Ama-“Castrato” Ukucwiywa Egameni Lenkolo

Ama-“castrato”—ayengabahlabeleli besilisa abanamandla omzimba wendoda kodwa abanephimbo lomfana. Inkathi yama-“castrato” kwakuyinkathi edabukisa ngempela. Ayengobani? Impendulo iphathelene nomkhuba oshaqisayo—ukucwiywa egameni lenkolo.

ABATHENWA bangazalwa benjalo, kodwa abaningi benziwa abantu ukuba babe njalo. Ngokwakheka komzimba bangamadoda, kodwa abakwazi ukuveza inzalo. Esikhathini esithile lapho bekhula ngokomzimba noma ngisho kamuva ekuphileni, ngokuzikhethela noma ngempoqo, baye bathenwa.

Kungani abesilisa bengakhetha ukuzicwiya bona noma abanye besilisa ngalendlela? Ngokuvamile, baye benza kanjalo egameni lenkolo.

Abathenwa Emlandweni Wasendulo

Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane edlule, abase-Asiriya babesebenzisa ukuthena njengendlela yokujezisa. EGibithe kwakuyisijeziso sokuphinga. Umphangi owayebanjwe eba ethempelini eFriesland yasendulo, manje eyingxenye yeNetherlands, wayethenwa ngaphambi kokuba abulawe.

ERoma ukuthena kwakwenqatshelwe ngesikhathi sokubusa kwaBabusi uDomitian noNerva ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. kodwa kwabuyiselwa eminyakeni yokugcina yombuso. Imithetho eyashaywa ekhulwini lesi-9 inkosi yaseNgilandi u-Alfred Omkhulu yayijezisa inceku ngalendlela uma idlwengule incekukazi.

Abathenwa babevelele nasemicikilishweni engokwenkolo. Abathenwa kanye nezintombi babekhonza unkulunkulukazi u-Artemis edolobheni lase-Efesu. Amadoda ayezithena emikhosini yobuhlanya edumisa u-Astarte wama-Aramu waseHiyerapholi, ngemva kwalokho agqoke izingubo zabesifazane ukuphila kwawo konke.

UMuhammad wamemezela: “Ozithenayo noma athene omunye akafuneki kubalandeli bami.” Nokho, naphezu kwalokhu kunqatshelwa, abathenwa babaziswa njengezigqila emazweni obuSulumane, njengabalindi bezigodlo zabesifazane nezakhiwo ezingcwele. Ngenxa yalokho, lokhu kuhweba ngezigqila kwaqhutshelwa phambili. Izinsizwa ezithathwe eSudan nasemazweni angomakhelwane aseNyakatho Afrika zazilethela abahwebi bezigqila izinzuzo ezinkulu.

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19, uJohann L. Burckhardt wavakashela eNingizimu Gibithe, lapho abona khona abafana abatheniwe belungiselelwa ukuthengiswa njengezigqila. Kwakuhlinzwa abafana abaneminyaka ephakathi kwengu-8 nengu-12 ubudala. Abahlinzi kwakuyizindela ezimbili zeSonto LamaCopt. “Umsebenzi wazo,” kuphawula uBurckhardt, “wawenyanywa.”

Lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo, ELobukholwa liye lahileleka kangakanani kulomkhuba, futhi ngaziphi izizathu?

Abathenwa KweLobukholwa

U-Origen—owaziwa kakhulu nge-Hexapla, izinguqulo zemiBhalo YesiHeberu ezihlelwe ngezinhlu eziyisithupha—wazalwa cishe ngo-185 C.E. Lapho eneminyaka engu-18 ubudala, kakade wayesaziwa ngezinkulumo zakhe eziphathelene nobuKristu. Nokho, wayekhathazekile ngokuthi ukuthandwa kwakhe abesifazane kungaqondwa kabi. Ngakho, ewathatha ngomqondo ongokoqobo amazwi kaJesu athi “kukhona abathenwa abaye bazenza abathenwa ngenxa yombuso wamazulu,” wazithena. (Mathewu 19:12)a Kwakuyisenzo sokungavuthwa, sokuphamazela—azisola kakhulu ngaso eminyakeni yakamuva.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, umthetho wokuqala ngqá woMkhandlu WaseNicaea ngonyaka ka-325 C.E. wawenqabela ngokuqinile amadoda ayezithenile ukuba abe abapristi. UDkt. J. W. C. Wand uthi ngalesi sinqumo: “Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye babebonise isifiso sokulandela isibonelo sika-Origen kulendaba futhi bazithene . . . , futhi kwakubalulekile ukuba amaKristu angakhuthazwa ukuba alandele umkhuba owawuphawula kakhulu abashisekeli bezinkolo ezithile zobuqaba.”

