. Khona-ke izimpala zabaleka, zihlanganisa amamitha ayisishiyagalolunye ngomeqo owodwa.

Sabona amadube, ekhanga kakhulu ngemithende yawo emnyama nemhlophe, futhi sakhumbula umlando wencwadi yeBhayibheli kaJobe ebonisa ukuthi amadube awanakufuywa. (Jobe 39:5) Ngabuza umholi ngakho. Wathi: “Amanye amaMelika ayenza ibhayisikobho lapha esikhathini esithile esidlule, ayedinga idube elifuyiwe ukuze umdlali wesifazane aligibele kodwa awazange alithole ngoba awekho. Kwadingeka ukuba apende imithende ehhashini.”

Njengoba sasibuyela ematendeni ngalolosuku, sabona intshe. Lapho isibona yabaleka, imilenze yayo enamandla iyiqhubezela phezulu egqumeni. Intshe ingagijima ijubane elingamakhilomitha angama-64 ngehora, igxale amamitha ayi-7,5. Ijubane layo langenza ngacabanga ngelinye itekisi leBhayibheli kuJobe: “Ihleka amahhashi nezinkweli zawo.” (Jobe 39:18) Ngacabanga ukuthi yayingawahleka namaloli ethu, njengoba sasidlidlizela sidlula.

Kodwa kwakungalolusuku ekuseni lapho sivuswa ukumemeza kokuthi “Jambo!” lapho sicabanga ukuthi uhambo lwethu lwasendle ngempela lwase luqalile. Sigibele amahhashi sinqamula imfunda enezihlahla zomunga, sayibabaza iNtaba iKenya sikude. Ngokushesha umholi wethu wasithulisa futhi wakhomba. Laphaya, ngaphezu kwezihlahla, kwakunamakhanda amaningi—izindlulamithi zidla amacembe omunga!

Izilwane ezinde kunazo zonke emhlabeni, izindlulamithi zasihlaba umxhwele njengezidalwa ezilungile, ezingasheshi, ngisho nezingenakuzivikela. Akunjalo; izintamo zazo ezinde azisizi nje kuphela ukuba zidle phezulu ezihlahleni kodwa futhi nokuzinika iqophelo elikahle lapho ezingakwazi khona ukugxilisa amehlo azo amakhulu, abona kude emazinyaneni azo, emihlanjini yazo, noma engozini ezayo. Kithina zazibonakala zihamba ngokunyakaza ngokuphiqilika kancane, kodwa indlulamithi ingagijima amakhilomitha angama-56 ngehora futhi ikhahlele ibhubesi lize lephuke ngisho nezimbambo zalo. Ingasebenzisa nekhanda layo njengesando. Indlulamithi yasezoo yake yakhahlela impofu ngesisindo esingamakhilogremu angama-450 yawela phansi umkhono uphukile!

Sadlula phakathi kwazo. Ukuba sasihamba ngezinyawo, zaziyohlakazeka, kodwa njengoba sasigibele amahhashi, sasibhekwa njengomunye nje umhlambi wezilwane ezalukile. Ezinye izinsephe nezimpofu ezaziseduze namadube zazihluke kakhulu kulezo esasizibone ngayizolo—zizinde, zinemithende emincane, namadlebe amangalisayo, amakhulu ayindilinga.

Umholi wethu wasitshela: “Yidube elatholwa uGrevy. Loluhlobo luyancipha kancane kancane ngamanani, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yobuhle besikhumba sawo. Abahlobisayo bakhokha inzuzo ngawo.” Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo ukuthi umuntu ubhubhisa eziningi zalezidalwa kanye nezindawo zazo! Kodwa kwakusazozwakala izindaba eziningi ezidabukisayo.

Sigibele iloli, savakashela indawo yobhejane, indawo engamahektare ayizi-2 000 ebiyelwe ngocingo lukagesi olunobude obungamamitha ayi-3 futhi ebhekwa onogada abahlomile. Iyikhaya lobhejane abamnyama abayi-13 nowodwa omhlophe. Ehamba kancane eduze kwesisodwa salezidalwa ezisabekayo, amaloli ethu ngokushesha abonakala engelutho futhi emancane.

