Ukuphila Kuhlukile Ezansi

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA

INKULUMO ethi “down under [ezansi]” yinkulumo yesiNgisi eseyaziwa abantu abaningi eminyakeni yamuva nje. Kodwa isho ezansi kwani? Ibhekisela emazweni angezansi noma angaphansi kwenkabazwe. Ngokomthetho, wonke amazwe aseNingizimu Nenkabazwe angabizwa ngokuthi ‘asezansi.’ Nokho, i-Australia neNew Zealand kuphela evame ukubizwa ngaleyo ndlela. Lesi sihloko sizogxila ezweni lase-Australia, okuyigama elisuselwa kwelesiLatini elithi australis, elisho “elaseningizimu.”

Ukuphila e-Australia kuhlukile ekuphileni kwasemazweni amaningi aseNyakatho Nenkabazwe. Futhi akuyona indawo lelizwe elikuyo kuphela eyenza kube njalo. Kunomunye umehluko omkhulu izivakashi eziwuphawulayo.

Ukwakha KwabeLungu

Ngo-1788, abeLungu baqala ukwakha kulelizwe elikhulu, elishisayo. Iqoqo lemikhumbi kaseyili okuthiwa i-First Fleet lafika eSydney Cove. Iningi labagibeli kwakuyiziboshwa zase-Ireland, eNgilandi naseScotland, ezafika nolimi lwesiNgisi. Eminyakeni engu-150 eyalandela, abafuduki abaningi abafika babedabuka eBrithani.

Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, kwaqala ukufika abafuduki ababevela nakwamanye amazwe. Namuhla, kunezinkulungwane “zezakhamuzi ezintsha zase-Australia” ezivela emazweni ahlukahlukene, kanti inani elikhulu kuzo livela e-Italy naseGreece. Laba bafuduki baye banezela izici ezihlukahlukene endleleni yokuphila yase-Australia futhi baye bafika nezilimi zabo nendlela ehlukile yokuphimisela isiNgisi, kanye nezindlela zabo zokupheka namasiko.

Lokhu kuyisizathu sezindlela zokuphimisela amagama ezihlukahlukene ezikhona lapha. Kodwa ngisho nalabo imikhaya yakubo esinezizukulwane eziningi ihlala lapha banendlela ehlukile yokuphimisela amagama futhi bakhuluma isiNgisi ngendlela ehlukile. Lapho bephimisa onkamisa besiNgisi a, e, i, o, u, abantu base-Australia babaphimisa ngephimbo eliphansi, ngokuvamile elingacacile, okungase kuthathe isikhathi eside ukulizwa kahle. Bese kuba khona izinkulumo ezitholakala e-Australia kuphela. Ngokwesibonelo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yisikhathi sini emini noma ebusuku, kunokuba bathi “Good morning” noma “Good evening,” indlela yokubingelela evamile ukuthi “G’day, mate!” Ngokuvamile lokhu kulandelwa ukubuza impilo ngesizotha, kanti isivakashi singase sibuzwe ukuthi, “How yer goin’, mate, orright?”

Nabantu Bahlukile

Ukuze abantu baqhubeke bephila kulelizwe elimangelengele kwakudingeka bazivumelanise nezimo futhi baqine. Lokhu kungase kube isizathu esenza abantu abaningi base-Australia bahlale benethemba lokuhle, okwenza ukuba bathi, “She’ll be right, mate!” Lokhu kusho ukuthi akudingekile ukuba umuntu akhathazeke kakhulu uma izinto zingahambi kahle, ngoba zonke kufanele zilunge ekugcineni.

Isingeniso sencwadi ethi The Australians siyaphawula: “Kunengqondo ukulindela ukuthi izwe elaqala lineziboshwa, kanti eminyakeni engamakhulu amabili kamuva selingelinye lamazwe amancane anamandla nachuma kakhulu, libe nabantu abathakazelisayo nabahluke kakhulu. . . . Babumba . . . uMphakathi wase-Australia.”

Abase-Australia abaningi babheka ubungane obuqinile abanabo njengobabangelwa isifiso esinamandla sokuqhubeka bephila kulamakhulu amabili eminyaka. Bathanda ukuphawula ngokuba namandla kwamasosha ase-Australia eMpini Yezwe I. Ehambisana namasosha ahlomile aseNew Zealand, lamasosha anamandla ayaziwa ngokuthi ama-Anzac, okuyisifushaniso sebutho elihlanganisiwe i-Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Ayaziwa nangokuthi “abembi,” kodwa akuqinisekwa ukuthi lokhu kwakubhekisela ekumbeni kwawo imisele yokuzifihla empini noma ekumbeni ezimayini zegolide zase-Australia, lapho kwakuthutheleka khona amadoda phakathi nawo-1800.

Ukushayela—Kunomehluko Omkhulu

Izivakashi zasemazweni lapho izimoto zihamba khona ngakwesokudla emgwaqweni zikuthola kuhlukile ngempela ukushayela e-Australia. Kulo lonke izwe, izimoto zihamba kwesobunxele somgwaqo.

