Yini Eyenzeka —Kuma-Apache?

KWAKUSHIWO bani uma kuthiwa, “Umuntu onolaka kunabo bonke”? Nokho, ubani owayaziwa ngesibindi nokuzimisela kwakhe okuvelele? Kwakungumholi wama-Apache wokugcina owazinikela eButhweni lase-United States. Waphila waze waba neminyaka engu-80 futhi wafa ngo-1909 e-Oklahoma, ngokunokwenzeka engumKristu weSonto laseDashi. WayenguGoyathlay (eliphinyiselwa ngokuthi uGoyahkla), owayaziwa kangcono ngokuthi uGeronimo, umholi wokugcina omkhulu wama-Apache.

Kuthiwa wethiwa ngokuthi uGeronimo ngemva kokuba amasosha aseMexico ekhale “kuSanta” uJerome (Jerónimo) ngenxa yokwesaba lapho uGoyathlay ewahlasela. Cishe ngonyaka ka-1850, amabutho aseMexico abulala abesifazane bama-Apache nezingane abangu-25 ababekanise ngaphandle kwaseJanos, eMexico. Phakathi kwabo kwakukhona unina kaGeronimo, inkosikazi yakhe esencane nezingane zakhe ezintathu. Kuthiwa “uGeronimo wabazonda waze wayofa bonke abantu baseMexico.” Eshukunyiswa isifiso sakhe sokuziphindiselela, waba ngenye yezinduna ezesatshwa kunazo zonke zama-Apache.

Kodwa yini esiyaziyo ngamaNdiya angama-Apache, ngokuvamile avezwa njengezigelekeqe ezithombeni zamafilimu aseHollywood? Ingabe asekhona? Uma ekhona, aphila kanjani futhi analiphi ikusasa?

“Izingwe Ezidla Abantu”

Ama-Apache (cishe igama lawo livela egameni lesiZuni elithi apachu, elisho “isitha”) ayedume ngokuba amaqhawe anesibindi nanamasu. UJenene uGeorge Crook owayeyisilwi esidumile ngokumelene namaNdiya ekhulwini le-19 leminyaka wawabiza ngokuthi “izingwe ezidla abantu.” Kodwa, esinye isikhulu sithi “akukaze kwenzeke ukuba ngemva kuka-1500 zonke izizwana zama-Apache zihlangene zibe ngaphezu kwabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyisithupha.” Kodwa amaqhawe nje ambalwa ayengashwabadela lonke ibutho lesitha empini yabashokobezi!

Nokho, umthombo wezindaba wama-Apache uthi: “Ama-Apache ayengezona izidlwangudlwangu ezomele igazi, njengoba kucabanga abantu abaningi abathonywe abantu baseSpain, abaseMexico nabaseMelika. Sasithungatha ukudla ngezikhathi zendlala kuphela. Kwakungamane nje kuqubuke izimpi, kodwa ngokuvamile zaziba imikhankaso ehleliwe yokuziphindiselela ngenxa yokuphathwa ngokungenabulungisa.” Futhi kwakukuningi ukungabi nabulungisa ngalezo zikhathi!

Umbukiso waseSan Carlos Apache Cultural Center, ePeridot, e-Arizona, uchaza umlando wama-Apache ngokombono wawo: “Ukufika kwabantu bangaphandle kulesi sifunda kwaletha inzondo noshintsho. Izifiki zazingenandaba nokuthi siyalithanda leli lizwe. Ukuze bavikele imikhuba namasiko ethu, okhokho balwa futhi banqoba izimpi eziningi belwa namasosha kanye nabantu baseSpain, abaseMexico nabase-United States. Kodwa ngenxa yokukhungathekiswa isibalo esikhulu nezinto zobuchwepheshe besimanje eziningi, okhokho bethu baphoqeleka ukuba ekugcineni benze lokho ababephoqelelwa uHulumeni wase-United States ukuba bakwenze. Saphoqeleka ukuba siyeke indlela yethu yokuphila ngokuzula futhi sahlala ezabelweni.” Amazwi athi ‘ukuphoqeleka ukuhlala ezabelweni’ avusa imizwa ejulile yabahlali abayingxenye yesigidi (kubantu boMdabu baseMelika abangaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili) bezizwe ezingu-554 e-United States kanye namaqembu angu-633 kwelaseCanada. Ama-Apache afinyelela inani elithi alibe ngu-50 000.a

