Abathwa—Abantu Abahlala Ehlathini Elicinene

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ECENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

WOZA sikwethule kumaBinga, abaThwa (Pygmies) baseCentral African Republic, ikhaya lethu. Cishe wake wezwa futhi wafunda okuthile ngabaThwa, kodwa kungenzeka awukaze ubabone. Uma uvakashela eBangui, enhloko-dolobha, uhambo oluthatha isikhathi esingaphansi kwamahora amabili lukuthatha luyokubeka endaweni yawo.

OFakazi BakaJehova banesigijimi esibalulekile sazo zonke izizwe, izizwana nezinhlanga. Emsebenzini wethu wobuKristu, sishumayela kuzo zonke izinhlobo zabantu. Lezi zihlanganisa nabo abaThwa.—IsAmbulo 14:6.

Sicela uhambe nathi ubone indlela abaphila ngayo nendlela abasabela ngayo ezindabeni ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ozoletha iPharadesi emhlabeni. Uyoba nosuku oluhle noluvusa amadlingozi.

Ukucwaningisisa Ngabo

Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, kuyafaneleka ukuba senze ukucwaninga okuthile ngabantu esizobavakashela. Kunezincwadi eziye zabhalwa abantu abahlala izinyanga eziningi nabaThwa, behlola amasiko abo, inkolo nemikhuba yabo.

Ukufunda ngalaba bantu abanokuthula nobungane bese sibavakashela kuzophendula imibuzo eminingi, enjengokuthi: Bavelaphi abaThwa? Singafundani kubo? Bahlalaphi? Yini ebenza bahluke kwabanye abantu base-Afrika? Baphila kanjani nabanye abantu?

I-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary ithi abaThwa “bangabantu abanesiqu esincane basenkabazwe ye-Afrika abanobude obungaphansi kwamafidi ayisihlanu [amamitha angu-1,5], . . . bakhuluma ulimi lomakhelwane babo abaseduze.” Kucatshangwa ukuthi abaThwa base-Afrika abanawo umsuka ofanayo namaNegrito (okusho “Ama-Negro Amafushane”) atholakala e-Oceania nasengxenyeni eseningizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia.

Igama elithi “pygmy [abaThwa]” livela egameni lesiGreki elisho “ubude bengalo kusukela endololwaneni kuya equpheni.” AbaThwa baziwa njengabazingeli nabathezi. Inani labaThwa emhlabeni wonke lilinganiselwa enanini elingaphezudlwana nje kuka-200 000.

USerge Bahuchet noGuy Philippart de Foy basinikeza eminye imininingwane ethakazelisayo encwadini yabo ethi Pygmées—peuple de la forêt (AbaThwa—Abantu Basehlathini). Bathi abaThwa bahlala emahlathini acinene aseRepublic of Congo, eDemocratic Republic of Congo, eGabon, eCameroon, naseCentral African Republic futhi bayatholakala ngisho nasempumalanga eRwanda naseBurundi.

Akekho owaziyo ngempela ukuthi abaThwa bavelaphi nokuthi bafika nini. Abalokothi bazibize ngokuthi ‘bangabathwa.’ ECentral African Republic, ngokuvamile babizwa ngokuthi amaBinga, kodwa kwamanye amazwe babizwa ngokuthi amaKola, amaBongo, ama-Aka, amaMbènzèlè, abaThwa namaMbuti.

Ukuvakasha Kokuqala

Sisuka ekuseni eBangui sihamba ngeLand Cruiser, cishe ngehora lesikhombisa, siya eningizimu eM’Baiki/Mongoumba. Umgwaqo ufakwe itiyela ibanga elingamakhilomitha ayikhulu kuphela. Kuwukuhlakanipha ukusebenzisa imoto edonsa ngawo womane amasondo, ngoba umgwaqo uyashelela njengoba linile ngayizolo ebusuku.

Sidlula endaweni enohlaza oluhle olukhephuzelayo namahlathi acinene nasemizaneni lapho sithola khona abantu bedayisa ubhanana, ukhova, uphayinaphu, umdumbula, ummbila, amathanga namantongomane emgwaqweni. Indlala bayizwa ngendaba kulendawo. Umhlabathi omuhle nesimo sezulu esinomswakama kwenza kube nenala yezinhlobonhlobo zokudla. Khona-ke ngokungazelele, sizithela “emzini” wokuqala wamaBinga noma, singathi ikamu.

