ULeif Eriksson—Ingabe Nguyena Owathola IMelika?

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EDENMARK

NGUBANI owathola iMelika? Akekho owazi ngokuqondile. Impendulo ixhomeke kakhulu ekutheni ulichaza kanjani elithi “ukuthola” nelithi “iMelika.” Phela, leli zwe elikhulu lalinabantu amakhulu amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba abeLungu bazi nokuthi likhona. Ekuqaleni kuka-1493, uChristopher Columbus waphindela eYurophu ephethe imilando yokuzibonela mathupha yohambo lwakhe lokuqala lokuya emazweni aseMelika. Eqinisweni, wafika eziqhingini zaseWest Indies. Kodwa wayengeyena umLungu wokuqala owafika kuleli zwe elisha elimangalisayo. Kubonakala sengathi iqembu lamaScandinavia anezinwele ezimhloshana lalifike ezweni laseNyakatho Melika eminyakeni engu-500 ngaphambi kwakhe.

Eminyakeni eyinkulungwane edlule, cishe iNyakatho Atlantic yayibanda futhi iyingozi njengoba injalo namuhla. Itilosi lingase licabange ukuthi liyawazi umoya neziphepho zasolwandle ezishintshayo, kodwa inkungu nezivunguvungu zingakwenza kube nzima ngalo ukuthola indlela kuze kuphele amasonto amaningi. Ngokomunye wemilando yasendulo yamaNorseman, yilokhu kanye okwenzeka ngelinye ihlobo kuBjarni Herjolfsson osemusha, itilosi nomhloli wamazwe owayenekhono. Waduka—kodwa kungenzeka wathola izwekazi!

Kwakuyinkathi yamaViking, lapho amaNorseman ayandisa ithonya lawo ezilwandle nakulo lonke elaseYurophu. Imikhumbi yawo ecijile, eyayihamba ngobuciko olwandle yayibonakala kuyo yonke indawo kusukela ogwini lweNorway kuya ogwini lwaseNyakatho Afrika nasemifuleni yaseYurophu.

Ngokwe-Saga of the Greenlanders, uBjarni wathatha uhambo olude eya eNorway. Njengoba ubusika bango-986 C.E. babusondela, wabuyela e-Iceland nemikhumbi eyayigcwele impango. Kodwa wamangala lapho ethola ukuthi uyise wayeyishiyile i-Iceland neqoqo lemikhumbi ngaphansi kobuholi buka-Erik the Red. Babethuthele ezweni elikhulu elalitholwe u-Erik entshonalanga ye-Iceland. Okwenza leli zwe lakhanga nakakhulu ukuthi u-Erik walibiza ngokuthi iGreenland (iZwe Eliluhlaza). Ngokuzimisela, uBjarni osemusha walibangisa eGreenland ngemikhumbi. Kodwa umoya washintsha. La matilosi azithela phakathi kwenkungu. Incwadi yomlando eshiwo ngenhla ithi: “Kwaphela izinsuku eziningi engazi ukuthi alibangisaphi.”

Lapho la matilosi ekugcineni ebona izwe, lalingafani nhlobo neGreenland. Ugu lwalubonakala lunohlaza, amagquma namahlathi. Benyukela entshonalanga begudla ugu ngakwesobunxele sabo. Izwe lesibili abalibona nalo lalingafani nhlobo neGreenland. Nokho, ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, izwe lashintsha—babona izintaba nezinguzunga zeqhwa eziningi. UBjarni neviyo lakhe babe sebengena phakathi olwandle balibangisa empumalanga futhi ekugcineni bathola iGreenland kanye nekoloni lamaNorseman lika-Erik the Red.

ULeif Eriksson Uthatha Uhambo

Kungenzeka abeLungu baqala kanjena ukubona—nakuba bengazange balubhade kuyo—indawo yezwekazi kamuva elaziwa ngokuthi iNyakatho Melika. Umbiko walokho uBjarni ayekubonile wavusa isithakazelo samaNorseman akubo eGreenland. Izwe lawo elibandayo lalingenazihlahla; ukuze bakhe futhi balungise imikhumbi nemizi yabo, babethembele ezingodweni ezikhukhulwa amanzi noma ukhuni okwakubiza ukululanda phesheya ngemikhumbi. Kodwa cishe ngaphesheya nje kolwandle ngasentshonalanga, kwakunezwe elinamahlathi anemithi eminingi engenakubalwa!