Ngokwenza isinqumo esibaluleke kangaka, abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa babefuna ukuyiqeda ngokuphelele impikiswano enyanyekayo yokuthenwa. Njengoba sizobona, kwahamba ngendlela ehlukile. Ake uqale ucabangele ukulandisa okulandelayo okwaziwayo.

Ngonyaka ka-1118, uPeter Abelard, isazi sefilosofi nomfundi wemfundo engokwenkolo, wathandana noHéloïse, intombazane ayeyifundisa ngasese. U-Abelard wayengakagcotshwa kanjalo engekho ngaphansi kwesifungo sobumpohlo, ngakho bashada ngasese futhi baba nendodana. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi umalume wentombazane, uFulbert, umphathi wethempeli lamaRoma Katolika eParis, wayenomuzwa wokuthi uHéloïse wayeyengiwe, wathi u-Abelard akathenwe ngenkani. Lesi senzo sobuqaba, esasungulwa yilesi sikhulu sesonto esiphakeme, saholela ekubeni abashoshozeli baso ababili bajeziswe ngendlela efanayo.

Ngakho ukuthenwa kwakusamukeleka njengesijeziso ezimweni ezithile. Nokho, lomkhuba wokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ngokushesha wawuzokhuthazwa eSontweni LamaRoma Katolika ngenxa yokuhlabelela esontweni.

Amakwaya Esonto

Ukuhlabelela kuye kwafeza indima ebalulekile ekukhulekeleni kobu-Orthodox baseMpumalanga nokwamaRoma Katolika, njengoba iqembu eliphambili ekwayeni yesonto kuyi-soprano yabafana. Nokho, iphimbo lomfana liyashintsha lapho esanda kweva eshumini nambili. Isonto lalingakunqoba kanjani ukushintsha abantu njalo nokubaqeqesha okwakuhilelekile? Yiqiniso, kwakuvame ukusetshenziswa kwephimbo elithanda ukuphakama elaziwa ngokuthi i-falsetto, kodwa lalingayivali kahle indawo ye-soprano yabafana.b

Ama-soprano abesifazane ayengenye indlela esobala eyayingakhethwa, kodwa kusukela ezikhathini zakudala upapa wayebenqabele abesifazane ukuba bahlabelele esontweni. Enye inkinga yayiwukuthi abahlabeleli basesontweni babebizwa ukuba bazosiza umpristi wabo, umsebenzi owawugcinelwe amadoda kuphela. Ngakho abesifazane babengenakusetshenziswa ekwandiseni amakwaya esonto.

Ngo-1588, uPapa Sixtus V wavimbela abesifazane ekuhlabeleleni esiteji kunoma iliphi ihholo lomculo lomphakathi. Lokhu kuvinjelwa kwaphindwa uPapa Innocent XI eminyakeni engaba yikhulu kamuva. “Ukwenqatshelwa kwabahlabeleli besifazane esontweni nokuhlanganiswa kwabo nobufebe nokuntula ukuzikhuza kwakuyisiko lasendulo, elaqala emuva ezinsukwini zikaSt Augustine ngisho nangaphambi kwalokho,” kuphawula umcwaningi u-Angus Heriot. Nokho, ngokuthatha lokhu kuma okungaguquki, isonto labangela enye inkinga engathi sína—ama-castrato!

Ayengobani ama-castrato, futhi eLobukholwa lahileleka kanjani kuwo?

Ukucwiywa Ngenxa Yomculo

Emahholo emidlalo yaseshashalazini nasemahholo omphakathi kwakudingeka ama-soprano, kodwa ayedingeka nasekwayeni kapapa. Kwakuzokwenziwani? Kwase kuyisikhathi eside kwaziwa ukuthi uma umfana ethenwa, iphimbo lakhe lalingeke lishintshe. Imisipha yephimbo ikhula kancane, kuyilapho isifuba sikhula ngendlela evamile. Ngenxa yalokho, i-castrato linamandla omzimba wendoda kodwa linephimbo lomfana—“iphimbo okwakucatshangwa ukuthi ngelezingelosi,” kuphawula u-Maria Luisa Ambrosini kwethi The Secret Archives of the Vatican. Kungenzeka nokulawula iphimbo ngandlela-thile ngokushintsha ubudala umntwana athenwa kubo.