Ngakho uma ufika e-Australia uvela ezweni lapho kushayelwa khona kwesokudla, kungase kube yingozi ukuzama ukuwela umgwaqo okokuqala ngqá. Umthetho owujwayele wokuwela umgwaqo othi ‘bheka ngakwesobunxele, ubheke ngakwesokudla, bese ubheka ngakwesobunxele futhi’ ungaba yingozi. Manje kufanele ukhumbule ukuthi ‘ubheka ngakwesokudla, ubheke ngakwesobunxele, bese ubheka ngakwesokudla futhi’ ngaphambi kokuwela umgwaqo. Kuhle! Uyashesha ukubamba. Hhayi bo! Ucishe wagibela ohlangothini lwemoto olungafanele. Ukhohliwe ukuthi umshayeli uhlala ngakwesokudla kulelizwe!

Isimo Sezulu Esihlukile

Ezansi, uma uqhathanisa naseNyakatho Nenkabazwe, izikhathi zonyaka ziyaphambana. Umoya oshisayo, ovunguzayo uvela enyakatho nasenyakatho-ntshonalanga, kanti amakhaza avela eningizimu. Kulendawo awukho umoya wasenyakatho oletha amakhaza, kodwa qaphela umoya obandayo ohlabayo ovela eningizimu, ovame ukuba neqhwa neziphepho.

I-Australia iyizwekazi elome nelishisa kunawo wonke emhlabeni, linamazinga okushisa enkabeni yezwe afinyelela ku-30°C. Izinga lokushisa eliphakeme kunawo wonke elake labikwa lalingu-53,1°C. Eliphansi kunawo wonke lalingu-22°C. ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa, eduze neMount Kosciusko, intaba ephakeme kunazo zonke e-Australia, endaweni yeziNtaba zaseSnowy.

Uma kubhekwa iNyakatho Nenkabazwe, ukubanda akukubi lapha. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngeMelbourne, inhloko-dolobha yesifundazwe saseVictoria. Nakuba leli dolobha lisezansi eningizimu ye-Australia, izinga lokushisa elivamile phakathi nenyanga ka-July liyahlukahluka kusuka ku-6 kuye ku-13°C. Qhathanisa lokhu nezinga lokushisa elivamile lansuku zonke ngo-January eBeijing, eChina, elingu-10°C. ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa kuya ku-1°C. noma nezinga lokushisa laseNew York elingu-4°C. ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa kuya ku-3°C. Womabili lamadolobha aqhelelene nenkabazwe ngebanga elifanayo neMelbourne. Kungani kushisa ezansi, ikakhulukazi njengoba i-Australia iseduze nendawo ebanda kunazo zonke emhlabeni—i-Antarctica?

Umehluko uwukuthi eNyakatho Nenkabazwe kugcwele indawo eyizwe kanti eNingizimu Nenkabazwe kugcwele izilwandle. I-Australia neNew Zealand izungezwe izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha-skwele olwandle, okubangela umoya oshisayo oyisivikelo endaweni eyizwe emakhaza yase-Antarctica, kanjalo kugcine isimo sezulu sifudumele.

Ngenxa yobukhulu bezwekazi lase-Australia, ukuhlukahluka kwesimo sezulu ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene kuyaphawuleka ngempela. Ezifundazweni zaseningizimu, izinkathi zonyaka zihlukile, ebusuku ebusika kuyacwatha, kube makhaza, noma kulale ungqoqwane, ngokuvamile kulandele isikhathi sasemini esifudumele. Lezi zinsuku zasebusika ezifudumele ziba namazinga okushisa afana nawasehlobo emazweni amaningi aseNyakatho Nenkabazwe. Nokho, ezifundazweni zase-Australia ezisenyakatho, unyaka unezinkathi ezimbili kuphela—inkathi ende engenazimvula kanye nenkathi yezimvula ezinamandla. EDarwin, inhloko-dolobha yaseNorthern Territory, cishe izinga lokushisa lihlala lingu-32°C.

Ezinye Izinto Ezihlukile

Ngenxa yesimo sezulu esifudumele engxenyeni enkulu yalelizwekazi, abantu base-Australia bagqoka izinto ezipholile. Kodwa ukugqoka isigqoko esikhulu kubalulekile. Ngenxa yokuchayeka kakhulu elangeni, umdlavuza wesikhumba uvame kakhulu lapha kunasemazweni anesimo sezulu esifudumele.

Njengoba kusenezindawo eziningi eziwudedangendlale e-Australia, izindawo eziningi zamapikiniki zinezindawo zokosa inyama ngaphandle. Inyama ayibizi, ngakho amasosishi nenyama yenkomo yikona okuvame ukosiwa. Kodwa ingabe laba bantu abazungeze umlilo bakhuluma ngesandla ngezimpawu eziyimfihlo? Cha, bamane baphebeza izimpukane ngesandla esingaphethe lutho! Izimpukane nomiyane kuyinkinga enkulu lapho abantu bedlela ngaphandle, ikakhulukazi uma kushisa.