Owakhangwa kakhulu yileli zwe elisha kwakunguLeif Eriksson osemusha, indodana ka-Erik the Red. ULeif wayechazwa ngokuthi “indoda eyisidlakela, enezikhwepha, ebukekayo futhi ehlakaniphile.” Cishe ngonyaka ka-1000, uLeif Eriksson wathenga umkhumbi kaBjarni, futhi eneqembu lamadoda angu-35, wathatha uhambo eyofuna ugu uBjarni ayelubonile.

Amazwe Amathathu Amasha

Uma kuwukuthi le milando iyiqiniso, uLeif waqale wathola izwe elomile, elinezinguzunga zeqhwa ezinkulu ezimboze amathafa. Ngenxa yokuthi lelo zwe lalinjengedwala elikhulu eliyisicaba, uLeif walibiza ngokuthi iHelluland—okusho “iZwe Lamadwala Ayisicaba.” Kungenzeka lokhu kwakuyisikhathi lapho abeLungu beqala ukufika eNyakatho Melika. Izazi-mlando namuhla zikholelwa ukuthi iHelluland kwakuyiBaffin Island, enyakatho-mpumalanga yeCanada.

Laba bahloli abangamaNorseman baqhubeka nohambo lwabo belibangise eningizimu. Bathola izwe lesibili, elaliyithafa futhi linamahlathi, kanye nogu olunesihlabathi esimhlophe. ULeif walibiza ngokuthi iMarkland, okusho “iZwe Lamahlathi,” namuhla ngokuvamile likhonjwa eLabrador. Ngokushesha bathola izwe lesithathu elalibonakala lilihle nakakhulu.

Umlando uyaqhubeka: “Balibangisa olwandle bachitha izinsuku ezimbili khona beqhutshwa umoya ovela enyakatho-mpumalanga ngaphambi kokuba babone izwe.” Bathola ukuthi leli zwe elisha lihle kangangokuba banquma ukwakha imizi bahlale khona ubusika bonke. Phakathi nobusika “izinga lokubanda alibanga ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa kanti notshani bashazwa kancane kakhulu.” Kamuva, enye yala madoda yaze yathola ngisho namagilebhisi nezivini; yingakho uLeif Eriksson abiza leli zwe ngokuthi iVinland, ngokunokwenzeka okusho “iZwe Lewayini.” Entwasahlobo elandelayo la madoda aphindela eGreenland, izikebhe zabo zigcwele phama izithelo zaseVinland.

Izazi zanamuhla zingathanda ukwazi ukuthi le Vinland yamadlelo aluhlaza namagilebhisi yayikuphi ngempela, kodwa lokho kuseyindida. Abanye abacwaningi bathola ukuthi izici zokubukeka kwendawo yaseNewfoundland zifana nalezo ezichazwe emilandweni yasendulo. Indawo eyavubukulwa eNewfoundland ibonisa ukuthi amaNorseman ake afika kulesi siqhingi. Kodwa, abanye ososayensi banomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe ukuba iVinland yayiqhelile ngaseningizimu nokuthi le ndawo eNewfoundland yayiyisikaniso samaNorseman noma indawo eholela eVinland eningizimu.a

Kunabuphi Ubufakazi?

