Liyini Ikusasa Lawo?
IXOXA ne-Phaphama!, induna yokuthula yamaCheyenne uLawrence Hart yathi enye yezinkinga ezithinta amaNdiya “iwukuthi sibhekene nokuxubana kwamasiko nezinye izinhlanga. Ngokwesibonelo, silahlekelwa ulimi lwethu. Esikhathini esidlule lokhu kwakuyinkambiso kahulumeni yangamabomu. Kwenziwa imizamo emikhulu yokuba ‘siphuculwe’ ngemfundo. Sayiswa ezikoleni okuhlalwa kuzo futhi senqatshelwa ukukhuluma izilimi zethu zomdabu.” USandra Kinlacheeny uyakhumbula: “Lapho ngikhuluma isiNavajo esikoleni, uthisha wayengigeza umlomo ngensipho!”
Induna uHart iyaqhubeka: “Esinye isici esikhuthazayo muva nje ukuthi kuye kwaba nokuphaphama ezizwaneni ezihlukahlukene. Ziyaqaphela ukuthi izilimi zazo zizophela ngaphandle kokuba kwenziwe umzamo wokuzilondoloza.”
Bayishumi kuphela abantu abasele abakhuluma isiKaruk, ulimi lwesinye sezizwana zaseCalifornia. Ngo-January 1996, uRed Thunder Cloud (uCarlos Westez), iNdiya lokugcina elalikhuluma isiCatawba, wafa eneminyaka engu-76 ubudala. Kwakungekho muntu ayengakhuluma naye lolo limi iminyaka eminingi.
EmaHholo OMbuso oFakazi BakaJehova ezindaweni zamaNavajo namaHopi e-Arizona, cishe wonke umuntu ukhuluma isiNavajo noma isiHopi nesiNgisi. Ngisho noFakazi abangewona amaNdiya bafunda isiNavajo. OFakazi kudingeka basazi isiNavajo ukuze benze umsebenzi wabo wokufundisa iBhayibheli, njengoba amaNavajo amaningi azi kahle ulimi lwawo kuphela. IsiHopi nesiNavajo zisasetshenziswa kakhulu, futhi intsha ikhuthazwa ukuba izisebenzise esikoleni.
Imfundo YamaMelika Omdabu
Kukhona amakolishi amaNdiya angu-29 e-United States, anabafundi abangu-16 000. Elokuqala lavulwa e-Arizona ngo-1968. “Lesi esinye sezinyathelo ezaletha ushintsho olukhulu emphakathini wamaNdiya, ilungelo lokuba sifundise ngezindlela zethu siqu,” kusho uDkt. David Gipp, we-American Indian Higher Education Committee. ESinte Gleska University, isiLakota siwulimi oluyisibopho.
NgokukaRon McNeil (ongumHunkpapa wamaLakota), umongameli we-American Indian College Fund, amanani amaMelika Omdabu antula imisebenzi asuka kumaphesenti angu-50 kuya kwangu-85, futhi amaNdiya aphila isikhathi esifushane kunabo bonke abantu kanti anamazinga aphakeme abantu abanesifo sikashukela, isifo sofuba, nokuluthwa utshwala ngaphezu kwanoma iliphi iqembu e-United States. Imfundo engcono imane ingenye yezindlela ezingase zisize.
Amazwe Angcwele
KumaMelika Omdabu amaningi, amazwe okhokho bawo angcwele. Njengoba uWhite Thunder atshela ilungu elithile lesigele: “Izwe lethu lapha liyinto eyigugu kunazo zonke kithi emhlabeni.” Lapho enza izivumelwano, ngokuvamile amaNdiya ayecabanga ukuthi kwakungezokuba abamhlophe basebenzise izwe lawo kodwa hhayi ukulithatha libe ngelabo. Izizwana zamaNdiya angamaSioux zalahlekelwa izwe eliyigugu eBlack Hills yaseDakota ngawo-1870, lapho kuthutheleka abavukuzi, befuna igolide. Ngo-1980, iNkantolo Ephakeme yase-United States yayala uhulumeni wase-United States ukuba ukhokhele izizwana ezingu-8 zamaSioux isinxephezelo esingama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-105 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-157,5). Kuze kube namuhla lezi zizwana ziyayenqaba lemali—zifuna kubuyiswe izwe lazo elingcwele, iBlack Hills yaseNingizimu Dakota.