Ngakho, ukuphila ezansi kusho ukufunda ukuphila nezimpukane nomiyane, futhi izindlu eziningi zineminyango eyizisefo ngaphambili nangemuva. Ezikhathini zangaphambili, abantu babegqoka izigqoko ezilenga okhokho abaningi ukuze baxoshe izimpukane. Selokhu kwaba nemithi yokugcoba exosha izinambuzane, izigqoko ezinjalo azisavamile.

Okunye okuhlukile lapha izimbali ezinhle, ezimibalabala nezihlahla nemithi eqhakazayo. Alikho iphunga elinamandla ngokuvamile elitholakala eNyakatho Nenkabazwe. Lapha, umuntu othanda izimbali kumelwe asondele eduze uma ezihogela ukuze alizwe kahle iphunga lazo. Yiqiniso, akunjalo ngazo zonke izimbali zase-Australia. Ngokwesibonelo, izihlahlana ze-daphne ne-jasmine zinephunga elimnandi kakhulu. Kodwa ngokuvamile, izimbali zalapha azinalo iphunga njengezasemazweni abandayo.

Izindawo Eziwudedangendlale

Izindawo ezivulekile ziyisici sokuphila esihluke ngempela ezansi. Ukuthi into iseduze noma ikude kangakanani kuhlukile kunasemazweni amaningi asenyakatho. Amanye amadolobha aqhelelene kangangokuba umuntu angahamba amahora amaningi ngaphambi kokuba abone elinye idolobha. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi endaweni eyaziwa ngokuthi kusemaphandleni. Lapha kunendawo evulekile nokuthula okukhulu, futhi isivakashi singajabulela ukuhogela umoya ohlanzekile, ongangcolisiwe. Eduze kunesihlahla sikagamthilini. Lezi zihlahla kanye nezomtholo zithé chithi saka kulendawo.

Njengoba sekuqala ukuhlwa, ukhangwa ukushona kwelanga okuhle. Kodwa ngokungazelele sekuhlwile, ngoba ilanga lisheshe lizilahle kunina lapha ezansi. Ngokushesha, isibhakabhaka saseNingizimu esicwathile siveza izinkanyezi eziningi, kuhlanganise ne-Southern Cross yodumo. Kubonakala izihlahla zikagamthilini ekukhanyeni kwesibhakabhaka njengoba izilwane zasendle ziqala ukuziqoqa, futhi uzungezwa ukuthula kwendawo okubonakala kusabalele kulendawo ewudedangendlale.

Cisha umlilo kahle ngaphambi kokuba uyolala. Lokhu kubalulekile, ngoba lapho kuqubuka umlilo ehlathini e-Australia, ngokushesha uba ubuhanguhangu. Amaqabunga ezihlahla zikagamthilini okheleka kalula lapho umlilo unamandla, okwenza umlilo usakazeke ngokukhulu ukushesha. Phakathi nezinyanga zasehlobo ezishisayo, ezingenamvula, umlilo uwusongo kulabo abahlala eduze namahlathi. Kumelwe kugcinwe ngokucophelela imithetho nezimiso ezinqabela ukubaswa komlilo ehlathini.

Ngokushesha sekusile, futhi uvuswa umsindo omkhulu njengoba umhlambi wama-kookaburra obulele esihlahleni sikagamthilini uqala ukutshiyoza ngenjabulo. Umangele, ubuka ngaphandle kwetende lakho ubone izinyoni ezinemibala emihle zigcwele kwezinye izihlahla. Kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi ubusuzibonile eziningi zazo, kanye nezinye izilwane, kuhlanganise nama-kangaroo, ama-koala, ama-emu mhlawumbe ngisho ne-wombat. Izilwane ongafuni ukuzibona izinyoka nezicabucabu. Yebo, lelizwekazi linezinye zezinyoka nezicabucabu ezinobuthi kakhulu emhlabeni. Kodwa eziningi kuzo ngeke zikuhluphe uma ungaziphazamisi.

Sekuyisikhathi sokudla ukudla kwasekuseni phambi komlilo—ngokuvamile okuwubhekeni namaqanda kanye nesinkwa esithoswe kahle. Umoya ohlanzekile wenze inhliziyo yavuleka. Khona-ke, njengoba uzama ukujabulela ukudla kwakho kwasekuseni uphazanyiswa yizimpukane, uqala ukuzindla ngezenzakalo zakuleli hlathi, eziye zakunikeza ithuba lokubona ubukhulu bezwekazi lase-Australia.

Manje seluphelile uhambo lwakho kulelizwe eliwudedangendlale, futhi usuphindela ekhaya. Akungabazeki ukuthi ithuba obe nalo lokwazi abantu base-Australia abanobungane nendlela yabo yokuphila engenakuzenzisa kuyohlala njalo engqondweni yakho. Njengezivakashi eziningi, kungenzeka ufuna ukubuya futhi ngolunye usuku. Kodwa ngokungangabazeki sinye isiphetho osifinyelele: Ukuphila kuhlukile lapha ezansi!

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 17]

Parakeet and pink cockatoo: By courtesy of Australian International Public Relations; woman: By courtesy of West Australian Tourist Commission