Abomdabu Base-Australia—Abantu Abayingqayizivele
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! e-Australia
I-AUSTRALIA ingachazwa ngokuthi iyingqayizivele, nesilwane sakhona i-kangaroo esithwala izinyane laso ngesikhwama esingaphambili esiswini kanye ne-koala yakhona eyimvukumvuku, ezizwa isekhaya ngempela lapho iqhwakele phezulu ezihlahleni ze-eucalyptus ezixhaphakile. Nokho, abantu abahlala khona kuqala, abaziwa ngokuthi abomdabu base-Australia, bona bayinqaba ngisho nakakhulu kunalelizwe.
Lapho kufika abeLungu bokuqala ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-18, abomdabu babelinganiselwa ku-300 000. Ngemva kweminyaka engamakhulu amabili, ukubalwa kwabantu kwango-1991 kuveza ukuthi kunabomdabu abangaphansi kuka-230 000 engqikithini yabantu base-Australia abacishe babe yizigidi ezingu-17.
Bangobani labantu ababa izakhamuzi zokuqala e-Australia? Babevelaphi? Kungani bengase bachazwe ngokuthi bayingqayizivele? Futhi yiliphi ithemba lesikhathi esizayo abaningi babo abalijabulelayo manje?
Ukuphila Kwangaphambili E-Australia
Izazi eziningi zemvelaphi nenhlalo yabantu ziyavuma ukuthi abomdabu base-Australia badabuka e-Asia. Cishe ingxenye yokugcina yokufuduka kwabo bayenza ngesihlenga samapulangwe noma ngesikebhe besuka eningizimu-mpumalanga Asia, bafikela ogwini olusenyakatho ye-Australia. “Babengeyona imihambima ngokuphelele,” kusho uMalcolm D. Prentis encwadini yakhe ethi A Study in Black and White, “kodwa kunalokho babeyimihambima ngomqondo ongaphelele: okungukuthi, babekanisa ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene ababehlala kuzo isikhashana endaweni eyayaziwa njengeyabo siqu.”
Labantu bomdabu babengabalondolozi bemvelo abaphawulekayo ababeyinakekela kahle indawo ebazungezile. Omunye womdabu wachaza: “Sasiyilima indawo yethu, kodwa ngendlela ehlukile kuleyo abamhlophe abenza ngayo. Sasizama ukulondoloza izwe; bona babebonakala belonakalisa. Ngafundiswa ukuba ngilondoloze, ngingalokothi ngonakalise.”
Evumelana nalokhu uPrentis wabhala: “Inhlala-kahle yezitshalo nezilwane neyeqembu labomdabu yayihlangene: ukuchuma kokukodwa kwakusho ukuchuma kokunye. Lokhu kwakungokoqobo: ngokwesibonelo, ukwanda kwama-kangaroo kwakusho ukuthi labantu bomdabu bazothola ukudla okungconywana kodwa ukubulawa kwama-kangaroo amaningi ngokweqile ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwaba nemiphumela engemihle kulabantu.”
Labantu bomdabu bahamba phambili nangezinye izindlela. Isazi sezilimi uR. M. W. Dixon saphawula encwadini yaso ethi The Languages of Australia: “Nokho, uma kuziwa ekuhlelekeni ngokwezenhlalo, abeLungu babonakala besemuva uma beqhathaniswa nabomdabu base-Australia; zonke izizwe zase-Australia zazinezimiso zokuhlobana ezinemininingwane eminingi nezicaciswe kahle zinemithetho enembile yokushadana neyokuchaza izindima zazo zonke izenzakalo zasemphakathini.”
Umculo Nokuzingela
Insimbi yomculo ebizwa ngokuthi i-didgeridoo, ngezinye izikhathi ebhalwa ngokuthi didjeridu ivame kuphela kulabantu bomdabu. Ngokwezwi nezwi leligama lisho ukuthi “ipayipi elidumayo,” okuwuchaza ngokufanele umsindo eliwenzayo. Kunokuba iveze ukuvumelana, le-didgeridoo iveza uhlobo oluthile lokundonda nesigqi semibuthano yemikhosi ethile nemidanso yasebusuku ebizwa ngokuthi ama-corroboree. Ngokuvamile lensimbi iveza umsindo odumayo ophelezela umuntu oculayo kanye nezinduku zakhe azishayanisayo.
Ama-didgeridoo enziwa ngamagatsha akhethwe ngokucophelela ezihlahla ezinezimbobo. Ubude bawo obuvamile busukela emamitheni angu-0,9 kuya kwangu-1,5, kodwa ezinye izinsimbi zifinyelela emamitheni angu-4,5 ubude. Ngokuvamile enye ingxenye yensimbi ihlala phansi enhlabathini bese kuthi umuntu oyidlalayo ohlezi phansi ayishaye ngakwenye ingxenye ebekwe emlonyeni yabanjwa ngezandla zombili.