ISonto LamaGreki lalisebenzise ama-castrato njengamalungu ekwaya kusukela ekhulwini le-12 kuqhubeke, kodwa laliyokwenzenjani iSonto LamaRoma Katolika? Ingabe nalo laliyogunyaza futhi lisebenzise ama-castrato?

UPadre Soto, umhlabeleli ekwayeni kapapa ngo-1562, ubalwa emlandweni weVatican njenge-falsetto. Kodwa uSoto wayeyi-castrato. Ngakho eminyakeni okungenani engu-27 ngaphambi kuka-1589, lapho isimemezelo sikaPapa Sixtus V sihlela kabusha abahlabeleli baseSt. Peter’s Basilica ukuze bahlanganise nama-castrato amane, iVatican yayilishaye indiva ngesinyenyela igunya loMkhandlu WaseNicaea.

Kusukela ngo-1599 ukuba khona kwama-castrato eVatican kwaqashelwa. Lapho igunya eliphakeme kunawo wonke esontweni seliwugunyaze obala lomkhuba, ama-castrato amukeleka. UGluck, uHandel, uMeyerbeer, noRossini baphakathi kwalabo ababeqambela ama-castrato ngokukhethekile kokubili umculo ongcwele novamile.

Ukuthandwa Kwawo, Abazali, Nombono Weningi

Ngokushesha ama-castrato athandwa. Ngokwesibonelo, uPapa Clement VIII (1592–1605) wahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu ukushintshashintsha nobumtoti bamaphimbo awo. Nakuba noma ubani okwakwaziwa ukuthi uhlangene nesenzo sokuthena kwakufanele axoshwe ebandleni, inani elandayo labafana abasebancane latholakala njengoba kwakwanda izidingo zomculo wesonto.

Kuthiwa izitolo zazikhangisa zithi “Qui si castrono ragazzi (Sithena abafana lapha).” Endaweni ethile yokugunda izinwele eRoma kwakuthiwa ngokuzigqaja: “Sithena abahlabeleli lapha ngenxa yamakwaya kapapa asesontweni.” Kuthiwa phakathi nekhulu le-18, kungenzeka kwathenwa abafana base-Italy abangaba ngu-4000 ngenxa yalenjongo. Akwaziwa ukuthi bangaki abafa phakathi nalenqubo.

Kungani abazali babevumela ukuba amadodana abo acwiywe ngalendlela? Ngokuvamile, ama-castrato ayezalwa abazali abampofu. Uma indodana ibonisa ikhono elithile lomculo, khona-ke yayingase ithengiswe, ngezinye izikhathi ngokuqondile, esikoleni somculo. Amanye ayethathwa emakwayeni aseSt. Peter’s Basilica eRoma nasezikoleni ezifanayo zesonto. Ngokuvamile abazali babethemba ukuthi i-castrato labo lalizoduma futhi libondle lapho sebekhulile.

Nokho, kwakuba inhlekelele lapho kuba sobala ukuthi umfana wayengenaphimbo eliqeqeshekayo. Ebhala ethi A Picture of Italy ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-18, uJohann Wilhelm von Archenholz wachaza ukuthi abanjalo ababekhishwa, kanye nabanye ababeyinsalela yama-castrato, “babevunyelwa ukuthatha izikhundla [ezingcwele]” futhi babevunyelwa ukuba basho iMisa. Lokhu kwakungemva kwesandulela esingavamile eSt. Peter’s lapho kwephulwa umthetho wesonto futhi kwamukelwa ama-castrato amabili njengabapristi bamaRoma Katolika ngo-1599 kanye namanye ngemva kwalokho.

UPapa Benedict XIV ngokwakhe wabhekisela emuva esinqumweni soMkhandlu WaseNicaea futhi waphawula ukuthi ukuthenwa kwakungemthetho. Kodwa ngo-1748 wakwenqaba ngokuqinile ukusikisela kwababhishobhi bakhe kokuthi kuvinjelwe ama-castrato, ngoba wayesaba ukuthi amasonto ayeyokhala ibhungane uma enza kanjalo. Wawukhanga futhi ubaluleke ngaleyo ndlela umculo wasesontweni. Ngakho abahlabeleli bama-castrato baqhubeka behlabelela emakwayeni esonto ase-Italy, eSt. Peter’s, naseSistine Chapel kapapa.

Ngo-1898 lapho kwanda ukumelana komphakathi nokuthenwa, uPapa Leo XIII ngobuqotho wawanikeza umhlalaphansi ama-castrato aseVatican, futhi owalandela ngemva kwakhe, uPapa Pius X, wawavimbela ngokomthetho ama-castrato ethempelini likapapa ngo-1903. Kodwa isimemezelo sikaPapa Sixtus V esawagunyaza asikachithwa ngokomthetho.

I-castrato lokugcina elinguchwepheshe, u-Alessandro Moreschi, lafa ngo-1922. Amarekhodi omculo walo aqoshwa ngo-1902 nango-1903 futhi asadlalwa namanje. Kumalebula alamarekhodi, lichazwa ngokuthi i-“Soprano della Cappella Sistina (I-soprano YaseSistine Chapel).” Umcusumbuli womculo uDesmond Shawe-Taylor uyabhala: “Leli phimbo, ngokungangabazeki eliyi-soprano, akulona elomfana noma elowesifazane.”

Kwaphela kanjalo-ke ukucwiywa ngonya kwabafana ngenxa yobuciko. I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi “umkhuba onengekayo,” kodwa owakhuthazwa iSonto LamaRoma Katolika amakhulu eminyaka.

Ukuthenwa—Ngawo-1990?

Ngakho ama-castrato awasekho. Kodwa ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi sekuphelile ukuthenwa egameni lenkolo? Ngokudabukisayo, akukapheli! I-Independent Magazine ibika ukuthi eNdiya kunabathenwa abangafinyelela esigidini, abaphila emiphakathini engokwenkolo. Bangobani? Ama-hijra.

Ama-hijra amaningi angamaSulumane ngokuzalwa—nakuba kunamaHindu amaningi phakathi kwawo—futhi wonke akhulekela uBharuchra Mata, unkulunkulukazi wamaHindu waseGujarat. Ngisho noma iningi likhetha ukuthenwa, abanye bathi unyaka ngamunye abesilisa baseNdiya abangafinyelela enkulungwaneni bathenwa ngenkani ukuze baphoqeleke ukujoyina ama-hijra, bese kamuva bethengiselwa abafundisi abakhokha imali eshisiwe.

Ama-hijra alawulwa isigungu sabefundisi abangabafundisi, bese kuthi amaqembu ahlukene ama-hijra akhe izifunda emadolobheni. Ama-hijra aphila ngokunxiba ethempelini nangobufebe. Ngokuvamile abukelwa phansi, kodwa futhi ayesatshwa ngoba kucatshangwa ukuthi anomlingo omubi. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu abantu bayawakhokhela ukuze abusise izinsana nabasanda kushada.

Kuthiwa amanye ama-hijra ayabaleka. Kodwa i-India Today ibika ukuthi “iqembu lezigebengu ezingama-hijra okubikwa ukuthi lilawula ukuthenwa lisebenza ngomshoshaphansi nangokwesabisa.”

Ukuphela!

Ingabe izwe liyoke likhululeke ezenzweni ezinjalo ezimbi? Yebo, ngoba izono zombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga—ochazwa eBhayibhelini njengesifebe, “iBabiloni Elikhulu”—“ziye zanqwabelana zaze zafika phezulu ezulwini.” Yeka indlela okuqinisa ukholo ngayo ukwazi ukuthi yonke lemikhuba edelela uNkulunkulu izophela ngokushesha okuphawulekayo! Kungani ungazifundeli lokhu encwadini yokuphetha yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo, isahluko 18? Bheka ikakhulukazi amavesi 2 no-5.

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Indinganiso Ephakeme Kunazo Zonke

Akukho mthenwa owayevunyelwe ukuba abe ingxenye yebandla lika-Israyeli, njengoba uMthetho kaJehova wakubeka ngokucacile. (Duteronomi 23:1) Ngaphansi kwaloMthetho ukuthenwa kwakungavunyelwe. “Umthetho wamaJuda,” kuphawula i-Encyclopaedia Judaica, “wawukwenyanya ukuhlinzwa okunjalo.” Ngenxa yalokho, awekho ama-Israyeli noma abafokazi abagogobeleyo ababenziwa abathenwa ukuze bakhonze esigodlweni samakhosi akwa-Israyeli, njengoba kwakunjalo kwezinye izigodlo zobukhosi, njengesenkosi yasePheresiya u-Ahashiveroshi.—Esteri 2:14, 15; 4:4, 5.

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Isinqumo sikaPapa Sixtus V sabangela ukuba khona kwama-“castrato”

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The Bettmann Archive