Akekho okwaziyo ngempela ukuvumelanisa imininingwane yomlando wamaNorseman nokuma kwezwe kwanamuhla. Sekuyisikhathi eside imininingwane engacacile neyinqaba yale milando ixaka izazi-mlando. Nokho, ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuba khona kwamaNorseman eMelika ngaphambi kukaColumbus yindawo eyavubukulwa ngawo-1960 nawo-1970 eNewfoundland, eduze komuzi waseL’Anse aux Meadows. Le ndawo inamanxiwa emizi okungangabazeki ukuthi kwakungeyamaNorseman kanye neziko lensimbi nezinye izinto okuthiwa ezangenkathi kaLeif Eriksson. Futhi umhloli wamazwe waseDenmark obesebenza eningizimu yeNewfoundland muva nje utholé itshe lokusimamisa umkhumbi eliqoshwe ngobuciko okungenzeka lalisetshenziswa emkhunjini wamaViking.

Uhambo lwamaNorseman lokuya emazweni amasha emajukujukwini asentshonalanga lwalungeyona imfihlo. ULeif Eriksson waya eNorway eyobikela inkosi yaseNorway ngalokho ayekutholile. Lapho u-Adam waseBremen, isazi-mlando saseJalimane nomphathi wesikole sombhishobhi, eya eDenmark cishe ngo-1070 eyofunda ngamazwe asenyakatho, iNkosi yaseDenmark uSweyn yamtshela ngeVinland, kanye newayini lakhona elehl’ esiphundu. Lolu lwazi lwaba yingxenye yomlando u-Adam waseBremen awuloba phansi. Ngenxa yalokho, abaningi abafundile eYurophu bazi ngamazwe asentshonalanga amaNorseman ayeke afika kuwo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imilando yase-Iceland yasendulo yekhulu le-12 nele-14 ikhuluma ngolunye uhambo lwamaNorseman lapho kamuva eya eMarkland naseVinland, entshonalanga yeGreenland.

Kungenzeka noChristopher Columbus wayazi ngohambo lwaseVinland olwaluthathwe eminyakeni engaba ngu-500 ngaphambi kwesikhathi sakhe. Ngokwencwadi ethile ekhuluma ngeVinland, kunobufakazi bokuthi ngaphambi kohambo lwakhe oludumile lwango-1492/93, uColumbus waze waya nase-Iceland eyotadisha izincwadi zomlando lapho.

Aphelelaphi AmaNorseman?

Abukho ubufakazi bokuthi amaNorseman azinza unomphela eMelika. Kungenzeka azama ukuhlala isikhashana lapho kodwa ehluleka; izimo zazinzima, kanti amaMelika omdabu—amaViking ayewabiza ngokuthi amaSkraeling—ayengewona umdlalo kubahlaseli. EGreenland inzalo ka-Erik the Red nendodana yakhe uLeif Eriksson yadonsa kanzima. Isimo sezulu saba sibi, nokudla kwaphela. Ngemva kweminyaka engamakhulu amane noma amahlanu, kubonakala sengathi amaNorseman anyamalala ngokuphelele eGreenland. Umlando wokugcina owalotshwa amaNorseman eGreenland ukhuluma ngomshado owaqhutshelwa esontweni elithile eGreenland ngo-1408. Eminyakeni eyikhulu kamuva, umkhumbi wabathengisi baseJalimane wathola kukhala ibhungane kuleli koloni laseGreenland, kukhona isidumbu esisodwa kuphela esasingazange singcwatshwe—sendoda, eyayidindilizile nommese wayo. Ngemva kwalokho, akushiwo lutho ngokuphila kwamaNorseman eGreenland. Izihambi zaseNorway naseDenmark zaze zafika ngekhulu le-18 ukuzokwakha ikoloni elalizohlala unomphela.

Nokho, amatilosi amaNorseman anesibindi ayesukela eGreenland lapho eyofuna izwe elisha. Umuntu usengawabona ngeso lengqondo lawo matilosi anesibindi egwedla izikebhe zawo ezisabhokisi ezinoseyili olwandle ayengalwazi kuze kube yilapho ema emangele ebuka ugu lwezwe laphaya—engacabangi ngisho nokuthi ngemva kwamakhulu amahlanu eminyaka, uChristopher Columbus wayezodunyiswa kuthiwe leli Zwe Elisha lalitholwe nguye.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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AMAVIKING AYEHAMBA KANJANI NGEMIKHUMBI?