Umholi wathi: “Ubhejane akakwazi ukubona kahle. Uma amahlalanyathi ahlala emhlane wakhe eklewula futhi andize abaleke lapho ethukile, ubhejane akakwazi ukubona ukuthi yini ewuphazamisile futhi uhlasela noma yini, ukuze ayinuke. Uphila ngamaphunga. Manje ukuzingelwa kukabhejane kuzowuqothula.”

Njengoba ilanga lishona, saphindela emuva ematendeni ethu buthule. Ngaleyontambama, njengoba sasihleli sizungeze umlilo futhi sixoxa ngekusasa likabhejane, sethuswa ukubhonga okuhoshozelayo, okundondayo. Kwenanelwa ngokunye.

“Amabhubesi,” kusho umholi wethu, ehlokoza umlilo ngesizotha. “Abonakala eseduze kakhulu, akunjalo?” ngibuza ngokwesaba. “Akunjalo. Aqhele ngamakhilomitha amaningi. Ukubhonga kwebhubesi kungezwakala amakhilomitha ayisishiyagalombili noma ngaphezulu.” Njengoba sasiqinisekisiwe, saya kolala, sithemba ukubona amanye alamakati amakhulu esiqiwini saseMasai Mara, isikhumulo sethu sesibili. Sasingeke sidumazeke.

Amakati Amakhulu AseMara

Njengoba sasidlula ezindaweni ezivulekile ezinotshani zalengxenye esenyakatho zamaThafa amakhulu aseSerengeti, sahlatshwa umxhwele ukumemeza komshayeli ethi “Simba!” Sama ngokuqapha ukuze sibone hhayi nje ibhubesi elilodwa kodwa umhlambi wamabhubesi—angama-40 esewonke. Umhlambi wamabhubesi ezinsikazi wawubuthisile. Kwaphuma amaningi ehlathini ekanye namawundlu awo. Amaningana azungeza ixhaphozi ukuze aphuze. Amawundlu ayeshudulisana futhi exoshana,

Sasilangazelela ukwehla sidlale nawo kodwa sazibamba njengoba sasibona izicubu ngaphansi kwesikhumba samabhubesi ezinsikazi futhi sabona amabili amaduna anemihlwenga emide eyimfukumfuku —amakati amakhulu egolide ecwayiza amehlo awo aphuzi ngokwaneliswa emisebeni yokugcina yelanga. Isikhathi sokudlala namawundlu amabhubesi sisengaphambili.—Isaya 11:6, 9.

“Amabhubesi aphumula cishe amahora angama-20 kwangama-24,” kusho umholi wethu. “Awamaduna aphumula ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Awezinsikazi ondla cishe ngokuphelele amawundlu futhi enze ukuzingela okungamaphesenti angama-90, kodwa amaduna adla kuqala ngaso sonke isikhathi.” Abesifazane eqenjini lethu babonakala bethola lamaqiniso ebalulekile ngokuhlekisayo! Kodwa akunakubabikho ukondliwa kwamawundlu ngokuthula uma engekho amaduna avikelayo emhlanjini. Uma edutshulwa abelusi njengezilokazane noma njengezindebe zabazingeli, umhlambi ngokuvamile uyahlakazeka, futhi amawundlu asala dengwane.

Nakuba ibhubesi manje libambelele elungelweni lalo elimelene nokusongelwa ngokuqothulwa, ingulule nayo akuyihambeli kahle. Ngakusasa ekuseni kwenzeka sahlangana nezimbili zalezidalwa ezinhle nezinyakaza ngokukhangayo. Kwakungeyensikazi ifundisa indodana yayo ukuzingela. Zombili zaziya emhlanjini wezinsephe ezatholwa uThomson, kodwa njengoba uqina ayethatha kancane enyonyoba ngokuqapha, indodana yakhe engakhaliphile, yazigijimisa izinsephe. Yagijima kakhulu ngemizuzwana ngejubane layo elaziwayo elingamakhilomitha ayi-112 ngehora, yaba into enamabala aphuzi angabonakali. Yashaya phansi! Izingulule zingagijima kuphela ngejubane elinezikhawu, khona-ke izinsephe zabaleka, zahlakazeka.