Njengoba umsindo walensimbi obhodlayo, onanelayo uqhubeka, umdlali kufanele afuthe kulengxenye esemlonyeni ngesikhathi esifanayo adonse umoya omusha ngamakhala ngaphandle kokuphazamisa umsindo. Leli ikhono elifana nalelo okufanele laziwe kahle umculi odlala i-tuba. Abadlali bezinsimbi ezidlala ngokuzivuthela ngomoya balibiza ngokuthi ukuphefumula okuyindilingi, noma okuwumjikelezo, futhi kuyikhono okungelula ukulazi kahle.
Uma bezingela, labantu bomdabu basebenzisa okuthile okuyingqayizivele—i-boomerang. Yenziwelwa ukuba ibe ithuluzi lokuzingela nesikhali sempi phakathi kwalabantu bomdabu. Kodwa ezivakashini eziningi namuhla, ingolunye uphawu oludumile lwase-Australia. Ama-boomerang avame kakhulu ayizikhali ezigobile ezithi zingajikijelwa zibuyele kosijikijele uma sijikijelwe kahle. Nokho, kukhona ezinye izinhlobo ezingabuyeli kozijikijele. Lezi zaziwa ngokuthi ama-kylie, noma izinduku ezibulalayo.
Imidwebo Yabomdabu
Okokuqala, esikweni labomdabu kwakungekho ukuxhumana ngendlela yokubhala. Ngenxa yalokho, uKevin Gilbert, umlobi wezinkondlo nongumdwebi ongowomdabu, wachaza: ‘Ukudweba kwakuwulimi lwabomdabu lokuxhumana oluphumelela kakhulu noluqondakala yonke indawo.’ Wathi: “Ukudweba kwenza ukuxhumana kuphumelele kakhudlwana futhi kubaluleke kakhulu kunamagama abhalwe phansi.”
Ngakho-ke, ukuxhumana ngobuciko obubonwa ngamehlo nobudlalwa eshashalazini kwaba indlela eyinhloko yokuphila yalabantu bomdabu. Lokhu kwakusho ukuthi imidwebo yabo yayinezinjongo ezimbili: Yayiyindlela yokwelekelela ukuxhumana ngamazwi, futhi yayisebenza njengento yokukhumbula izindaba zomlando wesizwe nezindaba zamasiko angokwenkolo.
Njengoba yayingekho indwangu okudwetshwa kuyo imifanekiso, lingekho iphepha, nokunye okufuze lokho, imidwebo yalabantu bomdabu yayipendwa emadwaleni, emihumeni, nasemagxolweni. Imibala evamile emhlabeni yayigqama kuyo yonke imidwebo yabo. Babesebenzisa imibala eyayivamile endaweni imidwebo eyayenzelwa kuyo. Imidwebo yayenziwa ngezinto ezitholakala phansi.
Mhlawumbe isici esingavamile kakhulu emidwebeni yabo ukuthi cishe yonke imidwebo yenziwa ngamachashazi nemigqa. Ngisho nendawo engemuva komdwebo, engase iqale ibonakale njengewumbala owodwa, lapho uyihlolisisa ngokuseduze yembula ukuthi kunamachashazi amibalabala adwetshwe kahle.
Isithombe esisendaweni ebukisa ngezithombe esinesihloko esithi Marketing Aboriginal Art in the 1990s sithi ngawo-1980 “imidwebo yabantu bomdabu . . . yashintsha isigubhukane isuka ekubeni ‘imidwebo yesiko’ yaba ‘imidwebo emihle edayiswayo.’” Abanye bathi ifunwa kakhulu lemidwebo eyenziwe ngamachashazi futhi bancoma nokuthandwa kwayo okukhulayo.
Izilimi Zabomdabu
Ngokuvamile abeLungu base-Australia banemibono eyiphutha ngezilimi zabomdabu. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bakholelwa ukuthi kwakukhona ulimi olulodwa vó lwalabantu nokuthi lwaluyisidala kakhulu, liwukuquma nokubhodla nje okumbalwa kuphela. Kodwa lokho kungamanga aluhlaza!
Eqinisweni, kwake kwaba nezilimi zabomdabu ezibalelwa ku-200 kuya ku-250. Nokho, ezingaphezu kwengxenye azisekho. Namuhla ezingaba ngu-50 kuphela zalezozilimi ezikhulunywa amaqembu akhiwa abantu bomdabu ayikhulu noma ngaphezulu. Futhi inani lezilimi zalabantu bomdabu ezikhulunywa abantu abangu-500 noma ngaphezulu manje selingaphansi kuka-20.
Kunokuba lube yisidala, ulimi olukhulunywayo lwabomdabu luhlelwe ngendlela esezingeni eliphezulu. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Languages of Australia, uProfesa Dixon wabhala: “Alukho ulimi, phakathi kwezingu-5 000 noma ngaphezudlwana ezikhulunywa emhlabeni wonke namuhla, olungase luchazwe ngokuthi ‘luyisidala.’ Zonke izilimi ezikhona zakhiwe ngendlela eyinkimbinkimbi, kangangokuthi ukuchaza amaphuzu ayinhloko okuhlelwa kwalo kudinga amakhasi angamakhulu amaningana; zonke izilimi zinezinkulungwane zamagama asetshenziswa nsuku zonke.”