Bahlala emaqhugwaneni ayindilinga amancane ngendlela emangalisayo anomnyango owodwa ongaphuma ngawo ugaqa. Abesifazane bakha lamaqhugwane besebenzisa izingodo namahlamvu okuthathwe ehlathini eliseduzane. Amaqhugwane ayishumi kuya kwangu-15 akhiwa abe isiyingi. Asetshenziswa njengendawo yokulala kuphela noma yokukhosela ngezikhathi zemvula enkulu. Imisebenzi yansuku zonke yenzelwa ngaphandle.

Siyaphuma emotweni ukuze sibingelele abesifazane abathile, ngamunye ugone ingane. Njengoba eyizwile imoto yethu, amanye amadoda aphuma egijima ukuze abone ukuthi singobani nokuthi sifunani. Alandelwa izinja eziningi, ngayinye igaxe insimbi ekhalayo entanyeni.

Siyakhumbula ukuthi ekucwaningeni esakwenza sathola ukuthi okuwukuphela kwesilwane sasekhaya abaThwa abasifuyayo yinja. Bahamba nazo lapho beyozingela. Futhi kuningi abakuzingelayo, kusukela phansi kuye phezulu esihlahleni. Njengoba incwadi ethi Pygmées—peuple de la forêt ichaza, lokhu kuhlanganisa izinyoni, izinkawu, izindlovu, izinyathi, amagundane, izinyamazane, izingulube zehlathi, izingwejeje kanye nokunye okuningi. Kufanele nakanjani umzingeli ngamunye abe nenja ethembekile.

Lapho sixoxa nalaba bantu, sisebenzisa incwadi ethi INcwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli nencwajana engangomagazini ethi Jabulela Ukuphila Emhlabeni Phakade!a Lezi zincwadi zibonisa ukuthi ngokushesha umhlaba uzoba ipharadesi ube namahlathi amahle, lapho kungeke kusaba khona ukugula noma ukufa. (IsAmbulo 21:4, 5) Zombili lezi zincwadi ziyanyatheliswa ngesiSango, ulimi olukhulunywa izakhamuzi ezingaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-90, kuhlanganise nabaThwa. Laba bantu abanokuthula, noma kuphi lapho behlala khona, basebenzisa ulimi lomakhelwane babo base-Afrika. Lokhu kubalulekile ngoba bahwebelana nabo.

Ngokushesha, sesizungezwe amadoda nabesifazane abaningi, bebuka izithombe ngokujabula njengoba belalele incazelo enikezwayo. Ngenxa yokubahambela kwethu eminyakeni engaphambili, bayasazi ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova. Bayajabula ukuthola izincwadi. Nokho, inkinga iwukuthi abakwazi ukufunda. Kuleminyaka eminingi edlule uhulumeni nezinye izinhlangano ziye zazama ukubafundisa ukufunda nokubhala, kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. Kwahlelwa ukuba izingane zabo ziye esikoleni. Izikole zaba khona nje isikhashana, kodwa eziningi izingane zayeka. Uthisha owake wafundisa abaThwa waphawula ukuthi lapho ebafundisa ekilasini babebonisa ikhono elihle kakhulu lokufunda, kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile beya esikoleni, bavele nje banyamalala. Nokho, iziphathimandla zendawo nabanye abantu bayaqhubeka bezama ukwenza amalungiselelo emfundo ehleliwe.

OFakazi BakaJehova banedumela lokubuyela kubantu ababonisa isithakazelo eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa asilindele ukuthola amaBinga esiwathole manje uma siphinda sibuya, ngoba ahlala nje ethutha unyaka wonke. Isikhathi ngasinye avele anyamalale ehlathini lawo elicinene. Imizamo yokuwenza ahlale ndawonye unomphela iye yahluleka. Angabantu basemahlathini ngempela. Ukuzulazula nokuzingela kuyindlela yawo yokuphila, futhi akukho okungawashintsha.

Ukuphila Kwansuku Zonke, Umshado Nomkhaya

Ngokuyisisekelo, amadoda ayazingela abese abesifazane betheza, beqoqa noma yini ekhiqizwa amahlathi: amakhowe, izimpande, amajikijolo, amahlamvu, amantongomane, izinambuzane, umuhlwa, inhlaka, futhi okungafanele kulitshalwe, amacimbi abo abawathandayo. Zonke lezi zinto ziyadingeka ngenjongo yokudla nokuhweba ngazo. Omakhelwane base-Afrika babaThwa, ngokuvamile ababizwa ngokuthi ama-les grands noirs (abantu abansundu abade), ngokuvamile bathembele kubona ukuze bathole lezi zinto. Bashintshana nabo ngamabhodwe, amapani, ocelemba, amathuluzi anjengamazembe nemimese, usawoti, uwoyela wesundu, umdumbula, ukhova, futhi ngeshwa nogwayi kanye notshwala obuphiswa ekhaya nesidakamizwa okuthiwa i-cannabis. Lezi zinto zokugcina ezintathu ziyinkinga enkulu kulaba bantu abathobekile. Ngokuvamile bangena ezikweletini ukuze nje bazithole, futhi kancane kancane ukuphila kwabo kuyonakala.