Indlela Asinda Ngayo

Ochwepheshe abaningi bomlando waboMdabu baseMelika bayavuma ukuthi izizwe zokuqala zavela e-Asia ngendlela yaseBering Strait futhi kancane kancane zasakazekela eningizimu nasempumalanga. Izazi zezilimi zithi ulimi lwama-Apache luhlobene nolwabantu base-Alaska naseCanada abakhuluma isi-Athapaskan. UThomas Mails uyabhala: “Kulinganiselwa ukuthi afika eMelika eseNingizimu-ntshonalanga phakathi kuka-1000 no-1500 A.D. Izazi zesayensi yendabuko azikavumelani ngokuthi afika ngamuphi umzila futhi ngokushesha kangakanani.”—The People Called Apache.

Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule ngokuvamile ama-Apache ayephila ngokuhlasela omakhelwane bawo baseSpain naseMexico. UThomas Mails uyabhala: “Lokhu kuhlasela kwaqhubeka cishe amakhulu amabili eminyaka, kusukela ngo-1690 kwaze kwaphela cishe ngo-1870. Akumangalisi ukuthi babehlaselwa, ngoba iMexico yayibonakala iyinqolobane ekahle yezinto ezidingekayo.”

Obani Abaqala Ukwebula Isikhumba Sezinwele?

Ngenxa yezimpi ezingapheli phakathi kweMexico nesizwe sama-Apache, uhulumeni waseSonora eMexico “waphindela endleleni endala yaseSpain” yokuklomelisa noma ubani oletha isikhumba sezinwele esebulwe kuma-Apache. Le ndlela yayingasungulwangwa abaseSpain kuphela—abantu baseBrithani naseFrance babeke bayisebenzisa ezikhathini zangaphambili.

Abantu baseMexico babeyobula isikhumba sezinwele ukuze bathole umvuzo oyimali, futhi ngezinye izikhathi bengenandaba ukuthi bayobula umApache noma cha. Ngo-1835 eMexico kwakhishwa umthetho owawuklomelisa umuntu ngama-peso ayikhulu ngesikhumba sezinwele seqhawe ngalinye. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva inkokhelo yahlanganisa ama-peso angu-50 ngesikhumba sezinwele sowesifazane kanye nama-peso angu-25 ngesengane! Encwadini yakhe ethi The Conquest of Apacheria, uDan Thrapp uyabhala: “Empeleni leli cebo lalifuna ukuqotha imbokodo nesisekelo, okuwubufakazi bokuthi ukuqothulwa kwesizwe kunemisuka eminingi futhi akuyona into yesimanje esungulwe isizwe esisodwa.” Uyaqhubeka: “Ama-Apache awazange obule abanye abantu isikhumba sezinwele.” Nokho, uMails uthi amaChiricahua ngezinye izikhathi ayezebula izikhumba zezinwele—kodwa ayengavamile, “ngenxa yokwesaba kwawo ukufa nezipoki.” Uyanezela: “Ukwebula isikhumba sezinwele ayekwenza kuphela lapho eziphindiselela ngemva kokuba abantu baseMexico beqale ukusebenzisa leli cebo.”

UThrapp uthi abavubukuli “ngokuvamile babehlangana . . . futhi bazingele amaNdiya. Uma bekwazile ukuwabamba, babewacoboshisa wonke amadoda, futhi ngezinye izikhathi bacoboshise ngisho nabesifazane nezingane. Nawo-ke amaNdiya ayenza okufanayo kwabamhlophe nakwezinye izizwe.”

Impi yokulwa nama-Apache yafinyelela iqophelo lapho yayiyinzuzo kuhulumeni wase-Arizona, kusho uCharles Lummis, ngoba “ukuqhubeka kwezimpi zama-Apache [kwakusho] ukuthi uMnyango Wezempi wawunikeza isifundazwe sase-Arizona imali engaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili zama-dollar [amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-9,3] unyaka ngamunye.” UThrapp uthi: “Kwakunabantu abanamandla futhi abakhohlakele ababengafuni kube khona ukuthula nama-Apache, ngoba uma kuba nokuthula, ukungena kwemali esetshenziswa amasosha kwakuyonqamuka.”

Ukusikelwa Izabelo Kwakuyikhambi?