UBarry J. Blake wabhala ngendlela efanayo ngezilimi zabomdabu: “Zingamathuluzi okuxhumana asezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu, ngalunye lwanele ukuba luchaze okuhlangenwe nakho kowomdabu njengoba nje nesiNgisi noma isiFulentshi sanele ekuchazeni okuhlangenwe nakho komLungu.” Isekela lesisiphetho, intatheli yomdabu uGalarrwuy Yunupingu yathi: “Bambalwa kakhulu abamhlophe abake bazama ukufunda ulimi lwethu, futhi isiNgisi asikwazi ukuchaza ubudlelwane bethu nezwe lawokhokho bethu.”
Ekhulwini le-19, kwahunyushelwa izingxenye zeBhayibheli ezilimini ezimbili zabomdabu. IVangeli likaLuka lahunyushelwa olimini lwesi-Awabakal kwathi izingxenye ezithile zikaGenesise, u-Eksodusi, neVangeli likaMathewu kwahunyushelwa olimini lwesiNarrinyeri. Ngokuthakazelisayo, lezinguqulo zahumusha igama likaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ngokuthi “Yehóa” nokuthi “Jehova,” kuba nokuhlukahluka okuya ngokuhlelwa kwamazwi olimi.
Namuhla, kugcizelelwa kakhulu ukubuyiselwa kwezilimi zabomdabu nokwenza abantu base-Australia abangebona abomdabu bakuqaphele ngokwengeziwe ukuba yigugu, ukunotha, nobuhle balezizilimi. Ngakho-ke, abaningi bayakujabulela ukwazi ukuthi uNgqongqoshe wase-Australia Wezindaba Zabomdabu uye wagunyaza ukukhiqizwa kwezichazamazwi ngezilimi ezingu-40 zabomdabu. Ngeke kuhlanganise nje kuphela lezo ezikhulunywayo manje kodwa neziningi ezingasasetshenziswa ezizocwaningwa lapho kugcinwa khona izincwadi zomlando nakweminye imithombo egcina ezomlando.
Ukusabela Ethembeni Elimangalisayo
Lapho abamhlophe befika e-Australia ekupheleni kwekhulu le-18, bacishe babaqothula bonke labantu bokuzalwa. Nokho, namuhla kunamadolobhana amaningana anezakhamuzi eziningi zabomdabu, kusekhona nezindawo ezihlala abomdabu bodwa, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni zasemaphandleni. Ngokuvamile ukuphila kwalabantu akuthakazelisi. “Asisebona abesikhathi esidlule,” kubhala omunye ongowomdabu, “asinayo nanendawo egculisayo esikhathini samanje.” Kodwa wanezela: “Abaningi bethu banethemba lesikhathi esizayo.”
Isizathu salokhu siwukuthi izakhamuzi eziningi zokuqala zase-Australia manje zijabulela ukufunda eBhayibhelini—mhlawumbe ngolimi lwazo siqu—ukuthi ababi bazoqedwa ngokushesha nokuthi umhlaba uyophindiselwa kulesosintu esiyowunakekela kahle. (IHubo 37:9-11, 29-34; IzAga 2:21, 22) UMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyokufeza lokhu. LoMbuso, uJesu Kristu asifundisa ukuba siwuthandazele, unguhulumeni ongokoqobo wasezulwini. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Amadoda nabesifazane abaningi bomdabu sebematasa batshela abanye ngezibusiso ezinhle uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ozozilethela isintu.—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Omunye womdabu wachaza kanjena ngokuphathelene nabantu abaningi base-Australia aphila nabo: “Bayaqonda ukuthi umbono ovamile kwabamhlophe, kwabomdabu, nabanye abantu abaningi emhlabeni unephutha. Lowombono uwukuthi i-Australia ingeyabomdabu ngenxa yokuthi bayithola kuqala noma ingeyabamhlophe ngenxa yokuthi bayinqoba. Konke kungamanga. IngekaJehova uNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi wayidala.”—IsAmbulo 4:11.
Ngempela, i-Australia kanye nomhlaba wonke kungokoMdali wethu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Futhi ekugcwalisekeni komthandazo owafundiswa uJesu, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzofika, futhi wonke umhlaba uyoba ipharadesi lembulunga yonke elihlalwa abantu bazo zonke izinhlanga nezizwe abathanda futhi abakhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso.
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
I-“didgeridoo” iyinsimbi yomculo evame kwabomdabu kuphela
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Umbukiso womdwebo wabomdabu
[Umthombo]
By Courtesy of Australian Overseas Information Service
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abomdabu abaningi sebehlanganyela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nabanye