Yazama yahluleka futhi. Ekugcineni idumazekile futhi ikhefuzela, yavumela unina ukuba ayibonise indlela okwenziwa ngayo.

Unina wayicathamela insephe kwaze kwaba yilapho eseseduze kakhulu khona-ke walisebenzisa ngokuphumelelayo ijubane lakhe. Okuncane ayekubambile wakuhlanganyela nendodana yakhe.

“Bhekani!” kumemeza umholi wethu, ekhomba. Impisi yayenza sengathi nayo yayikade ilapho. Yagijimela ezingululeni, yazethusa ukuze zisuke ensepheni yazo ezaziyithole kanzima, futhi yabaleka nayo.

“Ah, lesiyasigebengu!” kusho umholi wethu ngentukuthelo. Wayixosha impisi ukuze abuyise inyamazane eyayibulawe yingulule, kodwa isela lase lishaye utshani. Abantu abazithandi neze izimpisi. Kodwa impisi ayikaze isongele noma yiluphi uhlobo lwesilwane ngokusiqothula. Sengathi abantu bebengasho okufanayo!

Imikhaya Emibi

Ngaphandle kwamakati amakhulu, sabona izinhlobo ezihlukene zokuphila kwemikhaya esiqiwini saseMara. Kwadlula umkhaya wezintshe, abazali abade ngamamitha amabili babeluse umhlambi wamachwane abukeka kabi phakathi kwabo. Nemikhaya yezindlovu-dawane nayo yayibonakala, zimbi kangangokuthi ziyahlekisa. Ngokuncomekayo iyashesha futhi ihlakaniphile, yayigijigijima isho ngamakhanda ayo amise okwefosholo, anezimpondo, aphakanyiselwe phezulu. Imisila yazo emincane yayibheke phezulu, njengothi lwemoto.

Umshayeli wethu ongumMasai waphakamisa umunwe futhi wahleka, “Leyo indlela kaMnu. Ndlovu-dawane yokuthi, ‘ngihamba phambili.’”

Imikhaya yezinkawu, nayo, yayiwumthombo wenjabulo engapheli. Izinkawu ezinobuso obuqinile obumnyama zazigxuma futhi ziklewula emithini lapho amazinyane azo efunda ukukhwela emithinini ngokudlala ngokungqabitha ngezansi. Izinkawu okuthiwa amacolobus, zenza imigilingwane ngenhla kwamakhanda ethu zisho ngezikhumba ezimnyama ngokufiphele ezinokumhlophe, zazibukeka njengabapristi abahlanyayo. Imikhaya yezimfene nayo yayigcwele yonke indawo, ngokuvamiie izijwana zikhwela konina njengabagibeli bamahhashi bomjaho abancane. Izimfene zinobudlova futhi zinesifiso sokufuna ukwazi. ETanzania, mina nomkami kwadingeka ukuba sixoshe enye ekamelweni lethu lasehhotela!

Isilwane Esikhulu Kunazo Zonke EAfrika

Kwelinye lamahlathi aseMara sabona izindlovu, imizimba yazo emikhulu empunga inyakaza buthule phakathi kwemithi. Kwakuwumkhumbi wezinsikazi eziyisishiyagalombili, unezinyane lensikazi elincane elinezinyanga ezintathu ubudala kungelensikazi eyinhloko yekhaya. Umhlambi wawusitha lelizinyane njengoba lalihamba ngokungesabi phakathi kwemilenze yazo enjengezigxobo, lithola unina futhi lincela ngezinye izikhathi. Ngezwa ukuthi umhlambi wezindlovu uhambisana nezinyane futhi ume ndawonye ukuze ulivikele. Eqinisweni, indlovu yezinsikazi yacishe yahlasela umshayeli wethu—washeshe wabalekela elolini!