AmaNdiya amaningi angamaSioux awakujabuleli ukubona amakhanda omongameli abamhlophe eqoshwe eMount Rushmore, eBlack Hills. Entabeni eseduze, abaqophi bamatshe babaza isithombe esikhulu nakakhulu. NgesikaCrazy Horse, umholi wempi wama-Oglala Sioux. Lobu buso buyoqedwa ngo-June 1998.
Izinselele Zanamuhla
Ukuze aphile ezweni lanamuhla, amaMelika Omdabu kuye kwadingeka azivumelanise nezimo ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Amaningi asenemfundo enhle futhi aqeqeshwe emakolishi, anamakhono angawasebenzisa kahle ezizweni zawo. Esinye isibonelo uBurton McKerchie omnene, umChippewa waseMichigan. Usenzelé i-Public Broadcasting Service amafilimu alandisa izindaba ezithile futhi manje usebenza esikoleni esiphakeme eHopi Reservation e-Arizona, exhumanisa amakilasi e-video aleli kolishi kuso sonke isifundazwe. Esinye isibonelo uRay Halbritter, umholi wesizwe sama-Oneida owafunda eHarvard.
U-Arlene Young Hatfield, ebhala kuyi-Navajo Times, wathi intsha yamaNavajo ayibhekani nezimo noma izidele ngendlela abazali nogogo nomkhulu bayo abenza ngayo lapho besakhula. Wabhala: “Ngenxa yezinto [zanamuhla] ezitholakala kalula ayikaze itheze noma icande izinkuni, ithwale amanzi, noma yeluse izimvu njengokhokho bayo. Ayinalo iqhaza endleleni yokuziphilisa komkhaya wethu njengoba kwakwenza abantwana esikhathini eside esidlule.” Uyaphetha: “Asinakuzigwema izinkinga eziningi zomphakathi eziyothonya abantwana bethu. Asinakuyihlukanisa imikhaya yethu, noma sihlukanise indawo esihlala kuyo nomhlaba, futhi asinakubuyela ekuphileni okwakuphilwa okhokho bethu.”
Ilapho-ke inselele yamaMelika Omdabu—angabambelela kanjani emasikweni nasezindinganisweni zesizwe eziyingqayizivele kuyilapho ezivumelanisa nezimo zezwe elingaphandle elishintsha ngokushesha.
Ukulwa Nezidakamizwa Notshwala
Kuze kube namuhla, ukuluthwa utshwala kuwuhlasele ngamandla umphakathi wamaMelika Omdabu. UDkt. Lorraine Lorch, osebenze njengodokotela wabantwana nanjengodokotela ovamile wamaHopi namaNavajo iminyaka engu-12, wathi lapho exoxa ne-Phaphama!: “Ukuluthwa utshwala kuyinkinga engathi sína kwabesilisa nabesifazane. Abantu abayimiqemane baba izisulu zokushwabana kwesibindi, ukufa ngengozi, ukuzibulala, nokubulalana. Kuyadabukisa ukubona ukuluthwa utshwala kuyinto eza kuqala kunabantwana, umngane womshado, ngisho noNkulunkulu. Ukuhleka kuphenduka izinyembezi, ubumnene buphenduka ubudlova.” Wanezela: “Ngisho neminye imikhosi amaNavajo namaHopi ayeyibheka njengengcwele, ngezinye izikhathi manje ingcoliswa ukudakwa nenkanuko yobulili. Utshwala buphuca laba bantu abahle impilo, ukuhlakanipha, ikhono lokusungula izinto, nobuntu babo bangempela.”
UPhilmer Bluehouse, umlamuli eMnyangweni Wezobulungisa esizweni samaNavajo eWindow Rock, e-Arizona, wachaza ngenhlonipho ukusetshenziswa kabi kwezidakamizwa notshwala ngokuthi “ukuzelapha.” Lokhu kusetshenziswa kabi kwalezi zinto kuqeda izinhlupheko futhi kusize ekubalekeleni amaqiniso abuhlungu okuphila ngaphandle komsebenzi futhi ngokuvamile ngaphandle kwenjongo.