Amadoda ngokuvamile athatha inkosikazi eyodwa. Nokho, bayahlukanisa noma bahlale ngokuhlukana kalula ukuze nje bahlale nomunye umuntu. Ubaba noma umuntu omdala kunabo bonke emzini uyena ohlonishwa kakhulu. Akashayi imithetho, kodwa iseluleko sakhe ngokuvamile siyalandelwa. Uyoqaphela ukuthi abaThwa bayazithanda izingane zabo. Ngokuvamile umama nobaba bayazigona izingane zabo. Labojahidada bahlala benabazali babo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bayaphi futhi benzani, kungaba ukusebenza, ukuzingela noma ukudansa.

Ebusuku ingane ilala phakathi kwabo bobabili abazali. Emini, abazali, abafowabo, odadewabo, omalume nogogo nomkhulu bayazinakekela izingane, futhi ngaphandle kwalokho, zinakekelwa yilo lonke ikamu. Abazali nezihlobo bavakashelana njalo. Konke lokhu kugcina izibopho zomkhaya ziqinile. Emiphakathini yamazwe aseNtshonalanga ngokuvamile izibopho zomkhaya aziqinile noma ziyagqabuka, kodwa lapha izinto zihluke kakhulu.

Nakuba abaThwa bengahlali nomakhelwane babo base-Afrika, banobuhlobo obungokomnotho. Nakuba bexhumana nabo njalo ngezohwebo, ngokuvamile bayaye bacelwe ukuba basebenze emapulazini ekhofi nokhokho. Kuyenzeka basebenze amasonto ambalwa, bakhokhelwe, bese benyamalala ehlathini elicinene isikhathi eside. Ubani owaziyo? Kungenzeka ukuthi ikhofi olijabulele namhlanje lidlule ezandleni zabaThwa base-Afrika Ephakathi.

Inkolo

AmaBinga angabantu abayithandayo inkolo, kodwa ukuphila kwawo okungokwenkolo kubuswa inkolelo-ze namasiko. Lapho benza amasiko abo kuba khona umculo, ukuhlabelela (behlise izwi babuye balikhuphule), kanye nokudansa. Incwadi ethi Ethnies—droits de l’homme et peuples autochtones (Amaqembu Ezinhlanga—Amalungelo Esintu Nabantu Bendabuko) inikeza lencazelo: “Kubantu abahlala ehlathini elicinene, uNkulunkulu wadala umhlaba, besho ihlathi. Ngemva kokudala imibhangqwana yokuqala engabantu . . . , waphindela ezulwini futhi waphelelwa isithakazelo esintwini. Manje usetshenzelwa umoya ophakeme, unkulunkulu wehlathi.” Ngokuqinisekile, lokhu kuphikisana kakhulu nencazelo etholakala eBhayibhelini ngokuphathelene noNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe.—Genesise, izahluko 1, 2; IHubo 37:10, 11, 29.

Abantu Abahlakaniphile

Kuvamile ukuba abanye abantu babagcone noma bababukele phansi abaThwa, bebabheka njengabangelutho nabangahlakaniphile. Kodwa uPatrick Meredith, uprofesa we-psychophysics eLeeds University, eNgilandi, wathi: “Uma ubona abathwa endaweni yabo engokwemvelo benza amabhuloho ngemicu yezitshalo futhi bephumelela ekuphileni ungase uzibuze ukuthi yini kanti oyishoyo uma ukhuluma ngokuhlakanipha.”

Siyazi ukuthi sonke isintu siyinzalo yombhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu, u-Adamu no-Eva. IzEnzo 17:26 zithi: “[UNkulunkulu] wenza ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] zonke izizwe zabantu, ukuba zihlale kubo bonke ubuso bomhlaba.” Futhi izEnzo 10:34, 35 zithi “uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” Khona-ke, sifuna ukuyisa amaqiniso eBhayibheli kulaba bantu ukuze nabo babe nethemba lokuphila esikhathini esiseduze lapho umhlaba wonke uyoguqulwa ube ipharadesi elihle elinamahlathi amaningi acinene.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

1. Ukuhlanganyela isigijimi seBhayibheli nabaThwa; 2. Umbazi ongumuThwa; 3. indlu evamile yomuThwa