Izinkunzi zezindlovu ngokuvamile zingonkom’idla yodwa. Esigodini saseNgorongoro eTanzania, sabona indlovu yeduna eyodwa endala enezimpondo ezinde, ezimhlophe ezicwebezelayo. Ingazisebenzisela ukumba umgodi kasawoti nomcebo ombiwa phansi noma imbe ngisho nemithombo yamanzi nezinye izilwane eziyoyihlanganyela ebusika. Yeka ukuthi kungokubhinqa kanjani ukuthi lamathuluzi amahle, aklanyelwe ngokukhanyayo ukusiza indlovu ukuba iphile, ukuthi aye abangela ukuhaha komuntu kangangokuthi angabangela ukuwa kwayo!

Okulandela indlovu ngobukhulu imvubu enkulu. (Abanye bathi ubhejane omhlophe uyisilwane sesibili esikhulu esincelisayo.) Sama eduze komfudlana ukuze siwubone wonke umhlambi wazo uthamele. uthimula futhi uzamula usuku lonke.

Umholi wethu wasitshela: “Imvubu, ilala emanzini usuku lonke ukuze igweme ukushiswa yilanga, bese iphuma ukuze yeluke ebusuku. Amafutha asesikhunjeni sayo ayivikela ekushisweni yilanga kakhulu nasemanzini. Ngokumangalisayo, imvubu ibulala abantu abaningi kunanoma yisiphi esinye isilwane saseAfrika. Aziyidli inyama, kodwa uma ubhukuda noma ugwedla eduze kakhulu—ngokuluma okukodwa kwayo kube sekuphelile ngawe!”

Lapho sizibuka, sasibona isizathu sokuthi incwadi kaJobe ithi ngisho noma kuphuphuma umfula ugijimela emlonyeni wakhe ubehemoti akethuki. Ikhanda layo lilodwa lingaba nesisindo esiyithani!—Jobe 40:23.

Amathafa AseSerengeti

Sehlela phansi eTanzania, sima eSigodini saseNgorongoro esimangalisayo, isigodi esibubanzi baso bungamakhilomitha ayi-19 esigcwele izilwane zasendle. Elinye lamachibi awo angashonile kakhulu, elinosawoti, kude lalibonakala linenkungu ebomvana phezulu. Lalimbozwe imikholwane embalwa, eyizinhlobonhlobo ezincane nezibomvana. Yayihlokoma futhi ikhalisa okwamahansi njengoba yayicondoza kahle iminingi, imilenze yayo ibukeka njengezinti ezikhanya ngokubomvu ezigobayo zibuye ziqonde.

Amathafa aseSerengeti enyakatho-ntshonalanga nesigodi ayizithabathaba zotshani obunezigqingi ezigqagqene zamagquma. Izixhobo ezinkulu, ezishiswe yilanga zezimbokodwe, amagquma agcwele izimbila ezincane ezinoboya ezihlala ematsheni nezibankwa ezimibalabala. Ehlashaneni eliseduze sabona uhlobo Iwenyamazane okuthiwa, esinda ngamakhilogremu ayi-4,5 enobude obungamasentimitha angama-30 ekukuphela kokuzivikela kuyo kuwukwazi indlela yokucasha.

Saya emhlanjini wezinkonkoni ezazisakazeke yonke indawo. Zazindawonye ukuze ziye kwenye indawo, zibhonsa futhi zigabavula ngokuhlekisayo. Ngamoyizela ngamanani azo amakhulu nomsindo, futhi ngacabanga, ‘ekugcineni nasi isilwane esingakaqothulwa umuntu!’

Umholi wethu wahlabeka umxhwele. “Kuzoba nezigidi ezimbili zazo kulonyaka, angingabazi. Njengamanje ziphikelele kulesosiphepho esesiseduze kakhulu—zingasizwa siqhele ngamakhilomitha angama-50!”

Ngenye intambama emathafeni, sasibuka izinyoni, sajabula ngokuthi sabona izinhlobo ezihlukene cishe ezingama-200, zonke zizinhle.