Izingxabano ezingapheli phakathi kwabahlaseli abamhlophe nezakhamuzi zama-Apache zaholela ekubeni uhulumeni wezwe asebenzise ikhambi lokugcina amaNdiya ezindaweni azabelwe—ngokuvamile ezaziyiziqeshana eziwugwadule okwakulindeleke ukuba aphile kuzo. Ngo-1871 kuya ku-1872, ama-Apache anikezwa izabelo.

Kusukela ngo-1872 kuya ku-1876, ama-Apache angamaChiricahua ayenendawo yawo ayabelwe. Le mihambima ethanda ukuzula ngokukhululeka yazizwa ibophekile. Nakuba ayenendawo engamahekthare angu-1108 000 eyayingahlala abantu abangu-400 kuya kwabangu-600, le ndawo eyomile yayingabanikezi indawo eyanele yokuthola ukudla ngokuzingela nokuhlwaya endle. Njalo ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-15 kwakufanele uhulumeni awamukelise ukudla ukuze angabulawa indlala.

Nakuba kunjalo, izifiki ezimhlophe zacabanga ukuthi iChiricahua Reservation yayiwukudlala nje ngendawo futhi ama-Apache kufanele anqwatshelwaniswe endaweni eyodwa ayabelwe. Ukungenami kwezifiki ezimhlophe ngalokhu kwakhula ngemva kokufa kwenduna ehlonishwayo uCochise ngo-1874. Zazifuna izaba zokuxosha ama-Apache angamaChiricahua kulesi sabelo. Yini eyenzeka? “Ngo-1876, kwavela ibhaxa. AmaChiricahua amabili abulala abadayisi ababili bakagologo abangekho emthethweni lapho benqaba ukubadayisela [ugologo] owengeziwe. Kunokuba baboshwe abasolwa, isikhulu [sikahulumeni] saseSan Carlos safika namadoda ahlomile saqhuba [isizwe] samaChiricahua sasiyisa eSan Carlos. IChiricahua Reservation yavalwa.”

Nokho, amaNdiya ayesavunyelwa ukuba azulazule ngisho nangaphandle kwezindawo azabelwe. Izifiki ezimhlophe azizange zikuthande lokho. “Esabela kulokho okwakufunwa yilezi zifiki, uhulumeni wathutha ama-Apache aseSan Carlos, aseWhite Mountain, aseCibecue nawaseTonto, kanye namanye amaqembu amaningi ahlanganisa ama-Apache angamaChiricahua, wayowahlalisa endaweni eyodwa yaseSan Carlos.”—Creation’s Journey—Native American Identity and Belief.

Ngesinye isikhathi izinkulungwane zamaYavapai, amaChiricahua nama-Apache aseNtshonalanga zavalelwa ndawonye. Lokhu kwabangela izingxabano nokungathembani, ngoba ezinye zalezi zizwe kwase kuyisikhathi eside ziyizitha. Zenzenjani lapho zihlaliswa endaweni eyodwa? Impendulo yama-Apache ithi, “Njengoba sasephucwe indlela yethu esasiphila ngayo, sahlukumezeka ngokomzimba, ngokomzwelo nangokomoya. Inkululeko yethu yayithathiwe.”

Nokho, iqembu lamaChiricahua elaliholwa induna eyaziwayo yempi, uGeronimo, labaleka kule ndawo ngo-1885 laya eMexico. Laxoshwa uJenene Nelson Miles owayenamasosha acishe abe ngu-5000 nezinhloli ezingama-Apache ezingu-400—ngaleso sikhathi bonke babezama ukuthola amasosha angu-16, abesifazane abangu-12 nezingane eziyisithupha!

Ekugcineni, ngo-September 4, 1886, uGeronimo wacela umaluju. Wayezimisele ukubuyela eSan Carlos Reservation. Kodwa akuzange kwenzeke. Watshelwa ukuthi wonke ama-Apache ayelapho ayethwalwe njengeziboshwa ngomkhumbi ayiswa ngasempumalanga, eFlorida, lapho naye ayezoya khona. Ekhuluma ngolimi lwakhe lwesi-Apache wathi: “Łahn dádzaayú nahikai łeh niʹ nyelíí k’ehge,” okusho ukuthi, “Sake sakhululeka njengomoya.” UGeronimo oziqhayisayo nonobuqili, manje owayeseyisiboshwa, wayengasakwazi ukuhamba ngokukhululeka njengomoya.

Ekugcineni wavunyelwa ukuba aye ngasentshonalanga, eFort Sill, e-Oklahoma, lapho afela khona ngo-1909. Njengabo bonke abaholi boMdabu baseMelika, le nduna yama-Apache yaphoqelelwa ukuba ivume ukuphila ezimweni ezinzima zasemajele nezasezabelweni.

Yiziphi Izinkinga Abhekana Nazo Namuhla?

Ama-Apache ahlala ezindaweni eziningi eziyizabelo e-Arizona naseNew Mexico. Abalobeli be-Phaphama! bavakashela iSan Carlos Reservation futhi baxoxa nedlanzana labaholi bama-Apache. Nakhu okwenzeka.

Lapho nje sifika kule ndawo ngosuku olushisayo, libalele ngo-May, uHarrison Talgo nomkakhe basamukela ngomusa. UHarrison, oyisikhulumi esiqephuzayo, ongamamitha angu-1,83 ubude, onamadevu amade uyilungu lomkhandlu wesizwana saseSan Carlos. Sambuza: “Yiziphi ezinye zezinkinga ama-Apache abhekana nazo namuhla?”

“Silahlekelwa amasiko ethu asendulo. I-TV ibe nethonya elibi kakhulu, ikakhulukazi entsheni yethu. Esinye isibonelo yileso sokuthi ayilufundi ulimi lwethu. Enye inkinga enkulu ukusweleka komsebenzi, okufinyelela amaphesenti angu-60 kwezinye izindawo. Yiqiniso, sinezindawo zokugembula, kodwa azibaqashi abantu abaningi. Olunye uhlangothi olubi lwalokhu ukuthi abantu bakithi abaningi baya kulezi zindawo beyogembula ngomholo, oyimali yokukhokha intela yendlu nokudla.”

Lapho ebuzwa ukuthi zinjani izinkinga zempilo kulesi sizwe, uHarrison akazange anqikaze ukuphendula. Wathi: “Isifo sikashukela. Amaphesenti angaphezu kuka-20 abantu bakithi anesifo sikashukela. Kwezinye izindawo bangaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-50 esibaphethe.” Wavuma ukuthi enye inkinga enkulu uhlupho olwalethwa umlungu eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu edlule—utshwala. “Izidakamizwa nazo ziyinkinga kubantu bakithi.” Izimpawu zomgwaqo kule ndawo zinikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ikhanda balezi zinkinga, zithi: “Ungadakwa—Ungayisebenzisi Imilaliso” noluthi “Londolozani Izwe Lethu. Londolozani Impilo Yethu. Ningayonakalisi Ingcebo Yethu.”

Sabuza ukuthi ikhona yini inkinga yengculaza kulesi sizwe. Ngokwenyanya okukhulu, waphendula: “Inkinga ikongqingili. Ubungqingili bungena ngokunyenya ezabelweni. I-TV nokonakala kwabelungu konakalisa enye yentsha yethu engama-Apache.”

Sabuza ukuthi iziphi izinguquko eziye zaba khona kule ndawo eminyakeni yamuva. UHarrison waphendula: “Ngawo-1950, nansi eyayiza kuqala futhi ithonya ukuphila: Eyokuqala inkolo; eyesibili, umkhaya; eyesithathu, imfundo; eyesine, ukucindezela kontanga; futhi eyokugcina i-TV. Namuhla, itshe seligaya ngomunye umhlathi, i-TV esinethonya kakhulu. Ukucindezela kontanga kungokwesibili ekubeni nethonya elinamandla—ukucindezela kokuyeka imikhuba yama-Apache bese kulandelwa eyaseMelika. Imfundo isengeyesithathu, futhi ama-Apache amaningi alisebenzisa ngokunenzuzo ithuba lokuvulwa kwamakolishi nokwanda kwezikole nezikole eziphakeme ezikhona ezindaweni zawo.”

“Linjani ithonya lomkhaya?” sibuza.

“Ngeshwa, umkhaya manje usuhlehlele endaweni yesine, futhi inkolo manje isisekugcineni—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi inkolo yethu eyisiko noma izinkolo zabelungu.”

“Nizibheka kanjani izinkolo zeLobukholwa?”

“Asikuthandi ukuba amasonto azame ukuphendula abantu bethu bashiye izinkolelo zethu eziyisiko.b Sekuphele ikhulu leminyaka amaLuthela namaKatolika enezimishini lapha. Kumaqembu futhi eSonto Likamoya abakhangayo abantu.