AmaViking angamaNorseman ayengenawo amakhampasi. Kwakwenzeka kanjani-ke ukuba abe amatilosi anekhono kangaka? Lapho engahambi olwandle, ayehamba agudle ugu ngomkhumbi. Uma kungenzeka ayengena ahambe ngaphakathi ensungubezini ephahlwe yizwe nhlangothi zombili. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ayekwazi ukufunda ilanga nezinkanyezi. Ngokwesibonelo, ayesebenzisa inqubo evamile ukuze athole ibanga lasenyakatho naseningizimu, esebenzisa ishadi lezibalo lesonto ngalinye lonyaka kanye nothi lokulinganisa ukuze alinganise ukuphakama kwelanga emkhathi-zwe emini. Ngenxa yokuthi ayengenayo indlela yokuthola ibanga lasempumalanga nasentshonalanga, lapho ephakathi olwandle ayekhetha ukulibangisa empumalanga noma entshonalanga, elandela ibanga elithile ukuya enyakatho noma eningizimu.

Ngokwesibonelo, uma efuna ukuya ogwini lwaseVinland esuka eGreenland, ayeshona eningizimu yeGreenland aze afinyelele ebangeni elifanele eningizimu; abese ejika ashone entshonalanga aze ayothola itheku alifunayo. Futhi, ukubuka izinyoni kwakuwusizo kumatilosi angamaViking lapho ephakathi olwandle. Ayengochwepheshe bokuqagela ukuthi izwe lingakuphi—nokuthi lalinjani—ngokubuka izinyoni zindiza. Ngezinye izikhathi ayehamba namagwababa; lapho zidedelwa, lezi zinyoni zazindiza zilibangise ogwini oluseduze. Ngakho amaViking ayazi ukuthi azolithola ngakuphi izwe eliseduze.

Okunye okwakuwasiza ohambweni ukulinganisa ukujula kwamanzi. Itilosi elingumViking lalehlisa intambo eboshelwe isigaxa somthofu. Lokhu kwakufeza izinjongo ezimbili. Okokuqala, kwakulisiza lithole ukujula kwamanzi. Lapho lesi sigaxa sifika ekujuleni kwamanzi, itilosi lalidonsa intambo, libale ngengalo ukuze lithole ubude bayo. Kuze kube namuhla, amatilosi alinganisa ukujula kwamanzi ngokusebenzisa i-“fathom” engamafidi ayisithupha (amamitha angu-1,8), igama elithathwe olimini lwesiNorse Sakudala elisho “izingalo ezeluliwe.” Kodwa lesi sigaxa somthofu sasinenjongo yesibili. Ngokuvamile, sasenziwa sibe nembobo ngaphansi bese igcwaliswa ngesinqumela. Ngakho, lesi sigaxa sasibuya nesampula yalokho okusekujuleni kolwandle. Itilosi lalihlaziya isampula libheke namashadi alo asolwandle, ayequkethe izincazelo zalokho okusekujuleni kolwandle ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene. Nakuba la mathuluzi ayevamile nje, amaViking aba amatilosi avelele.

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Photo: Stofnun Arna Magnússonar, Iceland

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

NOVA SCOTIA

UBjarni Herjolfsson esuka e-Iceland cishe ngo-986 C.E.

NEWFOUNDLAND

LABRADOR

BAFFIN ISLAND

GREENLAND

ULeif Eriksson esuka eGreenland cishe ngo-1000 C.E.

GREENLAND

BAFFIN ISLAND

LABRADOR

NEWFOUNDLAND

[Umthombo]

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

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Kwesobunxele, umuzi ovuselelwe ka-Erik the Red eGreenland

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Umfuziselo ongokoqobo womkhumbi wamaViking owasetshenziswa uLeif Eriksson

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Viking ships on pages 2 and 18: Photos: Narsaq Foto, Greenland

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Isithombe sikaLeif Eriksson, e-Iceland

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IL’Anse aux Meadows, eNewfoundland

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Parks Canada

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Artifacts on display at the Museum of National Antiquities, Stockholm, Sweden