“Akunakwenzeka!” kusho udadewethu ngokukhefuzela, ekhomba. Ngaphenduka ukuze ngibheke, ngilindele ukubona inyoni ngempela, kunalokho ngabona ingwe ilele ngobukhosi emagatsheni esihlahla somunga iseduze ngamamitha angama-20. Nayo yasibheka buthule futhi yazamula, ibuka ekhaya ngokuphelele. Amabhubesi nawo angayigibela imithi, kodwa enesisindo esiphindwe kabili kwesengwe, awavamile ukukwenza, akwenzela kuphela ukubalekela ukushisa nezimpukane. Amabhubesi esawabona emithini ayebukeka kabi futhi engeneme kangangokuthi sonke sahleka. Kodwa ingwe idla, ilale, cishe ngokuphelele ihlale emithini.

“Iyesabeka, akunjalo?” umholi wethu ekhuthazekile. Waqhubeka ethi kuyadabukisa ukusho ukuthi, “izivakashi eziningi zibuyela emakhaya zingazange ziyibone ingwe kulezinsuku. Zizingelwa kakhulu ngokungemthetho ngenxa yezikhumba zazo ezinhle.” Sathatha izithombe ngayo yonke imishini yethu njengoba ilanga lalishona emathafeni. Angazi ukuthi leyangwe isaphila yini namuhla, ezinyangeni ezimbalwa nje kamuva.

Ingabe Izingane Zethu Ziyozibona?

Njengoba indiza yethu yayisuka iqonde ekhaya, ngabheka phansi eSerengeti futhi ngadabuka. Kwakudabukisa, phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukushiya lendawo enhle. Yayingijabulise ngokuphelele. Kodwa izindaba eziningana eziphindwaphindwayo zohambo lwase-Afrika nazo zazingezidabukisayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, ijubane lengulule, izimpondo zendlovu, intamo yendlulamithi, nezimfanelo zazo zonke izidalwa esazibona, konke kukhomba uMklami ohlanganisa ubuhle nenzuzo, isimo nomsebenzi, kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe. Abaklami abangabantu badunyiswa kakhulu lapho imisebenzi yabo ifinyelela lolohlobo lwesilinganiso. Kodwa uMklami walemisebenzi emikhulu engenakulinganiswa akuvamile neze ukuba aqashelwe njengomklami. Kunalokho, udumo lunikwa amandla angasho lutho ezinkulungwane zezigidi zezingozi, abizwa ngokuthi ukuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kuyadabukisa.

Okubi kakhulu futhi, imisebenzi ngokwayo icekelwa phansi kancane kancane, ngamabomu. Naphezu kwemizamo yesibindi yalabo abasebenzayo ukuze bayigcine, imibuzo enzima iyaqhubeka ngezilwane zasendle zaseAfrika. Ingabe lezidalwa zingasinda ekuzingelweni ngokungemthetho okuqhubekayo nasekucindezelweni ukuncipha kancane kancane kwendawo yokuhlala? Ingabe izingane zethu nabazukulu ziyozibona?

Ngempela, imibuzo ekhathazayo. Futhi, kubantu abacabangayo, imibuzo enjalo ingaholela komunye obaluleke ngisho nangokwengeziwe: Ingabe uMklami ohlakaniphile womhlaba nazo zonke izidalwa zawo uyoma abukele konke kubhujiswa? Cha; uthembisa ’ukubhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba. Okungcono kakhulu, uthembisa isikhathi esizofika ngokushesha kamuva lapho isintu siyoba nokuthula nezilwane.—isAmbulo 11:18; Isaya 11:1-9.

Yebo, uMdali unikeza izimpendulo ezijabulisayo, ezinokwethenjelwa kweminingi imibuzo yethu ephazamisayo. Ukucabanga ngezithembiso zakhe kususa ukudabuka kwami ngesimo esibucayi sezilwane zasendle zaseAfrika. Akukhona kuphela ukuthi zilapho manje; ziyohlala zilapho esikhathini esizayo.—Inikelwe.