“Kufanele sibuyise isiko lethu ngomkhaya futhi sibuyise nokukhulunywa kolimi lwama-Apache. Okwamanje, luyaphela.”

Intuthuko Engokomnotho Yama-Apache

Savakashela esinye isikhulu sama-Apache, esakhuluma ngesibindi ngamathuba ezomnotho aseSan Carlos Reservation. Nokho, sachaza ukuthi kwakungelula ukwenza abatshali bezimali bazifake emisebenzini eyenziwa lapho. Olunye uphawu oluhle isivumelwano esisayinwe nenkampani enkulu yezingcingo ukuze kwakhiwe iSan Carlos Apache Telecommunication Company. Ixhaswa yi-Rural Economic Association ngokwezimali futhi izovulela ama-Apache amathuba emisebenzi bese yandisa futhi ithuthukisa isimiso esiphansi sezingcingo sakule ndawo.

Lesi sikhulu sakhuluma futhi ngeqholo ngomshini wokuhlanza izinso ozofakwa kungekudala esibhedlela sakule ndawo, okuzokwenza abantu belashwe futhi banakekelwe kangcono. Sabe sesisibonisa amapulani esikhungo sezentengiselwano esizothuthukiswa kabusha eSan Carlos, esizoqala ukwakhiwa maduzane. Sasinethemba ngesikhathi esizayo kodwa sagcizelela ukuthi isisekelo salokho kufanele sibe imfundo. ‘Imfundo engcono yenza uthole iholo elingcono, okuholela ezingeni elingcono lokuphila.’

Abesifazane angama-Apache bayaziwa ngamakhono abo okwaluka obhasikidi. Incwadi yokuqondisa izivakashi ithi “ukuzingela, ukudoba, ukufuya izinkomo, ukugawula amahlathi, izimayini, imidlalo yangaphandle nokuvakashela izindawo” kuyizinto eziyinhloko ezithuthukisa umnotho wendawo.

Ama-Apache azama uku-hambisana namazwe angaphandle, nakuba ebhekene nezinkinga eziningi. Njengabanye abantu abaningi, afuna ubulungisa, ukuhlonishwa nokuphila okuhloniphekayo.

Lapho Kuyoba Khona Ubulungisa Beqiniso

OFakazi BakaJehova bayawavakashela ama-Apache beyowatshela ngezwe elisha elithenjiswe uJehova uNkulunkulu ngomhlaba wethu, elichazwe kahle encwadini yeBhayibheli ka-Isaya: “Ngiyadala izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha; izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, zingene enhliziyweni. Bayakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo; bayakutshala izivini, badle izithelo zazo. Abayikushikashikela ize.”—Isaya 65:17, 21, 23; 2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:1-4.

Sesiseduze isikhathi lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu ezothatha khona isinyathelo sokuhlanza umhlaba asuse bonke ubugovu nokonakala kanye nokonakaliswa komhlaba. (Bheka uMathewu 24; Marku 13; Luka 21.) Abantu bazo zonke izizwe, kuhlanganise nezizwe zamaMelika Omdabu, manje bangazibusisa ngokuphendukela kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, ngoKristu Jesu. (Genesise 22:17, 18) OFakazi BakaJehova banikeza imfundo yeBhayibheli yamahhala kunoma ubani omnene ofuna ukuzuza ifa lomhlaba ovuselelwe futhi ozimisele ukulalela uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 37:11, 19.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amabalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 15]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

INYAKATHO MELIKA

Indawo ekhulisiwe ngakwesokudla

Izabelo zama-Apache

I-ARIZONA

INEW MEXICO

AmaJicarilla

Ama-Apache aseFort (White Mountain)

ISan Carlos

AmaMescalero

[Umthombo]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

UGeronimo

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of the Arizona Historical Society/Tucson, AHS#78167

[Izithombe ekhasini 16]

UHarrison Talgo, ilungu lomkhandlu wesizwe

[Izithombe ekhasini 17]

Induna uCochise yangcwatshelwa enqabeni yayo eseChiricahua

Izitsha zesiphuphutheki zenza ama-Apache akwazi ukuba nama-TV ezabelweni zawo

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Emangcwabeni ama-Apache izihlobo zibeka amatshe azungeze ithuna. Amaribhini asemoyeni amelela amagumbi amane omhlaba