Nokho, amaMelika Omdabu amaningi aye alwa ngokuphumelelayo nesiphuzo “esiyidemoni” esalethwa abamhlophe futhi aye azikhandla ukuze anqobe ukuluthwa izidakamizwa. Izibonelo ezimbili uClyde noHenrietta Abrahamson, base-Spokane Indian Reservation eWashington State. UClyde unomzimba oqatha, nezinwele namehlo amnyama. Wachazela i-Phaphama!:
“Sakhulela kulendawo, kwathi kamuva sathuthela edolobheni laseSpokane ukuze siye ekolishi. Sasingenandaba nendlela yethu yokuphila, eyayihilela utshwala nezidakamizwa. Lolu ukuphela kohlobo lokuphila esasilwazi. Sakhula siwazonda womabili lamathonya ngenxa yezinkinga esasiwabone ezibangela emkhayeni.
“Khona-ke sahlangana noFakazi BakaJehova. Sasingakaze sizwe lutho ngabo ngaphambi kokuba siye edolobheni. Intuthuko yethu yayihamba kancane. Mhlawumbe kwakungenxa yokuthi sasingabethembi ngempela abantu esingabazi, ikakhulukazi abamhlophe. Saba nesifundo seBhayibheli esasibuye sinqamuke iminyaka engaba mithathu. Umkhuba okwakunzima kunayo yonke ukuba ngiwuyeke kwakuwukubhema insangu. Ngangiqale ukubhema ngineminyaka engu-14 ubudala, futhi ngangineminyaka engu-25 lapho ngizama ukuyeka. Ngangihlala ngiluthekile kukho konke ukuphila kwami ngiseyibhungu. Ngo-1986, ngafunda isihloko kumagazini i-Phaphama! yesiNgisi ka-January 22 [ngesiZulu February 8] esithi ‘Noma Ubani Ubhema Insangu—Kungani Ngingamelwe?’ Sangenza ngacabanga indlela ukubhema insangu okuwubuwula ngayo—ikakhulukazi ngemva kokuba sengifunde izAga 1:22, ezithi: ‘Koze kube-nini iziwula zithanda ubuwula, nezideleli zijabula ukudelela, neziwula zizonda ukwazi, na?’
“Ngawuyeka lomkhuba, futhi entwasahlobo ka-1986, mina noHenrietta sashada. Sabhapathizwa ngo-November 1986. Ngo-1993, ngaba umdala ebandleni. Womabili amadodakazi ethu abhapathizwa njengoFakazi ngo-1994.”
Ingabe Izindawo Zokugembula Nokugembula Kuyikhambi?
Ngo-1984 kwakungekho ndawo yokugembula ephethwe amaNdiya e-United States. Ngokwe-Washington Post, kulonyaka izizwana ezingu-200 zinezindawo zokugembula ezingu-220 ezifundazweni ezingu-24. Abahluke kakhulu amaNavajo namaHopi, aye amelana nalesi silingo kuze kube manje. Kodwa ingabe izindawo zokugembula nezindawo zokudlala i-bingo ziyindlela yokuchuma nokuthola umsebenzi owengeziwe kubantu abahlala kulezi zindawo? UPhilmer Bluehouse watshela i-Phaphama!: “Ukugembula kuyinkemba esika nhlangothi zombili. Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ingabe kuyozuzisa abantu abaningi kunalabo okubalimazayo?” Omunye umbiko uthi izindawo zokugembula zamaNdiya ziye zavula imisebenzi engu-140 000 ezweni lonke kodwa imisebenzi engamaphesenti angu-15 kuphela kulena ephethwe amaNdiya.
Induna yamaCheyenne uHart yanikeza i-Phaphama! umbono wayo ngendlela lezi zindawo zokugembula nokugembula ezithinta ngayo lezi zindawo zamaNdiya. Yathi: “Ngididekile. Okuwukuphela kwento enhle ukuthi ziletha umsebenzi nenzuzo kulezi zizwana. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngiye ngaqaphela ukuthi iningi lamakhasimende abantu bakithi. Abanye engibaziyo baye baluthwa i-bingo, futhi baya khona ekuseni, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba abantwana babuye esikoleni. Ngakho izikhiye zihlala kulaba bantwana abazali babo baze babuye ekudlaleni i-bingo.
“Inkinga enkulu ukuthi lemikhaya icabanga ukuthi izowina yandise iholo. Ngokuvamile ayiwini; iyalahlekelwa. Ngiye ngayibona isebenzisa imali ebibekelwe ukuthenga ukudla noma izingubo zabantwana zokugqoka.”
Liyini Ikusasa?
UTom Bahti uchaza ukuthi kunezindlela ezimbili ezithandwayo zokuxoxa ngekusasa lezizwana zaseNingizimu-ntshonalanga. “Eyokuqala ibikezela ngokuqondile ukunyamalala okuseduze kwamasiko omdabu ekuphileni kwaseMelika. Eyesibili ayicacile kakhulu . . . Ikhuluma kahle ngenqubo yokuxubana namanye amasiko, isikisela ukuhlangana okucatshangelwe ‘kwamasiko amahle amadala namasiko amahle amasha,’ uhlobo oluhle lwenkathi yamasiko lapho iNdiya lingase lihlale linekhono ebucikweni balo, linezinto ezinhlobonhlobo enkolweni yalo futhi lihlakaniphile ngefilosofi yalo—kodwa futhi libe lisakwazi ukuhlangana nathi (isiko [labamhlophe] eliphakeme) ukuze libone izinto ngendlela yethu.”
Khona-ke uBahti ubuza umbuzo. “Ushintsho alunakugwenywa, kodwa ubani oyoshintsha futhi ashintsheleni? . . . Thina [abamhlophe] sinomkhuba ocasulayo wokubheka bonke abanye abantu njengamaMelika angathuthukile. Sicabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba abanelisekile ngendlela yabo yokuphila futhi balangazelela ukuphila nokucabanga njengathi.”
Uyaqhubeka: “Kukhona into engiqiniseka ngayo—indaba yamaNdiya aseMelika ayikapheli, kodwa ukuthi iyophela kanjani noma ukuthi iyoke iphele yini kusazobonakala. Mhlawumbe kusenesikhathi sokuqala ukucabanga ngemiphakathi esele yamaNdiya akithi njengemithombo ebalulekile yamasiko kunokuba siyicabangele njengezinkinga zomphakathi ezididayo.”
Ukuphila Ezweni Elisha Lokuzwana Nobulungisa
Ngokombono weBhayibheli, oFakazi BakaJehova bayazi ukuthi lingaba njani ikusasa lamaMelika Omdabu nelabantu bazo zonke izizwe, izizwana, nezilimi. UJehova uNkulunkulu uthembisé ukudala “izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha.”—Isaya 65:17; 2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:1, 3, 4.
Lesi sithembiso asisho iplanethi entsha. Njengoba amaMelika Omdabu azi kahle kamhlophe, lomhlaba uyigugu uma uhlonishwa futhi uphathwa ngendlela efanele. Kunalokho, isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukubusa okusha kwasezulwini okuzothatha isikhundla sohulumeni besintu abaxhaphazayo. Umhlaba uyophendulwa ipharadesi elinamahlathi, amathafa, imifula, nezilwane zasendle okubuyiselwe. Bonke abantu bayohlanganyela ngokungenabugovu ekunakekeleni lelizwe. Ngeke kusaba khona ukuxhashazwa nokuhaha. Kuyoba nenala yokudla okunempilo nemisebenzi eyakhayo.
Futhi lapho kuvuswa abafileyo, konke ukungabi nabulungisa kwesikhathi esidlule kuyophela. Yebo, ngisho nama-Anasazi (igama lesiNavajo elisho “abantu basendulo”), okhokho bamaNdiya amaningi angamaPueblo, ahlala e-Arizona naseNew Mexico, ayovuswa ukuze athole ithuba lokuphila okumi phakade lapha emhlabeni obuyiselwe. Futhi, labo baholi abadumile emlandweni wamaNdiya—uGeronimo, uSitting Bull, uCrazy Horse, uTecumseh, uManuelito, iziNduna uJoseph noSeattle—nabanye abaningi bangase babuye kulolo vuko oluthenjisiwe. (Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15) Yeka ithemba elihle izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilinikeza bona nabo bonke abamkhonzayo manje!
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Indlu evamile yamaNavajo, eyenziwe ngezingodo yabe isifulelwa ngodaka
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Umfanekiso kaCrazy Horse, isisekelo salowo oqoshwa entabeni ngemuva
[Umthombo]
Photo by Robb DeWall, courtesy Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation (nonprofit)
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
OFakazi abangamaHopi namaNavajo eKeams Canyon, e-Arizona, bahlangana eHholo LoMbuso labo, elaliyindawo yokuhweba
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Izindlu zama-Anasazi zeminyaka engaphezu kuka-1000 edlule (eMesa Verde, eColorado)
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UGeronimo (1829-1909), induna edumile yama-Apache
[Umthombo]
Courtesy Mercaldo Archives/ Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover